Straight weight oil for new engine break in?

[willistheguy]

Hey all, I've always really liked this site and I finally made an account for it. (Let me know if I'm in the wrong section.)

I am just finishing a rebuild for my small block ford 302 roller motor. I have been searching in depth for what is a good break in procedure and what oil/additives to use. I am consistently seeing the recommendation to use SAE 30 oil for the first start up. The only reason I have seen given for using straight weight oil is that it has less additives in it and that is better for initial break in ( example ) .

I currently have Valvoline premium conventional SAE 30 in the engine but have not fired it yet. I do not know if that oil has some additives. And if it does, then would it really do any harm to switch to 5w30 or 10w40 weight of the exact same brand?!

The engine is outside and the temperatures are in the 40-50 deg F range. At these temps the SAE 30 seems super viscous and I don't know if it would be good for the engine to start with oil so thick. I feel like I should heat the oil up first on the stove and then put it in the engine. That kind of seems silly. If anyone has more information or knows where I can find more information on engine break in with straight weight oil please weigh in. Several people were also curious over at the mustang forum but did not have an answer.

 

[Johnny2Bad]

In the past, multigrade oils were not as technologically advanced as a modern oil is. The best performing oils were single grade from quality stock.

The recommendation you are hearing is based on oils that were available perhaps 20 or more years ago. There have been massive improvements in Viscosity Improver (VI) additives, in fact oil in general, since that time.

As long as you are using a modern API rated oil feel free to use any appropriate grade for startup/break-in. There is nothing wrong with using Grade30 (in warm weather locations) but if I had 10w30 in the garage (for example), I'd use it instead without worry.

I would consider Grade30 to be perfectly fine as long as the outside (cold start condition) air temperature was above 40F.

Please do not heat motor oil on the stove.

 

[Tman220]

Roller motor... 30-40 degrees... get that 30 weight out of there!!

30 weight offers no advantages in my opinion for engine break in over some other oil (5w30, 10w30 etc)

You built an engine with roller lifters, assuming you assembly it with assembly lube.. Put whatever oil in your clearances are set up for, pre-lube the engine with the heated oil if you want, fire it up, warm it up, then drive it!

to reiterate. get that straight 30 weight out!

 

[FlyNavyP3]

As a Michigan native I understand your concerns with a straight weight this time of year. However your roller 302 doesn't need anything special for break in. I would use the 30wt above 32F with no concerns, however it's not anything special, a 5/10w30/40 will also work just fine. You'll get a lot of opinions here, but it will all boil down to if you're worried change it (if it will make you feel better), anything with a modern spec will work just fine, including the SAE 30 you currently have in it. More important will be to pre-lube the engine prior to firing it, priming tools for Ford's are cheap, just make sure to turn it in the correct direction (CCW for a Ford SB). Also make sure you have the firing order correct (some 302 roller engines used the 351W firing order).

Enjoy your new engine!

 

[supton]

Welcome to BITOG!

Since this was rebuilt by you in the garage, anything you dump in won't be in for too long -- I'm not usually a fan of early oil changes on new cars, but on something rebuilt out in the garage I think it's wise. With that in mind, I'd lean towards whatever is cheap and on sale. Not sure I'd go to SAE30 though, and I'd want detergent, would want it to clean up anything left behind.

Many people here switch between brands willy-nilly. If you find an oil you like, stick with company; but I don't see a reason to stick to one company just because the engine was broken in with their oil.

 

[FCD]

Absolutely no reason to be using a SAE30....
Being a roller engine Zinc will not be an issue , run 5W30, 10W30 or 0W40 Mobil 1.
I'd use 10w30 conventional oil for the first few thousand miles, then go to synthetic.

 

[Chris142]

A 5w30 will pump much faster than a sae30 when you start it for the first time.

 

[jayg]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
A 5w30 will pump much faster than a sae30 when you start it for the first time.


Not noticeably unless you are starting it for the first time in -20F outside and coldsinked for 24 hours. Besides, everything extra critical should have assembly lube on it.

That being said, I like to use cheap 5w30 conventional oil and a great filter the first 750-1000 miles after a TRUE machine work rebuild (not the FF dump nonsense). Then switch to synthetic with an OEM after that.

