Pic of #4 rod/bearing.

[Jack Shaft]

polish journal with jewelers rouge on a wool pad with a die grinder, it will have a mirror finish. clean and fit bearing, done...I have one a master machinist at Aerojet was building before he passed.. check out how dark the babbit is..dont know what was compounded to make it

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by Jack Shaft

polish journal with jewelers rouge on a wool pad with a die grinder, it will have a mirror finish. clean and fit bearing, done...I have one a master machinist at Aerojet was building before he passed.. check out how dark the babbit is..dont know what was compounded to make it

Hey Jack,
Yeah, that is a bit dark !
Are you saying it is new bearing ?
Thats part of my asking for input... that is- cause of dark appearance ?
Does that appearance indicate AGE of bearing; a bearing not used for years darkens, what ?
Also, no oil changes and use of dirty oil... can / dose that color bearing like mine/yours...what can turn bearings dark ??

[Jack Shaft]

Originally Posted by hardtimes

Hey Jack,
Yeah, that is a bit dark !
Are you saying it is new bearing ?
Thats part of my asking for input... that is- cause of dark appearance ?
Does that appearance indicate AGE of bearing; a bearing not used for years darkens, what ?
Also, no oil changes and use of dirty oil... can / dose that color bearing like mine/yours...what can turn bearings dark ??

Brand new virgin bearing.I think the guy who poured it had access to designer bearing material,but hey,who knows..Im stumped.I can say its hard,Its on a set of B mains which I'm going to run stock oiling with a filter and a relief valve to pressurize the oil flowing into the gallery..not full pressurization,I don't need it.

[hardtimes]

Originally Posted by Jack Shaft

Brand new virgin bearing.I think the guy who poured it had access to designer bearing material,but hey,who knows..Im stumped.I can say its hard,Its on a set of B mains which I'm going to run stock oiling with a filter and a relief valve to pressurize the oil flowing into the gallery..not full pressurization,I don't need it.

Hey Jack,
Read the John Neilsen response. IMO opinion, he gave the basic evidence to answer dark babbitt vs bright -to wit, bearing makeup is what makes some babbitt HARD/DARK, whereas antimony addition makes other babbitt BRIGHT/SHINY... and SOFTER (?)

Babbitt is an art , I’ve read. And ART is in the eye of the babbiter.
Thats my story, and I’ll change it... if better evidence is recd.

[johnneilson]

Originally Posted by hardtimes

Hey Jack,
Read the John Neilsen response. IMO opinion, he gave the basic evidence to answer dark babbitt vs bright -to wit, bearing makeup is what makes some babbitt HARD/DARK, whereas antimony addition makes other babbitt BRIGHT/SHINY... and SOFTER (?)

Babbitt is an art , I’ve read. And ART is in the eye of the babbiter.
Thats my story, and I’ll change it... if better evidence is recd.

Not quite, the addition of antimony typically makes the babbitt harder.
My experience has not been to use babbitt, it has been in removing it prior to boring for inserts. What I have witnessed is the darker the babbitt the softer it is (higher lead content?). Generally the harder material breaks apart when pressure applied, the softer just deforms. Some of the center mains look as if the babbitt was just squeezed out front and back of the journal.

You are right, Babbitt is an art form, done correctly can be very good, done wrong, not so much.

John

[Jack Shaft]

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I'm going deeper on the babbit question.I agree with the antimony content and shiny/harder theory...its not an oxidation result that I can tell what I know about oxidation and corrosion is it occurs from the outside -in and ultimately affects the surface...in this case the surface is perfect.

This block has been repaired ,it cracked 2&3 exhaust seat to cylinder.The repair work is beautiful and precise..ill shoot some more pictures today.the previous owner/ builder was a master machinist at Aero-jet,the rocket/ space research/defense outfit..I wonder if he used an uncommon /exotic babbit design.

[hardtimes]

Hey John,
Thanks !
I didnt get IT then, and dont know about now.
I think that I heard what I thot you said, but not sure that what you said is not what I meant to hear. Did I tell you I have dyslexia.
So, Im out in shed with flashlight.... in PJs...with ice pick in hand !
She , standing on porch..100 ft away, says the samhell are you doing !! Scratching the babbitt !
WHAT are you doing to the baby ???? Come in, your oatmeal is ready ! Yum..oatmeal... ok.
Did you forget to take you medicine.. again ?
No no, John said to scratch...forget it.

BTW... it scratched easily.. the babbitt.