Engine build lube

[227bhp]

I Just wondered what any of the engine builders use and if you would apply Graphogen to newly honed bores?
I've always used Millers competition assembly lube (it's got 'competition' on it so it must be good ) which is like honey in many ways, and mineral on the bores , but am thinking of trying Graphogen as some engines stand around for a while before being used. One thing I noticed is they say you can smear it all over the bores, but I'm worried it might stop or slow the rings and bores bedding in.
What say you?

Edited by 227bhp on Monday 4th December 20:00

[227bhp]

stevieturbo said:

I've never used anything other than oil on the bores.

I dont think any type of grease etc would be a good idea to clog up the rings/grooves.

Apparently it's the stuff for the job, very specific and washes away with oil, I wonder if it goes to liquid when warm

[227bhp]

stevieturbo said:

Lets face it....you'd happily park your car after driving and let it sit for a few weeks without worrying about the bores having something on them.

Is a new build any different ?

You'd always be priming the engine anyway before starting, so I really dont think anything fancy is needed.

When you're in the business of building engines and sending them out to customers yes it is. They are often fitted by people who don't have the same knowledge as me, i've known people break engines before they even put the wheels on the car and also they can sit around for years in someone's garage before being fitted or even sold on. I can do without the hassle it causes, the finger pointing and indignity of throwing my work in the bin and starting all over again.

[227bhp]

99hjhm said:

I use just oil on the bores. Graphogen is just going to clog ring grooves and gas ports. Think personally it’s a big out dated with synthetic and other assembly lubes. Used to use it to pack oil pumps but it ends up clumped in the oil filter, and if there is a cooler before the filter it’s not going to do it much good short term, use Vaseline for this now.

It's advertised as oil soluble, it is very old school though, I read it was developed in WW2. I've taken pumps apart before now from used engines and they've still had Vaseline in them, not that I think it was doing any harm, but it was till there.
I think that oil pressure is going to blast anything out of the way, it'll only get caught in low pressure areas and filters which doesn't matter, changing the filter is part of the running in process anyhow.

I'm thinking it'll be ok for crank bearings, but I wouldn't like to put it on bores, even if they claim you can. It's too thick and may mess up the break in procedure.

[227bhp]

PaulKemp said:

I part rebuilt an engine and due to other time pressures left it for a good while, despite a good slosh of oil and the occasional turn over and more oil when I eventually went back to finish the build there were marks in the bore and marks on the crank main bearings.
I had to pretty much start again.
Lesson learned, graphogen for bearings and journals, oil in the bores, oil rags all over the exposed parts of the engine.

Now after this thread I’m thinking about brining it in to the utility room over Xmas

You can brine your turkey, don't do the engine though.

[227bhp]

stevieturbo said:

If a customer does not follow basic procedures for priming/starting a new engine, any failures related to that are 100% on them.
That does not require any specialist equipment or knowledge and is pretty much cost free.

If you are in any doubt about the competence of such people...simply do not sell an engine to them without the proviso you fit it and start it etc.

Hmmm, when you find that perfect World where everything is simple and black or white let me know, i'd like to sample it for a while.
Until then i'll just have to battle on against human nature.

[227bhp]

Sardonicus said:

Clevite bearing guard for everything else and a wipe over the bores with thin oil only gone off Graphogen in recent years after cutting open a new builds break-in filter to find lot of it congregated around the pleats the oil pump strainer was similar and this was after 150 miles of hot use and I use it sparingly too read a similar report recently I think I will stick to the Clevite guard in future its like sticky honey, back in the day I use to just use left over cam lube for the bearings in my fast Ford 4 bangers I always prime the lube systems anyway I'm more concerned with the cam and lifters initial oiling TBH on push-rod motors

Edited by Sardonicus on Tuesday 5th December 10:46

Thanks that's good info (Mignon too).
The Clevite lube is what made me start thinking of alternatives to the Millers which sounds like the same type of stuff, one of the suppliers had it on offer, but when I inquired they had none and suggested Graphogen. You might want to check out the price of Millers, it comes in 1ltrs and may be more cost effective.