Many people do not understand the importance of the following
the appropriate steps to prepare an engine to run for the first time.

The steps are very important, and can mean life or death for a high performance engine no kidding.
The information in this article can also be a useful guide to starting an engine that has
been sitting for a long period of time, since it ensures proper oiling before the engine fires.
Engine Assembly Use good quality engine oil 20-50 or 30 weight
to coat all bearing surfaces, as well as the surfaces of moving parts they contact.

Use an oil treatment like STP for camshaft lobes and the heads of the lifters,
and engine oil for the sides of the lifters. We prefer Torco cam lube, and supply it
will all our camshafts.In your oil pump, lube the gears up with STP or HEAVY oil.
This assures a good oil pump prime it's very thick; make sure the brand you use is the
SAME as the oil you plan on running, so they are compatible, so you will not crank
your engine for 30 minutes trying to achieve oil pressure.

Keep your spark plugs out until later; if they are in, remove them.
The reason the spark plugs are removed or left out is that you do not want the
connecting rod or main bearings "loaded" during the "dry" period that exists before
oil pressure is achieved. It is only after oil pressure is achieved that the spark plugs
should be in place during cranking.

If you have stock valve springs on your engine, you can assemble your engine completely,
but this is not the case for an engine with a hot cam, which should have heavy-duty valve springs.
These engines must be cranked for oil pressure without their pushrods installed,
since we don't want to wipe off the cam lube while we are cranking for oil pressure!

Lubricate valve stems and valve guides with engine oil many people use white grease,
or something else, but I don't think this is a good idea. Grease can keep the engine oil OUT, and galling can occur from lack of lubrication) After all, engine oil is what all these parts use to live a long life later on, so let's use what works!

Prepare to Run! Install the engine into the vehicle or onto your engine stand,
and get prepared to crank it over. REMOVE THE SPARK PLUGS AND OIL PRESSURE SWITCH.
If you have a T-4, you can just remove the spin on oil filter. Next, crank the engine over
until oil squirts out the oil pressure switch hole or the oil filter bracket on the T-4.
Re-install the oil pressure switch or oil filter, which you have filled with oil, and connect
the oil pressure switch wire. Crank until the light goes out then continue cranking for another 10 seconds or so. The oil system of the engine is now ready.

Set the ignition timing on the engine you do know how to do this without running the engine, right? to the proper setting for the distributor you are using, and install the spark plugs and plug wires.

Install the pushrods if you have not done this yet, and adjust the valves to .008"
better loose until things settle in. Hydraulic lifter engines can adjust them to 1