Rebuilt motor start up
 

I had my 8BA rebuilt and I'd like to test run it before it gets put in the car.
I would like to know EXACTLY what to do.

Here's some of the questions I have.

Do I need to install a radiator and coolant or can I run without it?
(I only plan on running it to check for oil pressure and leaks and whatever else I should be looking for)

I've read about priming the motor with oil, so I don't think that'll be a problem for me to handle.

Should I run an oil filter? I think it should, but want to input. It was plumbed for 95% oil filtering.

Should the clutch and pressure plate be installed?

Will it run it with a gravity feed fuel bottle or do I need a fuel pump? (Single two barrel carb)

Please let me know if I'm missing anything.

Thank you, Joe

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Perhaps I'm too simple minded - certainly possible - but by the time you mess around with all the bracing, plumbing, and electrical work to get an engine ready to test it could be in the car. That was my approach. Obviously, you get to decide. Hope the startup meets your expectations.

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Should I run an oil filter? I think it should, but want to input. It was plumbed for 95% oil filtering.


If you run sans the filter, ensure the blocking grubscrew is removed from the oilway....

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

New cam and lifters? If so, you'll need to run it at 2,000-2,500 rpm for 20 minutes to break them in... even though flatheads don't run the valve spring pressures that overheads do I'd want to do a good break-in on these parts.

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

It'll run on gravity feed. You'll need a radiator for sure. I've run motors on stands - they get hot in just a few minutes.
It doesn't matter if the clutch is on it or not, as long as the flywheel in on. Make sure the flywheel bolts are tight!

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

It's really not too bad. I've dove a lot of motors this way, just not a fresh rebuild.
I also have to index the bellhousing for the T5 trans and I won't be able to do that in the car.
Thanks

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Thank you Brian. I've read about some disasters here on the barn about that grub screw!

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Yessir, new cam and lifters. New everything!
Can this break in be done after the motor is pre-tested and back in the car?
Thanks

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Thanks Jim, I can get that set-up in a jiffy!
Thank you

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Yeah... if you want to put the cam and lifters at risk.

Personally I wouldn't attempt to start that engine until you are ready to run it at high rpm for 20 min's or so as you are depending upon the oil thrown off of the crank and rods to adequately lubricate the cam lobes and lifters until they break in.

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

I built an engine test stand about 10 years ago and have used it a bunch. I have had two flatheads, an early hemi, and an Olds Rocket on it so far, with at least one more to come. Probably not worth it though if you are only doing one engine. They're great for the 20 minute cam break-in on a new engine (easier to control), but don't over-do it. I particularly like them for checking out used engines to see what you really have. The hemi and a Mercury I checked were both unknown used engines and both turned out to be in excellent shape.

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

I bench ran a used 59AB,
wood blocks to hold the engine in place
used a radiator held in place by the hoses.
fed the ford fuel pump from a can.
original cast iron exhaust manifolds. No muffler... LOUD.
Oil pressure gauge.

Could have run it as long as I wanted...

Karl

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

the junk yards used to run em laying in an old tire, no radiator, rev the hell out of it to show us kids how good it was. used a spray bottle for fuel. run it until your finger is tired of pumping the bottle

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

My opinion....people say that with new cam and lifters, the motor needs to be run at 2000 RPM for 20 minutes in order to run those components in.

New rings need to be run under load to get them bedded in correctly.
Therefore, achieve both jobs at once; get vehicle running, then DRIVE it.

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Thats what I did.. load it up and run it reasonably hard. Back yourself if you have done the work ! :D

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

OK, putting the motor in the car to run it is not a problem.
One thing I must check before I do that is the bellhouse indexing.
To do that, I have to hand turn the motor.
I'm being told not to do that because it'll wipe the lube off the cam lobes.
The motor would have to be spun a minimum of two times, one to get the numbers and one to check after adjusting.
If I install the motor in the car and drive it, I run the risk of destroying the input shaft bearing...again. I don't want to do that.
I'm open to suggestions.
Thanks everyone.

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Hi Joe, I'm telling you, it would work fine indicating that hsg on ANY other 8BA block, it will work.

Done this hundreds of times on the "stick" Chevy's we've done. If you indicate a scattershield on any "stock" Chevy block, NOT an aftermarket one (SB's and BB's are the same), and then use it on still another block later on, you'll be safe, believe me!

But here's the "catch", we've never used any offset dowel pins or stepped ones to locate the new shield on any builds, nor have we "redrilled" new holes for any larger pins, we simply used the Lakewood "welded-washer" setup on each housing. You would indicate the hsg to the designated block using the indicator and the bolts to "center" it then weld the washers to the hsg while in position on the block. There was clearance, usually about .010"/.015" between the hsg pin holes and the existing dowels. This method allowed that same hsg to fit other OEM blocks without having to go all through it again! It works, we've probably done a couple hundred over the years! Lakewood G.M kit photo below only for comparison.

Now, for the initial firing, prime the entire unit, 4 qts of oil, with an external priming tank, leave the "grub" screw OUT (not in, good catch below here guys) this means no filter during the fire-up, and wrap it up. After it's all broken in, INSTALL the "grub" screw and plumb in the filter! Should be fine!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. Here's a shot of the Chevy setup I'm speaking about, for the Flathead you'd need to make a couple "weldable" washers. once those washers are tacked/welded to that hsg it will now fit other OEM blocks with no issues, been there, done it! If you happen to need "longer" Flathead pins that's not a real problem either, the pins would be "straight", same diameter as the factory pins to fit the block, no offsets! Indicate the hsg, weld the washers in place, done.

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

"Now, for the initial firing, prime the entire unit, 4 qts of oil, with an external priming tank, leave the "grub" screw in place (this means no filter during the fire-up), and wrap it up. After it's all broken in, remove the "grub" screw and plumb in the filter! Should be fine!"

Not sure I understand this, isn't the "grub" screw blocking the oil passage? I would think you would be stating it the other way around, the "grub" screw has to come out without the filter and back it with the filter. A mistake in this area will be catastrophic!!!

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

I agree w/JSeery

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Good catch, guys!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. "Fixed", I shouldn't post till I'm entirely awake!!

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Sorry to keep on your case Gary, but there is more repair required! :)

"After it's all broken in, remove the "grub" screw and plumb in the filter!"

"remove" should be "install".

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Hi J, quite alright, we don't need wrong info up here, especially from me!

Thanks, Gary in N.Y.

P.S. I have no issues ever being corrected!

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

Sounds good Gary, but I have an aluminum bellhousing and a steel adapter to make the 8BA fit the T5 so I'm not sure how to make that work.

Re: Rebuilt motor start up
 

This is essentially what my machinist told me. He said the reason behind running the engine at higher revs was to ensure there was enough oil getting to the lifters as they just rely on oil "splash" and not direct oil lubrication.