Rebuilt Zetec First Start-Tips

[Guest alfaGTA]

I hope to get my engine ready for its first start this weekend, newbie to this engine building lark so wanted to confirm a few bits first with the old hands on here.

 

Full nut and bolt check including cambelt tensioners and alternator gear.

Fill with oil

Fill with water

Crank on starter without plugs fitted to get oil up to the head and get those hydraulic tappets filled with oil-may also raise the rear wheels off the ground incase of clutch binding and propelling me out of the garage!

Prime fuel system-facet cube feeding bike carbs (will have garden hose at the ready)

Fit plugs and crank for real.......

 

That it?

[Guest Ian & Carole]

Try and get as much oil as is possible in the oil filter if you can.

Make sure that you achieve oil pressure whilst cranking with the plugs out.

A good squirt of oil down the bores to make sure you have some upper cylinder lubrication.

Good luck.

[Bob Tucker]

If its a new engine with new cams, do not let it idle at first. New cams/followers need bedding in by running above 2000 rpm for 15 to 20 minutes.

Bob

[knights_templar]

If its a new engine with new cams, do not let it idle at first. New cams/followers need bedding in by running above 2000 rpm for 15 to 20 minutes.

Bob

 

never heard that one before, where is that information from?

[brumster]

I would say new cams need running at a fast idle, so ABOUT 2000rpm, not above it (some people might read that as "give it 5k!")... but yes it is common procedure for new cam builds.Basically the loadings on the cam lobe are worse at low engine speeds (ie. at idle).

[Guest alfaGTA]

Thanks for the tips so far, its a standard rebuilt engine so no new cams/followers to get bedded in........... yet

 

"New" engines supplied by the likes of GBS etc are factory spec and already bench "run in" before dispatch from ford.

"New" cams/followers etc installed in a rebuilt engine should follow the cam manufacturers installation guide to the letter or void the implied warranty and leave themselves with an expensive ornament.

[Guest alfaGTA]

 

 

That it?

 

Suppose I ought to install the zetec zx9r megajolt map I pestered someone (name intentionally omitted to save him getting more map requests ) to give me.........

[Guest mower man]

As said above crate engines will have been run so don't need the fast idle bit [ never done it any way just treat with Grafogen ] ,it also relies on material the cam is made from . I fitted a New man fast road cam to my pinto earlier this year treated it with graphogen cracked it up and idled it straight away , Newman use chilled cast for cams and advise not doing the fast idle bit ,just gentle running for a couple of hundred miles , old school running in! did that , rr set up and close to 125 at the wheels happy mowerman mick :acute:

[knights_templar]

could someone point me to the manual re 2000 RPM bedding in?

 

is it specific to certain engines, mods, age of engine etc?

[knights_templar]

two performance cam manufacturers, two different instructions, although piper say 2500rpm or above, not 2000, and the paragraph continues to describe the reasons related to a overhead valve engine where cam and followers are often splash lubricated.

 

IMHO you should always follow the instructions supplied, or if none refer to the workshop manual for YOUR engine, then if sod's law occurs, you have redress.

[Bob Tucker]

Burtons advice for Kent cams....

http://www.burtonpow...ing-timing.html

 

Kents own advice...

http://www.kentcams.com/information-faq.asp#2

[knights_templar]

again, valid instruction from a cam manufacturer.

 

however alfaGTA's previous posts have indicated, to me, he has a rebuilt Zetec on standard cams and followers, may be wrong?

 

if that is so, does the zetec manual say do the 2500 run in, and does that take into account a rebuild would usually include crank shells, where just fitting a cam would not.

 

would still stick to the last paragraph of my last post.

[brumster]

Thanks for the tips so far, its a standard rebuilt engine so no new cams/followers to get bedded in........... yet

 

From that comment, I would say just start the thing and take it easy for 200 miles, varied driving (no steady motorway cruising/revs for example), no full load.

[Guest alfaGTA]

She starts and idle's nicely takes light throttle and is pissing petrol out from the front of the carb's.... Any pointers on zx9r carb set up's regarding what need's blocking off or altering?! Thanks for your help tonight Dan and for laughing loudly when i'd forgot to connect the power to the coil pack.....

[Guest alfaGTA]

Its getting there Rob! Need a new battery as the old one is duff