Should the pilot bushing be greased??

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duster360

duster360

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I just installed a new bronze pilot bushing in my crank. Should I put a little grease in it before the trans is installed ? I have also heard that I should not grease the input shaft splines, is this correct
 
Correct except I have not ever used a bronze bushing so in that respect, I'm unsure of why it is bronze or the way metal acts. The typical metal sweats. No lube required. I'd still hold back on the lube myself.
 
A lot of people grease bronze bushings on the install, but with white lithium grease and not bearing grease.
Bearing grease will gum up and cause the input shaft to keep trying to spin while the clutch is disengaged.
 
I believe bushing pilots are made with what is called "oilite" and you can Google that. However, my default source is ALWAYS the service manual. I would guess this is because at the time I bought my first (69 RR) Mopar, I didn't know all that much, and read the crap out of the factory manual. This of course was long before Al Gore invented the internet
 

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67Dart273 said:
I believe bushing pilots are made with what is called "oilite" and you can Google that. However, my default source is ALWAYS the service manual. I would guess this is because at the time I bought my first (69 RR) Mopar, I didn't know all that much, and read the crap out of the factory manual. This of course was long before Al Gore invented the internet
Click to expand...

Yea, you are right about the bushings having oil imbeded in the metal.
If possible I will always go for a needle bearing first, and then the oilite bronze if I can't get a needle bearing.
 
After running the new production needle bearing bushings in a working situation I now use nothing but the bronze bushings. I think the quality of the needle bearing bushings has gone out the door since they are probably made over seas.

I was taught to do what Del's clip said and it has never failed me yet.
 
But seriously the needle bearing pilot bushing locked up my Cummins Turbo Diesel 3500 and cost me an expensive tow.

Never used lube in any of my four speed cars with the bronze bushing just pre-soaked in oil and never had an issue.
 
I used to always put a little grease on (and behind) the pilot bushing on my clutch jobs. Then I read about the oilite bushings and never did it again. BTW, all the times before where I greased them, I'd notice that my clutch discs would be a little greasy when I'd pull 'em apart later on........I figured it may have probably been that pilot bushing grease I applied doing a "centrifugal effect" when everything got hot.
 
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