Depending on which set of my car friends I listen to, i either need to re-break in my engine when the head goes back on (hopefully later today), or i can just slap it on and go ("Only the bottom end needs breaking in). Which one would you recomend?

 

Install your head and drive it like you stole it
If the head job is done right then no breakin needed

 

Thats what i thought. A few of my friends told me i needed to seal the head gasket with a break in, which sounded odd to me. Thanks.

 

The only time I'd say take it easy due to head work is if you changed the cam(s), springs, & retainers. With the head gasket it will either seal or it won't. No need to baby.

 

The ONLY thing that needs breaking in on a new engine are the rings. They need to seat. Every other part is ready to go as is or you are in trouble. Break-ins are a myth put out by the car manufactures (except for rings). The rings on our race motors are usually broken in by the second pass on the dyno.

 

earl 2nd pass? Our engines are sealing will assembling and adjusting J/K
If you use plasma moly rings they seal alot faster than chrome rings

 

there's no break in needed. they should have used assembly lube on new cams (if you got new cams as well). you may want to get a new head gasket, timing belt , and head bolts (or ARP head studs) as well though.