Wilf, I have an engine dyno in shop so I'll tell you what I know. After everything is pre-set we prime the
oil pump until we get
oil pressure, then crank the engine and if it doesn't start within 4 revolutions we find out why. The initial start is very critical on the cam. We run the engine @ 2000 rpm for about 20 minutes at varying loads to break-in the cam, look for leaks, etc. We break each engine in on 30 weight
oil. After the breakin we change the oil/filter and look for any excess metal. We also cut open the filter and see what we captured. The rings take a little longer to seat, especially the Chrome moly. We use a stethescope and probe the entire engine to listen for any unusual noises. We normally do about 5 full pulls starting at a max of about 4500rpm then work our way up to max hp. We usually see more hp each pull as the rings break in. After that we play with timing and carb, watch our exhaust temps and let her rip. We change oil 1 more time and use 20w50. We also add an additive like slick 50. We use this process on all street, circle track, drag, and tractor puller engines. No failures in about 12 years other than the guys who have assembled there own engines. Then we catch them after intial start. No blow ups on the dyno . If the engine is assembled properly and all clearances are double checked there is no reason for failure. The cam break in is most critical.
Don