Assembly lube roller cam lobes

[Mark Williams]

Shall I put some assembly lube on the lobes of a roller camshaft or is oil enough?
If assembly lube what Do you recomend? Comp cams red lube ok?

[ProPower engines]

I only use the Isky Rev-Lube/cam lube. You know the black stuff on both cast and billet cams. Lube the roller wheels as well.
No issues to date.
I prefer something that will not run off and stay put while the 1st cranking is done

[blykins]

Oh roller cams, I just use oil.

[midnightbluS10]

Last time I used the Permatex Ultra Slick assembly lube with no issues. Extremely sticky and stringy, like Lucas oil stabilizer. I've known people to use a mix of Lucas and oil, also. Not sure how well that combo works, though.

I think the head shop used lubriplate. I only used the Ultra Slick because I was assembling it right then. Had it been anything that was going to sit, I would have used something like comp's assembly lube. Something that stays put and won't run off after time, like the Ultra Slick stuff looks like it would.

[DaveMcLain]

I always make sure to get all of the assembly grease out of the roller lifter bearings then I put the lifters upright in a can, pour in some 30wt oil and let them soak while I"m doing other things on the engine.

[MadBill]

The instructions with my Isky bushed lifters read in bold face DO NOT wash out factory lube...

[DaveMcLain]

The instructions with my Isky bushed lifters read in bold face DO NOT wash out factory lube...

I don't care what they say. Having grease inside of a bearing that doesn't melt into the oil can can block the flow of oil isn't cool, wash it out. Unless maybe its different when you don't have needle bearings?

[rustbucket79]

My new Lunati needle bearing solid roller litter instructions also stated NOT to wash the assembly lube out of the bearings.

[turdwilly]

The instructions with my Isky bushed lifters read in bold face DO NOT wash out factory lube...

I don't care what they say. Having grease inside of a bearing that doesn't melt into the oil can can block the flow of oil isn't cool, wash it out. Unless maybe its different when you don't have needle bearings?

Crower say the same on their EnduraMax bushing lifters - do not clean. My SWAG is that they use a special break-in lubricant for the bushing material??

[tresi]

Just lubriplate

[engineguyBill]

Roller lifters are very forgiving, as far as assembly lube is concerned because friction is minimal compared to flat-faced lifters. I use a good quality engine assembly lube on the cam lobes and lifter wheels. NOT Lubriplate though.

[Keith Morganstein]

Engine assy lube mixed 50/50 with engine oil. Just on the cam lobes and a little on the roller wheels. I don’t soak the lifters in it.

[Krooser]

Lubriplate was the ticket 50 years ago... now that we know it won't mix with oil I no longer trust it.

[user-17438]

If i think its going to sit a long time before start ill brush on a thin coat of joe gibbs. Just to prevent rust.

[roc]

Lubriplate was the ticket 50 years ago... now that we know it won't mix with oil I no longer trust it.

Krooser, are you sure about that? I know at least one Diesel engine manufacturer that uses Lubriplate on the engine assembly line, and recommends it on service literature.