Hi. I am doing a little bit of upper and front end work to my 72 350. My question is regarding what type of lube should be used and where? Assembly lube vs motor oil vs grease? Should I just follow what's in the service manual or does someone have different advice?
Thanks!
Chris

 

Motor oil or atf is fine.

 

Ok thanks. That sounds easy and inexpensive.
Chris

 

I only use atf lightly on cylinders wiped on with a lint free rag , Permatex assembly lube on the cam and for the engine bearings, timing chain and i usualy dap the tops of the valves and rocker arms with lubriplate 105

 

Thanks CopperCutlass!
Chris

 

always being different, I use a 'bg' assembly lube on any bearing surfaces which is nice and tacky and will stay in there for a little if your pre-start engine prime was insufficient.

when assembling the recip mass, I always dunk the piston/rod assemblies in a bottom half of a 2 liter bottle cut in half, filled with motor oil, then compress the rings and insert. messy gloppy mess and I hate the feeling, but that first start goes off with no hitch

 

As noted, the important difference between assembly lube and motor oil is that assembly lube is much thicker and stickier, and stays put longer.

My advice would be, if you are putting it together and plan to get up in the morning and fire it up, then motor oil is great for almost everything, but if you are assembling it slowly, and the project could take weeks or months, use assembly lube.

That being said, there is special assembly lube for cams that you should use any time you install a new cam (it's generally supplied with the new cam), and nobody would fault you for using the same stuff even on a used cam.

- Eric

 

Eric and quaddriver, thanks so much for the info. This has been very helpful!
Chris

 

Just out of curiosity, i found this in my toolchest. It was my grandfathers from probably the 1970s. Is this an appropriat lube, and if so, would it still be good after all these years? Should it be that tan color?
Thanks!

 

I'm not sure I'd use hydraulic oil (ATF) as a lubricant on cylinder walls - its not designed as a lubricant. Engine oil belongs there, unless you want it to rapidly heat up and seat the rings for a race application (think rapid wear).
Assembly lube gets used on pushrods, rocker arms, lifters, cams, etc... where friction and pressure exist. Friction only with no pressure, such as piston rings, get the oil they normally operate in. ZDDP gets added to break-in a new cam, unless you have roller lifters.

 

I use this for flat tappet cam lobes and bottoms of lifters:



For mains, rod, and cam bearings:



Motor oil on pistons and rings. Straight non detergent 30w engine oil and a qt of GM EOS for break in. Then an oil/filter change after 100 miles.

 

That is regular Lubriplate, a white lithium grease.

It is great for things that move slowly, like door latches, but is not used inside the engine.

- Eric

 

Thanks Eric!
Chris