I told my engine builder that the engine was going into a deep slumber and that it wouldn’t be installed in the engine for about 2 years. He told me to drain the oil fill it back up with cheap oil doesn’t matter weight and spray marvel mystery oil in the cylinders thru the spark plug hole while priming it and turning it over by hand about every two months. Sounds like sound advice to me. Just out of ignorance from working on chevys. When I prime the motor the drill needs to spin in reverse right?

Sounds awesome 64, I think we have the same cam. I am close to starting mine up too.

I’ve never heard of a break in routine on a roller. The documentation with my roller cam didn’t mention a break in. I fired the engine let it eat.

I’ve had the valley pan off several times since (chasing leaks) and the cam lobes, roller lifters and distributor gear have all looked nearly new. Last time I had it off the cam had about 7000 miles on it.

People assume that Roller Cams do not need a break in cycle and that is correct for the most part.
But people who fire up new engines many times look at other things too.
Like getting the pistons up to operating temp quickly, verifying that the oil pump is holding good oil pressure at 2500 rpm, that you do not have a leaky gasket somewhere on the engine. that you have even EGTs on both banks of the engine.

Course some people barely check anything. They just go out and beat on the engine. Carb is not right? so what?

Everyone has their own ideas on things. I like to do stuff once.

Tom V.

That makes more sense. My “engine” didn’t need broken in in my case.

I would raise the idle to 1500 and pour Marvel down the carb , till it started smoking heavy, then shut her down. Seal her up and tuck her good night. As for oil priming, the Chevy is what turns Backwards, its Counter Clockwise for Pontiac! ; )

Was it going to be dyno'd?

That’s what I meant LOL

Just an update. Got the engine home from the machinists and unloaded into my garage just me and the wife. Will definitely get help next time. Ordered a filter cutter and cut open my first ever oil filter. Media had nothing in it after about 25 minutes of 2500 rpm run time. Not even any brass from the distributor gear. I got summits replacement mini starter and sold the full size starter the machinist sold me to a friend. Just out of curiosity I called a local company about the defective Summit starter and they said they would do a complete rebuild with new pinion gear for 30 dollars so I took it to them and sent the one that Summit sent me back. Been working on cleaning up the greasy fingerprints etc off the engine. Used my Chevy oil pump prime tool and primed the engine while my wife cranked it over per my machinists storage guidelines. Sprayed a little marvel mystery oil in each cylinder before turning the motor over. Got the starter bolted up. Gonna do the paper lip test tomorrow. If I could get the headers on on the cradle I would start it just to hear it start again and run. That was so exciting. Making steady payments on the transmission kit and hope to have it here at tax time. Have to install it, measure fore driveshaft and then remove it and store it again because the painter doesn’t want it with the engine and trans in it. Keystone/LKQ is gonna do my bumpers for roughly 1200 a set and I have another by my estimate 2500 dollars worth of stuff to be rechromed. Next it will go to body shop. The agreement is that I will send him the bare shell which he has already seen and will return it to me with all the front end back on it. Trim etc. window glass provided and installed. Basically a complete car minus interior and drivetrain/electronics. He says he can do all this for 15 grands and I have seen his work so I have no reason to doubt him. Have to get the steering wheel recast and get the factory radio rebuilt with blue tooth capability from turnswitch.com cause I have never had good luck with custom autosound. I will take it to the upholstery shop to have all that work done then bring it home and do the wiring and fuel injection install. ONCE EVERYTHING is done and I have verified I have no electrical gremlins or anything like that I will start it with the fuel injection system. I am not going to start driving the car until it is totally done cause I am the type of person who will start to drag me feet if I know I can jump in it and drive it as is. That’s the plan at least. After wife gets carpet and built in bookshelves this tax season I will have freedom to spend about 800 a month on it so I don’t think my 3 year estimate is too far off. Maybe four if the painter/assembled exceeds his 15k quote. So that’s where we are in a nutshell ladies and gentleman. If it’s not to hot I am gonna install the Ididit column I have for it tomorrow. I have a shop 30 minutes from here that is contracted with American Powertrain as a certified installer and they said since the car was gutted they would cut the tunnel index the bellhousing and weld the hump in the correct location, basically do the complete setup for 600 so that’s gonna be the only mechanical thing except for the actual engine build farmed out. Everything else on this car has been done by me. It’s hard to get too excited about a 3/4 year period but I am a lot further than I was 2 years ago when she blew so things are coming along.

Engine held a constant 60 pounds of oil pressure just like Paul said it would except when we blipped the throttle and it went to 75/80. No leaks I could see. Unfortunately we had to do the break in in two stages cause his little Chevy II radiator couldn’t keep up. It never bubbles over or anything but I actually had him kill it cause I have my own ideas of what temp I want it to run at.

64, congrats on getting that engine running! BEST post of yours ever and I don't know how you can wait 2 yrs to drive it. Don't you have an extra kidney you could sell?

Congrats on the engine fire-up/break in and the oil filter results.

Looks like you will have a good engine to go into the car when the rest of the work is completed.

Tom V.