 

[tig1]

Originally Posted By: willistheguy
Hey all, I've always really liked this site and I finally made an account for it. (Let me know if I'm in the wrong section.)

I am just finishing a rebuild for my small block ford 302 roller motor. I have been searching in depth for what is a good break in procedure and what oil/additives to use. I am consistently seeing the recommendation to use SAE 30 oil for the first start up. The only reason I have seen given for using straight weight oil is that it has less additives in it and that is better for initial break in ( example ) .

I currently have Valvoline premium conventional SAE 30 in the engine but have not fired it yet. I do not know if that oil has some additives. And if it does, then would it really do any harm to switch to 5w30 or 10w40 weight of the exact same brand?!

The engine is outside and the temperatures are in the 40-50 deg F range. At these temps the SAE 30 seems super viscous and I don't know if it would be good for the engine to start with oil so thick. I feel like I should heat the oil up first on the stove and then put it in the engine. That kind of seems silly. If anyone has more information or knows where I can find more information on engine break in with straight weight oil please weigh in. Several people were also curious over at the mustang forum but did not have an answer.


Use what ever wt oil your engine calls for. Millions of engines every year roll off the assembly line using multi wt oils. Don't over think it.

 

[roadrunner1]

If you're looking for a special "break-in" oil Deere offers break-in 30 wt. Their diesel engines are completely rebuildable with wet removable cylinder liners and I have used the 30 wt break-in lube before. Its labeled CJ-4/SM, I don't know if you need it or not but its available.

 

[willistheguy]

Originally Posted By: Johnny2Bad

Please do not heat motor oil on the stove.

Haha not a shocking response

Originally Posted By: FlyNavyP3
More important will be to pre-lube the engine prior to firing it, priming tools for Ford's are cheap, just make sure to turn it in the correct direction (CCW for a Ford SB). Also make sure you have the firing order correct (some 302 roller engines used the 351W firing order).

Good advice. I made sure to prime prior to distributor install. My drill was not powerful enough to do much more than just prime the oil pump unfortunately (it overheated shortly after filling oil pump). I will prime it for longer with the starter before firing. Firing order is set to what it was before disassembly.

Originally Posted By: supton

Not sure I'd go to SAE30 though, and I'd want detergent, would want it to clean up anything left behind.

I specifically went with a cheaper oil with less anti-wear additives to help break in the rings. Not sure how to differentiate between oils with more detergents vs anti-wear additives though. And when I said cheaper, I mean conventional.

Originally Posted By: Chris142
A 5w30 will pump much faster than a sae30 when you start it for the first time.

My thoughts exactly! One of the reasons I was surprised it was recommended.

Also, so I know oil technology is better than it used to be and such. But companies like Amsoil use SAE 30 as a break in oil ( Amsoil SAE 30 )

 

[willistheguy]

Originally Posted By: jayg
Originally Posted By: Chris142
A 5w30 will pump much faster than a sae30 when you start it for the first time.


Not noticeably unless you are starting it for the first time in -20F outside and coldsinked for 24 hours. Besides, everything extra critical should have assembly lube on it.

That being said, I like to use cheap 5w30 conventional oil and a great filter the first 750-1000 miles after a TRUE machine work rebuild (not the FF dump nonsense). Then switch to synthetic with an OEM after that.


First, you mean the person running the engine won't notice or the engine won't notice? I'm worried about the oil being too thick initially and not properly being flung around the crankcase lubing the camshaft. It seems much thicker in the colder temps but I'm not a chemist.

Second, I have a Purolator Boss on there for initial break and then I plan to switch to a Motorcraft after changing the oil in the first 50 miles.

 

[willistheguy]

Originally Posted By: tig1

Use what ever wt oil your engine calls for. Millions of engines every year roll off the assembly line using multi wt oils. Don't over think it.

I'm not against that thinking. And if it comes down to it I might just do that since it's the safest, but nonetheless I am still curious.

 

[CT8]

Break in oils are a scam. You want the [strongest] oil for break in.

 

[BrocLuno]

Originally Posted By: Chris142
A 5w30 will pump much faster than a sae30 when you start it for the first time.


