[Jim Brierley]

Too tight pistons will seize, and scar pistons and bore, so easily seen. Tight rings might do the same but am not sure. There are 2 guys that do babbitt near me, with a good reputation. I've had them do babbitt for me, and usually add a shim because I like looser engines. I've never had a problem with their work, I do my own cylinder boring, set at a minimum .0035", more on my performance engines. [B]Mike[B asks if anyone has a babbitted engine that just won't die, I do. My race engine still has the babbitted mains that were done in 1959. It has been on the street, in a dragster, on the Bonneville Salt Flats, consistently turned 6,000 RPM, run on Nitro, straight alky and gasoline. It is a B block/ crank, full pressure oiling engine. B rods were used for quite a few years but they got iffy, so replaced them in 2008 with Eubanks rods and insert brgs.