Topic: Component Assembly Lube

[88BuckMeister]

Got racing springs for my heads (freshly rebuilt) and realized my old man (CaptainKirk) assembled the cylinder head with white lithium grease. We're both A&P aircraft mechanics so I'd take a wild guess and say it's Lubriplate Heavy Duty. I prefer Assembly Paste, the real sticky stuff.

Any suggestions or preferences from you all? For assembling pretty much everything I mean...the o ring lube I prefer is of the same tacky consistency. He prefers DC4...

[HondaMan]

In the rod &crank bearings, use something less viscous, like the black pasty Lubriplate or the red RPM stuff. Otherwise that should be fine.

[Tracksnblades1]

I’ve been using Lubriplate assembly grease on bearings for years with good results..It will stay on the parts in a semi-oil state until you’re ready to start it… I’m always going to use a pressure pot with at least a steady 35psig after listening for all the air to be purged before starting. Then ill  wait until I see the engines oil pump “bump” the pressure up and stabilize before shutting the prelube pressure pot off…probably the same assembly lube your dad is using excepting the HD rated Lubriplate..didn’t realize they had an HD offering available…?

Flat tappet Camshaft, lifters, I follow the manufacturer’s recommendations. Used flat tappet cams and parts I like the old International Harvester molybdenum paste that comes in their rebuild kits..similar in texture to CranesCams, CompC, and others supplied lube..

Rhetorically, with your and your father’s background as “aviation mechanics” you’re probably familiar with those manufacturers recommended pre assembly lubricants as well..a lot of older mechanics, now retired, used to use their 15%STP/quality engine oil mixture recommendation on the rods, mains, etc also…
I’d think those pre assembly lubes used on an engine heading for 10,000ft would be equally satisfactory prelubing one one that will stay around sea level as well..