Tonys1928A
New member
I'm new to owning a Model A,and I've got a few questions like what size inserts would I need or how to measure for the insert.Or are am I looking at it wrong and they are babbets?
Inserts I'm not sure what I've got going on here.
- Thread starter Tonys1928A
- Start date
Seth Swoboda
Well-known member
Should be babbitt if it's still stock Ford.
J Franklin
Well-known member
What problem are you trying to cure?
rotorwrench
Well-known member
Crank and connecting rod journals are poured babbitt. Many times they can be adjusted by removal of the cap shims but it depends on condition of each bearing assembly. There are still folks that re-pour babbitt and machine it for best fit. There are also conversions for removable bearing shells but it takes machine work to do that.
New Burtz blocks are available as an alternative to overhaul.
New Burtz blocks are available as an alternative to overhaul.
Fullraceflathead
Well-known member
If you already have the engine opened up please send some pictures.
Tonys1928A
New member
Tonys1928A
New member
Sorry I just found out how to post pictures
Tonys1928A
New member
Cocoa Florida
1930artdeco
Well-known member
You have Babbitt bearings that have failed or are about to fail. There are +/- to each bearing.
Babbitt is adjustable and forgiving of grit that gets in them and you can 'farmer' it if you absolutely have to-to get you home if you don't have a AAA card. The downside is that they must be installed correctly or they will come apart and there fewer and fewer places doing them correctly anymore.
Shells-most machines shops who know about Model A motors can do them nowadays and they will last you a very long time if done right. Downside is that any grit will shred them and you will be doing a rebuild.
This is the gyst of the differences of the bearings and I am sure that people smarter than me will chime in.
Mike
Babbitt is adjustable and forgiving of grit that gets in them and you can 'farmer' it if you absolutely have to-to get you home if you don't have a AAA card. The downside is that they must be installed correctly or they will come apart and there fewer and fewer places doing them correctly anymore.
Shells-most machines shops who know about Model A motors can do them nowadays and they will last you a very long time if done right. Downside is that any grit will shred them and you will be doing a rebuild.
This is the gyst of the differences of the bearings and I am sure that people smarter than me will chime in.
Mike
J and M Machine
Senior Member
Yes they are babbitt bearings and there is no saving those if you are going to drive it. Those bearings are also lead babbitt ,doesn't last long.
A good machine shop will use tin base babbitt as shown in two pictures enclosed.
Attachments
rich b
Well-known member
And to think our forefathers repaired these engines in primitive working areas with minimum tools.
nkaminar
Well-known member
Tony, You should not be afraid to work on your Model A. They are very simple and a good car to learn on. Buy the redbook, link below. J & M in Post #13 is right, the bearings will need to be repoured and remachined. Best to take it somewhere. Or look around for a used engine in good condition. Or buy a Burtz Block.
https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/product.htm?pid=980031&cat=41621
https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/product.htm?pid=980031&cat=41621
ThirstyThirty
Senior Member
I was going to add: "should be thin babbitt..." but i see OP has posted pix.
the broken corner dosen't bother me as much as the wafer thin babbitt... in old days they used bacon rinds in there 'tween rods, mains and the babbitt. the old timers say it worked!!
you can also hand scrap in a new babbitt bearing cap. and that works, too! just have to get the running clearance correct.
am thinking those mains 'groaned' noticeably under low rpm, high load conditions...
ThirstyThirty
Senior Member
rotorwrench
Well-known member
They also used the tongues out of old military type boots but these "fixes" don't last very long.
As the crank is ground down to smaller under sizes, the babbitt has to be thicker and thicker. A person doing the pouring also has to know the best way to peen the babbitt before align boring to size. The babbitt tends to shrink a bit on something as large as an engine block so peeing the surfaces is important. Babbitt journal bearing re-work is an art form that takes a while to learn. It's better to find someone with a lot of experience to do these type of jobs.
As the crank is ground down to smaller under sizes, the babbitt has to be thicker and thicker. A person doing the pouring also has to know the best way to peen the babbitt before align boring to size. The babbitt tends to shrink a bit on something as large as an engine block so peeing the surfaces is important. Babbitt journal bearing re-work is an art form that takes a while to learn. It's better to find someone with a lot of experience to do these type of jobs.