Initial 427 Start up tips

[gobu]

Hi,
Anyone hhave some specific advice on starting up a rebuilt 427 for the first time?
What to keep an eye on?
Limit the RPM's to a certain range?
Keep it out of idle for a certain amount of time?
Any help would be appreciated.

[Mr.Fixit]

Avoid cranking the engine over unneccessarily. Make sure the carb bowls have gas in them. Bring #1 cyl to TDC on firing stroke (puff of air out sparkplug hole) make sure distributor rotor is pointing at the #1 plug wire. Make sure there's water in the radiator. If you have two fans, point them at the sidepipe body exits to avoid cooking the paint during inital fire up.

As soon as it sparks off, bring the RPM up to 1800-2500 range, vary it in this range for the first 20 minutes of operation to break the cam in.

[Mr.Fixit]

Avoid cranking the engine over unneccessarily. Make sure the carb bowls have gas in them. Bring #1 cyl to TDC on firing stroke (puff of air out sparkplug hole) make sure distributor rotor is pointing at the #1 plug wire. Make sure there's water in the radiator. If you have two shop fans, point them at the sidepipe body exits to avoid cooking the paint during inital fire up.

As soon as it sparks off, bring the RPM up to 1800-2500 range, vary it in this range for the first 20 minutes of operation to break the cam in. WATCH THE OIL PRESSURE. If it heats up to where the water is above 190 degrees shut it off and repeat as necessary to get 20 mins of 1800-2500 rpm break in.

If you have an oil cooler or remote filter adapter, prelube the system prior to fire up. Remove distributor and rotate oil pump drive shaft with socket on an extension until oil pressure gauge sees some pressure.

[Jack21]

Good advice.

Do this for any engine.

Might add a bottle of GM engine oil supplement for break in.

Change oil and filter after this first 20 min.

Mr. Fixit, how would you change the above procedure for a hydraulic roller cam?

What procedure do you use for seating rings?

[Jerry Cowing]

gobu,

I'd also pre-oil the engine before you fire it up. Two methods: 1) insert a distrubutor rod into the distributor hole and slowly turn it with an electric drill (medium speed) until you see oil on your valve rockers. 2) Disconnect the positive wire from your coil and turn the engine over until you see the oil gauge needle move. Reinstall the coil wire and then start the engine using the above procedures the guys recommended.

[gobu]

thanks guys

[Mr.Fixit]

Roller cammed motors can forgo the 20 minute torture test at 1800-2000 rpm. Just make sure it has oil pressure and sounds good at various rpms. Don't do the whole thing at idle. I forgot to mention. get the timing set as quickly as possible after fire up. Today's piston rings seat very quickly, within the first five minutes of operation. After the first afternoon of running the motor for break in, change the oil. Always use non-synthetic oil the first two oil changes, non-detergent (30w or 20w-50 )if you can find it.