What is your preferred assembly lube? I need to lube my cam and lifters before I put the pan on. I have found many different brands out there. I install my pistons and torqued the rods today. So, I’m making some progress. Ring end gap was .012 on my Hastings rings.
I have used Melling assembly lube with good results for several engine builds. It's a thick red liquid with just a little bit of stickiness which sort of reminds me of STP. BTW, every one of the engines I've built using STP as an assembly lube have had some sort of oil-related problem. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but I haven't used that stuff since the mid-1960's in anything other than chainsaw bar oil.
This product with the Permatex brand name looks like the same stuff:
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
33 Years. Now with a '61 261, 848 head, Rochester Monojet carb, SM420 4-speed, 4.10 rear, dual reservoir MC, Bendix up front, 235/85R16 tires, 12-volt w/alternator, electric wipers and a modern radio in the glove box.
Is the Lubriplate a liquid, or a lithium-based grease? I've found chunks of Lubriplate grease in oil filters and pump pickup screens while inspecting race engines after doing a cam run-in on a dyno. We used to coat cam lobes and lifters with Lubriplate during assembly, but I'm not sure it breaks down completely as it circulates. NAPA will also have their own brand of assembly lube that will be similar to the examples I've given. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
I have used the Lubriplate white assembly grease for decades. I use it primarily on the main and rod bearings, rocker tips and adjusters, a little tiny bit on the top of the lifter. The thing is you cant glob it on. It squeezes out and flings into and onto the pan the moment the motor fires up. You just need to coat the bearings lightly so they are protected on start up. Its a hard thing to do, just coat lightly, lol, because the natural inclination is more is better, but not so here. And I agree with HRL, use too much of that stuff and you get it laying pretty thick in the pan. So just a lubricating coat.
For a cam, I use what comes with the cam. Schneider Cams has their version, other makers have theirs. I never use the lubriplate for the cam. I am no oil and grease expert but cam break in grease is different then assembly grease. So I would say use a major cam manufacturers cam break in lube. Same deal though. Intuitively you want to glob it on but nope, just get a some on the lobes, otherwise the excess flings off and makes a mess in the motor and it does not break down all that well.
I have a 235 motor in my garage that I built in 1985. I forget now why, but a couple of years ago I needed to pull the pan from that motor. It has a Chet Herbert regrind. Remember the ads in the back of hot rod, any cam any grind 39.95. That regrind was one of the better cams I have ever had but like all things, Chet passed and so did his regrinds. But yep, the Chet Herbert cam grease that I liberally gooped all over that cam in 85 was still in the bottom of the pan after countless countless oil changes.
BTW, every one of the engines I've built using STP as an assembly lube have had some sort of oil-related problem. Maybe it's just a coincidence, but I haven't used that stuff since the mid-1960's in anything other than chainsaw bar oil.
T
Jerry
I also would not use STP.
Been using Sta-Lube engine assembly lube with no issues.
BC 1960 Chevy C10 driver 261 T5 4.10 dana 44 power loc 1949 GMC 250 project in waiting 1960 C60 pasture art Retired GM dealer tech. 1980 - 2022
We assembled automatic transmissions with Vaseline also, as well as packing oil pumps. Yes, it does dissolve completely on the first run. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
https://www.summitracing.com/parts/hrs-99005 https://www.summitracing.com/parts/cro-86096 https://www.summitracing.com/parts/red-80312 For camshafts, you want a specific type of grease like I linked above, the liquid lubes will run off and leave most of it in the oil pan. The true cam grease is a black moly paste or grease. The Redline assembly lube I linked is good for everything else. If the engine is going to be started right away, as in a day or so of final assembly, then liquid assembly lube will be fine. If it is going to set, then be sure to use a paste and limit the amount you rotate it once assembled. Every rotation wipes the lobes clean.
lumbersawer Used to use EOS GM cam break-in lube when it left went to just oil gonna pressure prime anyway,since this zinc stink has come along now need to deal with that. Read where you need to mix the zinc additive in your oil to be sure it's available during break-in. Or use a zinc base break-in oil. On hi-revers with a roller cam we use zinc 10w30 for 2000 rpm break-in run. Could use 15w40 with zinc in it like OTR truckers use.
Lucas has bunches of different products. Which one? I believe they might make one specifically for engine assembly. If you're referring to the engine oil additive- - - -no! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Unless it's a lot different from STP (which I doubt) it would be hard to persuade me to do that. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Unless it's a lot different from STP (which I doubt) it would be hard to persuade me to do that. Jerry
There’s a “project farm” video where he compares New STP, Old STP, and modern 5w-30 in several tests. Both the old and new STP had shockingly low levels of zinc, even just compared to the 5w-30.
Wonder if that aspect contributed to your failures with STP?
That's possible. My experience with oil-related problems with engines I assembled with STP was back in the late 1960's and early 70's before zinc additives in motor oil were an issue. Just to convince myself what I was experiencing was a fluke, I built one more engine (an air cooled Volkswagen) with STP and it had chronic low oil pressure. I sold the car to my brother, and he wrecked it before we got a chance to do an autopsy on the engine problem. Since then I've used a dedicated assembly lube. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
I’m still here. I purchased some permitex 81950 that Jerry recommended. It is good to learn what others like and use, I enjoy the forum dialog but I’m not one to respond much. At the end of the many inputs from people, I thank you all for your response.
If your engine gets as much mileage as this thread has done- - - - -"Ya done good!" LOL! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
