So the swap schedule for my 'rolla is getting tight and it looks like the rebuilt 4AGE will only get 26-35 hours of break-in time before the first event, that's if I head right back out after work and drive the car until nearly midnight every day of the week available. Is this enough?
Engine is rebuilt with OEM internals, no boost or any wild mods, and it will be run hard regularly.
26-35 hours?
I've built a lot of motors. My break in consists of start, high idle for 15 minutes while making sure everything is ok, tune, light test drive, race. Probably about 30 minutes of break in.
26-35 hours? For the race built 4AGE's that I use to build that was the life span between re-ringing them. Basically 1 - 1 1/2 seasons of 4,6 and 12 hour endurance races Sometimes we could stretch it to 2 seasons but they were getting rather tired towards the end.
How I broke the engine in is I would do a 20-25 min break in at about 2-3K rpm at the shop. Watch temps and look for leaks while it is running. Then change the oil and you are done done! Never had a problem. This is the procedure that is used by some very well known formula ford / Toyota / Atlantic builders with 4AGE's (and other motors) and it work fine for me for many years. Something to know modern rings almost seat instantly. It is not like the old days when you had to ware the rings to fit the cylinder bores. Back them you needed 500-1000 miles of easy driving. Another note once the 20 min break in is done we would take the car to the track and flog it a bit. The idea is that if something is going to go wrong you want it to happen at a test and tune day and not at a 6 hour race.
For a race motor, I will break it in over the course of about 15 minutes. The first minute or so is making sure there is no leaking fuel, oil, water, etc., and making sure the gauges are all happy. Then some mid-load / mid-RPM stuff while it gets to temp, then full on romping at temp.
Oh OK so the mechanic's not just playing it cool then 
I just wanted to make sure I wasn't giving it too little.
As mentioned above - I do like to change the oil after that first heat and cool cycle.
The oil filter's gonna be changed with the oil after the first run with the assembly lube of course (that's 1 heat cycle up to full op. temp), that's a cheapo filter, next one will be a proper Toyota filter, I was planning to change it early.
I NEVER used cheep filters during break in. This is the time when you want a good one as it is when you will have the most likelihood of some metal bits being circulated through the oil.
The cheapo one will only be used for a matter of minutes, I'm not asking too much of it mechanic thought it was a good idea.
Dang... I've gotten them hot, one run of upshifting through the gears with a hard pull in 2nd or 3rd, come back, change oil, and it's ready for abuse after a check over for external leaks.
This is how I break in engines:
http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm
Learned this method from my apprenticeship instructor, who was an avid drag racer and now builds funny car frames in his retirement....
Oh yeah I know about the gas pressure thing and fully intend to give it full throttle and hard engine braking at full op. temp.
is the difference in oil filter price greater than $10? if not, use an oem one. 
Here's how we do it, without all the neon green justification found on the Mototune page 
Not just full romping, but full engine braking too.
http://www.flyinmiata.com/tech/breakin.php
4AGE break-in: Mototune and FM is fine... only difference I recommend is using a break-in oil, or additive (high zinc and phosphate) Whoops.... phosphorus
Originally these high content oils were for breaking in tappet type camshafts... but Arnie Loyning told me they use it because it also helps with the ring seal. They use Joe Gibbs BR30.
An OEM Toyota filter is about $6 bucks... the oil about $8 per quart. You've dropped big coin on the engine, don't take a short cut now.
I'll see if I can find any of that stuff, any additives in particular I should look for?
Filter was a Prime Guard, internetautomart seems to like them:
http://grassrootsmotorsports.com/forum/grm/oil-filters/28438/page2/
GameboyRMH wrote: I'll see if I can find any of that stuff, any additives in particular I should look for?
As I mentioned... Joe Gibbs BR30 - http://joegibbsracingoil.com/products/enginebuilder/br30.html
https://www.google.com/search?q=br30&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&aq=t&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&client=firefox-a#hl=en&client=firefox-a&hs=ztt&rls=org.mozilla:en-US%3Aofficial&tbm=shop&sclient=psy-ab&q=br30+gibbs&oq=br30+gibbs&gs_l=serp.3...4398.5644.1.6188.6.6.0.0.0.0.150.559.4j2.6.0...0.0...1c.1.2.serp.YByGcfOCCXI&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.r_qf.&bvm=bv.41934586,d.cGE&fp=5fd7752da128ad2a&biw=1096&bih=604
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