My Stroker got a Crane cam install.It is all about breakin really.Proper lubrication,oil,lifter preload,good amount of ZDDP..etc.Most do not imediately rev it to 3k and keep it there for a solid 3-5 minutes then every 5 minutes or so back down to 1800-2000 rpm then back up to 3k for a full 30 minutes.Drain the oil then drive for 500 miles with breakin additive Lucas is good.Then drain and use your favorite oil.I have 10k on the stroker now...no issues.
http://www.cranecams.com/uploads/breakin/548e.pdf
. Start the engine and immediately bring to 3,000 rpm. Timing should be adjusted, as closely as possible, to
reduce excessive heat or load during break-in. Get the engine running fairly smoothly and vary the engine speed
from 1500-3000 RPM in a slow, to moderate, acceleration/deceleration cycle. During this time, be sure to check
for any leaks and check out any unusual noises. If something doesn’t sound right, shut the engine off and check
out the source of the noise. Upon restart, resume the high idle speed cycling. Continue the varying “break-in”
speed for 20 - 30 minutes. This is necessary to provide proper lifter rotation to properly mate each lifter to its
lobe. Should the engine need to be shut down for any reason, upon re-start it should be immediately brought
back to 3000 rpm and the break-in continued for a total run time of 20 – 30 minutes.
8. Let the engine cool, and then drain the crankcase and properly dispose of the oil and oil filter. Refill the
crankcase with a premium petroleum-based oil, not a synthetic oil. At this point the initial “break-in” is
complete. You can drive the vehicle in your normal manner. We recommend changing the oil and filter
after 500 miles. You might want to put another 5000 miles on the cam before switching to a synthetic, if
that is your preference.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Spring Pressures: For extended camshaft life, flat-tappet cams should not be run with more than the
recommended open valve spring pressure. Racing applications will often need to run more spring pressure at the
expense of reduced camshaft life. In order to “break-in” a camshaft with high open pressures, the inner springs
should be removed to reduce “break-in” load. The inner springs can then be reinstalled after initial “break-in” is
complete.
Lifter Rotation: Flat tappet cams (both hydraulic and mechanical) have the lobes ground on a slight taper and the
lifter appears to sit offset from the lobe centerline. This will induce a rotation of the lifter on the lobe. This rotation
draws oil to the mating surface between the lifter and the lobe. If it is possible to view the pushrods during “break-in”,
they should be spinning as an indication that the lifter is spinning. If you don’t see a pushrod spinning, immediately
stop the engine and find the cause.
Never use old flat tappet lifters on a new cam. On flat tappet cams, the lobes and lifter bottoms mate together
and if the lifters are removed from the engine, they must go back on the same lobe from which they were removed.
Crane Cams recommends the use of high quality tappets to prevent premature cam or lifter wear. Crane
tappets are of the highest quality.
