Reply To: Restoration update and cool accessories

[Gregory Long]

Part of the problem is that some, maybe a lot of re-babbiting services re-use the old babbitt material. The old is melted off the rods or main bearing shells, and collected in a melting pot. This pot is put on the burner, and remelted and supposedly the impurities either sink to the bottom of the pot, or rise to float like a layer of scum on the molten metal.

Well, that old babbitt has decades of old oil and dirt contaminants in it, and who knows, like Tony mentions, what is the ‘mix’ of the alloy? Some old babbitt has a lot of lead and other metals not used in modern babbitt.

I looked up information about Babbitt, and found that there are several different alloys or mixes that are used for say, kingpin bushings, or rod bearings, or stationary engines, high speed and low speed bearings etc.

It’s best to find and use a shop that specializes in the babbitting of old engines and let their experience work for you.

Greg Long