What do you use on fresh bearings?

[jenkins71]

Hi guys.

So my "How to Rebuild the Chrysler Big-Block" book says to use white lithium grease mixed with a little oil on the bearings when you lay the crank.
My engine builder says to just use regular oil.
A video online says to use special assembly lube.

So, who is right here?

What do you use, and why?

Thanks!

 

[Cornpatch MO]

I use white lithium grease On the crank and rod journals--assembly lube on the camshaft lobes and bearings. It stays in place if the engine is not started within a couple days......................................MO

 

[dieseldazzle]

I use redline assembly lube on rod, mains and cam bearings.

 

[Hemi Rebel]

Ive always used assembly lube. Always primed oil pump before start up. Never had any problems

 

[miller]

X2. Always used Lubriplate in the tube, with engine oil.

 

[lewtot184]

i use assembly lube on everything internal. i used to use lubriplate on the bearings back in the day. the down side to lubriplate is that it's not a higher pressure lube. that being said, i've never lost a bearing using lubriplate.

 

[Badvert65]

I have always used STP oil treatment (literally hundreds of engines). It is inexpensive, readily available, and will stay in place for long build periods. Plus, I never have to worry about it dissolving in the oil (it's a given). Whatever you use, it should be thick enough to stay in place for the initial startup and should be able to dissolve in oil so it won't much up or clog any passages.
-Matt

 

[mentor70]

the first thing i do to new engine bearings is send them over to WPC in Torrance, Ca for this crazy proprietary metal surface treatment, then i use a good quality assembly lube like Torco MPZ or Sealed Power.

http://www.wpctreatment.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSiC7D8patU

 

[moper]

Now I use Crane engine assembly lube. But - in the past I've used lithium and straight 30wt oil before.

 

[Daves69]

You'll want to use something that will stay there for a while. Oil will run out. Assembly lube, white lithium grease/oil mix, and one person years back told me they use white brake lube for the bearings. Anyone else heard of that?

 

[62 Dart Convertible]

Assembly lube or engine oil. Either way, prime it with drill into oil pump b4 firing up...

 

[Cranky]

I use white lithium grease On the crank and rod journals--assembly lube on the camshaft lobes and bearings. It stays in place if the engine is not started within a couple days......................................MO

You'll want to use something that will stay there for a while. Oil will run out. Assembly lube, white lithium grease/oil mix, and one person years back told me they use white brake lube for the bearings. Anyone else heard of that?

I've torn down engines that sat for years and they still had oil on the bearings. Yeah, the oil will drain back to the pan but the oil that's in the bearings already doesn't dry up and go away. Anyways, I use a 50/50 mix of 30wt and STP and done it that way since the mid 70's. The cam gets break in lube and all engines are primed before fire up.

 

[miller]

one person years back told me they use white brake lube for the bearings. Anyone else heard of that?

Never heard of that one. Personally I'd think the brake lube would be way to thick.
On the radial engines, we made a mix of Lubriplate, and STP, that worked fairly good. Only 1/4 part STP, though.

 

[66Satellite47]

I've always used the oil I plan to run on main, rod, cam bearings. Crane cam break in lube on the cam, even if they're broken in. ALWAYS pre-oil before starting. I guess I never have them sitting around too long before pre-oil & start up. The STP/oil mix sounds good too.

 

[71airgrabberRR]

Like many here, I used a mixture of Lubriplate and engine oil on the bearings. I give the cylinder walls a nice thin coat of engine oil. I dip the assembled pistons with rings in a small tub of engine oil. I coat the camshaft and lifters with camshaft assembly lube. Then just before I start up, I prime the pump with a drill, not forgetting to turn the engine into position to oil the rocker shafts through the heads . The rockers are lubricated through a passage way in the head that comes up from the camshaft journal. The engine has to be turned in a different position to oil each head independently.View attachment 241901

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On occasion I have mixed in a little STP with the lubriplate / oil. Hope this helps.

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This was the 340 for my Duster on the old test run stand. I pushed out 75 pounds of oil pressure with just the drill. The oil passage way illustration was for a big block, but small blocks are the same in principle.

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When the oil pump catches it's prime, you better hang on !!!! The drill will hurt you if your not ready for it. It grabs pretty good............... and will twist right out of your hand if your not ready.

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The drill I use is a 1/2" reversible Bosch. It has all the power needed.

 

[Meep-Meep]

I've used a combination of just about everything mentioned and all seemed to work fine.

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the first thing i do to new engine bearings is send them over to WPC in Torrance, Ca for this crazy proprietary metal surface treatment, then i use a good quality assembly lube like Torco MPZ or Sealed Power.

http://www.wpctreatment.com/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSiC7D8patU

Very cool! Here is the explanation
http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/engine/0608-turp-revolutionary-engine-protection/

 

[jenkins71]

Cool Guys, thanks for all the input. I guess there are many different methods people use.

What about using the red, tacky Cam Lube on the bearing surfaces, for the mains and rods?

Also, I watched a video where the guy says NOT to drown your piston and rings in oil, and instead just spray them with WD-40. His reasoning was that you need the rings to seat properly, and if you have too much oil during initial start-up, they wont break in right.

here's a link to that video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OD4-fGcjOs

 

[Meep-Meep]

I agree with not dunking the pistons in oil. That is just too much oil. And I would not use anything other than a light coating of motor oil on the rings. It might also be safe to say that if there was an oil that prevented rings from seating due to the fact it lubricated so well, a lot of people would want to know what it is.

 

[jenkins71]

Good Point.

I assume if you used too much oil on the cylinder walls and on dunking the pistons, then that might make it harder to start initially, and isn't the idea to get it to fire right up on a fresh build?

 

[miller]

Just food for thought.

I've always dunked my pistons/w rings in motor oil, before mounting them. Just common sense that the piston walls need that coat of oil to hold down galling, until run in a little. The rings need oil all over to keep from burning.

That being said...WD40? If the engine sits much of a time period, before priming, and firing off, WD40 can dry out. Sure maybe a 'little' lubing, but nothing like a coat of oil that won't dry.

To each their own. Everybody has their own ideas on what works.