Congrats! I am not sure how you will be able to wait so long. I've never had that kind of patience.

VERY nice to hear progress, kudos!

Quick question, remind me again what trans you are going with? I was thinking you went for the TKO-600? My understanding is that the tunnel does not need to be modified for this trans, and you may want to express to the installer that only mod the tunnel if needed. That should save some cash & headache, since once you chop the tunnel, carpets don't fit very well.

Just tossing that out there, may not be the case in your instance/car, but figured I would at least mention it.

.

64speed, You really need to always read the manufacturers directions on installation vs assuming cutting the tunnel/floorboards.
Here is an example:

INSTALLING THE DOUG NASH / RICHMOND STREET & ROAD RACE 5-SPEED for the GTO, CAMARO, CHEVELLE, TRANS AM, CUTLASS, DESIGNED FOR THE FACTORY T-10/MUNCIE.

To install the Nash/ Richmond 5-speed, a new cross-member must be fabricated. The transmission mount has to be moved to the rear 2.25”, and since the motor and transmission angle down, the mount will have to be .38” lower.
IMPORTANT A 3/8" LOWER trans cross-member position or trans mount design.

(I had to modify my trans crossmember to get the right angle/mount position that Doug Nash Specified for my 64 GTO.
You also have a 64 vehicle so be aware of that modification. DO NOT cut the Floorboard if at all possible.
(With this modification, changes to the Transmission/Driveshaft Tunnel should not be required.)

Some Muncie and T-10 transmissions have a 10 spline input and 27 spline output. Some
have a 26 spline input and 32 spline output. The 5-speed has a 32 spline output, so
change the drive shaft yoke may need changed. Drive shaft yokes come with various hub lengths.
Your T-56 trans will need to be checked for the other related parts.

For this application, the driveshaft hub should be approximately 4” long. When installed, 3” to 3-1/4” of the hub should be in the transmission, which would leave 3/4” to 1” from the hub shoulder to the tailstock housing seal.

If necessary, cut to the proper length. The hub O.D. should be 1.885/1.886”. Driveshaft length is okay in most instances.

So the point is, you should check the above items with your T-56 Installation.

1) Transmission Mount vs Cross-member position for the Trans you are using.

2) Yoke Position vs length inside the rear of the Trans. Nash/ Richmond Transmissions are about 3" inside the trans. About 1" is between the Yoke and the rear of the Trans.

3) You may need other modifications if you run a larger driveshaft tube diameter and stronger U-Joints.

Hope this helps.

Tom V.

I have the TKO600. American Powertrain said it’s a roll of the dice. That in early a bodies they have had them go in with just a BFH and that sometimes minor cutting is required. If you wanna know something that will piss you off I won’t name the shop but I was on the list for a legend 700 trans. Was told by shop it would be at least two years before my name came up on the list. I spent all my money on getting the chassis done and the body back on etc and he calls me up out of nowhere says my transmission is ready for delivery. I don’t have 4 grand laying around at any given time and after the 5000 overage at AMD when we found out how hard the car had truly been hit my wife would have **** if I had borrowed money to buy the trans so I had to pass.

Almost 4 years ago, Swartz Performance posted that the Legend 700 trans was not being made any longer so I guess I will ask WHEN were you were thinking about ordering this trans and the guy later said he was ready to deliver.

So if there was a two year waiting list then you tried to order that Legend 700 trans over 6 years ago if my math is right.
Is that close on the time line?

Tom V.

I personally do not like to install Transmissions with a BFH.

No Legend is still making them. There are 3 distributors in the country. Each gets about 15 a year. I will let you guess which one just called me up and told me my trans was ready. I will say if you call Bowler they won’t put you on a list but they will tell you that Legend is looking for investors so they can make more than 50 trans a year. A friend of mine who was on the list just got his and it’s nice. Put it in a 63 1/2 galaxie. My only concern would be ending up with a doorstop when it wears out. At least with the TKO I know I can get it serviced. American Powertrain sold me the direct fit kit. They know I am running a bench seat so I have proper shifter location and stick although I hope they send me the stick like in the later Chevelle and not the 55-57 Chevrolet version hurst makes. I am able to reuse my factory crossmember I just have to move it back. I bought a QuickTime bellhousing from them because I was able to get them to pricematch it to Lakewood. I already had the hays flywheel. I have to measure for the driveshaft in the kit. It comes with a 1350 yoke. I paid for all the upgrades with the Kevlar lining on the shift pads and the white lightning shifter which is supposed to do away with the notchiness. I don’t care if it shifts like a semi. At this point I’d just like to drive it

I’m putting another iron in the fire tomorrow. Gonna take my drivers fender to have the dent worked out and get it stripped primed and sealed. Trying to accomplish as much as possible while still taking baby steps

Thanks for the new info on the Legend Transmission.

Personally I would not call Legend a Transmission Company or a Production Company, I would call them a Prototype Shop building transmissions on "Your Dime" and their "Time".

Valid point if they stop doing the work and if someone ever hurts their trans.

But it is, what it is.

JMT

Tom V.