Engine: How to determine Bearing size (Main & Rod)
I am writing this because I had a hard time finding out how to read the stock bearings to figure out what replacements to order from Honda for a D16z6 motor... Maybe this will save somebody some time...
First, Why would you want to do this?
OEM honda bearings are not all the same size, even in the exact same applications.
Honda uses slightly different sized bearings, coded by a number and a color.
Second, why not just buy ACL bearings and call it a day? ACL bearings are good quality, and proven in high HP motors, but they do not come in the different tolerances that the OEM ones are available in.... more of a one size fits all. I went with OEM just for a piece of mind, and will be double checking the clearances with plastigauge of course.
First I want to show this chart I have found on Honda-Tech.com (a great resource for information on all Hondas)Click for full size:
each bearing is coded with a number, and a dab of paint. the paint is on the edge of the bearing, the number is stamped on the crank and rod.
Here is how to read the crank bearings: (click to see ful size image)
(I put the red type over the stampings on the crank, they didnt show up well in the pics)
This pic shows where you will get the numbers from for the crank bearings. Also it is important that you NOT mix up the order of your bearings when you take the bottom end of your motor apart! Write it down and label them with a marker- if you get them mixed up, you made a ton more work for yourself.
so from the pic, you can see that bearings from left to right read 3, 2, 3, 3, 2. the "6" that is stamped in the cast area does not matter, only the smaller stamed #'s in the flat parts of the crank matter.
Now after you write those down in order, look at the other half of the bearings for the color.
(click to see ful size image)
the dab of paint can be hard to see (not visible in pic), it is on the thin edge in the center of the half circle. Also be sure you have your bearings in the right order here, not 180° backwards,
(brown looked more like orange, green was easy to see)
So I need one "Brown 3" bearing two "Brown 2" bearings and two "Green 3" bearings. Go to the parts counter at the dealer and that is what you tell them.
Looking back at the chart, you can see that these are close in size. if one of them was a "Pink 1" I might double check my readings since that is so far from the rest of the bearings.
Rod time: (click to see ful size image)
on the left is the OEM D16z6 rod. Right is Eagle aftermarket rods.
All the OEM roda have a number of 1-4 stamped on them. The number is on one of the edges where the cap meets the rod. All the stock rods had the "2" stamped on them. That is your number for the rod bearing. For finding the color, use the same method as before and look for the dab of paint on the edges of the bearings. Mine were all green.
So if I was going to use these rods again, I would go to the dealer and order a set of four "Green 2" rod bearings.
Since I am using aftermarket rods instead, I need to get the correct size for those.
I did some searching on here and found that the Eagle rods are the equivelant of #3 oem rods for D-series. (they also said B-series are equivelant to #2)
So I would buy four "Green 3" rod bearings.
And that's how to figure out what size OEM bearings to use when re-building your D-series
And double check ALL clearances with plastigauge!
let me know if I forgot anything so I can keep this how-to accurate
UPDATE: So I went to the dealership to order the bearings.... All the Green main bearings were on severe back order, the Browns were discontinued!
Looks like ACL bearings for this D16z6!
I should clarify, The reason I wanted OEM was because I don't have the tools to measure the crank to determine which ACL's to order. After Honda told me there was no way to get the OEM's, I dropped the stripped bottom end off at an engine shop because I didn't have the time or tools to do it myself. ACL's are proven bearings. If I was doing it myself with plastigage, I would have liked to had OEM so I could have a piece of mind that my new bearings were as close to the correct size as possible.
The difference between ACL and OEM is OEM measures them in a single number + a color (easy for people like me who couldn't measure to .0001 of an inch). ACL's must be measured in .0001 of an inch with very precise (and expensive) tools.
First, Why would you want to do this?
OEM honda bearings are not all the same size, even in the exact same applications.
Honda uses slightly different sized bearings, coded by a number and a color.
Second, why not just buy ACL bearings and call it a day? ACL bearings are good quality, and proven in high HP motors, but they do not come in the different tolerances that the OEM ones are available in.... more of a one size fits all. I went with OEM just for a piece of mind, and will be double checking the clearances with plastigauge of course.
First I want to show this chart I have found on Honda-Tech.com (a great resource for information on all Hondas)Click for full size:
each bearing is coded with a number, and a dab of paint. the paint is on the edge of the bearing, the number is stamped on the crank and rod.
Here is how to read the crank bearings: (click to see ful size image)
(I put the red type over the stampings on the crank, they didnt show up well in the pics)
This pic shows where you will get the numbers from for the crank bearings. Also it is important that you NOT mix up the order of your bearings when you take the bottom end of your motor apart! Write it down and label them with a marker- if you get them mixed up, you made a ton more work for yourself.
so from the pic, you can see that bearings from left to right read 3, 2, 3, 3, 2. the "6" that is stamped in the cast area does not matter, only the smaller stamed #'s in the flat parts of the crank matter.
Now after you write those down in order, look at the other half of the bearings for the color.
(click to see ful size image)
the dab of paint can be hard to see (not visible in pic), it is on the thin edge in the center of the half circle. Also be sure you have your bearings in the right order here, not 180° backwards,
(brown looked more like orange, green was easy to see)
So I need one "Brown 3" bearing two "Brown 2" bearings and two "Green 3" bearings. Go to the parts counter at the dealer and that is what you tell them.
Looking back at the chart, you can see that these are close in size. if one of them was a "Pink 1" I might double check my readings since that is so far from the rest of the bearings.
Rod time: (click to see ful size image)
on the left is the OEM D16z6 rod. Right is Eagle aftermarket rods.
All the OEM roda have a number of 1-4 stamped on them. The number is on one of the edges where the cap meets the rod. All the stock rods had the "2" stamped on them. That is your number for the rod bearing. For finding the color, use the same method as before and look for the dab of paint on the edges of the bearings. Mine were all green.
So if I was going to use these rods again, I would go to the dealer and order a set of four "Green 2" rod bearings.
Since I am using aftermarket rods instead, I need to get the correct size for those.
I did some searching on here and found that the Eagle rods are the equivelant of #3 oem rods for D-series. (they also said B-series are equivelant to #2)
So I would buy four "Green 3" rod bearings.
And that's how to figure out what size OEM bearings to use when re-building your D-series
And double check ALL clearances with plastigauge!
let me know if I forgot anything so I can keep this how-to accurate
UPDATE: So I went to the dealership to order the bearings.... All the Green main bearings were on severe back order, the Browns were discontinued!
Looks like ACL bearings for this D16z6!
I should clarify, The reason I wanted OEM was because I don't have the tools to measure the crank to determine which ACL's to order. After Honda told me there was no way to get the OEM's, I dropped the stripped bottom end off at an engine shop because I didn't have the time or tools to do it myself. ACL's are proven bearings. If I was doing it myself with plastigage, I would have liked to had OEM so I could have a piece of mind that my new bearings were as close to the correct size as possible.
The difference between ACL and OEM is OEM measures them in a single number + a color (easy for people like me who couldn't measure to .0001 of an inch). ACL's must be measured in .0001 of an inch with very precise (and expensive) tools.
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