Can anyone tell me if it's posible to start and break-in the cam while the engine is still on the engine stand, because i've got a 355 sbc thar's been finished since last early last year sometime. It's just that my pickup is still not together yet and it would be kinda nice to have it ready to go, but at the rate thing's are goin it'll take till this time next year to got this darn truck together. If so how could this be acomplished or would it be a bad idea. Frankly i dont know how that heavy engine stay's on the engine stand for so long. Also is there any kind of engine rack that the engine can mount to and be able to hook a dummy tranny to it ballance the engine. The engine is a 355sbc, World Product S/R torquer's, .030 hyper- speed pro piston's with .125 dome's to work with the 76cc chamber's, 9.3 c/r, #00016 Lunati flat tappet camshaft, Clevite 77 bearing's, molly piston ring's, new stock oil pump, the engine's been (linehoned) (torque plate board)(ballanced rotating assembly) Had thought about a roller cam so i would'nt have to worry about the break-in part, but i guess i can live with a flat tappet bump stick.(Please Advise)

I wouldn't start an engine on a stand that supports the engine at the back. (Trans bolts)...

If you had a stand that supports the engine by the mounts and supported at the back, then , yes.....

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Sounds like the perfect excuse to take it to the machine shop and have it dynoed. Those guys love breaking in fresh motors

Hey that's a good idea, never gave that a thought but in any evevnt how much would that cost for a dynoe test?

oops....sorry....thought this was a question on engine breaking!!!!
I am an expert on that.......
No body can knock a bottom end out like me.....
I think I'm on number 10 or 11 by now.....

LOL!

A dyno test by a competant outfit will run from $450 - $600, thats what a friend charges in So. Cal. Just depends on how much time they have in it. Now you can get the plans to build an "engine run on stand" on ebay if thats all you want to do is start it and break it in. As Poncho says dont do it on an engine stand, heard of a guy that tried it, got the engine started, first time he winged it ..........you guessed it, the whole enchilada went *** over tea kettle.....not good.

If you do decide to run it on the engine build stand, Make a video tape of it please, I haven't ever seen one flip over stand and all before. I know you want to hear it run,,,,,I would, but without the proper stand for the support of it I would wait to run it,,,,, I know, not what you wanted to hear. Sounds like a nice motor, Good luck with it, Hope it runs good,,,,Perry.

Doc here ,

Chances are, you can't start it on the ground..no ring gear clearance..so thats out..

If you try to start it on a lift.. that which does not kill us.....(will hurt like hell..) If it survives the the unbalanced load of just cranking (not to mention anything that fires..) IT will spin around like a top on the lift chain..probably spraying fuel and fire from the open headers everywhere..

You COULD if you wern't worried about being in the running for an annual DARWIN AWARD..

mount the engine on a forklift pallet..using 4X6 studs at a 45 degree angle, with wicked long nails into the pallet, and the other end into a standard motor mount, bolt that on..

Then put banding material tightly like you were shipping it overseas..in the front and rear of the engine..as well as the engine lift hooked to it not lifting weight, but taught...you could , IF BRAVE enough..Try that...Then you only have to concern yourself with fuel and fire....and DO NOT rev it at all..(ever chase a greased pig?)

NOW the Best way to do this, place on the engine lift...roll to engine bay...install engine..start engine...when you look at the time involved to try it any other way..this is the shortest safest route..AND you have engine monitoring, and cooling..

Doc

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best way to do this. w/o installing the engine in the car would be to purchase some scrap tubing and build a tricycle for the engine / tranny to sit on

2 wheels in front under the engine, one in back under the tranny, just space the front 2 wheels a good 3 feet apart so it cant shift. bolt in the engine, some basic gauges, get yourself a gas tank and a small radiator and go to town