Post Cam Oil?

[Gunmetal Speedster]

Hey guys. As I'm nearing the installation of my cam (2 weeks) I started thinking about break in oil. I've done some researching and what I've come up with is to use Driven BR30 for the first 500 miles of break in, then swap it out with the Driven LS30 oil thereafter? Still new to this whole thing. I know some people say they just use the same oil. Looking to get some clarification on what you guys think is best for my particular situation. My cam kit consists of:

- Night Fury Camshaft
- .660" Lift BTR Platinum LS Spring Kit; Titanium Ret., .505" ID .060" Thick Loc., Brown/Black Seals
- BTR Chromoly One Piece Pushrods; 7.425" Long, 5/16" Diameter, .080" Wall, Set of 16
- LS Series 3-Bolt Cam Conversion Kit w/Katech C5R Timing Chain
- LS2 Dampener
- Melling High Pressure/Standard Volume Oil Pump
- Straub Bronze Bushing Rocker Trunion Upgrade Kit
- ARP Harmonic Balancer Bolt
- x8 Valve Stem Seals (Per DynoSteve recommendation)
- x8 AC Delco Iridium Spark Plugs

Thanks in advance for your help!
-GMS

[Avalnch]

I went straight to the LS30 oil after my cam install. Third year with the cam and no problems. Change the oil at the beginning of every year.

[Gunmetal Speedster]

Originally Posted by Avalnch

I went straight to the LS30 oil after my cam install. Third year with the cam and no problems. Change the oil at the beginning of every year.

I gotcha. So you didn't do like a 500 mile break in and then change it again?

[07-SRT]

I did mobil 1 0w-40 and lucas tb zinc plus break in additive on initial cam install and now just mobil 1 0w-40 each oil change...pulled lifters after approx 11k miles with cam and rollers looked brand new...

[Avenging Orange]

Always been a believer of dino for break in. ...then whatever you want.

[Russell James]

What lifters are you going to use, and how do you already know the PR length?

My favorite oils lately are Amsoil Zrod and Brad Penn semi syn green oil. Both have extra zinc and phos. I do 10w30 and leave it in there for 3K. No reason to take it out, that motor was broke in years ago. Filter I go with WIX57060xp.

Autozone carries Lucas Assembly lube, good to put on things like the PR ends.

I wouldn't put zero weight oil in my lawnmower. No reason to go below the factory recommendation of 5w30 or 10w30 in warm climates. Zero weight oil is for uber cold climates or qualifying at Daytona. And the engine builders hate it when they bust out the zero weight to get .001 more mph qual. Hell on the bearings.

[07-SRT]

Originally Posted by Russell James

What lifters are you going to use, and how do you already know the PR length?

My favorite oils lately are Amsoil Zrod and Brad Penn semi syn green oil. Both have extra zinc and phos. I do 10w30 and leave it in there for 3K. No reason to take it out, that motor was broke in years ago. Filter I go with WIX57060xp.

Autozone carries Lucas Assembly lube, good to put on things like the PR ends.

I wouldn't put zero weight oil in my lawnmower. No reason to go below the factory recommendation of 5w30 or 10w30 in warm climates. Zero weight oil is for uber cold climates or qualifying at Daytona. And the engine builders hate it when they bust out the zero weight to get .001 more mph qual. Hell on the bearings.

Thats odd do you know how many performance vehicles have mobil 1 0w-40 factory fill.....? Mercedes-Benz, Dodge Srt, Porsche just to name a few...I owned 2 Srt that ran 0w-40 and one had over 100k no issues...Mobil1 0w-40 is one if the best oils mobil 1 makes...

[Russell James]

Originally Posted by 07-SRT

Mobil1 0w-40 is one if the best oils mobil 1 makes...

That's not setting the bar very high. How does it do compared to Amsoil Zrod, Brad Penn, LAT... Did Chevy recommend a 0 weight oil for Z28 track days?

If you're in a climate and driving conditions that would benefit from a 0 to 40 weight viscosity, sure that would be a decent OE type of oil. For an aggressive cam, stiff dual springs... I'd go better, and not zero weight. The better racing/performance oils are focused more on wear protection and less on detergents. And... the wider the multi viscosity range, the more % the oil is made up of the viscosity modifier chemicals, and less percent the good base stock. And that OE oil is not assuming racing dual springs.

Sounds like the OP will be doing a summer temp cam job. 10w30 in one of the better high zinc/phos ZDDP oils would be a good choice IMHO, get back towards the colder months 5w30. If there is a concern with initial start wear on that first start after a cam job, use a pressurized pre luber.

Yes a lot of performance cars have a 0 weight OE oil. They need to pass all kinds of tests in all kinds of climates. You can vary and improve your oil choice to match your mods, driving and climate. Like the Z28 on a hot track day... they don't recommend a 0w oil. Some oil wt bearing cushion and extra ZDDP is a great thing for extreme conditions. Like having 0w40 syn in a OE performance car in a cold climate is a great thing. Different worlds of oil requirements.

[07-SRT]

One thing is for sure oil threads always go in circles
when the 707 hp hellcat was released with a 100k warranty on the engine they choose 0w-40...Also look at the coyote the track pack uses 5w-50 thats even more of a spread than 0w-40...js

[Camaro Dude]

Originally Posted by 07-SRT

One thing is for sure oil threads always go in circles
when the 707 hp hellcat was released with a 100k warranty on the engine they choose 0w-40...Also look at the coyote the track pack uses 5w-50 thats even more of a spread than 0w-40...js

That's because a car manufacturer, cannot have 10 differently written Owner Manuals, one tailered for its clients in the Yukon, and an other written with different oil spec recommendations, for its dealer network @ or near the equator.

You also have many places, that see up to a 60 degree spread over the course of the year!!

What would you do, if you owned a car business, and you wanted to protect yourself from all of the ding-dongs out there?

Exactly.

A 0w/40 fits the bill in this respect. It also helps pass cold start emissions too .

*tolerences in the LS3, are not the same as the Coyote, etc.

That all said, the M1 0W/40, is not a bad oil in itself. It is a Group lV afterall. It meets many stringent Euro/German Car standards..if that is deemed important for the end users' application.

[07-SRT]

My reference to the coyote was directed at another comment about 0w-40 having more additives say than 5w-30 while that may be true Ford uses 2 oils in the coyote.5w-20 and 5w-50 for tracking....Even though the 5w-50 has more additives their testing must have shown better protection.I know the coyote is different and would never use 5w-50 in a stock ls3.

[NipTuckTaxi]

Amsoil zrod 10w-30. Cam motion cam , ERL 416, and AGP twin turbos. Went the 20w50 conventional route for a spell and it was a poor performer in regards to excessive oil pressure and sludge material in catch can. I'm no expert and have heard 20w all the way up to 50w being ran in these cars. Arguments about it all over the enet. My clearances are tighter than stock so I ran the 30w. Used synthetic to prevent property breakdown from heat generated by turbos. Doing the best I know how with what limited knowledge I have. I like the zinc for cam application of the zrod. I have no cats so I'm not concerned about too much zinc.

[Pollock]

Not trying to be a smart ass but what is there to break in on a roller cam? I stuck with 5w30 mobile 1 after my cam. Run 15w50 mobil 1 now that I added a supercharger.

[hammdo]

For me, I did br30 for 100 miles, then ls30 based on recommendation by cam grinder. I'd do what the cam grinder suggest...

-Don