No it won't. That is a positive displacement pump. As long as it's fluid, and can get to the pump, it will pump at exactly the same rate ... It might not go through the filter media and open a by-pass (not good on fresh start), but it'll travel the same amount in the same time in the galleries.

So what assembly lube did you use?

You have an oversize filter on it for first start? This offers more media area so that any "thick" oil that wants to squeeze through can w/o opening a by-pass

As far as SAE 30 HD being inferior to "modern oils", that has never been proven in an engineering study or scientific paper I have been able to find ... And I have been looking.

I would trust a quality SAE 30 HD oil over a LOT of multi's for a first start scenario. Rotella T1 would be fine. I have started many engines on straight 30 and never lost one yet. It's the most common lubricant in the world of marine engines. Lots of Chris-Craft, Crusader, Hardin, etc. have all been started after rebuild on SAE 30.

It's not ideal for a motor that sits outside below freezing, but I suspect that is not what's happening here ...

I would not use some cheap store brand 30 though. No Supertech or AutoZone or anything. Major refiner only.

Saying all that, I have switched from 30 HD to Delo 400 15w30 SD for break-in's on rebuilds. It's getting harder to find good SAE 30 HD at reasonable prices, and the SD is an excellent oil with a stout add pak

 

[willistheguy]

I'll just clarify all that's involved here:

Assembly lube (recommended by an engine builder I know after I told him I knew it would be a while before the engine was actually going to be started)
Purolator Boss filter
Valvoline oil that's currently in the engine (unstarted)

Tolerances are quite tight as it's all new bearings/lifters/rockers/rings. All crank specs were within factory tolerances.

I don't think that is an "oversize" filter. I think it's just a really fine media. It's still a really big filter. I planned on changing it quickly after initial break in for higher flow filter (don't know if that is relevant with positive displacement pump?).

 

[4WD]

The oil pump is PD in automotive circles - x volume per rotation - they actually have decent efficiency (not good enough for accuracy in fluid transfer) - good news is they drag along a bit more oil with some "body" to it (cost is load).

"Faster" may not be the right question? Iwhat happens cranking/starting? that is why early MV oils were once called
Uni Flo etc ...path of least resistance in fluids ... lmight help squirted oil that has pattern altered by viscosity - things like that. Just easy to crank is enough- why wear proof is not readily available - ? They both work well.


Yes, always ran big industrial gens and pumps off mono. (1200 HP) ... but nowadays I have motors making over 5X that running 15w40 ... OEM specs ...
You live warm enough - the mono is fine. We try to micrometer a brick on this subject.
OEM's in a one size fits all CAFE world since a large portion of drivers don't think very deep on this.

 

[SR5]

A mineral 10W30 that is high on zinc and low on VII would be my pick. Like VR-1 10W30 or a HDEO 10W30 or 15W30.

However you have roller cams and the oil is already in the sump. Have you consider electric pan heaters or dip stick heaters?, you know the plug in oil heaters they run in Canada and similar places over winter. Just an idea from a guy that lives in the tropics.

 

[CT8]

Originally Posted By: willistheguy
I'll just clarify all that's involved here:

Assembly lube (recommended by an engine builder I know after I told him I knew it would be a while before the engine was actually going to be started)
Purolator Boss filter
Valvoline oil that's currently in the engine (unstarted)

Tolerances are quite tight as it's all new bearings/lifters/rockers/rings. All crank specs were within factory tolerances.

I don't think that is an "oversize" filter. I think it's just a really fine media. It's still a really big filter. I planned on changing it quickly after initial break in for higher flow filter (don't know if that is relevant with positive displacement pump?).
Clearances,Tolerances should be tight but tolerances are the allowed variences of the specified tolerances.

 

[willistheguy]

Oh unfortunately I was being sloppy there and just used the words interchangeably. The main point I was saying is that stuff is tight because it's new

I didn't have time to get reallly in depth with the micrometers but I know the crankshaft was virtually perfect.

Also I should mention the engine has a NEW CAM. So I will be doing the factory camshaft break in procedure (~2000 rpm varying 100 rpm up and down for 20-30 minutes).