VICKS! For Top Loader "pre-assembly grease"?

Excaliber · #1 (**permalink**) 02-09-2005, 05:02 PM

Kind of an off the wall question as I suspect not many members have rebuilt their own transmissions, or have they?

I've heard that using just any old grease to hold the needle bearings in place during reassembly is not a good idea. Rumor has it that some grease may block the oil holes and not let the trans oil in there, thus damaging those little roller bearings.

So,,, how about VICKS Vapor rub? Or, but not as much fun, petroleum jelly?

What DO you guys use?

G.R. · #2 (**permalink**) 02-09-2005, 05:41 PM

Does it have a cough?

Sorry Ern, just couldn't pass it up

So you getting the ERA back together? Engine and trans?now

Thought it was just the engine?

Excaliber · #3 (**permalink**) 02-09-2005, 06:06 PM

A cough? Good one.

I got bored waiting for my engine parts, so decided to take apart the trans and check things out. Good idea, turns out I was missing a critical shift rod "inter lock" pin. With out it, you can shift into two gears at once, which WOULD occasionally happen (I thought it was the linkage).

George says the engine parts should ship this week! Block and crank are ready and waiting for the new "slugs".

blykins · #4 (**permalink**) 02-09-2005, 07:45 PM

I built my own Toploader.....I used grease....but not liberal amounts. It didn't take much to hold the bearings in there.

Tim Brewer · #5 (**permalink**) 02-09-2005, 09:35 PM

The instructions say any grease is OK. It's melts down with the gear oil and you change all in 500 miles.
Tim

cobrashoch · #6 (**permalink**) 02-18-2005, 11:19 AM

Slick - I would use white lithium bearing grease. STP works well too. Tims got it right though. As a side comment, I've fired engines for the first time in the past that didn't have oil pressure, on nothing but lithium grease on the bearings and cam. That stuffs amazing in that situation, in that it affords enough protection to buy time to make things right.
Are you glueing together a new engine too? Sounds like you are still sold on the merrits of FE's .
cobrashock

Excaliber · #7 (**permalink**) 02-18-2005, 01:42 PM

I was going to use some "red grease" I had laying around, wheel bearing grease I thnk. To thick and potentially to high temp to "melt" before the oil could get in there.

Anyway, I wound up using Vaseline!!! I put the the two gears with the needle bearings and the vaseline in the refrigerator! That thickened up the Vaseline quite nicely and everything worked out fine. I KNOW that Vaseline will melt out of there in a hurry!

Yeah, I'm thinking that white grease would have worked well and might get some to use on the crank bearings etc for the motor. Gessford is sending some special "cam lube" for the valve train components.

Pre-lubing the motor with a "drill" before first fire.

zipzip · #8 (**permalink**) 02-19-2005, 07:25 PM

We use "Trans Prep" at work (the company I work at makes industrial gearboxes).

It's made by Life Automotive Products Inc, Memphis, TN. It's about the consistency of grease but WILL thouroughly dissolve at temperature. Good idea with the Vaseline though...

BTW: you can also mix the trans prep with oil to make it thinner for putting on seals, etc. as a pre-lube.

Excaliber · #9 (**permalink**) 02-19-2005, 08:41 PM

Thanks zipzip, I figured there must be SOME kind of special lube out there for such things. I was surprised there was no mention made of any such thing on the few top loader sites I visited.
Including David Kee's, where I did get some of the parts.

Turk · #10 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 12:36 PM

Try some of this..

jschiller · #11 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 02:45 PM

Ernie--

Follow Turk's suggestion.

Let us know how it works.

You might try some on the needle bearings, too. HeHe

John

Bruce Edwards · #12 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 03:49 PM

How about you try White Lube assembly grease for transmissions?? It is the CORRECT stuff to use for trans assembly and can be bought at most local parts stores. Comes in a white tube and is not expensive.
Not a big fan of wheel bearing grease as it will not break down in the newer trans that take a 10w/AT fluid.
Just a thought from a builder in Fla.

Excaliber · #13 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 04:42 PM

I didn't have any white grease and probably would have used it. But I DID have Vaseline and a refigerator! Anusol, theres a thought!

...run what you brung method of re-build.

trularin · #14 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 06:43 PM

Ernie, I did my own trans with David Kee's parts and I used grease as it will not work against the lubricant I put in.

Are you using on the counter shaft or the main shaft??

Had to use grease in a few places.

Excaliber · #15 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 06:48 PM

Counter shaft needle bearings and front input shaft needle bearings. Those were the only places I needed it in my case.

Assembling my motor today, using engine assembly lube George sent with the parts. "Torco MPZ" and "EOS Assembly Lubricant".

What kind of trans oil you guys running?

Bruce Edwards · #16 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 06:53 PM

Use engine oil on the cylinder walls,pistons and rings. You want to lube them at start up. Not a good idea to use assembly fluid in this area.
Toploaders are made for SAE 90 and it is a good idea to stick with what it was made for. The toploaders are a bit on the loose side not like the newer trans that are built tighter and can get away with the light weight oils.
Don't forget to get a new head gasket to replace the one you did the mock up with.

Cal Metal · #17 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 07:23 PM

Don't forget the interlock pin when assembling your TL.

Excaliber · #18 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 08:07 PM

Right on Cal.

I found out thats a fairly common problem, the pin is really small and can easily fall out during assembly.

Yeah engine oil on the cyl walls, etc. Got special cam lube for the lobes and lifters as well. EOS on crank bearings for sure.

BevanWright · #19 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 08:20 PM

I use Castrols synthetic gearbox oil - and have raced the car for years without any problems (or maintenance on the gearbox other than a couple of oil changes).

Called SAFEX I think. (or that could be the diff). But fully synthetic anyway, supposed to be able to cope with higher temperatures.

Gearbox is a SAENZ unit (5 speed race dog box).

MidOHasp · #20 (**permalink**) 03-13-2005, 09:07 PM

In keeping with the vaseline theme, I would say KY jelly would be a good choice for Transmission lube.

Perhaps Astroglide?

Dunno...why break precedent?