Reimpregnating sintered bronze bearings

Examine closely the actual bearing surface under a very strong glass. The porous surface can 'smear' over time and become far less porous. This is also a potential issue when machining them, especially with small cuts which tend to rub.

Loading porous / sintered bushes with oil was always a case of putting them in a clean bean can with the appropriate oil in it, and heating to bubble point then letting soak over night. I'd imagine oil already in the bush will migrate and mix under these circumstances.

Andrew

With new small fan sintered bearings we used to fill with oil,blocked by finger and squeeze with thumb till the oil oozed from the sides,Not that this bit of info is probably any use.

I usually just put them in hot 30 weight oil and let 'em soak overnight. I've had to a couple times clean thick old oil from the interstices of the bearing because it was clogged. I did this by putting the bearing in the hot oil and after an hour or so of the hot oil treatment and while the bearing was still in the oil pushed a close fitting rod into the bearing to force the hot oil through the bearing. This cleaned the clogs from the bearing. Then the bearings just sit in the oil until cool. Eric

Years ago when I had to machine an Oilite bearing I talked to the technical people at Manganeze Bronze about replacing the oil that had been flung dur ing machining. They said, basically, the method Andrew suggested was the wa y to go. As they made the bearings they should know.

John H

I've used this technique a number of times and it works very well. Once the oil coming out is clean and there are no more bubbles, you've done the job.

Thanks very much for these answers. It sounds as if heat and a bean can are the way forward!

Alan

How about filling the 'hole' ( where the shaft runs) at one end with a rubber bung, fill with oil, close the other end with another bung, and apply G clamp. Tighten the G clamp. Repeat.

May be lightly burnish the bearing surface first, to remove/clear blocked 'pores'.

I did something similar with grease once on a roller bearing which had been flushed of grease (a long story) and it seemed to do the job.

Don't use Hypoy...

Ford did in their MkI Concertinas, and had to replace/refurbish a *lot* of gearboxes.

It always puzzled me how I could have told them not to do it, but their engineers didn't know not to mix Oil-Lite bearings and Hypoy.

Don't use Hypoy...

Ford did in their MkI Concertinas, and had to replace/refurbish a *lot* of gearboxes.

It always puzzled me how I could have told them not to do it, but their engineers didn't know not to mix Oil-Lite bearings and Hypoy.