This is, of course, a dedicated, trailered, drag car with roller cam and moly rings. The hone work is correct for the ring package.

What is the current thinking/experience for oil in ref to first start and first runs at the track? How many runs before changing the startup oil?

Usually make 3-4-5 pulls on the dyno, cycle it hot a few more times and pull the filter. If that looks good I add a little oil for the filter, hook the vacuum pump and hit the track 2-3 passes, change the oil. Filter will look good again, if it makes it that far.

Brand of oil?

Green oil or Valvoline racing. I prefer / like green methanol.

Larry, I've run brand new roller cammed engines that weren't dyno'd, with Mobil 1synthetic oil from day 1 in the past.

Now with all my engines being dyno'd I dump the break in oil and install Lucas 20W-50 synthetic racing oil before I run them.

This is just my opinion Larry after doing my oil research.

Use a dedicated break in oil from any of the large oil blenders. Do your start up and leak, timing, temp checks. I like to keep idle time to a minimum for that and get the engine under some load. If you are going to dyno it then a short sweep.

Check everything over and do a full run then check the filter. Once finished on the dyno change oil.

If no dyno then the first part still applies about idle time. Take it to the track and drive it to warm up keeping it under varying load. If pressure is good make a pass. Check the filter. 2-4 passes more and change oil to your race oil. Again any of the large blenders will have great oil and it depends on gas or alcohol as to which oils I run.

The only thing I would add is don't run Driven full synthetic if you run Methanol. It sheets off to well to protect from the moisture. Great oil for gas and power though.

Personally I run Driven break in oil and have Amsoil for racing with Methanol.

I don't know who is making the Pennsylvania crude green oil now, I've heard conflicting reports.

It was Kendall years ago, then Joe Gibbs I think, then Brad Penn.

I have of a case Brad Penn green 30wt here, I never got around to using. Maybe we'll pour it in the Hurricane.

That's the slipperiest chit I've seen.

Every engine I've built started on Castrol either x-30 or x-50. Check them for the obvious. Load the and take to the track. Say a prayer and send it. Check oil pressure - repeat several times the above.

Bring home and check the filter. Repeat above 200+ times, rebuild at about a 2-year interval.

Never had an issue with bearings or engine performance. The bearings I am taking out, look like the ones I am putting in. The last several builds were the exact same build/engine with just new stuff and it ran exactly the same each time.

I don't buy all the hype on these break-in lubes, etc. I also don't use any assembly lube...just the oil I am going to be using. Right before firing I prime the motor for a good long time - check it for good pressure and fire it. The guy who taught me years ago has built MANY MANY more and uses the same above.

If it was my engine I’d buy some low viscosity automotive oil and run it up to temp at home, no power but rev it to 3000 or so. Do that Like 3-4 times. Drain it replace the filter and refill with proper race oil and filter. Run one event, drain replace filter and refill, then do as you normal do with oil and filter.

I'm sure I don't have to tell you, but the old school of thought was to use dyno oil to break in the rings. Your statement about rings and hone suggest you're after the best possible ring seal. It's an ever changing world, I believe if I had to do it again I would approach the ring mfg.'s and consider their suggestion with due weight.

Brad-Penn is now called Penn Grade and looks the same...

The green is just dye to make it look different...

I stopped using it as I did not like the dark residue I always found in the pan and especially in my Moroso Accumulator...

I removed the Accumulator because of it...
I would have to pull that off and apart everytime I changed the oil to clean it....it was a mess in there.

I switched to VR-1 and NO Accumulator....a Moroso pan.....I have a low oil pressure light and it does not come on in the shutdown area with 8 qts total in it....

No matter how much you run a new engine it won't really seat the rings properly unless it's under a load....

I never dyno'ed any engines and they seal up in a couple runs at most......I never use any special oil and don't change it immediately....

You can pull the filter, pull the valve covers and look at the oil collected there....It'll tell you if somethings wrong....

I think it is a small price to pay for some new cam lube and break in oil...my engine guy does this using VR1...after either the dyno or a few passes at the track we change the oil and cut open the filter to check for debris...cheap insurance...

Larry, there is a thread about engine break in over on YB, has some good info in it
https://www.yellowbullet.com/t...ws-and-whys.2634427/

Regular Shell Rotella for start up and first couple weekends racing. Then swap to Rotella T6 full synthetic. No poblems. Have also done the same with Delo brand.

Scott

Local Fred's store closed a couple years ago, and at the time I had JUST finished the turbo engine for my Mustang. Freds was liquidating everything, big sale. I bought a whole pallet of Fred's 10w40 which came out to just a little less than $0.38/quart. That's all I've been running since.

'Course I'm only making maybe 300hp, and just a little gutless 4 cylinder. But hey, it works.

Have enough Fred's oil to last me a lifetime!

Race car gets Penn, Truck T6.

Ran same engine and didn't freshen for 13 years on VR1 20/50 non-syn with STP. Old school but can't argue with the results. Break in with the same. Freshen included rings, valves, lifters, bearings. Feel really guilty about not replacing the rods.

I use the Delvac 15W40 oil for break in then switch to Brad Penn 15W40.

Gibbs break in oil in mine for start up and break in...

J R, do you go to the track with the break-in oil?