FAILURES of bearings in engines caused by corrosion are of great concern to field personnel and development engineers. During wartime, bearings perform under most adverse conditions because of forced speeds, increased pressures, and “overtime” operations.
Prior to the present emergency, tin was one of the predominating constituents used in bearing alloys. The Allied Nations were deprived of practically all of the active world tin supply with the loss of the Dutch East Indies islands of Banka and Billiton. Therefore, many bearings which have been babbitted with tin-base alloys have to be lined now with various tin-substitute bearing materials.
This paper describes laboratory experiments during which corrosion resistance of various bearing alloys was determined when tested with straight, with additive-type, and with re-refined lubricating oils at elevated temperatures.
Some of the experimental engines operated with the crankcase oil temperature over 280 F and with bearing temperatures far in excess of 300 F.1
