Can someone briefly explain what exactly the babbitting process involves? I
suspect I am not the only one who is a bit confused by the whole concept. I
know that babbit is a specific type of metal, and that it is poured, but
where I get confused, is in what happens after the pouring, or I guess, how
it is actually poured. I have trouble picturing how a rod and cap can be
poured, but still be separated to allow these to go around the crank
journal. Do they join the rod and cap, pour molten metal in the opening,
then drill it? If so, then how do they separate the two parts? Or do they
pour the metal in the individual halves, then machine the excess then join
the two halves and then drill the opening? These are the only ways I can
think of, but realize that I could be way off.
Also, you mention shimming and unshimming. I assume, you mean that you
start with a lot of shims (or large(r) shim) and you substract shims (or
reduce their size) in order to reduce the clearance between rod and cap to
reduce the diameter of the opening to allow of wear? Am I even close?
I have heard that insert bearings are available for the 216, but if this is
the case, if I'm reading you correctly, before you can use these, a machine
shop has to modify the rods?
Anyway, I have wondered about this for some time, but figured now is as good
a time as any to show my ignorance.
Thanks,
Rob
----- Original Message -----
From: David G Shier <dshier@rmi.net>
To: <RobXR250@aol.com>; _Oletrucks <oletrucks@autox.team.net>
Sent: Friday, July 23, 1999 8:27 AM
Subject: Re: [oletrucks] 216 engine performance questions
> Rob, I have a 50 1/2 ton with a sweet running 216 so we are keeping the
216 and
> putting a dual carb Fenton intake and we got new Fenton headers. We are
not
> doing this to get more power especially but doing it as a nostalgia trip
to use
> in parades, shows and driving around our immediate area.
>
> If you were going to get serious with your 216 I would recommend putting
in
> insert bearings to replace the babbit bearings as one of the first things.
> There are machine shops around the country who have done this many times.
I
> would not expect a stock 216 engine to hold up long under serious speed
> equipment. We grew up driving these in the 50's and had our share of
continuous
> engine maintenance involving rod replacement and shimming and unshimming
of
> these babbit rods and after the shims were all used up we filed the rod
caps
> until finally having to turn the cranks down and rebabbit the rods again.
>
> It was a lot of fun when we were young but would not recommend it these
days. I
> would call someone like Jim Carter who might know the machine shop to use
in
> your area. Here in Southern Colorado the last job I saw was by Bob's
Machine in
> Pueblo, Colorado.
>
> Sincerely,
> Dave Shier
> www.mtntown.com
>
> RobXR250@aol.com wrote:
>
> > I have a 50 3100 with a 216 in it. The engine was rebuilt and has maybe
1500
> > miles on it. I am wondering what performance upgrades will give me the
most
> > bang for the buck. Also how much power will it add to my engine. What
have
> > some of you done to your 216's
> >
> > Thanks
> > Rob
> > oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
>
> oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959
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