I posted this in All Motor also but did not think the turbo guys would go into that forum to see it. I get so many questions on this, that if we get a FAQs page going, we can start it with this information

Here is a chart of Honda B series bearing thickness by color. To calculate actual bearing clearance, use the following formula:

BC = IDBT – ODC – (2 x BT)

BC = bearing clearance
IDBT = inside diameter of bearing tunnel (housing bore)
ODC = outside diameter of crank journal
BT = bearing thickness

<U>Main Bearing thickness by color</U>
Blue 2.013-2.010 mm 0.0793”- 0.0791”
Black 2.010-2.007 mm 0.0791”- 0.0790”
Brown 2.007-2.004 mm 0.0790”- 0.0789”
Green 2.004-2.001 mm 0.0789”- 0.0788”
Yellow 2.001-1.998 mm 0.0788”- 0.0787”
Pink 1.998-1.995 mm 0.0787”- 0.0785”
Red 1.995-1.992 mm 0.0785”- 0.0783”

<U>Rod bearing thickness by color</U>
Blue 1.510-1.507 mm 0.0594”- 0.0593”
Black 1.507-1.504 mm 0.0593”- 0.0592”
Brown 1.504-1.501 mm 0.0592”- 0.0591”
Green 1.501-1.498 mm 0.0591”- 0.0590”
Yellow 1.498-1.495 mm 0.0590”- 0.0589”
Pink 1.495-1.492 mm 0.0589”- 0.0587”
Red 1.492-1.489 mm 0.0587”- 0.0586”

Although most people do not have inside micrometers, bearing micrometers or snap gauges, you can still use this chart when using plastigage to check bearing clearance. If you want to increase or decrease a bearing clearance, you can calculate how much of a color change is necessary by looking at the changes on the chart. Remember you can mix colors for even a more fine-tuning but it would not be wise to jump more than one color. In other words, do not mix a brown and yellow bearing together to equal a green clearance value. Just use the greens together. It is ok to mix a green with a yellow or a green with a brown. When doing your rebuild and replacing bearings with like colors, you still must check your results with plastigage to be sure. Don’t assume anything. Also remember, when swapping to aftermarket rods, throw the color codes away as they will not work anymore. You need to start from scratch to obtain your desired clearance. On the other hand, you really cannot measure accurately to the nearest .0001” without machinist quality tools, so don’t get carried away on that last one ten thousandth of an inch variance.

 

 

save to notepad, thanks Earl!

 

Nice, Earl!

 

Good Stuff!!

 

Thanks Earl, I lost a similar chart when my work PC got stolen. I have been looking for the replacement info ever since.

 

so what do you guys use earl??? we use cleavite on all our motors.

 

Very good info earl.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Gravy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">so what do you guys use earl??? we use cleavite on all our motors. </TD></TR></TABLE>I use ACL's but the Clevite77 is a good tri-metal bearing also. BTW ACL and Clevite77 B series main bearings are both on national back order.

 

thanks earl

 

very very nice.

 

Very nice post Earl

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by earl &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote"> BTW ACL and Clevite77 B series main bearings are both on national back order.</TD></TR></TABLE>

No shocker there . . . seems like a lot of the popular OEM bearings are always on back order (greens and browns)

 

Thanks youngster!!

 

Along the same note of replacing bearings... if a previous owner of an engine has had the bearings in the rods and the crank bearings replaced, and you don't know if the rods have been replaced in their original order. What codes or makings do you look for on the rods and the crank to match tolerances back to ther origainal order? Are the bores in honda D or B stock rods each different along with the lathing on the crank? Is there a constant somewhere? I"d like to save this block I"ve recently accuired.

great thread thou...much needed

 

Just use ACL bearings, check with plastigage and don't worry be

 

earl, thanks for sharing the info!!!
any chance you have something similar for us SOHCers?

thank you

d.

 

yes more info on sohcs would be great....anyone know the answers to my few questions above?

 

 

 

 

Great thread !

 

Dang this thread was created the day I first started my newly built engine--the same engine/build I am running today.

 

thanks for the info!! im going to need it for sure

 

HOW IS COLOR / SIZE OF MAIN BEARINGS DETERMINED?? IM LOOKING TO REPLACE THE MAIN BEARINGS ON MY 2000 EM1 WITH OEM PARTS HAS ABOUT 140,000 MILES AND IT HAS ORIGINAL B16A2. ANY HELP WILL BE GREATLY APPRECIATED