Lube for valve stems?

General engine tech -- Drag Racing to Circle Track

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novadude
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Lube for valve stems?

Post by novadude »

When assembling heads, what do you guys use as an assembly lube for the valve guides / stems?

Thanks!
rustbucket79
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Post by rustbucket79 »

We use synthetic motor oil.
axegrinder
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Post by axegrinder »

ARP moly lube.
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Post by bobqzzi »

wheel bearing grease
novadude
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Post by novadude »

HAHAHA....

Well, I was really hoping to get a concensus from all the pros on this board, but so far I've gotten three different answers.

So which is it? Oil? Assembly Lube? Wheel Bearing Grease? Does it even matter?

Of all the engine building topics addressed here, I've never seen anyone talk about how to pre-lube valve stems. There's got to be a "right way" to do it.
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Post by EDC »

I've been using the lube from Manton Racing Products...

Got a sample from Terry at the PRI show and it's great...
"Quality" is like buying oats. You can pay a fair price for it and get some good quality oats,
or you can get it a hell of a lot cheaper, when it's already been through the horse.

Nil Satis Nisi Optimum

Ed Curtis - www.FlowTechInduction.com
airflowdevelop
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Post by airflowdevelop »

Mechanicsburg PA? Howdy nieghbor!

Anyways... what type of clearance and material are you using?

If you are running super tight clearance in any tight bronze or CuBe then you need to pay close attention to what lube you use (personally have had no problems w/ synergyn assembly lube). Anything else...motor oil will be fine.
machine shop tom
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Post by machine shop tom »

We use Goodson First Lube Blood Friction Master (truly a silly name).

tom
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We used to speak to tell things , now they tell things to speak.

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Post by PackardV8 »

Bet you didn't know SpeedTalkers are also Buddhists:
HAHAHA....

Well, I was really hoping to get a concensus from all the pros on this board, but so far I've gotten three different answers.

So which is it? Oil? Assembly Lube? Wheel Bearing Grease? Does it even matter?
Buddhists do not believe in the existence of a permanent or fixed reality. What is apparent and verifiable about existence is the continuous change it undergoes. Early Buddhist teachings proclaim that in this world there is nothing that is fixed or permanent. Every thing is subject to change and modification.

Same here.

thnx, jack vines
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axegrinder
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Post by axegrinder »

novadude, looks like it doesnt make a sh*t when everything is lubricated correctly, but when something goes wrong, the moly can save your ass.
novadude
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Post by novadude »

airflowdevelop wrote:Mechanicsburg PA? Howdy nieghbor!

Anyways... what type of clearance and material are you using?

If you are running super tight clearance in any tight bronze or CuBe then you need to pay close attention to what lube you use (personally have had no problems w/ synergyn assembly lube). Anything else...motor oil will be fine.
I'll need to check on clearances. These are just lightly used iron heads with thin wall bronke guides. I am pulling them apart to set-up new springs.

I am just an amatuer with a street car doing a low-budget heads / cam swap on a Chevy 327. The Engineer in me tends to sweat all of the little details, hence the question. From what I reading, I suspect oil will be just fine, since parts have already been "run-in" for about 1000 street miles.

Yes, I am from Mechanicsburg. Been there about 4 years (Pittsburgh Native).

Dillsburg, eh? Do you have a full service machine shop? I'll have to remember you if I ever get around to doing a "real" build. :D
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Post by airflowdevelop »

oil will be fine on a used head.

Pittsburgh... Oh those sweet primanti brothers sammy's.....

Just do cylinder heads, no block work.
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Post by n2omike »

My trusted 'head guy' who has been doing them forever will ONLY use motor oil... especially with positive seals. He said that so little oil gets in there, that the grease doesn't get washed out, and can turn to paste. He said he had seen residue from greasy prelubes that could stick a valve.

In the regular 'rebuilder' world, lubes such as Lubriplate are common... and Lubriplate will DEFINITELY turn into a stiff paste in a fairly short timespan.

Oil works just fine, and leaves nothing to worry about. I would most definitely NOT use a lube with a gel, pasty or greasy consistency. Liquid ONLY.

The guy mentioned above is from a family that has been doing automotive machine work since the 1930's. I'm not set up with all the tools to do heads, so he does the basic work, and I do the setup and assembly. When I asked about valve prelube, he was very FIRM when telling me to only use oil. (this has been some time ago, and I've never had a problem with motor oil)

Just another angle...
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Post by Keith Morganstein »

Motor Oil.
Automotive Machining, cylinder head rebuilding, engine building. Can't seem to quit #-o
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Post by Mike Rogers »

I use crane cam break in lube the grey stuff. I have used it since 1978. The problem with oil and other thin lubes is if the head sits on the shelf the oil disappears and luber plate gets hard.
Mike Rogers
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