VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND EARLIER 1933-1936 Rod Service

Looking for someone to re-babbit the rods for my 36 207 cu in. Any suggestions?

Check with filling station Or chevys of the 40s. Trade yours for new (re-babbit ones).

Effingham Regrinding in Effingham Illinois is the "jobber" for most retailers. They have been in business 60+years at same location. I sent my 6 rods in; total cost was $407 with a 3 week turn around. He will grind each rod to designated journal; you will need measurements and number stamp each rod & cap to cylinder number it came out of. Brass shims are not used on the rods; all 6 of mine had .0015 oil clearance. Call Dean @ 217-342-4186 JIM

Thanks for the information. Anyone had dealings with Kohnke Machine Clare, IA. His prices seem high, but his process seems to be the correct one for refurb. of babbit rods.

Have not heard of this company in LeClare Iowa. I do know that Dean @ Effingham Regrinding does work spot on and far less money than most...JIM

Can insert bearings be put into 207 rods? The PO had 'em put into the rods on my lil' ol' 216 (glad he did!).

Also try Paul's Bearing Service or Paul's Rod Service Near K.C. MO. Beautiful work and fair pricing.

Mike

Our shop can put inserts into the rods for you instead of babbitting. If interested, please contact us at earlsmachine@aol.com or call us at (206) 243-8284.

Melissa
Earl's Machine Shop
Seattle, Wa.

IMHO, inserts should be well worth looking into.

If your crank shaft is new or has been turned to a standard undersize I would recommend inserts. The advantage of the inserts is that the have a thinner layer of babbitt. With poured babbitt they just make the babbitt thicker to compensate for the undersize. The extra thick babbitt pounds out and the bearings will not stay "tight".
Inserts do require a perfectly smooth and round crank pin where as the poured babbitt can be "adjusted" to fit most any crankpin.

Inserts for a 207?

Mike

'Been wanting to ask this. With new rod inserts and a freshly turned shaft, sould a 216 be able to hold up to 65-70 mph on the freeway? ('41 stock MD & 4.11 gear)

Hopefully, inserts should be more durable than babbit bearings(?).

'Didn't mean to hijack the thread.

My 1951 Chevrolet does that with the original engine.

Thanks, Junkyard.

I was hoping for several opinions.

One to 100, I'm wondering how superior insert rod bearings are over babbit. ('Wish this little feller had some real oil pressure!)

On the inserts, I agree with Chevgene and think he answered your question very well. As far as the oil pressure, don't worry about it, if every thing is working like it was designed your engine is getting plenty of oil.

The 34 207 uses oil slingers for rod lubrication. The oil clearance on my engine is .0015 mains & rods. Effingham's babbit mixture is less lead and more "tin" like a rod bearing. My engine makes 30+ PSI oil pressure @ idle cold. Operating temperature oil pressure is 25 psi @ idle. JIM

The oil pressure has nothing to do with the rod bearing lubrication. The only thing that gets full pressure on a 1934 engine is the main bearings and the cam bearings which are fed from the mains. The rocker arms and connecting rods get fed from the low pressure side of the oil distributor valve. The 1934 engine is the last one that did not have the oil pipes directly in the troughs with the oil squirting directly into the dipper. line with andopen end always gets low pressure only. There was a pan conversion made for the 1934 that changed the systtem to that of a 1935. It consisted of a higher capacity oil pump,the pan and pick-up parts.
55 MPH is probably the safe speed for a 1934 engine. I would run mine between 55 and 60 on the interstates.
wound it up to past 70 a few time but just for a short spurt.

70 MPH steady in a 1941 with a 4.11 is pushing it a bit for a steady speed. For years I drove my '39 at 65 MPH with a 4.22 axle with no problem - it had aluminum pistons as did my '34. The aluminum is lighter and puts much less load on the rods/bearings.

Gene, you are our "information center".

Thanks for all of your advice and help (from all of us, I'm sure).

Should I assume you're including insert rod bearings when you said a steady 70 mph is pushing a '41 engine.

I had given inserts some thought, but am concerned about getting enough oil in the bearings since the crank is not drilled at the rod bearings. My "36" has the spray nozzles at the base of every rod,but not sure how well that lubricates the inserts.

Wouldn't it have to lube inserts at least as well as it would babbit? But then, what do I know? Gene knows!

There should not be any difference in the amount of oil whether it has inserts or babbit bearings. My '37 had inserts when I got it in 1967 and still does. I used to drive it 70 mph all the time, now I try and hold it down to 60. More because I am old than because the car is old. LOL

A steady mile after mile 70 MPH for a 1941 with a 4.11 rear end is a little much. I have driven my '39 (after I installed the 3.73) at a steady 70 MPH many times.
On an old two lane road where you can hold 70 with a 4.11 for a few miles at a time it is a different story.

With that being said a friend of mine drove his 1949 140 miles wide open. This was back when the car was three years od and had about 50,000 miles on it. He went on to heavily modify the engine, switched to a 3.73 rear end and never had any rod problems. The car would get up to 100 MPH and stay with an Olds 88.
I never had an engine with inserts and never had rod problems. It I were to convert to inserts I would wnat them to have the oiling pocket and oil groves as the babbitt rods have. Also the wide mouth dippers that came along in about 1948 pick-up more oil and if the oil pipes are off a little they will still catch the oil.

Thanks, Gene (and others). I know you are right. I gotta get rid of the 4.11. 'Haven't found a 3.55 or 3.73 in this vicinity.

'Didn't know about the better dippers. I'm gonna call Kanter and see if the inserts have the pocket and groove (hope so).

I have a Chevy Saginaw 3-speed with overdrive. It is tempting me hard (I know what is involved). 'Haven't given in as yet, but very tempting. I'm putting 100 to 200 miles a week on the '41 (I've always driven whatever I've had). Chaps me I can't run with traffic when I'm "out there". I'm always in the way.

Thanks again - -

I think the gear change and possibly aluminum pistons would help you more than insert bearings.

I agree