A few comments - and one question - on this
First I�d say I�ve never had a new WBX, my experiences are with I4 engines -
hence the question....

When I started the Volvo I4 up for the first time I let the starter  turn
the engine for a couple of seconds before the coil was connected in order
to start building a little oil pressure even though everything had been
soaked with oil during assembly. I had the engine running at 1500 rpm for a
couple of minuits while listening for odd noices under the bonnet then a
little coolingperiod. Repeted this 4 - 5 times.
Took a 20 minuit ride at 2-3000 rpm, letting the revs go up and down a bit .
Then a loooong drive,  about 250 miles with a 1 hour break about halfway.
At the end of the drive I could feel the engine "loosen up" and occationally
took the revvs up to 4-5000 rpm.
The next morning I changed oil and filter,  RE TORQUED the head bolts -
never seen anything about this in the WBX, is it not neccesary there ???-
changed plugs and set the timing again .
.
After that, it was used and maintained the normal way with oil and
filterchanges every 10000 miles but for an additional oil and filter change
after 500 miles too .
I used 20W50 good quality mineral oil but have changed to syn. later since
the engine was buildt with highpreformance cam, head and bigbore pistons (
up from 2.0 to 2.4 litres)
It has dual carbs, would easily revv 7.500 rpm and is still running good
today after 150 000 miles

I found a good investment in a magnetic drainplug, caught lots of metal
there that probably would have clogged the oilcooler othervice !!

Calle
-88 Volvopower Vanagon
Mullhyttan, Sweden

----- Original Message ----- From: "The corruptor"
> Fist, i do appreciate your suggestions and comments, just so you guys
know.
>
> But i don't agree on somes points:
> 1)-i would never run a new engine more than a few minutes for the first
> start... just to see if everything looks and sound right. of course hydro
> lifter may not be pumps fast the fist time so noise is normal, but they
> should pump quickly, i would say 3 minutes at most. Second, the cooolant
> system is not bled, so overheat may come form there instead of overheat
from
> the new engine parts. i would start the van again in the optimal bleeding
> position (front raise, bleeder screws open), keeping a good look on the
temp
> gauge and using an infrared temp gun. Of course, make sure to fill the oil
> filter as much as you can before the first start, fill oil as needed after
> the first few minutes start.
>
> 2)-if the lifter noise is not gone after a few minutes on the second
start,
> i would check and adjust those. Concentrate on bleeding the van first wile
> keeping low temp (am cheking the exhaust temp with infrared gun
>
> 3)-this procedure (bleeding) should take about 15 to 30 minutes on the
> parking lot, so yeas, the fist 20 minutes.
>
> 4)- Time to drive the van, slowly in small street around the house, check
> temp every 15 seconds, at any sign of overheat stop the engine. You won't
> like the following..... am driving the van with both bleeder srews open
for
> the fist mile or so.... after i close both and open them every 10 minutes
of
> so to monitor the coolant pressure and do a proper bleeding, of course,
this
> is done going up and down an overpass.... if the engine is still
overheating
> a lot, go back home and get the van on ramp and try to bleed some more.
>
> 5)- When bleeding is ok, i hoping for a slight overheating (a bit above
the
> cooling light), this will be a normal and good sign.
>
> 6)-Am not changing the oil yet and far from it, engine have a oil filter
> design for that matter.... Bleed again if neccesary and when satisfy, go
for
> a normal drive of 25 to 50 miles....if everything look normal, go for
> another 100 miles+ drive monitoring the temps very often... after that i
> would change the oil and filter. Now it's time (when cold) to make a
second
> lifter / valve clearance check.
>
> 7),ake some small 50-100 miles trip inside your AAA /CAA card region, ha
ha
> ha ha....
>
> Cheers
> Ben
>