Engine teardown poll

[randy]

So, then the numbers on the blue bearings in the chart are undersize numbers and the yellows are oversize? That would make sense.

[John]

has anyone tried to buy the bearings from a dealer? I did a few years ago, and the cost was $30 per journal. so with five mains and four rods thats' um, well a lot of money. Nine journals times $30, 270$! They don't come up on ebay all that often, but when they do I try to get them. Our mains also fit the FJ1100, and con rods are sourced from the 750 triple. And then there is the thrust bearing. It costs more.

[ccogswel]

Well John I don't know if this would be of any interest for you. But if not, maybe someone else being were all talking about bearings. They are not main bearings but they are rod bearings.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...SS:MOTORS:1123

[trbig]

I'd really like those bearings to help out this guy if nobody else is wanting them. Thank you for posting the link, ccogswel. With it listed funny like that, there's a chance they'll go cheap.. and that's REALLY what this guy is needing right now.

Maybe he won't get mad if he sees this, but married 27 years, WIFE decides she wants the house, the new car, and a lawyer, and decides that HE should pay for all of that... as well as his own place to live. So we're trying to get him a bike together as cheaply, yet correctly as possible so he'll be able to ride a bit and keep his sanity. I would love to buy the bearings for him, but I'm not doing much better, financially, than him right now.. but I am helping him all I can in the manual labor part of it.

Tod

[ccogswel]

Your welcome Tod.

It showed up in my watch list and I thought it was fitting to share. I didn't think to check his other auctions to see if there my be anything else.

[ccogswel]

Hey Tod,
This may be of real interest for you. This guy here is selling I'm guessing a complete set of mains. And in his ad he say's he will "sell individual bearings at 6.00 each plus cost of shipping"
Hope this helps!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Parts...1%7C240%3A1318

[fredintoon]

Maybe he won't get mad if he sees this, but married 27 years, WIFE decides she wants the house, the new car, and a lawyer, and decides that HE should pay for all of that... as well as his own place to live. So we're trying to get him a bike together as cheaply, yet correctly as possible so he'll be able to ride a bit and keep his sanity. I would love to buy the bearings for him, but I'm not doing much better, financially, than him right now.. but I am helping him all I can in the manual labor part of it.
Tod

Hi Tod,
27 years eh? That's when my ex took off to live with lesbians.
However, in Canadian law Divorce Barbie only gets half of Ken's stuff and Ken gets half of hers.
On a totally unrelated topic, it's said that they never catch poisoners on their first attempt.

[madmax-im]

I voted by mistake to leave it as it is..when I really think... if theres any way to address it while you're already there then that would be a safe bet to do it.So that one more vote to do it....Sounds like the friend is down on his luck a little...so last thing we'd want is to have the bearings go bad on him. Good luck for him and good on ya for helping out.

[DGXSER]

I saw the same thing and was ready to post it for the mains.

As to the poor guys situation, that does suck.

Fred,
Here in the good ole' USA, divorce law works like this, "whats mine is hers, and whats hers is hers, and if I am lucky I get to keep enough to stay out of the street". Regardless of who did what to whom.

Married to an attorney and I always tell her we spent most of what I made in the first five years of our marriage getting her educated on how to take everything else I am ever gonna make for the rest of my life. This is where I insert one of the thousands of lawyer jokes and she laughs (at the joke, the rest she reminds me is true).

[trbig]

I just had to write the seller of the crank bearings and ask if that was for four HALVES (Enough for just two rods) or if that was enough for all four rods.

Couldn't tell.. but I think it's only enough to do 2 rods.

Tod

[DGXSER]

Wondered the same thing when I saw it, looks like one half shell per package to me.

[ccogswel]

Well after looking at them again for myself it does look like they are one to a package. I just assumed they were a set of four. Kind a like when you buy it for a car you get them in a set for one rod not just one half of one. That's stupid. But I guess that's how they make money.

I did run across another set or rod bearings. I think it was a buy-it-now of 100 bucks I think.

Tod if you want to look at that one let me know. I'll find the link again and list it for you.

[trbig]

Nope.. that's too much. But thank you.

Tod

[79XS11F]

No. I recommend fitting the largest, i.e thickest shells which take up the wear.

Rather than me bodging the explanation, let me put a quote from Rod Gibson of Classic Motorcycle Mechanics (Pg 86, April 2007 Issue). He's replying to a reader's question about the bearing clearances on an old CB400F Honda...


"Quote
Bearing shell were marked with a lick of paint to identify the size, though all sizes were stamped "STD" on the back - quite meaningless really as no "oversize" shells were ever supplied for regrinds.

The numbers stamped on the crank webs and crankcases identify the precise measurements of the bearing housings and were used to select the correct shells on the production line. However (and this is where is all goes pear shaped) the numbers will only tell you what size the journals were when the crank was new - not after 30 years and a half a million miles - so they aren't useful now.

Truth is, the difference between graded bearing shell thicknesses is so tiny as to be academic, and standard practice when reconditioning an old engine is to fit the thickest shells to compensate for wear, these are usually coded black.

For a more accurate check, use Plastigauge. You should be getting a reading of 0.041 to 0.071 if the bearing clearance is still within factory tolerances."




When I rebuilt my engine, I first selected the shells based on the numbers on the crank and cases. I bolted it all up with Plastigage and then stripped it all down. All lovely and evenly squashed Plastigage and all out of spec at 0.060mm

I then bolted it all up again using all the thickest ones, the Blues. After measuring again with Plastigage, the middle 3 had all dropped in to a lovely 0.045mm and the outer two almost in spec at 0.050mm.

This was with a crank with 36K on it !

If this is the case why would they even bother to make sets with so many sizes. Would have been a lot cheaper to just make them all one size .. black. Unless they think that one might spin a bearing when the bike is brand new and therefore need one of the other colors?
Just makes no sense, but then again that seems to be the case with a lot of things in life ...
Rob

[Shappers]

Yup, I agree. It does seem strange that the only shells offered where those necessary to rebuild an engine using new parts.

They really should have offered thicker shells which could be used further down the road when the engines have a few miles on them.

Even using the thickest shells, mine only just managed to drop into specification on a couple..

The main bearing clearance has a direct effect on the oil pressure in the engine which is why I went to the trouble to bolt it up a few times with plastigage in. I'm trying to squeeze another 25 years out of my engine