Assembly Lubricant

[thiggy]

I am installing new rings and rod bearings in my 1949 Farmall Cub. I went to one auto parts store asking for assembly lube and the clerk tried to sell me a can of PB Blaster! (Good stuff, but not for this application.) I went to NAPA and the fellow pulled a tube of Lubriplate No. 105 grease. The tube indicates that it is to be used for motor assembly, as I asked. However, in years past I used a product that was more the consistency of motor oil. (I don't recall the brand, but it was a dark red color.) Does anyone have any suggestion for an assembly lube? Will the Lubriplate be OK? Thanks for any input.
I tried several searches of BITOG and was unable to find anything pertaining to my question.

 

[daman]

Originally Posted By: thiggy
I went to one auto parts store asking for assembly lube and the clerk tried to sell me a can of PB Blaster!

On a side note i wouldn't step foot in that place again,(really clerk... PB blaster??)

 

[Quest]

Lubriplate 105 will do the job just fine.

Those rather liquidy type are mostly meant for use in cam lubrication, and while I've seen (in my years in the industry) where some ole-tymers may use thick motor oil (or even motor hunny or similar)as assembly lube for rod bearings of all sort, frankly, if I get to choose between the 2, I prefer lubriplate assembly grease due to washoff concerns.

Remember this: even if you have sufficiently primed your oil pump post-reassembly, it would still take up to a min or 2 after you fire up your engine before you build up sufficient oil pressure to reach the furthest nooks-n-crannies and rod bearings get the proper oil pressure build up. Until then, the only lubrication you'll get is the assembly grease (or lube).

Q.

 

[SuperDave456]

I've also heard of Schaeffers #132 Moly EP oil treatment being used as a assembly lube.

Its really thick and uses antimony, not Molybdenum, as its EP additive. Antimony is supposed to be very good as a EP additive in small amounts and trom the research I have done it is good stuff.

 

[CarbonSteel]

Originally Posted By: Quest
Lubriplate 105 will do the job just fine.

+1 - I used this for many years back in the hot rodding days of building small and big block V-8s. Although I always primed the oil pump, I was a bit leery of the oil taking a while to reach all of the places that needed it and Lubriplate always worked very well.

 

[scurvy]

Originally Posted By: Quest
Remember this: even if you have sufficiently primed your oil pump post-reassembly, it would still take up to a min or 2 after you fire up your engine before you build up sufficient oil pressure to reach the furthest nooks-n-crannies and rod bearings get the proper oil pressure build up. Until then, the only lubrication you'll get is the assembly grease (or lube).


2 minutes seems a bit alarmist. According to Liqui-Moly, expect a maximum of 48 seconds at 0ºC with 15w40 mineral oil.

Oil flow is built immediately; the only question is how long does that flow (and the resultant pressure caused by restriction) take to reach the furthest point.

 

[ahoier]

I've heard of people using STP blue bottle even......

We all know, it's basically thick oil, with a little bit of Zinc

 

[Kuato]

I helped (well, mostly watched) my brother assemble more than one engine and he always had the thick grease type assembly lube. He also used a drill to turn the oil pump and fill all the oil galleries before starting.

 

[punisher]

Never had a problem with the Lubriplate.

I always liked it because it was easy to tell what was lubed and what wasn't. Valuable when you are constantly interrupted by customers and your techs and the phone.

 

[mechtech2]

If you are going to store it, Lubriplate is OK.
Real assembly lube is best, esp for cams/lifters.
STP and motor oil is great for bearings.

 

[thiggy]

Thanks for all your responses. I now feel good about using the Lubriplate.

 

[Fleetmon]

Nice tractor....good luck with the refresh.

I have a '47 "A" with a Woods underbelly deck.

 

[Chris142]

Stalube makes a black moly assembly grease that's good for bearinhs and cams. I go with 30wt oil for the rings.

 

[morris]

i found a good lube. permatmatex ultra slick engine assembly lube item #81950. works good on full size engines, and it is good as well for my radio control nitro engines. it is thick so it stays put, and it is not expensive. i get mine at advance auto.