Piston ring/engine break in procedure

[dhirocz]

So it's time. I think it's about dead. 900k and 25k+ hours will do that on a truck that was fleet maintained the first half of its life.

She has tons of blowby, takes lots of boost to do anything, is low on power, started burning oil (2 1/2 gal from Savannah to Chattanooga on 75), I can hear the pistons rattling when hot at an idle, mileage is in the ground, etc...over 15 lb of boost she smokes, can't maintain minimum speed loaded on 75, and plugs filters. I'm sure I've got some broken rings in it too. Exhaust detent clearances are all under .026, a couple at .021. Can't even do a leak down test on it, compression is too low. No sense in running it into the ground at this point. At least the mosquitoes stay away when it's running...

I was fortunate enough to get my hands on the same counterbore cutter that rawze uses for about 1/2 price. Score!

So I need to ask a few questions first.

-How are you guys going about breaking in the piston -rings? Using what oil? I've been considering a non detergent oil for the initial break in.
-First oil change intervals? I still have a bypass filter even though it's been @m*m^2'd.
-If I remember correctly, Rawze mentioned in his video he didn't have a core because he bought a new head, not a reman. Everywhere I looked wants a core even if I dig out a new head from their reman stack. Rawze, where did you get yours?
-how many times can you retorque rod bolts before they are junk? I did a bearing roll and new cooling nozzles a couple years back, but I do have some reman cummins rods on hand.
-are you guys using stainless or brass liner shims? Do they get 'stacked', or just the one shim?
-my valve cam started to flake again thanks to some crappy rocker arms I found a couple months back. I'm just going to replace both. Are these cummins reman cams worth a damn, or should I insist on new, like the head?
-can anyone explain to me again how to identify a new head by the packaging? I'm aware of how to identify one by the numbers on the head, keep forgetting the packaging differences.

I've been considering using another engine that is laying around and building it so I can just swap them out. That way I can address the flywheel housing gasket/clutch/team main/trans at the same time. 13 is on its way out for an 18.

I'm sure I'll have some more questions once she is torn down. I'm working on a contract deal locally right now (bad timing), but I've got another set of wheels temporarily. Looking to do this between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

This will be using all OEM parts.