I've used different stuff in the past, but my 452 bottom end went together with:
- Joe Gibbs assembly lube on crank & rod bearings and piston pins
- CMD assembly lube on rod bolts
- Total Seal AL4 piston & ring lube, plus their QuickSeat powder on the cylinder walls
Time will tell...
I used the Total Seal Quick Seat powder on my newest build (540 summer 2014). That had Total Seal AP series rings. That engine seemed to work out just fine. I did think rubbing that powder into the hone marks was odd, but it worked.
Many other builds I used WD-40 on the ring pack and cylinder walls, with a touch of motor oil on the piston skirts, and fine/thick assembly oil (Permatex red) on the piston pins and bearings.
