this one's for you, hobot...

Tomorrow I'm finally starting to assemble the motor on my 71 Commando. Crank is ground, rods polished (new nuts and bolts from Andover), 2 new Superblends (end play set), relocated timing case oil holes (breathing through the tach drive hole, running an electronic tach), cases painted (hi-temp silver w/ a coat of clear), new ( later year) case bolts, brand new megacycle cam.
Being new to Nortons, I spent a lot of time (about 3 years, actually) reading, checking in on-line forums, talking with mechanics and owners, as I decided what to do and not do on this build. Initial start-up discussions and oil threads (can never have enough oil threads,eh ) were especially interesting as assembly time drew near.
I read with interest about zinc and the temp at which it deposits on metal surfaces and the pitfalls of cam oiling (or lack there of) at initial start up. I had an insight, no, an INSPIRATION .
Got out the double boiler. Water in the bottom, 2 quarts of cheap oil ,half a bottle of STP with zinc, one cam and four followers in the top. Bring up to 212F, hold for a half hour, allow to cool.
I have NO IDEA if I did anything other than ruin a pot, and I'll never know if it did any good, but I thought, " This one's for you ,Hobot."
Hope to see you on the road.

Well , if nothing else , you should have a Zinc impregnated pot . Cant see the eggs sticking to it in a hurry .

Hehe acedubleOddouce. To me every motorcycler is off their rockers just some think they rationalize it more sanely than me - right now.
1. The water is only good to put in booze spiked gasoline to wash most the ethanol out so less damaging to surfaces and can store longer.

2. By far most engine wear occurs on start ups that wipe off the nano layer of ZDDP when there is neither a wet oil coating or oil surfing speeds. I know how long it takes to get pressure to crank and then a bit later flow to head to drain on cam lobes. Your call if rare crank seal blow out is more concern than each and every time dozens and dozens of cam/liter revolutions before sump gets enough oil to sling and then head drain with an effective fail safe anti sump valve.

3. The more detergent the more ZDDP displaced to from so less ZDDP protection, unless of course dumping in more ZDDP additive.

4. ZDDP is a family or molecules which vary in temps to plate out but most of them like at least 200'F to react. Distillers want to see 178-180' F vapors to get the product out while leaving the water behind and also re condense the water vapor that does evaporate with the product. If vapors get over this then the product is diluted and water soluble taste and hang over elements get in. So are ya smarter than barefoot straw chewing tobacca spiting hill folk?

5. Cheap oil for break in is mainly because ya should toss it out after first short start up for 5 min or so to see if will run ok and not sprew oil or parts immediately. Two things on initial run in of concern, NUMBERO UNO is cam/lifter bed in and the other ring sealing. If initial ring temps get to hot then galls and melds over finish texture instead of cutting across smoother. So a conflict of physics as cam need over 2000 rpm and some time there til full heat to burnish a denser smoother finish for the dry start protection. Best I can glean and put into practice is 4-5 min first start, which in my few ring jobs don't start to smoke much for most a min then smokes as expected for maybe a min more blipping the scary snot out of it 3000's 4000's 5000's w/o a fan till I see good oil vapors everywhere and clearing up some. Pistons are ready to serve.
Dump oil while checking grinning smirking getting set for the cam pampering on next run up 12-15 min is rather aggressive short snorts never going below low 2000's nor to close to red zone. Replace the oil passage protecting filer and open and look in. Dump the cheap oil, put in the correct researched and tested documented best oil you intend to live with and ride it like ya stolen it w/o getting caught red handed with normal oil changes and a new filter every few years as the mood strikes. Next oil change change the gear box lube too and note what comes out for why I do.

6. Babying it is for timid sissy novices not good for our image or engines.

7. Safe Journeys and hope we don't see each other, on the side of the road.