Method of Forming a Powder Metal Insert Having a Horizontal Through Hole and Method of Casting Same Into an Engine Component

A method of casting at least one powder metal bearing support insert into an engine component, in which the powder metal bearing support insert comprises a body having pair of opposing ends on lateral sides thereof, a bearing-receiving surface positioned on a side of the body between the pair of opposing ends in which the bearing-receiving surface is adapted for reception of a bearing therein, and a pair of holes extending through the body in which each of the pair of holes are formed by sets of adjacent interdigitated slots having regions that abut one another to form a connected passageway therethrough that define the respective hole, in which the powder metal bearing support insert is formed from a sintered powder metal material such that the powder metal bearing support insert has porosity to accommodate casting the powder metal bearing support insert into an engine component, the method comprising:

• casting at least one powder metal bearing support insert into the engine component.