Technical Assembly lube for the 50s

Been working on my 51 hornet lots lately and its been teaching me lots of old school stuff like when I soldered a patch on my rad ....or my valves that I had to buy a old vintage spring compressor and teach myself how to lap .....then I got thinking ...what types of assembly lubes did mechanics use on engines back in the 50s ...I herd vaseline ??? Was it really the magical touch

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I have heard of mechanics and others packing the oil pump on both engines and automatic transmissions with Vaseline. Seems I've even read that in Motors Manuals. Sealed up well, and provide needed "suction" on that first startup. When I build an aluminum Powerglide, I use Vaseline for assembly, but I don't pack the pump (s); only on the lips seals and bushing surfaces; clutch discs are soaked in ATF. I am Butch/56sedandelivery.

 

STP and White grease...50-50.

 

The manuals used to call for "white lead" in some applications, like on the snout of the crank when installing a balancer. Probably tough to find today.

 

STP, until the moly spray and paste came out in the 60's

 

Lubriplate No. 105, it dates from the late '20's, early '30's.
But I would imagine some guys did use Vaseline when they backed off in the jack yard.

 

^^^
X2

 

X3

 

I'd use a modern assembly lube for any vintage bearings, valves, cam and lifters pistons and rings.
And modern grease for lip seals.

That old Vaseline jar says the heaviest duty "internal lubrication" use is for occasional constipation.

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However, "Dr Love" ...." will never be without a supply."

 

I use all new assembly products. ARP makes good stuff, anything I need my speed shop has. These is a super tacky assembly lube, maybe a Loc Tite item that is very good.

 

I only stopped using it on valvetrain parts about 10-15 yrs ago, I still always have a tube around.

 

Gonna get a tube of that then !!!!

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the key word here should be "stopped", this is what I have been using for the last ten years or so.

And if you do use lubri-plate, you should use a moly based lube on the cam lobes and lifter faces.

 

Woops lol totally read what I wanted to see lol just really wanna see what the gear heads would have used back in the day ...not looking for what everyone is using now a days lol

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the lubri-plate is fine for what you are probably doing, use moly -slip on the cam lobes and lifter faces, light wipe of straight 30 weight on the skirts and rings. More is NOT better there.

 

Gotcha!!! Thanks for the tips....I really appreciate it

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