Substitute for "Assembly Lube" - Motor Assembly Saturday

After 5+ months of restoration. The motor assembly is slated to begin Saturday. Anywho, the parts stores here dont sell "assembly lube" per se. A mechanic friend of mine says to use STP oil treatment instead. Does this make sense to you fellas? He said it has good sticking qualities and wont run if it takes two weekends to put together? If not what do you fellas recommend?

 

I've used STP on the pistons before and not had a problem, but i wouldn't put it together without assembly lube for the cam lobes and the crank journals. JMO. Others may do differently. Should be available from any NAPA store.

 

I have the cannister of edelbrock lube for the cam and crank. But STP is good on the rest of it?

 

Back in the olden days we used STP... Lots of it.

 

Thats what I used...but, as Don said, use the proper cam lube on the cam..

 

I dip my pistons in a coffee can half full of 30 wt oil before installing them in the bore. I've used STP before but it was not with a new cam. I know of people use has used STP with good results...but personally I would try and find some assembly lube. I always pack the oil pump with Vaseline to insure oil pressure or you can prime the oil pump with a drill motor chucked to a hex drive. Todays motor oil does not have zinc to act as an anti-wear on a new cam. I hear some oils used for a diesel engine does

 

definitely use the assembly goop that goes on the cam lobes and bearings... they tell you to use an alterior lube thats more of a liquidhas zinc in it as well for the cam, it's to help that crucial 20 min break in while the cam shaves. Coast High Performance said in a pinch, most times standard 30wt and the assembly lube with the lifters pumped up (assuming hydraulic flat tappet) and the cam will do fine. Each person has there own idea, just another one. The advance auto and autozone here sell the assembly lube, just not the alterior lube to go with it... GM dealerships have it... it's like 11 bucks, just forgot the name they call it.

Theres also another post about this very thing called cam break in a few threads down... posted by bartikus* spelling

 

Somebody in Detroit has to carry Royal Purple Assembly Lube.

I have used STP and oil mixed on pistons and the rotating assembly. Follow what the cam manufacturer says to use on the cam. You should also consider how long it will sit before the engine is fired up.

 

Permatex markets assembly lube, have them order it.

 

STP is not a substitute for assembly lube on the cam or bearing.. We used STP 'cause that is what we had and in the '60's how I was taught... Today there are better ways, but the STP will work if it is all you can get..

Make sure you prime the oil throughout the engine as well. I took an old distributor and ground it down so I could put it in place and spin the oil pump with a drill.

Got the guage up to about 30psi for a few minutes and made sure there were no leaks and oil got to the rocker arms.

 

That' the way my grandfather did it. As stated earlier STP was all that was availible.

 

I use white lithium grease on the lifters,cam and rocker balls. stp will work on the pistons, but i use 20w-50 because i buy it by the case,and it works on the pistons. the cam lobes only get spray lube off of the rods and lifters,so it is important for there to be plenty of lube in the first 10 sec.

 

Sumthin else I did, put the oil I'm using in a coffee can. Submerge the lifters (hyd)and heat it up a little on the stove. Gets oil into the lifters and gives them a good coating.

 

I think stp ends up stuck in your oil pan...you can do better...make sure you prime the oil system when it's all buttoned up..a speeder handle and deep socket work fine..don,t really need the drill method...

 

Ok guys crucify me or say hmm?? I have used molybdinum disulfide grease(the grey stuff you buy for your grease gun to lube your front end.I lather it on the cam and lifters and pop them in.Never had a cam failure I dont use it in the rest of the engine.Just the cam.50 wt oil for the bearings/pistons etc...Point of interest for you.If you are using stock exhaust manifolds on a stock chalk mark type resto anddont like the idea of gaskets sticking out around the exh manifolds.Paint a thick coating of the stuff on your exhaust manifold gasket surface and put em on the car.Asfer the run in the stuff cokes up and seals the manifolds to the heads.NO leaks no gaskets and noone can tell you been in the motor if you play your cards right.