My engine is back from the machine shop and things are going together well. I am having a problem finding a pilot bushing all I can find is pilot bearings. I have never used pilot bearing, always used bushings. Are there any benefits, of either?

 

Something to read on the topic.

http://www.ls1tech.com/forums/manual...s-bearing.html

 

I did a search of old threads and came up with one discussing drilling a crank. There were also posts about what to use. Run to Rund provided this information:

"If the crank is an older one, up to 1969 and maybe 70 or 71, the factory automatic drilling is shallow enough that you can bore the crank .55" deep for the Chevy Dorman 690-014 bushing that has a nice rolled chamfer at the entrance. Late cranks would put the bushing too far from the trans and need the Bower 7109 bearing or dorman 690-023 bushing."

You can read through the entire thread by using the link:

https://classicoldsmobile.com/forums...-question.html


I've always considered the bushing vs bearing as a personal preference. I've used both and will go with the bearing. Just because I like the idea of that being a bearing. Hope this helps! John

 

I use the bushing exclusively to save the tranny input. The bushing may not last as long as a bearing if everything is perfect, but how many miles will the car get these days, anyway. Furthermore, be sure the trans is aligned perfectly, meaning you can put a dial indicator on the crank and the big hole for the trans is centered perfectly and all points of it are equidistant from the crank. Lakewood makes offset dowels in .007", .014", and .021" and I drill to 17/64, tap to 5/16 x 18 thread so I can use a slide hammer to remove them (that's how I remove the stock dowels too). Very few people bother with aligning the bellhousing to the block, but it makes a difference. While the referenced thread on LS1s says bearings started in the 1980s, Olds was using the Bower 1709 in the 1960s.