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I have seen discussion on this forum about a break in procedure for the 8v. Is there a reference for this somewhere? Or can someone describe the procedure? I recall in the old days that when purchasing a new car it always came with break in information. Since I haven't owned a new car since 1985, my memory is a bit vague on the subject.


nick
'79 TR7

Are you just starting a new engine after a rebuild?

Don
"No More Cars For You"
71 TR6- Perpetual remodel
80 TR7 V8 Kick in the pants

What's been done to the engine?

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The engine is getting new piston set, bearings, and spigot bush, and the head is getting new valves, guides and a mild cam grind.


nick
'79 TR7

Nick the story we are told here is that you have to run a new Rover engine at 2,000 RPM for 15/20 minutes to bed in the cam & followers. This is apparently because the greenies have made the oil companies use less zinc as an additive in their oil today, & this makes the cam lobes, & followers vulnerable.

Of course it may just be that modern engines no longer require zinc in their lubricants.

In the day, when Repco Brabhams were winning world F1 championships with an engine based on the Buick/Rover engine the oil companies, at least BP & Shell, used to give us a little glass jar of liquid zinc to add to our engines, with their racing oils, to help with lubrication.

This was in the days when oil came in tins, & I assumed that the zinc must have been surface active, & would plate out in the tin, if added at the refinery.

There are some special breaking in oils. Have a look on the net, or ring the companies & see if they will tell you if they have extra zinc in those. They might be the stuff to use.

I would be assembling that engine with STP on all moving parts. It will not wipe or drain out, & I proved it produces a better boundary lubrication film than any thing else, at least it did in the 60/70s.

The oil companies may have something as good today, but at 10 bucks a bottle it's cheep insurance.

To prove how good STP is, add it to the oil of one of those engines, like the TR2/4 Vanguard that rattle like hell on start up, & they will never rattle like that again. It just won't drain out& leave the bearings dry.

Hasbeen

Nick- Check your local auto parts store or 2 and see if they have Brad Penn break in oil. Very good for that .

Don
"No More Cars For You"
71 TR6- Perpetual remodel
80 TR7 V8 Kick in the pants

We use Castrol Delo 400 to break in RV8's At least you can read the
specs of the oil on back of can .

Mariusl

Just had a club trip to engine machine shop where we discussed this. Modern engines (with steel cams overhead cams) don't need zinc. This includes our slant 4 engine. Not so for the V8 I believe. Engines with flat tappets need it as they have cast cams (softer) probably even if they have been parkerized. If your engine has roller lifters you also don't need it. Zinc destroys cats' and is to be taken out completely so even those oils with still a little (like Castrol GTX) will soon have none. There will be some specialty oils with zinc for old engines and of course your little can of additive to add to your regular oil.

Break in oils for overhauled engines tend to have zinc in them. (Don't know about in future). Diesel oils have zinc in them but they are too detergent for older engines.



Engines should be assembled with assembly lubricant (the stuff I've seen is red) but my brother used to use his own stuff out of molybdenum and two other components I forget what else off hand. He did Beetle engines some of them really souped up (he said they'd take any American muscle car) and none of them blew up during brake in so I guess his magic formula worked.



TR7 Spider - 1978 Spitfire - 1976 Spitfire - 1988 Tercel 4X4 - Kali on Integra - 1991 Integra - Yellow TCT

Just to clarify, my engine is the 4 cylinder 8 valve not the V8. Thanks for all the input.


nick
'79 TR7

My engine shop says current thinking is to use a high quality oil (he recommends Penzoil or Penrite), and to change the oil and filter after 1600kmls. After that do normal 5000/10000klm oil and filter changes.


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