I'm scared to try my rebuilt engine

[Nowik35]

Yup exactly how it sounds. I'm scared to try to turnover my rebuilt engine. So little backstory I bought this bronco 5 years.69 6 cylinder. I did everything my self including, frame off restoration including the engine tore down to every nut and bolt and rebuild it with all new bearings/piston rings/seals. Anyways I followed the rebuilt manual to best of my ability but definitely my first engine build. Fast forward to today engine is finally done/installed/plumbed/wired. All I need to do is add fluids connect the positive terminal and crank the key and hope for the best. But I have no idea what to expect. Either a total failure or success... Don't know what either one looks like. Anyways any word of advice? A sanity check list I should clear? Initial prep steps to assist in a successful fire up. My biggest fear is a missed a clearance or a bolt torque somewhere and either seaze the engine or have a run away engine. Once again don't know what to expect . Lastly the fear of failure! Anyways here is a pic of my engine ready to go
https://flic.kr/p/2pfHCq8

 

[Jdgephar]

Prime the oil with a drill, if you didn't do that already. Most people like to turn the engine over by hand a couple times to make sure everything is in good order. You can always disable spark and turn over on the starter a few times too.

 

[ared77]

Everyone probably goes through this fear...if they don't have at least a little apprehension they may not be exactly right!

Go through one last time the list of fluids and be sure all have been added.

Did you set the timing close based on top dead center of number 1 piston compression stroke?

Have a fire extinguisher handy just to be on the safe side.

Put a little dash of gas in the carb throat and crank it over. Odds are you'll be pleasantly surprised on how well you did! Good luck.

Norm

Engine looks great by the way!

 

[Bajabrewer]

You'll be fine! I would prime the oil pump first - you do need to remove the distributor to do this - then reinstall it. Did you put in a new Cam? if yes then follow the cam manufacture procedure for breaking it in. If you are using the original cam I wouldn't worry about it.

Here is a quick video on priming a 200 in a mustang.

 

[Soylent]

Very nice looking engine bay.

 

[Wild horse 75]

Prime it first. Rotate it by hand while priming to help get the oil all the way through the bearings. I would then disable the ignition and clamp off the fuel hose and try cranking it with the key. Listen for any bad noises. No noises hook the ignition and let er rip. Try and get the distributor as close to firing on top dead centre #1 to help get it started first try. Have a timing light handy. Then break the cam in if it’s new. Otherwise let it run and set the idle speed and mixture and let it get up to operating temp.

 

[BUCKWILD]

prime the oil, if you cant pull the plugs and the coil wire, have a beer or whatever you like to to calm down turn it over with the starter. Put the plugs in and start it it will be fine. it sounds like you did you due diligence and it will run. (if it has problems you will pull it apart and fix it). And dont foe get to have another beer

 

[spap]

Make sure you run the right rpm to break in the cam on start up

 

[BOBS 2 68S]

What everyone has said. Prime oil system with a drill. Install a machinal oil pressure gauge where you can see it. I removed the plugs and spun it over with the starter until oil pressure came up. Reinstall the plugs and start it. And are you using a brake in oil?

 

[Broncobowsher]

What they said plus use oil for flat tappet break in, lots of zinc.
Pretty common to run warmer than normal during break in, normal. That is the break in.

 

[Nowik35]

Alright so I'm glad I came in here first, never would have thought to prime it first nor do I know how to. So do I have to remove the distributor to do that? And do I need an old one, that's what a YouTube showed me to hook up an old one to a drill. I don't have the old one. Can I do it with my new one or is there a different way to prime the engine without pulling the distributor? Anyways would I achieve same results by cranking the engine with the starter and no gas/spark? Do I really need break in oil or good'ol 10/30 conventional oil ok? Also how do I know my first piston is TDC at the intake stroke and not the power stroke? Oh ya. No new cam for me, but I did install new cam bearings. Do I still need to "break in the cam?"

 

[.94 OR]

The oil pump is driven off the distributor which is driven off the cam. By turning the engine over with the starter, you are moving all mechanical parts before oil pressure is built up. By bypassing the cam drive gear and just turning the oil pump you pressurize the entire lubrication system before any mechanical parts need to turn. Using an old distributor would require removing the drive gear anyway to keep from engaging the cam and mucking up the system since it is not designed to turn the motor that way.

 

[Broncobowsher]

One of the biggest issues these days is wiping a cam during break in. The zinc protects the flat tappet cams. But with the modern low friction engines the zinc isn't needed as much and burning the zinc contaminates cats. So there has been an industry wide reduction in zinc in oils. Break in oil, or at least break in additive is really advised. Cheap insurance. Wiping a cam lobe is a bigger problem than just destroying a cam and lifter, there will be glitter throughout the engine and will need another rebuild.

Priming is a good idea. If you did good assembly lube I am not that worried about it. Most modern engines don't have the option of spinning the oil pump without the engine spinning. Oil pump driven off the front of the crank. Even some old school engines (Chryslers for example) don't have a removable oil pump drive gear to allow priming.

 

[Wild horse 75]

Since you didn’t replace the cam did you replace the lifters? If not did you keep them in the same order? Lifters wear into a cam and vice versa. So moving the lifters around is pretty much the same as replacing them. So you’ll be back to breaking in the cam. High zinc break in oil is a requirement. Or at the very least a bottle of good break in additive. The point of priming the system without using the starter is to ensure you get oil distributed throughout the system before putting any load from the starter. That’s why I said to turn it over buy hand while priming. Having a known good mechanical oil pressure gauge handy is also a good suggestion.

 

[ba123]

if you can't do that, you'll at least minimize the starter load if you pull the plugs.

 

[bronkenn]

Just looking at your work on the rest of the truck, I would say it will turn out fine. Follow these guys tips and you will be driving it before you know it.

 

[bronco italiano]

As they say in the (209).

 

[broncoitis]

Don't be scared! Have confidence in your work the engine looks amazing and just from that i would have confidence. Follow the prefire routine mentioned and turn the key! Its gonna be great!

 

[nvrstuk]

IF you follow all the advice above you'll be gold.

-KEY is getting zinc on those cam lobes asap especially since we don't know if you have the used lifters in still. WERE THEY MATCHED and kept matched so the lifters go back in the EXACT same lifter bore they came out of? If not, then you MUST replace the lifters with new ones or you will almost be guaranteed a total tear down to replace the cam and lifters... possibly beariings too. Prime it but

-TDC is easy to find, get your rebuild book out and it is step by step (or look it up here).

-Keep rpms up above 2K 10-15 minutes minimum to break a flat tappet cam in properly


There's dozens of other important things but those should have been addressed when you "rebuilt" the engine. Sounds like you "freshened it up".

Best of luck and report back to us on how it started up!

 

[Nowik35]

I will make sure to keep everyone posted but I decided to take my time. Now that the winner months are here. In the North East Massachusetts. My bronco time in the garage is only enjoyable if I keep the garage door closed soon their will be no engine turning on until warned weather on the spring. I have plenty to do on it through the cold months. I want to tuck away all the wiring nicely, still need to figure out how to get a clean look while adapting rear speakers to the rear of the bronco. And I still need to weld up an exhaust system that I decided to go with a universal kit (a lot cheaper). But I will make sure to report back here once I'm ready to fire up this engine.