Topic: engine assembly grease

[stay youth]

which grease should i be using to reassembly my engine? i forget the name of that red/violet grease i have see in peoples engines? thanks

[Steve F]

I got some at the local NAPA auto parts place.  It's red, if that really means anything.

[MRieck]

I use Redline assembly lube

[stay youth]

thanks!

[eldar]

Just as a question. Wouldn't it work to just soak the parts you would normally grease, in oil? I mean we soak clutch plates and chains and such before we put them in. Any area that would get grease will receive oil correct?

[mark]

Just as a question. Wouldn't it work to just soak the parts you would normally grease, in oil? I mean we soak clutch plates and chains and such before we put them in. Any area that would get grease will receive oil correct?

Yes, we soak chains and clutches, because they would take a while to get oily on their own. Assembly lube protects things like crank bearings and cam followers until the oil pump can get oil pressure to them.

Happy trails.

[eldar]

Exactly, so if you already soak it in oil and only take it out as soon as you need it, would that not then negate the need for grease? Especially since it takes very little time to get oil moving?

[Steve F]

Exactly, so if you already soak it in oil and only take it out as soon as you need it, would that not then negate the need for grease? Especially since it takes very little time to get oil moving?

Well, for instance when I did some top-end work, it was 2 months before I attempted to fire it up.  Too long for just oil to be in there.  Too risky for me to be relying on just oil.  Cheap insurance.

[eldar]

I can see if it will be a while but what if it is only a couple days? I dont have a problem with grease and it is probably better anyways. It is mainly just curiosity.

[mark]

As a side note..
For many years, I used plain old White Grease for assembly lube - works fine, dissolves easily into oil and such.
Someone brought me an MGC and an engine that had been built with white grease and then stored for ages. No rust, but the grease had turned to something like epoxy. Took forever to get it all back apart and cleaned out.
Still using white grease, just not in something that might sit forever.

[Steve F]

I can see if it will be a while but what if it is only a couple days? I dont have a problem with grease and it is probably better anyways. It is mainly just curiosity.

You'll probably be fine with just oil.  Watching a video once about the automated engine assembly process in an automotive engine plant, and they would use plain oil on all the main bearings and cams.  Seems to work for them....