DansYellow66

OK - this one isn't in a Chevrolet but a pilot shaft bushing I recieved for a Ford motor sticks solidly to a magnet. I don't much like the looks of it either, compared to the GM ones we use to get. I found McLeod bushings and at around $40 they should be able to use real oil impregnated bronze material for them. Has anyone had any experience with them?

What other sources of good old bronze bushings have you found?

thanks

Dan

Subfixer

I just put one of the McLeod bushings in my car last week. It does a a small magnetic pull, but is very oil impregnated. Figured I'd give it a try.

DUB

For what it is worth...I do not use the pilot bushing that have sintered iron in them...making them magnetic. I prefer to put back in what can in the car originally...which is a pilot bushing that is NON-magnetic. And I do not like to use the new style needle bearing pilot bushings...unless it is required to do so from many of the new transmission manufacturers.

I have seen some of the new needle bearing bushing fail badly. And I have seen the ends of transmission input shafts that were damaged due to a magnetic style pilot bushing....or it was previously damaged and another magnetic pilot bushing was installed...thus causing further damage.

"DUB"

DansYellow66

Just ran out to check local FLAPS to see what they had - NAPA was closed at 4:00 (?), Advance didn't have one in stock, Autozone didn't have one in stock, O'Reilly barely knew what I was talking about, but finally concluded they didn't have one at that particular store but might at another one. $40 from McLeod is looking good if I knew they are really oil impregnated bronze. Guess I'll check again with NAPA next week.

DansYellow66

Anyone have any recent luck with finding bronze pilot bushings at parts houses??

JohnZ

The Federal-Mogul #PB-656-HD, NAPA #BK-6151161, and GM #10125896 pilot bushings are made from Oilite bronze; can't speak for any of the others.

DansYellow66

Well, so far I've wasted an hour or two and probably $10 in gas trying to find the mythical bronze "non-magnetic" pilot shaft bushing without success. NAPA wouldn't even show me one or look one up when I showed up with my magnet in hand. I've spent a couple hours on NAPA, Federal Mogul and Dorman websites and although I've found their bushing listings in some cases, there wasn't any description of the bushing construction provided. Although expensive, ordering off the McLeod website is looking more and more cost effective all the time. At least they clearly advertise them as bronze oilite construction. If anyone wants their website for future reference and to save gas in driving all over town - here it is:

http://www.mcleodracing.com/products...lt.asp?id=5346

Chicago Pete

Don't buy the Lakewood, I bought the one John recommended.

Westlotorn

The Federal-Mogul part has been oil impregnated for a long time if you order the HD version. Some shops know the Federal-Mogul part as a BCA part, BCA was the name on the box for 50 years but Federal-Mogul has been the parent company that whole time and now uses Federal-Mogul and National on the box.
O'Reilly sells the same exact product from Federal-Mogul but they sell it under the Precision name, same product, same part numbers. Just stick with the HD design and your good to go. Almost every parts store stocks or has access to the BCA National Brands and most have daily delivery to fill a special order. Should not be an issue at all getting the part.

Plasticman

John,

Just picked up the National pilot bushing (PB-656-HD) from the local Advance Auto. And while it appears to be porous bronze, and it is non-magnetic, it does not have any oil (no oil film or sign of any lubricant). It was packaged bare in a cardboard box, and there was no sign of oil wicking into the bare cardboard interior.

Without lubricant, it is destined to fail very quickly, so some lubricant has to be added.

If anyone is using this bushing, best to add a lube. Greasing an Oilite bushing was never recommended by the Oilite rep that I use to deal with (the grease "soap" blocked the pores in the bushing, preventing the oil from reaching the surface). Original Oilite bushings were vacuum impregnated in a heated chamber to absorb the oil when they cooled (and were still under high vacuum). I guess I will try to make a heated vacuum chamber and try that.

Plasticman

Plasticman

I heated 4 samples (2 were from NAPA) of pilot bushings lightly with a propane torch, to see if they were impregnated with oil. If they are porous and impregnated, the oil will come to the surface readily when heated. All 3 samples were bronze, completely non-magnetic, and had a porous appearance.

The results are:

1. National (from Advance Auto May 2011) #PB-656-HD: No oil whatsoever, no smoking.

2. NAPA (purchased in 2006) #615-1161: Good amount of oil coming to surface. Tested both samples, and both showed good oil.

3. Unknown source, with 3 small depressions on one end: No oil whatsoever, but did smoke when heated.

Not scientific, but still a good test to see if there was oil impregnated in the pores of the bushings. In other words, I will use the NAPA bushings "next time".

Plasticman

DansYellow66

That's discouraging. I eventually picked up a National HD bushing from O'reilly and it looks good. It's definately not magnetic. I may still order one of the high-priced McLeod bushings and see how it looks. The NAPA store I went to said they couldn't help me. I may try another one in town.

DZAUTO

I just called my local O'Reily store. They have one bronze BCA bushing (NON-magnetic) in stock and are going to order 8 from the warehouse. When they come in, the parts guy is going to check them with a magnet. If all are non-magnetic, I'll get all of them.

Tom Parsons

wmf62

in my experience, and as Plasticman stated, they may be non-magnetic but they may not be pre-lubed, i suggest you check them for presence of an impregnated lubricant; either by them being wrapped in something that will prevent the lubricant from wicking out or by an oily stain in the box of a non-wrapped bushing or do as John suggested.

let us know.
Bill

Westlotorn

If the BCA is shiny it is not oil impregnated, if it is dark in color like the photo's above it is oil impregnated. Years ago we would drop the bushing in a coffee can with oil in it and heat to 300 degree's or so and let is soak for an hour to impregnate, then we found the HD version was already oil soaked and we avoided this issue by using the HD version. I also like the chamfer to help get the shaft started into the hole.

DZAUTO

Ever since I installed my first pilot bushing back in the Civil War days, I've always lubed the pilot bushing after installing it. Never an issue.

In past years, I've used the pilot bearing on 2 engines. Both turned to powder
-------------------------NEVER AGAIN!!!!
Oh ya, and I did lube both thoroughly.
Tom Parsons

buns

I was searching for some oilite bushings for a project and came across something new. Well, new to me. They are called Dri-Plane bushings and have no oil in them. I am wondering if that is what is being used in some of these pilot bushings.

A quote from the Reid Supply website where I found them.




http://www.reidsupply.com/GrpResults...&apid=10021775

Plasticman

It is always possible. I have not heard of that type of lube before. If they do have that type of lube, it would be nice for them to say so...........

The new National Pilot Bushing's cardboard box (inside flap in very small lettering) had the following statement on it: To avoid premature product failure or personal injury, follow installation instructions contained in this carton (there were none), or in the original equipment manufacturer's manual.

The National bushing was the one that did not smoke or show any signs of a lube when heated.

Plasticman

JohnZ

Here's what a 30-year-old (new) GM original bushing looks like.

DansYellow66

I tried holding a match on the edge of the bronze bushing by National (says Federal Mogul on the box also) and didn't see any sign of oil or grease cooking off. Finally found a NAPA store that said they had a bushing they could ship in for my Ford motor and as soon as I receive it I'll try the match test on it. I'm going to have a collection of these things before long.

Does anyone think soaking a bushing in heated grease works?