Quote:
Originally Posted by gmh
They still use babbit bearings?!
Get yourself a set of brand new bearings, and take a fingernail to the inside surface. It's soft. It's a layer of lead compound. It's not very thick, but it's there. It's a "sacrifice surface". You do seat the rings during the break-in period, but it's really the bearings that you're working with most.
Now, in small engines, like the ones used on lawn mowers, that bearing surface is part of the connecting rod, and it is very finely machined. But, then, you don't have the pressure on the bearing with them that you have with an automobile engine. It's only about 3 to 4 thousandth thick. But it's there.
I've worked on both, single cylinder and V-8 engines, and on electric motors with sleeve bearings. On 8 hp and under, I know that the bearing is part of the connecting rod. Anything where you put the two half circles into the bearing yoke is lined with babbit.
Tear an engine down for rebuilding, and look at the bearings. The top and bottom, you will see, very likely, that the silver surface is worn away and there is copper color showing through. That's the copper plating on the steel case. In more extreme cases, the copper is also worn away, and the engine has been clattering.