Outrider..Bearing or Bush ??

[Lucky_Lou]

Completing my service for the coming season last job points, Haynes describes the end cover in the bean can as "Outrider bearing" mine is what i would describe as a steel bush which ive lubricated with a small amount of copperslip.Should it be a bearing in the traditional sense
Lou

[Bob_Roller]

From the few electronic 'bean cans' I've looked at, there is just a plain bushing in the support  plate, no ball type bearing .

[Barry]

Mines a plain bush but I'm pretty sure it's a sintered bronze bush which should be lubricated with light oil. I doubt they would have a steel shaft running in a plain steel bush.

[Lucky_Lou]

Mines a plain bush but I'm pretty sure it's a sintered bronze bush which should be lubricated with light oil. I doubt they would have a steel shaft running in a plain steel bush.

I thought that too but it looked like steel not bronze, that said its lasted 30 odd years  so i wont panic and have a closer look next time unless curiosity gets the better of me.
Unless you think copperslip is not going to do the job.
Lou

[Barry]

Maybe you're right Lou and it's not a bronze bush. I'll have to take a look next time I do the timing.

I suppose any lubricant might be OK given it's only running at half engine speed.  After a quick search the only thing I can find in print about lubricating the bearing is a quote from Snowbum  "Put one drop of a decent oil on the outrigger bearing"

... then after a bit more searching I found this on the airheads list

what kind of oil would I  put on the outrigger bearing
that goes over the cam?  Thanks>>

"A smear of any multipurpose grease  would be adequate. I use AC Delco
Distributor Cam Lubricant because somebody  gave me three tubes of the stuff, which  will last three lifetimes"

Tom  Cutter  

[montmil]

Tom Cutter knows his BMW stuff. Also, if you have the bronze bushing, consider soaking the end plate/bushing assembly in motor oil for about 24 hours.

Monte