did car manufacturers break in flat tappet cams?

[eldubb440]

 

[khryslerkid]

More than likely not. The oil had all the proper additives in it back then and the steel was real steel. I would think they did a test run. Saw pics somewhere in the factory doing this.

 

[eldubb440]

I just invented a cam break in machine in my head......... no one else has thought of this?......and don't rip off my idea!

 

[69 Sleeper Bee]

My 91 year old mechanic neighbor worked at the Ford plant back in the 60-70's and was the guy that cranked up the cars 1st at the end of the line and
ran them up to temp. and made sure everything was good and handed them off to the outside guy to drive them out to the parking lot. He said that was the break in.

 

[RemCharger]

I just invented a cam break in machine in my head......... no one else has thought of this?......and don't rip off my idea!

There is somewhere that has a break in machine.
The factory ran them up on a wheel dyno before they left

 

[Jerry Hall]

My first Mopar came off the truck with 3 miles on it. I feel I was the one who broke it in. Factory???

 

[steve340]

Good question. If they did I guess it would not be the 20-30 minutes at 2000 RPM deal.
It would be interesting to hear from anyone who worked at one of the engine assembly plants.
I did hear once about a factory (I think it was Ford) that turned each the engines with an electric motor.
This allowed them to break the motor in, monitor oil pressure etc.

 

[moparwacko]

I just invented a cam break in machine in my head......... no one else has thought of this?......and don't rip off my idea!

Step away from the bong chief......

 

[WileE]

I just invented a cam break in machine in my head.........

A cam break in machine in your head ..... I thought you had a big head, now we know !

 

[icetech]

Back in the 80s buddies and i had never even heard of breaking in cams.. we would slap them in and run.... just lucky.. and weak springs

 

[RemCharger]

There is somewhere that has a break in machine.
The factory ran them up on a wheel dyno before they left

I spoke too soon,, looks like they just do chevs and ferds
Cam-King: Reliable Camshaft Break-In Solution

 

[MarPar]

Step away from the bong chief......
View attachment 1841589

 

[3sloppydogs]

IIRC when I took a tour of a Cat engine plant around Peoria they fired up their fresh engines with propane to check them.
I thought that rather interesting but the whole operation was really amazing. That was some years ago.

 

[eldubb440]

Back in the 80s buddies and i had never even heard of breaking in cams.. we would slap them in and run.... just lucky.. and weak springs

I never broke in a cam until 1999...... I have done 4 without issue

but you are right; prior to that, I was clueless........ I assembled 4 other engines that ran fine long after initial start up

 

[AR67GTX]

I suspect the engine/cam got the same attention to recommended break-in procedures that the brakes and clutch manufacturers also recommend for their products - NOT! I wonder how many clutches got a good burn in being loaded on the upper deck of truck transports.

 

[Kern Dog]

I rebuilt 6 or 7 GM engines before I touched my first Mopar block. I never had a cam go flat in those. In 2001 I helped a buddy with an LA 360, no issues with that but years later the cam lost a lobe.
I wiped two flat tappet cams in 2006, one in 2009, the last one in 2022. The smart guys I have spoken with blame lifters and spring pressures for the failures. That is assuming the proper oil has been used.

 

[RemCharger]

I suspect the engine/cam got the same attention to recommended break-in procedures that the brakes and clutch manufacturers also recommend for their products - NOT! I wonder how many clutches got a good burn in being loaded on the upper deck of truck transports.

Ha, reminds me of doing PDIs at honda around 2000 or so, my buddy and I would grab some identical 5 spd civics and go out of town and do some side by side power shifting clutch bedding lol

 

[eldubb440]

I rebuilt 6 or 7 GM engines before I touched my first Mopar block. I never had a cam go flat in those. In 2001 I helped a buddy with an LA 360, no issues with that but years later the cam lost a lobe.
I wiped two flat tappet cams in 2006, one in 2009, the last one in 2022. The smart guys I have spoken with blame lifters and spring pressures for the failures. That is assuming the proper oil has been used.

I had a lifter stop spinning in an AMC engine, but it was after several years of dependable driving

 

[khryslerkid]

I spoke too soon,, looks like they just do chevs and ferds
Cam-King: Reliable Camshaft Break-In Solution

$60 and a Fram filter

Back in the 80s buddies and i had never even heard of breaking in cams.. we would slap them in and run.... just lucky.. and weak springs

Back in the '70s we never heard of breaking in a cam. I don't know how many. We removed the radiator, water pump and timing cover, intake and valve covers and threw in a new cam and lifters, sometimes not even new lifters! Several times we did a set of lifters on an old cam. Not one problem.

 

[Kern Dog]

I considered having some old lifters cleaned and refaced to use again. I still might for milder builds but for the new cam for the red car, I went with a hydraulic roller to alleviate the anxiety.