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By Florida_Phil - 7 Years Ago
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I will be assembling my new Y Block engine soon. I have a few questions about assembly lube. In the past I have used Red Line Assembly lube on the bearings and black molly paste on the cam and lifters. I use ZDDP additive for solid lifter engines and 30 weight oil for break in. I see special break in oils advertised on the web. What are the best lubes and oils to use on assembly and break in?
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By Rono - 7 Years Ago
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Phil;
You will probably get a lot of different answers on this one. I think the cam manufacturer will recommend the type of break-in oil to use. The last motor I built had a Comp Cam so I used Comp Cam break in oil (30 wt). I don't remember the brand of assembly lube I used other than it was red.
Rono
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By charliemccraney - 7 Years Ago
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So far, I've only used regular motor oil for pistons, bearings, wrist pins, etc and moly lube from one of the cam manufacturers for the lobes and lifter faces. Break in has been fine. I change the oil and filter after 100 miles and then again 500 miles after that, then regular intervals, no objective reasoning behind that, it just seems like a good idea.
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By DANIEL TINDER - 7 Years Ago
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I used a mixture of 30W break-in oil & Lucas viscosity expander to assemble the valve gear on my rebuilt heads (anticipated long-term storage). THAT motor is still ‘waiting-in-the-wings’, so consequences remain to be seen. However, I used the same mixture when installing new pushrods/rockers/shafts in the original engine, and extended clearance stability over time would tend to indicate success.
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By 57RancheroJim - 7 Years Ago
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Regardless of what assembly lube you use I think the most important thing is spinning the pump and filling the oil filter and galleries before starting the engine. I do this even before I put the heads on so that I'm sure oil is coming up through the block to the heads.
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By NoShortcuts - 7 Years Ago
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RancheroJim. Checking the oil flow to the block deck before installing the cylinder heads is something I never thought of doing. Thanks! 
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By 57RancheroJim - 7 Years Ago
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NoShortcuts (9/8/2018)
RancheroJim. Checking the oil flow to the block deck before installing the cylinder heads is something I never thought of doing. Thanks! It works fine with a grooved cam or grooved bearing, not sure if it's a cross drilled cam, unless someone turns the crank?
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By 2721955meteor - 7 Years Ago
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i use 10/30 for assembly lube with cam lube(moley) on all lobes and lifters. in my opinion the most crucial is the pre lube using the oil pump. i leave the oil in for at least 500 miles,thinking the money in the cam lube is a positive.
1 comment re shell rotela t is scary as it is designed for modern diesel engines with roller cams. when i worked for finning( cat dealer) they sold shell products, and rotela t we where warned do not use on flat tappet cams in gas engines the 5 gal. pails had warnings on the container in regard to flat tappet cams
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By 1960fordf350 - 7 Years Ago
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My Erson cam came with these instructions. Oil and Additives It is highly recommended that you use a conventional SF or SE grade SAE 20 or SAE30 weight NON-DETERGENT motor oil with break in additive (Erson E911000) or Joe Gibb's Racing Oil Break in oil.
Due to the high ratio of detergents to zinc in new generation diesel oils, it is no longer recommended for flat tappet camshafts.
I wrote this ver-batim directly off the cam paper. I would've took a pic, but I couldn't get it all in the pic in 1 shot.
Now, I know Ted Eaton pretty much says he uses Valvoline 10w-40 in his car. Valvoline also sells racing oil which says directly on the bottle that is has the correct amount of zinc for a flat tappet cam. But if your going to buy a bottle of break in additive, why not just buy a 5 quart jug of Wal-Mart oil?
If you follow what my camshaft paper says, bar and chain 30weight is non-detergent, and only $9 a gallon.
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By paul2748 - 7 Years Ago
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I seriously doubt bar and chain oil is designed to be used in an automotive engine. Do you know what additives are in that type of oil?
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By 1960fordf350 - 7 Years Ago
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I actually wouldn't use bar and chain oil. No, I've never actually read up on any chemicals in it. You can still buy non-detergent 30 weight. I did by accident this spring. I was changing the oil in my mom's mower, and picked up a bottle of STP SAE30 at Autozone About a month after changing it I looked at the bottle to discover it was non-detergent. All the new mowers today use regular detergent oil. So I changed it again.
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By Florida_Phil - 7 Years Ago
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Thanks for the feedback. My engine is coming home from the machine shop on Thursday. This is not my first engine build, but it's been a while. Lots of great tips on this forum. You guys are great!
I do have one question. I like the idea of priming the oil pump with the heads off so you can view the oil flow to the heads. Did you make a special tool to turn the oil pump drive?
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By 1960fordf350 - 7 Years Ago
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I used my cordless drill. You can buy an adapter that fits the drill with a square ratchet drive on the other end. I bought mine at Harbor Freight. Adapter for 1/4, 3/8, and 1/2 drive came as a set. I used my 1/4 drive socket set. 1/4in deep well socket with the longest extension I had. Hooked up to the adapter and drill. I did mine with everything together and valve covers off. You can see the oil coming out of the weep holes on the rockers. I turned the crank once in a while by hand and then ran drill some more. Remember, counter clockwise!
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By 57RancheroJim - 7 Years Ago
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Florida_Phil (9/12/2018)
Thanks for the feedback. My engine is coming home from the machine shop on Thursday. This is not my first engine build, but it's been a while. Lots of great tips on this forum. You guys are great! I do have one question. I like the idea of priming the oil pump with the heads off so you can view the oil flow to the heads. Did you make a special tool to turn the oil pump drive? I have a tool that is designed just for that purpose. I've had it so many years I don't recall where I bought it, sorry.
I'm sure a google search would find one..
https://www.npdlink.com/1948-1979-ford-truck/engine/oil-pump-parts/oil-pump-priming-tool
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By paul2748 - 7 Years Ago
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I use and ordinary speed wrench, a 3/8 to 1/4 drive adapter and extension and a 1/4 deep socket to prime. I works very well. I tape the socket to the extension so nothing gets lost. Remember to turn counter clock wise.
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