Hi all I'm getting my old 1500 rebuilt and upgraded to a twin port 1600. New heads, valves, barrels, cams pistons etc.

Is there any special breaking in process for driving the car when back on the road?

Take it easy for the first 1000 k's ,change your oil at the factory intervals for a new engine, and check your tappet adjustment watching for any abnormal changes. Listen to it as you drive it around for any new, strange noises and get them checked out. Once this is all sorted then you should get a long reliable service life out of it.

Thanks for the quick reply. I'll do all that.
Is there any limits on road speed and varying the throttle/rpms?
Years ago it was common to have limits set to 80kmh not to exceed and not sit on one speed for any extended periods on water cooled rebuilds I've had.

Also I think its important for the initial break in of the cam/followers. Not sure as so many different people say so many different things. I let my engine build do my initial start up. But i think trun it over with no plugs in to build oil pressure until the light goes out. then once it starts.... talk to your enginer builder or wait for people like Matt Berry, Dangerous or similar on here for advice.

Once mine was on the road ie 0km after cam break in, it was don't flogg it initally, take it for a longish drive to fully heat up, vary revs and load, but don't flog it. Oil changed straight after initial fire up, then 200km, then 1000km, then the normal 3000 to 5000 km depending if it had raced or just been on the street.

if you had the engine built, just do what the engine builder says....

Thanks mate

1000k's at the rate i drive my car when i build the new engine I will never get to break it in lol

Hi,

I've had my new engine in for around 180miles.I'm not valve bouncing it but I'm not treating it like a baby either. All good so far.

The engine builder has told me to drive it normally so I am. It will have it's first service at 1000kms and have the tappets adjusted etc.

If its a new cam then an initial break in is required.
That is Do not idle for say 20 mins. You need to keep the revs at about 2500 for that 20 mins. Also i hope you used a proper cam lube on the lobes and lifter bases.

Once you have done that initial 20 min break in. After that 20 mins, put it onto the road, stick it in say 2 nd or 3 rd and accelerate from 20- 70 ks three or four times. This puts the engine under heavy cylinder pressures and beds yours rings, after that, do whatever you want to it, Flog it if you want, just dont take it real gentle

Thanks for all the advice. I've got a 200k trip to Brissy this week so its good to hear that a sensible drive is in order.

By the way Paul I looked at your 69 Bug refurb. pics today. What an outstanding car!!! I just think to myself ...one day...one day my girl will look as good.
I hope to get her back tomorrow. At least it will stop me driving the wife nuts about having the bug back

pobjoy told me to take it for a drive for ten minutes,no tune up or timing..just try and get it close before start up... change through gears etc. no stop start driving, so find some back roads... then come back and dont let it idle, switch off and drain the oil....then the first 1000kms just drive it...no thrashing it...

hope this helps and im sure a lot of people will disagree.....but i know who id listen too....

I'm with Clinker42. Cam break-in, 2000 rpm for 20 minutes, change oil/filter and adjust valves then quick tune and get it loaded up. Half a dozen full power from low rpm to near redline if all sounds right to bed the rings. Fine tune and drive normal - hard, not to maintain sustained rpm or light load, highway cruising vary speed occasionally with periodically lifting off throttle momentarily to aid in upper cylinder lubrication.

Don't lug engine and don't pussy it. A lazy run-in will be a lazy engine. Many of the worlds best engine builders stand by a variation of that statement.

Thanks guys, a bit of a vigour on the right foot sounds like it will help. Certainly dont want a lazy engine.