Reply To: Babbitting

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Dear Rodger,

I have babbit that a mechanic characterized as original,in my 1912

P.A.It’s not delicate stuff.My 1915 Overland 6 came with inserts from

the factory(Continental 7H).When I had it rebuilt,I was handed a box of

inserts.He had babbited to the rod.It’s still alive.

The point is: early cars had cranks that whipped around a great

deal.The babbit was softer then and adapted to the abuse.Todays cranks

aren’t allowed flex like the earlier cranks,allowing the babbit to

be thinner and transfer the heat generated at high revs.The problem

develops when you put inserts on a whipping crank.The inserts have

babbit measured in the thousandths and can’t take much flex.The factory

babbit layed on with a trowel(just kidding).

The P.A. eight has 9 mains,so is probably stiff enough to go both ways.

If Overland (Continental built to Overland specs)engineers made use of

inserts in 1915,wouldn’t P.A. use this technology if it was the best?

When did P.A. first use inserts?

I know,T Ford go-fast people love inserts.But,they invariably use a

stiffer crank(Model A)and add pressure oil feed to make them live.

Anthony Costa