I don't know about the 216s but the dipper 235s had insert main bearings
and poured rod bearings.
John
3800 panel
>
> Babbiting is not something most people would take on at home. The main
> bearings and caps are poured separately, I believe. It wouldn't be
> impossible to pour both at the same time. Babbit melts somewhere below 900
> degrees. According to the Model A people (a friend has one), the babbit to
> use is 4X nickel based babbit. Don't use lead based babbit. The con rods are
> poured in a way similar to the mains. A mold has to be made up to hold the
> babbit in place until it cools. Then the main caps are bolted on and the
> block is line bored. Rods are also bored to size. Babbiting is labor
> intensive and not very practical. The place that rebuilt my friend's engine
> charges the same to pour new babbit or convert to inserts. You are right
> about the shimming. I would think the 216 rods and probably the block would
> have to be machined to take inserts.
>
> >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
> >
>
> 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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