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OK... Here's the drill...
First, Oilite (sintered bronze), also known as 841, is porous. If an Oilite bushing is to be machined from solid Oilite stock, it takes some knowledge and expertise as to how to machine it in order to retain the material's porosity on it's machined surface(s) and, therefore, it's lubricating ability. The same holds true if one is re-machining an off the shelf Oilite bushing, whose metal powder has been formed in a die to it's specified dimension and then sintered to fuse the powder together. You CANNOT use a tool bit that has a radius on it's tip.... The tool bit MUST have a sharp tip. Boring is best, but if you must use a reamer to bring it to size, make sure the reamer is one that is sharp. Preferably new.
Secondly, Oilite WILL NOT stand up to the pounding action experienced in main/side rods, or valve gear rods. The reciprocal motion will result in the bushing's ID being beaten egg shaped in short order. Many have used Oilite for axle bearings. If one must use Oilite in this application, it's best that they not be used on the drive axles.... For the reasons I just mentioned regarding their use on the main/side and valve gear rods.
Use 660 (also known as 932) bearing bronze. Phosphor bronze would actually be the better choice for rods and valve motion (as well as the prototypical "half-brasses" used for axles bearings.) But 660 is what the majority of readily available, pre-sized bushings will be found to made of. 660 bushings, as well as raw, un-machined round stock is also more readily found at most bearing supply houses than phosphor bronze.
If you are thinking of machining a spacer from a pre-sized bushing, personally, I'd use one made from 660 instead of one made from Oilite. You can get by with the Oilite, tho... But what's the point? The odds are, unless you machine it properly, and using tooling with the correct tool geometry, you will close up the side bearing surfaces and lose the spacer's self-lubricating ability. 660 would be a much sturdier material to use. And 660, unlike, say, a bronze such as aluminum bronze, is very easily machinable.
LL
EDITED..... 03/17/2012 @ 1416 hrs CDT
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Last edited by LivingLegend on Sat Mar 17, 2012 11:03 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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