my dad bought a reman 350 for his truck. nothing special, stock 350 TBI, flat tappet stock spec cam.

i know that breaking in the cam means 2,000rpm for 20 minutes, then change the oil. i've done it millions of times.

however the new motor came with very very unfamiliar instructions. they specify that the engine needs to be run at idle for 5 minutes, then driven very easily for 100 miles, then it is broken in.

any input? i don't want to risk wiping the cam using their instructions, but also don't want to do something and void the warranty.

Is it possible they already did some initial breakin? Was there any soot in the exhaust ports?

Pat,
Lots of these reman companies have a test dyno, that spin tests the motor before sending out.
It will prime the oil galleries, and the motor is spun to rpm.
It tests for problems before going out.

It will break in the cam before the engine is ever fired. No soot needed http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/smile.gif

it was definitely spun on their test dyno, it came with paperwork stating so. and had oil in it. so jake you think the cam is broken in already and i should just heed the idle for 5 minutes and take it easy for 100 miles?

it'll always get taken easy, but occasionally would pull a trailer. i know not to do that for a while though.

I think sometimes they even fire them up on natural gas to keep the engine clean.

Pat,
Biggest thing with a reman is to NOT overheat.
it will have little heat tabs on it, so if you get it too hot, it will melt the center out, no warranty...

So just install, fill up with oil, water, fire up and go...

I would run it at a high idle, like 1000-1200 rpm for the first minute or two.
If it is a TBI deal, it will do it anyway.
Check for leaks, and drive it a few miles.

Once it has 100-200 miles on it, I wouldn't be afraid to tow....


I did a 460 furd swap for a guy once.
He had one of the last years for the carbed 460 in a 1 ton dually.
The motor had 260K on it, still ran great, but he bought a Ford crate to replace it purely due to the fact it was a business truck and couldn't be down.

He said he had bought it new, drove it across town, hooked up to a trailer, and towed a trailer with a fairly large tractor on it (he ran a tractor dealership).
It had lived it's entire life towing from day one.
No smoke, ran perfect...I woulda ran it till it quit...

Woulda been a good motor to get for the core.. probably some rings and a cam, head porting, intake and headers and in a car woulda been a beast...