Loose Pilot Bushing

[MGGuy]

Maybe I'm not understanding something, but I thought Brass Pilot bushings should be tight. I am replacing the pilot bushing in my Midget that now has a Spitfire 1500 engine. I removed the old brittle pilot bushing that basically came out in chunks. I fitted the pilot bushing onto the Spitfire 4 speed overdrive tranny just to see how tight it was and it was loose, like slipping wedding ring on a finger. Then I checked fit for the bushing to the crankshaft bore and I could slip it in with light finger pressure. I stopped and removed it thinking this wasn't right. The bushing it the correct one for Sprites, Midgets and Spitfires from Moss Motors, P/N SP15. Any ideas whats up here, or should it easily (unlubricated) slip into the bore?

 

[Jim_Gruber]

I had the strangest whirring in my BE and 210 5 speed several years back. I pulled the tranny and sent it to well known LBC Shop in the Tampa St. Pete Area. Tranny was pulled apart, one gear was discovered to be installed backwards but other than that no issues were discovered. Went to reinstall tranny and went to lube the pilot bushing and it fell out in my hand. The whirring I was hearing was the pilot bushing spinning in the back of the engine. A dab of JB Weld took care of the spinning Pilot Bushing. That was 3-4 years ago. Been good since and wish I had checked before having tranny torn down at a cost of $850. And R&R was done by me.