Hi,
Just wanted you to be aware of what the text suggested, I’ve seen this scenario before. Wanted you to be aware & look at it 3 dimensionally is all, apologize for the long dissertation, did the points make sense? Wasn’t trying to intimidate, only share what I knew, ways around it. lol.
Desire, as I know you do, for a best scenario outcome. By the subtle comments you made, seemed to be pretty significant amount of buildup within. The reason you headed into the Motor, noisy Lifters, poor drivability- correct? Why it occurred is not related to something you did.
LONG term effect of infrequent oil changes gaining sediment, oil breaking down. Once refined oil degradation begins, (3) categories of breakdown issues occur. Viscosity changes sticky when hot, repeated heat exposure causes it to turn into a crud laden Tar substance, it sticks into the porous casting laden block & anything else it can, Including itself.
Good article describing oil degradation, if interested:
https://www.machinerylubrication.com/Read/475/oil-breakdown
As expected- If not eradicated- it will continue to repeat restricting passages to components.
Breaking in a flat tappet Cam & Lifters may fail under good/average conditions. Providing those Lifters never stop rotating during break-in, running the strong break-in lube with media on lobes/Lifters, following below. Once that break-in is done, start to flush the crud out as soon as possible. Oil should eventually run clean with the short flush(es). Running a detergent oil will work, cost of Filters & Oil.
Best advice I can recommend is to ensure you give it those Lifters the best chance to break in, no interruptions. That’s where many break-in issues occur, a linear process performed correctly will help swing the odds in your favor.
Engine setup to fire quick & run for the duration, have it close to timed before firing, light at the ready (mark the base timing mark @10Deg.with a white mark on the balancer). Change out the oil/Filter with a good detergent type & OE Filter, then perform the sludge removal for after the break-in with engine flush, until the Oil runs clean.
Unless you’re going aggressive (Listed as “B”’in preceding text) I wouldn’t stir the sludge up any more than you have to.
One more option, If you replaced the Oil/Filter without the flush & removed the Lifters, manually spun the pump to push new oil through those passages, then dump a quart of fresh oil over the heads & into the valley so it all ends up in the pan, removing that oil & replacing Oil/Filter again may also help for the break-in.
Recently, I’d answered a SN post & was really shocked that LUNATI suggested running Seafoam in a members fresh Stroker Motor with suspected contaminants entered during it’s ass’y to bring their Hyd Roller Lifters to come to life. Think it was last resort, but we uncovered the actual issue in time (Stud locks hitting the Rocker slots@ full lift) & correcting that avoided it’s use. But the fact one recommended it is far insufficient evidence for me to use, much less recommend it’s use to another.
I’ve never run it, nor seen a lasting improvement by others adding it. Only real life way to properly clear out a Block is by boiling it. Sometimes it takes >1 boil overnight to remove excess buildup. Doing an Oil flush with a good product is about the best you can do, engine assembled in Car.
Ironically, people install parts like this & some get away with no issues, then some don’t. In this scenario- if it wipes a Lifter, it’ll likely take a Lobe with it. That iron will stick like flypaper to wherever buildup exists. Then you’re looking at...forget it, I’ll leave it at that. You’ll be OK.
I’m not trying to come across negatively. Just to convey, in case you didn’t know, some good approaches to removing circulating crud- do the break-in, then pulling the sludge out over a time period without a chunk dislodging and blocking a passage, entirely.
That’s why they are potent, but not so aggressive regarding timelines. I’ve been around a few boneyard motors & some got by, running different aggressive solvents in varied dilution, some spun Bearings from rapidly occurring media chunks causing blockage/starvation. Slow & deliberate is, IMO, the best approach. Once flushed, you’ll get significant amounts, high detergent oils will finish the process over a little time. Then jump to Synthetic.
It’s a proven repeatable process with good results, avoiding potential harm of materials that may fail if exposed to such Solvents, Seals, etc, .
Any questions, don’t hesitate!
-John