lube on main bearings
 

ok guys here whats going on..

i replaced the main bearing on my LT1 shortblock..now i cleaned the saddles and the put oil in the saddles themselves and then put the main bearing in with oil on them aswell..i did this to all the mains..

iwas reading "how to rebuild LT1/LT4 engines"..and in it says the saddles must be clean and any oil that was put on them before will need to be wiped clean..

did i **** up guys? or am i good to go..

You don't want oil there. It makes it easier for a main bearing to "spin". The "tangs" don't always hold the bearing still.

Plus it reduces the clearance behind the bearing, so it'll sit closer to the main journal(s). Not good if the clearance was tight to begin with.

If I were you. I'd take it apart and clean it off, but that's just me. :D

One more thing.

Use assembly lube, not oil. It will withstand the initial heat more than oil can, which is VERY important before the oil pump builds enough pressure.

ok ill take it apart and do it again...


i was gonna prime the oil pump with a drill by spinnig the oil pump shaft..


when i took out the bearings there was oil between the shell and the saddle..

i use lubriplate 105, very good assembly lube. don't bother with priming the oil system, it's waste of time and good chance you'll fry your drill motor.

ok i took it apart today and cleaned it up and put er back together...

for some reason i feel better =)

i got that whole taking the timing set off without removing the crank sproket down pat though...lol...

EDE any auto parts should have that lube ur talking about im assuming..

i heard that gobbing vaseline in the oil pump gears will prime the system to...

i buy it at my local napa store

If this is a Chevy V8, don't bother with the Vaseline. The entire oil pump is submerged below the level of the oil in the sump, if it's filled to the correct capacity. It will prime by way of gravity. Completely self-priming.

RB's rule #1 of work: Never do any work yourself; find ways to make the work do itself. In this case, the designers already made the work do itself for you.

For motors that locate their oil pump someplace else above the oil fill level (Buick for instance) it's wise to pack the pump with Vaseline.

Usually when I build motors I use either ATF or synthetic motor oil as build lube on the bearings, and white lithium grease on all the valve train parts in every place they touch. I also don't bother with all that "priming" with a drill, it just isn't necessary; its only benefit is to give the installer a warm & fuzzy feeling, and I feel fuzzy enough already all the time so I don't need it right then.

thanks guys!!!


i can feel the fuzzyness RB :D
i
used regualr oil for the bearings..but im gonna put some lube on the rod throws

im goin to put the pistons back in it today..

LOL!

But a serious question- I'd heard that before, too, that spinning the pump drive with a drill was pointless. BUT- doesn't it give an indication that the oil pump -is- working, and picking up oil? When I helped my friend with his melted-2.8-to-$100-2.8 swap, I hooked up my spare mechanical oil pressure gauge to his engine, and spun the pump drive with a drill. As soon as I saw pressure, I let off the drill.

Then again, his motor wasn't a rebuild; it was just thrown in. I guess with a "real" rebuild, you know the pump is new, so it'll work... right?