[orbeas]

Hi guys from the UK

when rebuilding an engine, do you use oil to lubricate the pistons/rings bores or assemble them dry, have always been taught to oil them here, but have read you guys assemble them dry ??? all comments welcome cheers barry

 

[enjenjo]

I oil them, using a light oil. Hydraulic fluid, or ATF.

 

[SSedan64]

Yes, I use what ever oil I'm going to use in the engine + assembly lube other places, Bearings, camshaft lobes & lifters, valve tips, rocker balls, pushrod tips etc..

 

[302 Z28]

Use the oil that you will be running in the engine and use it liberally. I don't know when or how the belief in installing pistons and rings dry came about, but IMO it's one of the dumbest things to come along in years.

Vince

 

[[email protected]]

Years ago I worked heavy equipment repair with this educated idiot. He assembled a Perkins 6 cyl Diesel. Dry pistons/rings.

After install in the chassis, no start, no compression!.
After the injectors were removed, 30 wt oil was squirted into the cylinders. Injectors re-installed. Engine fired instantly. Ran to operating temp and the exhaust turned to blue oil smoke. Upon removal of the cylinder head. The cylinders looked like someone had taken a coarse wood rasp to the walls. The second and third rings on every piston were TOAST.

The engine had to be re done at very considerable cost. The builder was invited to never return to the shop!..

 

[V8 Super Beetle]

When I was assembling my first engine, with a little guidance from old man, we poured oil into the empty piston bore, wiped the oil evenly around the cylinder, took the complete piston and turned it on it's side, then poured oil on the rigs and skirt, and then evenly spread the oil. Then put in the piston. We weren't shy with the oil.

 

[techinspector1]

I always oil the bejesus out of everything, then put it together and turn the crank multiple times with the short block assembled, wiping excess oil off the walls with a lint-free cloth as each piston goes to BDC. Never had one fail.

 

[61bone]

What I was taught- Couple quarts oil and half pint of STP warmed to about 200 dg. Soak the piston, ring and rod assembly for a couple minutes while moving the rod back and forth to work lube into the pin. Install, turn a couple times and and wipe bore with clean, lint free cloth the remove excess. Assembly lube on everything else. Smokes a bit on startup, but never lost a fresh motor.

 

[cranky1]

Hi guys from the UK. have read you guys assemble them dry ??? all comments welcome cheers barry

Like to know where you heard that crap lol. There's idiots in every walk of life but for the most part, American hot rodders know what's going on......

 

[SSedan64]

The only dry method I know of is Total Seal QS or QuickSeat. It's still a lubricant but is dry. Can be combined with their AL4 lubricant.
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TSR-QS/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/TSR-AL4/

 

[Jim Rockford]

ATF for the rings.......

 

[302 Z28]

STP is an old old way of doing it, we have learned a lot since those days. The STP raises the oil viscosity too high which impedes it's ability to flow when it's most needed, right at start-up. Plain old engine oil is the best recipe.