[DeTomaso] cam break-in question

[JDeRyke at aol.com]

In a message dated 5/02/07 10:34:01 PM, chrisvkimball at msn.com writes:

<< Do I need to do the entire 20 minutes of (cam) break in, or since I 
already did 10 
minutes, is another 10 sufficient? >>

The idea behind breaking in a flat-tappet cam is to wear both the cam lobes 
and lifters into compatibility. This is done by running the engine at a high 
enough rpm so there's enough oil splashed onto the parts to lube them; running 
too slow won't supply enough oil, and running the engine under high load also 
is non-good. The 20 min recommended by the mfgr is likely not exact but is 
suggested to cover most conditions. Also be aware that there are a couple of other 
possible failure points in new cams besides the lifter/lobe compatibillty 
issue. For instance, we've found an occasional incorrect tooth-angle ground into 
cam gear teeth that drives the distributor gear, so in less than 5 miles, the 
teeth were GONE from the dizzy gear. And with that much metal washed down in 
the oil pan, this caused another engine rebuild. So before you fire up again, 
pull the distributor and carefully check the gear teeth for wear. This is 
regardless of what metal the dizzy gear is made of. Good luck- J DeRyke
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