First start jitters - advice requested

[John McM]

After a long rebuild I'm installing my 964 engine and will soon be ready to start it.

The engine was manually turned over many times during the cam and tappet timing phases, so I'm relatively sure I don't have values hitting pistons. Aside from turning the engine over with the DME relay out to ensure oil pressure is there before starting it, what other tips do experienced builders have?

[Tippy]

Fire extinguisher, a second or more set of eyes, triple check all connections, ensure oil pressure is good, good IPA beer on hand, and let 'er rip! 😂

Oh yeah, and film it!

[Steve@Rennsport]

If you replaced cams (and/or rocker arms), make sure you break those in properly at initial startup!!

[bpu699]

Originally Posted by Steve@Rennsport

If you replaced cams (and/or rocker arms), make sure you break those in properly at initial startup!!

Recommendations?

['76 911S 3.0]

Originally Posted by bpu699

Recommendations?

2k for 20 min

[Tippy]

Originally Posted by Steve@Rennsport

If you replaced cams (and/or rocker arms), make sure you break those in properly at initial startup!!

I thought that was determined to be not needed anymore?

[boyt911sc]

Make sure that there is no fuel leak in the system. You don’t want to find it before it’s to late.

Tony

[Catorce]

The butterflies you get when starting a new motor never go away, even after dozens built. You ask yourself if you checked everything, and there are always a few lingering doubts. Anyone who says otherwise is full of ****.

The thing that helps me start the motor and feel good is a careful, methodical build doing the same things each time. If I get tired or distracted, I stop. I have a system now, and startups are not an issue anymore because I know what I did.

Feeling is still there, but now it's offset by my remembrance that I followed procedure.

Then, I crank the key, and give her hell. If it's gonna blow, it's gonna blow, LOL

[Jase77]

Unfortunately, as a newbie to Porsche 911 engine building I have no advice to give you. However, it is very reassuring for me to hear that you guys with much more experience in rebuilding these engines still get the jitters before the first start up.

I have built a few motorbike engines (Ducati, Triump, Norton) but never a car engine and the start up procedure has been haunting me since DEC 2016 when I pulled the motor out of my car.

Good luck and as previously mentioned please try to film it or get some good photos.
Cheers,
Jason.

[John McM]

Thanks everyone. Good suggestions, especially the fuel danger. I have extinguishers and a camera. I’ll video the process. Whether it ever gets shown is another matter!

[Tippy]

I've never gotten any jitters; probably due to my lack of patience. In my head, I've turned thing over many times, it should be fine. I usually can't wait to hear it spring to life.

Actually, half the advice I posted, I didn't follow myself.

[Steve@Rennsport]

Originally Posted by Tippy

I thought that was determined to be not needed anymore?

OMG, no.

This procedure is required in ANY engine with new cams and rockers (followers, lifters, etc) if you want the valve train to last at all.

[KTL]

The 2K RPM for 20 minutes is to ensure the cams and rockers are getting sufficient oil. I understand that part. But is it a problem to actually drive the car, ensuring you keep the engine at that elevated rpm? Reason I ask is because the initial startup with 20 minutes of fast idle is contrary to the desired ring break-in where you want to vary rpms and introduce some accel-decel to get the rings bedded into the cylinders

[Trakrat]

I'm sure there is someone out there who would probably tell you to rev it to redline as soon as you start it so that the oil gets moved around faster!!!! LOL!!

[John McM]

I took 7 quarts of Mobil 1 Racing 4T 10W 40 out of the system and have 15 quarts of 15W 40 Mineral high zinc Running in oil ready to go in to dilute the remaining oil and do an initial change after 20 mins at 2,000rpm.

The blurb on the pack reads, "Running In Oil has a High Zinc formulation to protect the valve train including camshafts, followers, rockers and pushrods. It allows the piston rings to bed in correctly with the cylinder walls, preventing glazing of the bores and it can be used for both dynamometer and normal road run in procedures. If used for running in on road, the suggested running in period for Running In Oil is approximately 500 Kilometres after which both the oil and filter should be changed."

I'm not sure it was only 500 Kilometres (~320 miles) for the full run in. I'll check again.

After it's run in I'll use a high zinc 15W 50 oil.

[Tippy]

Originally Posted by Steve@Rennsport

OMG, no.

This procedure is required in ANY engine with new cams and rockers (followers, lifters, etc) if you want the valve train to last at all.

I thought it was ruled a metallurgy problem; that the higher RPM's provided the additional oil masking the root cause?

Guess I was wrong.

Ok, noted.

[bpu699]

Originally Posted by KTL

The 2K RPM for 20 minutes is to ensure the cams and rockers are getting sufficient oil. I understand that part. But is it a problem to actually drive the car, ensuring you keep the engine at that elevated rpm? Reason I ask is because the initial startup with 20 minutes of fast idle is contrary to the desired ring break-in where you want to vary rpms and introduce some accel-decel to get the rings bedded into the cylinders

That's what I thought to...

When these cars were new, I thought the only Porsche recommendation was to take it easy for 500 miles...

Ready to learn...

[mikedsilva]

Good luck John.. let me know how it goes.

[John McM]

Originally Posted by mikedsilva

Good luck John.. let me know how it goes.

Will do, the engine and transmission are back in the car. I’m about 3/4 of the way so far. Lots of connections, some of which are unique to C4s.

[Amstaff]

When's I rebuilt mine I put it at 2000 rpm for 20 minutes then changed the oil. After 500 miles changed it again. I was as nervous as could be when you first fire it up, but as it was already said "if she's gonna blow, she's gonna blow"