Royal Purple Break-In oil

[92GTA]

I just rebuilt the 265ci V8 in my 1956 Corvette. I reused the original flat tappet cam & solid lifters (in the same bores). Did a ball hone on the cylinders and used cast rings. I filled it with Royal Purple Break-In oil. I am hearing conflicting things on the internet and want to ask you guys...

How many miles should it be left in for? It know it says not more than 2,500 miles, but I’ve also been told (by CompCams specifically) that if run for more than 30mins it could wipe cam lobes.

What is the optimal run-time/mileage for using RP Break-Oil considering my engine specs? It seems too expensive to drain right away and I was going to drain and change at 500 miles but not if there is even the slightest chance that damage could be caused in that time.

Thanks!

Alex

 

[FL_Rob]

I'd get an opinion from a different cam mfg'r,say, Crane cams or Lunati,to see if this theory matches.

 

[92GTA]

Here is the response I just received from RP:
-----------------------------------------------
Good Morning Mr. xxxxxxx,

I think there may have been some miscommunication with the Comp Cams rep. or he/she does not understand lubrication. Typically, a camshaft manufacturer recommends changing the oil after camshaft break-in for a new camshaft. The initial 20 to 30 minutes of engine run-time is going to produce the bulk of the wear metals a new engine will make during break-in, and best practice is to replace the oil and filter to remove this material.

http://www.cranecams.com/uploads/breakin/548e.pdf

http://www.pbmperformance.com/uploads/cat%5B1230329327%5DCAMSHAFT%20BREAK%20IN%20PROCEDURE.pdf

http://www.mellingengine.com/Portals/5/pdf/pdf_catalog/Camshaft-Break-In-Proced-Rev4-12-07.pdf


Most of any assembly lubricant that was used during the build will be removed by this first oil change, as well. You are reusing your cam and lifters, so the only thing that has to be done during break-in is seating the new piston rings to the honed cylinder walls. This typically takes several hundred to a thousand miles to accomplish and is dictated more by the piston ring material and cylinder wall finish than the oil.

Royal Purple Break-In Oil offers more than enough protection for a flat tappet valve train like yours, in a properly assembled engine. As long as the cam and lifters are in good shape, and the same lifters are used with the same lobes (like you indicated) you should be fine. If it were mine, I would put 50 to 100 miles on it, then change the oil and run it to 1,000 miles total. After that, change the oil to a high-quality synthetic like Royal Purple SAE 10W-30 (part #01130, quart bottle) or SAE 10W-40 (part #01140, quart bottle) and you will be good.


Thanks for choosing Royal Purple and have a great day!


Best Regards,

Christopher Barker
Technical Services
Royal Purple, Inc.
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I guess when I called CompCams they didn't understand that I was reusing an old cam is all, now I feel much better. I had called to discuss new cam options and ended up not going with a new one then we side tracked by the RP conversation, must have just been a misunderstanding.

I'm going to run it about 100 miles and change it like he suggested, then I'm going to run Castrol GTX 5w20 with ZDDP for another 1,500 miles then I'll switch to Redline.

 

[oilboy123]

I like to run dino just to make sure everything gets a chance to break in. Plus I can do a couple of oil changes within the first 3000 miles.

As you can see nobody, companies, BTOG posters will ever agree. Just do what makes sense and you will be OK. If I was breaking in a cam I would not go more than 500 miles on the oil. Since you are not you are mostly concerned with break in metal from the rings.

Was 1956 the first year of the 265 engine? Powerglide? Nice car have fun with it.Post some pictures to..........

 

[92GTA]

The RP was the only locally available regular dino oil I could get with the zinc/phos I need. I dind't want to bother to waste a bottle of ZDDP just to drain in a couple hundred miles.

1955 was the first year for the SBC actually, didn't even have provisions for an oil filter! Filters started in 1956, lucky me!

I have pictures here: www.TheFOAT.com/92GTA

3-spd right now but I'll be putting the original PG back in.

 

[oilboy123]

Oh I forgot that the 55 was not the first year. 53-54 had the six..........

 

[Hoosier_Daddy]

i like to do an initial run, up to operating temp. i drain and change. then another at 300 miles and then a normal oci