insert bearings and modern seal question

old ugly

old ugly

Well-known member
this may have been talked about before but i got tired of searching .
it is something that i have never been involve with.

what is involved in the change over to main bearing inserts and modern rear seal?
what are the parts needed and what machining needs to be done?

thank you folks.
OU
 
For the main bearing inserts, you need to remove the babbet, line bore the block to fit the inserts, then a special insert is used. Snyder’s used to sell those inserts if your machine shop doesn’t have them.

For the rear seal, the crankshaft needs to be modified by machining and polishing a groove in it. Beware that to use the lipped seal there is a very tight tolerance for play, so your bearings need to be in tip-top condition.

I would make sure that whoever you want to do this is very experienced, since there’s no turning back.

OTOH, you could get a Burtz block kit that comes pre-configured for insert bearings and modern seal, and balanced crank to boot.
 
JayJay said:
For the rear seal, the crankshaft needs to be modified by machining and polishing a groove in it. Beware that to use the lipped seal there is a very tight tolerance for play, so your bearings need to be in tip-top condition.

maybe a dumb question but how is that seal installed onto the crank after it has been machined. over the flywheel flange ?
Click to expand...
 
sounds hoky to me.

if a guy uses the insert bearings do you have to use the modern seal or can the original slinger style still work?

thanks
ou
 
You can use the original slinger seal. I have a motor with the AER inserts and original rear seal, does not leak. Sometimes you can "improve" something until it is no good anymore. :)
 
midgetracer said:
Yes. It is stretched over the flywheel flange.
Click to expand...
FWIW, I've not had any issues with the rope and cork seals on the rear main overly leaking if they are carefully replaced and properly bedded. I've often considered but never used the "modern" seal. Like Flathead alludes to, sometimes "modern" isn't necessarily improvement. Like the old adage "if it ain't broke, fix it until it is".
 
awsum. thank you.
i have a local machine shop that can do the machining for it. Then i do all the assembly myself. i like to double check the work they have done.
i was introduced into mechanics in around 1966, 11-12 years old. first car was model B. ive been at it for awhile.

thank you
OU
 
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JayJay said:
FWIW, I've not had any issues with the rope and cork seals on the rear main overly leaking if they are carefully replaced and properly bedded. I've often considered but never used the "modern" seal. Like Flathead alludes to, sometimes "modern" isn't necessarily improvement. Like the old adage "if it ain't broke, fix it until it is".
Click to expand...

i agree, there is a lot of ideas that say "modern" but they are not always better.
eg. i hate "modern points" nothing modern or good about them but that subject has been beaten to death.
the thing is most of these cars are not driven every day so for me the original, for the most part, works ok.

OU
 
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