The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Lubing Tips For Crank/Cam/Pistons

As I have posted in the Paint Section, I just got my engine block and heads back from the mechanics and am ready to start building it. But, I need to know what you guys recommend for lubing the bearings as I put the Cam, and Crank in. I was told that regular oil isnt the best to use, but use some type of white grease that works great, and it will mix with the oil. I put the cam in after lubing the bearings and cam with Havoline 20W-50 oil. Is that OK to use, its pretty thick stuff. When I got it in there and turned it, it felt kinda stiff, like there was a lot of friction. Or is that the way new bearings feal? I need to know whats best to use for lubing these bearings, and will stay there without leaking out on me. It will take me a bit to get this motor together as I dont have everything yet.

Please let me know what you use/think/recommend! Thanks guys!

- Shane

Lubriplate

So, would this be at my regular down the street auto store? If so, I am going there tomorow to get the main seals. How much is it? Thanks for the valuable info!

- Shane

Lubriplate lithium-base grease is OK, but it doesn't disslove well when the oil hits it on startup, and could cause oil pump relief valve problems. I use "assembly lube", sold by Sealed Power, and a few other engine parts manufacturers. Just about anywhere you buy your rebuild parts should have a small squeeze bottle in stock. Lube cam & lifters with a high-pressure lube like 90W gear oil, as it's important to have a high-pressure lubricant on the lobes during cam break-in. Some new cams come with a package of special lube, which should be used liberally on the cam lobes, and the bottoms of the lifters. It's also a good idea to fill the oil filter prior to installing it with engine oil, and/or spin the oil pump shaft with an electric drill motor before installing the distributor to pressurize the whole oil systyem before startup. Coat the cylinder walls, pistons, and rings with engine oil before you install the pistons.
Jerry

Ok, thanks for the info, I will check out these lubes tomorow at the auto store. But, why do I need to break in the Cam, I am using sam Cam and lifters since they were almost new.

Also:
--> For how long should I spin the oil pump shaft?
--> Is 50w synthetic gear oil ok for the lifters and lobes?
--> The only thing new with the cam system are the bearings, thats it. Do I still need to do a break in?

- Shane

OK, I thought you were using a new cam & lifters! Regular engine oil, or a little of the assembly lube on the cam will be OK for reinstalling a cam that's already broken in, just be sure to get the same lifters and lobes matched up to their original positions!

Spin the pump with the drill motor long enough to build up oil pressure, and it prelubes all the pressure-lubed bearings, etc. You'll be able to feel the drill motor slow down when pressure is up to normal.
Jerry

Ok, cool. Uh, I was told that the lifters dont matter with original positions, just the Puch Rods, Pistons, etc.. But I will Do the oil thing once I get that far. I bought that "Assembly Lube" today in a big ol' tube and it seems to work great. The only problem I am having so far, now, is I have put 2 pistons in the exact way they came out. But, I can only turn the crank so far, the it stops. I can also hear the rings sliding along the cylinder walls. I have oiled everything up pretty darn good. A friend of mine said that it must have something to do with the rings, they may be the wrong size.

I have all the new bearings lubed very well so that shouldnt be it. So, my friend is headed over here sometime in the afternoon to take a look. What would you guys thing might be the problem? I figured it must have something to do with the rings as well.

Thanks,
- Shane

Hotrod Lincoln is right on the lubes. Be sure to lube each cylinder with motor oil before installing the piston and squirt some oil on top of the rings in the cylinder when the pistion is in. Keep the cylinders lubed when rotating the engine. If it is as difficult to rotate as you say you need to be sure the cylinders are lubricated. Did you check the ring gap? I usually soak the lifters overnight or longer in a can of motor oil if they are new lifters so they don't take so long to pump up. Assembly fluid that Hotrod Lincoln was talking about is great stuff. Like a cross between snot and syrip (sorry no other way to describe it). You will know when to stop turning the oil pump with the electric motor because it will probably try to stop the electric motor.

I would get a complete overhaul gasket set,and a service manual.
Rings are checked for clearence in cly bore before placed on piston. they have a this side up ect on them.
The lifters should be replaced in same order as removed. New cam & lifters it doesn't matter, used have allready worn in on cam & lifter bottom.
If it turns over hard by hand or drags that is useually caused by drit on a main or rod bearing they must stay clean when assembled.Remove all piston turn motor see if drag is on mains. then Do one clynder turn motor do next turn motor. good luck Bill

Ok, I went and checked on the motor this afternoon and it turned fine. I guess I didnt lube the 2 first pistons that well. But I got all the pistons in now, and lubed the cylinders/rings/pistons as you guys have said and I can turn the crank with all 8 in there. I can still hear the rings sliding along the cylinder but my friend said that everything is fine and thats the way it is supposed to be. I got all the lifters in, and they arent in the original spots so next time I will know that.

Also, I just got the timing chain cover on and the old one that was on there, the timing plate was mounted in the middle of the cover. The new Chrome cover I bought has the plate mounted to the side, so now I have to either mark the Harmonic Balancer, or get a new one???

Thanks for all the help guys, I really appreciate it!

- Shane

On your cam, it is highly recommended that the lifter be matched to the cam lobe. Since your cam is fairly new, if you didn't put the lifters back in the same holes they came out of, you will be better off in the long run to put in a new set of lifters. The cam lobes have a slight taper to them, which forces the lifters to rotate and not matching the lifters to the lobes can cause the cam to wear faster.

The break-in period on the cam is to allow the lifters to wear to match the cam lobe. Once done, it doesn't need to be done again as long as the lifters remain in the same position.

Did you plastigauge the bearings to check clearance? Did you check crank end-play and rod side-clearance?

For the timing cover, you can either re-mark the balancer, get an adjustable timing tab that will let you line it up with the balancer mark, or get a balancer that lines up with the new tab.

If you don't want to spring for new lifters, do the cam break-in again. You may get lucky and not ruin the camshaft. Motor oil will run off the lobes before you fire it. Use the red cam break-in lube from Sealed Power (napa) or Comp Cams. Did the head shop set the springs up for the cam you're using? You're running a chevy adjustable valvetrain, right? Adjust until you can just turn the pushrods by hand. Or if you adjust valves before installing intake, adjust for about .050" of lifter preload on the base circle of the cam.

Did you make sure to stagger the ring end-gaps when you installed the pistons?

Well its to late for the lifters and cam. When I took the heads and block in, they cleaned, fixed, replaced the parts as necessary. I was told by the guy that worked on the heads, that those heads were one of the nicest sets he has ever cleaned.

Some of the stuff you said (the person that posted before this one) I didnt understand, since I am new at rebuilding engines, and this is my first one. But Yes I did do the things with the rings on the pistons, set them all 90 degrees apart from eachother.

I already have the engine mostly put back together so I guess if things arent right I will get them right the next time. [censored] for the clearance and all, the guys at the shop verified it was all standard and everything turns still. Thanks for all the help again guys!

- Shane