cam break-in procedure for 2.8-3.4 (Page 1/1) tcincpOR MAR 08, 01:02 PM Last summer I bought a Manta Montage about 90% complete. I also am well versed in Fiero's (own a very nice 1988), the Manta has a home built frame utilizing the front/rear suspension from a Fiero. When he built the frame he just grafted onto it the rear portion of a Fiero engine cradle. The engine is a 3.4 and has been all rebuilt but never run. In order to break in the cam I was told by him that I should take the inner valve springs out, after break in I can put them back in. This is a lot of extra work that I would rather not go thru if un-necessary. The cam is a Comp Cam 212/212. I did call them and the guy acted like he wanted to tell me that it was overkill but the CYA aspect just wouldn't let him. Did the stock 2.8 have double springs? I have no idea if these are AM springs with more tension, it does have 1/6 : 1 ratio rockers, if that makes any difference. If you've replaced with an aftermarket cam please relate your experience. I've been told to put in oil with high zinc and forget about the valve springs. If the 3.4 doesn't end up working for me I also have a 4.9 Cad sitting here ready to go in. The swap will be much easier than it would in my Fiero. More room, more open. Thanks for any help you might be able to give. Tom BillS MAR 08, 02:14 PM Just make sure that you have a suitable cam break-in lube on it and run it gently for the first while. I don't know anyone that removes springs for break in. Raydar MAR 08, 08:51 PM First... The stock Fiero has single springs. Second... I have heard of removing one set of springs for cam break-in, and then reinstalling them. Do I know what the correct thing is, to do? Nope. I do know that 1.6 rockers will place more stress on the cam and lifters than stock (1.5) rockers. I won't attempt to quantify that, however. Use high zinc oil, regardless of what else you do. My experience? I installed a Crane 272 cam in a 3.4, using stock ratio 1.52 roller tip rockers. That cam (454/480, I/E lift) required machining of the spring seats, and non-stock springs, in order to not bind the coils. I never had a moment's trouble with it., although a subsequent owner (twice removed, and several years later) broke a rocker stud. MarkS MAR 09, 12:03 PM FWIW only! My experience with the "removing inner spring" instructions- seems this started showing up when the quality of the hydraulic flat tappet cams & lifters was on the decline years ago. I've done at least 3 cam swaps (which includes the initial break in of the engine) in the last 4-5 years on my Pontiac 400 where I did not remove the inner springs. These are far from stock springs in the 400. I've had no issues, but the selection of the lifters is critical. Seems lately the manufacturer HyLift Johnson in Michigan is the go to source for quality HFT lifters & I've used them successfully in the 1st & 2nd swap install. The last one I did I used NOS TRW lifters I found, these were date coded from the late 70's, these are by far the quietest yet. If the stock V6 engine has single springs then you go as is, what are the options? None. My recent favorite assembly lube is Joe Gibbs Racing DRV00728 Driven Engine Assembly Grease & matching JGR Driven Racing Oil BR Break-In Motor Oil. Lastly, the suggested initial start up is going to about 2000 rpms varying a couple hundred RPM's on either side for 10-20 minutes; do not let the engine idle during this time. Good luck! pmbrunelle MAR 09, 11:52 PM quote Originally posted by Raydar: I do know that 1.6 rockers will place more stress on the cam and lifters than stock (1.5) rockers. I won't attempt to quantify that, however. Soooo, force arising from the valve spring would increase proportionally with the rocker arm ratio. 1.6 / 1.5 = 1.067 times more force on the pushrod Force arising from the inertia of the valve would increase with the square of the rocker arm ratio. ( 1.6 / 1.5 ) ^ 2 = 1.138 times more force on the pushrod Since the valve has mass and a spring, the amount more force probably lies somewhere between 1.067 and 1.138. Part of the load on the lobe is also due to mass of the lifter itself; this does not change with rocker ratio. reinhart MAR 10, 07:20 AM quote Originally posted by MarkS: FWIW only! My experience with the "removing inner spring" instructions- seems this started showing up when the quality of the hydraulic flat tappet cams & lifters was on the decline years ago. I've done at least 3 cam swaps (which includes the initial break in of the engine) in the last 4-5 years on my Pontiac 400 where I did not remove the inner springs. These are far from stock springs in the 400. I've had no issues, but the selection of the lifters is critical. Seems lately the manufacturer HyLift Johnson in Michigan is the go to source for quality HFT lifters & I've used them successfully in the 1st & 2nd swap install. The last one I did I used NOS TRW lifters I found, these were date coded from the late 70's, these are by far the quietest yet. If the stock V6 engine has single springs then you go as is, what are the options? None. My recent favorite assembly lube is Joe Gibbs Racing DRV00728 Driven Engine Assembly Grease & matching JGR Driven Racing Oil BR Break-In Motor Oil. Lastly, the suggested initial start up is going to about 2000 rpms varying a couple hundred RPM's on either side for 10-20 minutes; do not let the engine idle during this time. Good luck! I just redid the lifters on my 2.8. I used Melling hydraulic lifters. I couldn't be happier. Before I installed them, I tested them by pushing them in with a push rod. One of the 12 was stuck and wouldn't only go in half as far as the others. I forced it in using a clamp and then it moved freely like the others. I could see that causing cam wear if it had been stuck. I think the melling are extremely quiet much quieter than any V6 I've had I think. I used white lithium grease on the cam and the lifters when reassembling and also primed the oil pump. I also followed the 2000 rpm advice. I stuck a screwdriver in the throttle body and then clamped the screwdriver to the decklid so I would be free to inspect the engine and walk around as the car was running without having to sit in the seat the whole time. It worked great. MarkS MAR 10, 10:35 AM quote Originally posted by reinhart: and also primed the oil pump. Yes! I left this out. Before putting the distributor back in, I would rotate the oil pump using a priming tool connected to my cordless drill. Just make sure the drill rotation follows the firing order rotation and watch as the oil comes up to the lifters. 82-T/A [At Work] MAR 11, 11:06 AM This is a thread I'm going to need to revisit at some point... whenever I take my Fiero out of storage. I had a 2.8 that I converted into a 3.1 and installed the "fireball" cam in it... which was not the highest quality cam. I thought I did the break-in procedure as recommended... but I think I wiped a lobe on the cam. It totally falls flat around 4,300 rpms... and that's it. And it became progressively worse. No knocking or anything... just falls flat. La fiera MAR 12, 06:32 PM quote Originally posted by 82-T/A [At Work]: This is a thread I'm going to need to revisit at some point... whenever I take my Fiero out of storage. I had a 2.8 that I converted into a 3.1 and installed the "fireball" cam in it... which was not the highest quality cam. I thought I did the break-in procedure as recommended... but I think I wiped a lobe on the cam. It totally falls flat around 4,300 rpms... and that's it. And it became progressively worse. No knocking or anything... just falls flat. Did you re honed or bored the cylinders or did you installed the crankshaft and pistons?