Lycoming 8 engine pics

Biggest issue being ACD Automobile Museum car, doing proper rebuild would use the entire annual vehicle maintenance budget.

Would be willing to take donations towards this specific rebuild...parts, $$, trade in kind.....I'm in...anyone else? I can work with Aaron to set this up...

And a good opinion that is! I have modern insert bearings in all of my Auburn engines, even the ones I have for sale.

The bearing shells on the mains or the rod big ends are tinned and then the Babbitt is heated along with the shell or rod and poured into the heated shell or rod and basically solder to the shell or rod. There should be no gaps in this joint. Then the Babbitt is align bored to the proper size for the journal being fitted. I had some rod poured once and was told by the shop that the gaps at the parting edge of the rods was ok. I removed these rods after several thousand miles and discovered that the Babbitt could be removed from these rods as though they were inserts. No solder bond to the rod at all. Luckily I found this before they started to spin. Long story to say I would redo the mains and probably the rods also, as the same shop or person probably did both. Just my opinion.
Cordially Mike

good questions Mike!
what looks like a crack in the brass is actually a "1" <!-- s:? --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_confused.gif" alt="" title="Confused" /><!-- s:? --> I thought the same until I realized that the others had similar 'scratches' (scribe marks) to identify the caps. (I.E. I,II,III...etc)
I posted the above pic in particular to highlight(?) the seemingly poor pour of this particular bearing. the other end of it looks perfect. the material seems nice and tight.
could the gaps (porosity) be a result of flux bubbling at the bottom during the babbit pour? (assuming the side we are discussing was down).
I do not really know anything about poured bearings other than they exist.

These are Babbitt bearings that are delaminating from the bronze shell, not insert bearings. Is the shell cracked?
Cordially Mike

A few additional photos at my site of the bearings.

When putting the pistons back in there is a taper on the bottom of the bore that is supposed to compress the rings to enter the bore. I use a long piece of hard plastic material with a tapered point on the end to help the rings along without damaging the rings, bore, or pistons. Care must be taken when removing or installing that you don't rotate the crankshaft too far and hit the piston being installed or removed. The bigger the overbore the closer the fit!
Cordially Mike

Mike you are correct, they DO come out with the crank in place. By "place" I mean still in the block. Not "place" as in locked in location. You do need to move the crankshaft around (rotate it) as you make room for the piston(s) to come out.
Oh, the pistons only come out on one side, the side towards the cam.

I have removed pistons and rods from the bottom of both my L-29 Cord and my 35 Auburn with the crank in place. I think it can be done in a 31 as well.
Cordially Mike

Nice pix, thanks! One note: I don't think you can remove the rods &amp; pistons without taking out the crank (as stated in one caption)

MSS

Thanks for the positive comments guys!
The rod bearings are cast in place.

I will check tomorrow (shop day) and see what the main bearings really are. They popped right out of the caps like a "normal" ( modern) insert. I didn't think to look for a part number or logo.
I cannot say that the engine is all original, I am not sure of the cars history.
Obviously the pan had been off before as you saw the 'repair' to the oil pump pickup, but the valve seats are beat out pretty badly.
I may take it to the machine shop this week to get boiled,etc
Stay tuned

Thanks for the great pics and story. Its nice to see the insides of these engines.

Hi--very interesting!

Just curious:

1. The main bearings are insert type. Are they babbitt-lined inserts and do they require plastigage fitting?

2. Are the rod bearings also inserts, or are they cast-in-place babbitt?

Thanks,

-Tom

Recently I had the time to update my website and add some photos of the 8-98 engine that we are working on for the Museum's "Education car" (a 1931 sedan).
[url:z7sbtqib]http&#58;//www&#46;1932auburnsedan&#46;com/museum-projects&#46;html[/url:z7sbtqib]
I hope that you enjoy them. <!-- s8) --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cool.gif" alt="" title="Cool" /><!-- s8) -->