break in procedures?

[oreowizard]

Putting together a stock rebuilt LS1. Not sure on the timing issue or the break in process. I have heard 2 ways of doing it, baby it for 500 miles and I have also heard pull it out of the garage and smoke the tires. What's the deal? And how do I prime the oil system?

[Sarge]

I pull the plug wires and crank it for a minute or two to get oil to the top end. But with all the assembly lube you really don't have much to worry about. On the break in the secret is back pressure in the cylinders to seat the rings. Don't drive at a constant speed for awhile. I like to get up to 60-70 mph and let her engine brake back down. In a automatic just down shift her. Other than that I drive all my new motors like a maniac day one.

[Mr. Luos]

Let it idle for 20 minutes.
Then put about 50 miles keeping the RPM's all over the board. Nothing over 4,000RPM's though.
Then threw it on the dyno for tune.

Changed the oil after the 20 minutes of idling and then after the 50 miles.

[oneBADDz]

Everyone will tell you something different. The gist of what I would do is drive it normally, just add in plenty of engine braking

[oreowizard]

What about timing, with a dist and rotor, you point it to cylinder 1 at top dead center. Do I have to have that cylinder there, and just line the dots on the crank and cam?

[oreowizard]

why change the oil after 20 min and 50 miles?

[oneBADDz]

Because of the assembly lube and other trash that may be in there