Re: Babbitt

Posted by Don Harrington on March 19, 1998 at 17:31:12

In Reply to: Babbitt
posted by Jim Hansell on March 17, 1998 at 12:14:45

:I was give a complete set of A engine tools and the guy that gave them to me who is now 89 is going to help me redo my engine and some of my friends but the place he bought his babbitt from is no longer in business so we are looking for a place to buy automotive babbitt. Any help on locating a source or helpful hints on the pouring (that he may have forgotten)would be appreciated. I don't have direct access to the internet so someone else will be retreiving answers. Thanks for any help. Jim
Jim, You are indeed fortunate to own the KR Wilson tools for engine work!! I have most of them but lack some. I have done 26 engines over the last two years , and even with a 'home made' rear bearing facing tool , it has worked out well.
My first concern is that when you look for babbitt, be sure the composition does NOT contain lead. Many of the 'line shaft' babbits used in industrial machine work does contain a high percentage of lead.Lead won't take the pounding load from an internal combustion engine. Line shaft use, is usually a constant torque. The babbitt I have been using, as best I can recall is 86% tin,7% copper and 7% antimony. Not quite what Henry used , but I believe good in modern day standards.You can obtain this babbitt from: Peerless Allooy Inc.,1445 Ossage st., Denver, CO, 80204. It runs between $7 and $8 a pound. It takes about a pound to do an engine, BUT you can't use all the babbitt in the pot, so my recommendation is the get at least 3 pounds. Pour it when the skim looks blue ( or 900deg. F. ) if you you have a pyrometer. My best luck has been to preheat the block, although most people, including 'Henry' said to pour cold. After you pour, sure to peen the bearing into the block. Good luck, DONHMODELA

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