Assembly Lube recommendations

[Regal2800]

What is a good assembly lube for crank shaft bearings, cam shafts etc. prior to first start after a rebuild? white lithium grease was recommended by the detroit parts shop. i have also seen sythetic assembly lubes, from companies like Redline or royal purple. Will those work better?

http://www.amazon.com/Royal-Purple-...&qid=1425340948&sr=8-3&keywords=assembly+lube

 

[dsharp]

Either will work fine. Getting the oil pump primed and all the lines and filters full are just important if not more than assembly lube. Everyone has their own favorite way of building an engine so you are likely to get different answers. You didn't say what kind of engine but on a flat tap pet lifter it's crucial that it can rotate on the bore or you'll wipe the cam out within minutes

 

[Boatsb]

I've always used the standard bottle of assembly lube never grease on mains. Other parts may be clogged by grease. I've used vasoline on outboards but only the roller bearings.

 

[bostonhatteras]

Molybdenum disulfide grease or otherwise known as moly grease
As slippery as graphite, in a paste form and can withstand extreme pressures. Only thing to put on a new camshaft in a rebuild. Not a moly blend but 100% moly Comes in a small squeeze bottle.

 

[MikeP]

Engine builders have successfully used everything from STP to regular 30Wt motor oil to any of the various assembly lubes, to a wide selection of random greases. One thing to be aware of is that not all assembly lubes/greases will dissolve in motor oil and the results can be clogging of the oil filter. So be sure whatever you use is oil-compatible. Any currently available ASSY lube that IS oil compatible will be fine. Pressurizing the oil system prior to startup is, as noted, an extremely useful step to a successful/and long-lived rebuild. This is harder to do than it sounds like. Pressurizing, using whatever method is workable for the engine, so that there is notable pressure on the gauge is what you are looking for.

FWIW, some cam makers quit supplying Moly-based lubes for break in some years back, switching to other formulas. Allegedly, the black moly paste, although great for the cam lobe/lifter interface, was found to be somewhat abrasive to the lifters in the bores and the internal operation of hydraulic lifters. Several cam makers that we worked with specifically sent out a bulletin not to use it with their cams/lifters. OTOH, many people use it/swear by it.

 

[captddis]

use 40 wt oil and prelube until oil runs out turbo lines, Then crank holding the shutdown until oil pressure comes up.