1930 DC water pump shaft rear bush (Oilite)

Gidday All,

I need an Oilite bush (i.e. sintered bronze, oil impregnated) for the rear of the water pump on my 1930 Dodge 8. The original Dodge 8 parts book number was #303710. The Master Parts Book of 1934 lists it as #383031.

The bush is 13/16" OD and 1.125" long. The shaft on my water pump is 0.609" diameter - I don't think it was ever 5/8". The diameter inside the impellor is the same, as it is just behind the front bushing.

Can anyone direct me to a source? I have emailed suppliers who list bushes on ebay and some MOPAR and Dodge parts vendors.

So far the nearest I have found is 9/16" x 13/16" x 1.25", which would probably fit and the ID could be reamed out and the end trimmed if necessary.

Thanks for your help.

Graham

I can't imagine why you want to put an oilite bushing in a place like that....... :eek:

Oilite is already sized for a press fit whereas the hard bronze bushings require reaming.

I wouldn't use oilite in that application.

McMaster-Carr has a very good selection.

http://www.mcmaster.com/#bronze-sleeve-bearings/=ullnyv

Thanks for your post. The problem is that it had a hard brass bushing in place and water was coming out of the oil hole. The shaft is lubricated by oil, not grease. And of course I do not know what the original "water pump shaft rear bushing and retainer assembly" was made of or looked like. I am assuming it is a sleeve with no flange. There is a grove around behind it for oil to resupply the bush.

My thinking is that the shaft must be lubricated with no hole to get the oil to the shaft. An oil impregnated bush seems the right way to go. I don't want graphite - it will result in shaft rust (galvanic corrosion).

The McMaster-Carr lubricated bronze bushes on the link you posted are basically what I was thinking. Isn't Oilite just a brand of them? Sintered bronze or powder metal, impregnated under vacuum with oil and lubricated regularly with engine oil (SAE 30).

Wikipedia says this, inter alia, about Oilite:

"Oilite was developed by Chrysler in 1930, originally for use in bearings for water pumps and spring shackles, and without oil as the porous filter element in gasoline filters. Chrysler sold approximately 500 thousand Oilite bearings in 1930 and approximately 2.5 million the next year. The Super Oilite was introduced in 1932. Overall sales of all Oilite material in 1932 was seven million; this rose to 18 million in 1933. Oilite was a profit center for Chrysler during this time."

Oilite bushings are about 40% oil by weight.

If the bushing cannot be lubricated you probably have no choice.

Oilite is typically used in light load applications where lubricating is not possible.

A word of caution. Oilite bushes should not be reamed to size. The reamer will smear over the pores in the bush preventing the oil reaching the shaft.

Not sure if Wikipedia is right about Chrysler being the original developer of oilite bushes in 1930. My 1925 DB roadster has one at the top of the steering column as an original fitting.

Thanks for that. Yes, I had read they needed to be cut with a sharp lathe tool, not reamed or honed.

An update. No-one I tried can supply a NOS bush. I managed to get a couple of 9/16 ID x 13/16 OD x 1" bushes to turn to size.

Now for the front bush. It is flanged and also porous bronze. I have been unable to find one I can cut to size. Not even any metric bushes I could turn to size. So I'll probably make the front bush from a rod (boy that is expensive - it is now 1-1/8 diameter to get the flange). And the shaft will be turned from 5/8 silver steel.