Main bearing and primary guides advice

[Oddjob]

Save your money and just buy the shells based on the markings, if they weren't badly marked etc they'll just be worn so the surfaces they are sitting in will still be fine. Plus plastigauge only really works with new shells or you're just measuring the wear in the old shells and unless you know what colour that is you're wasting your time.

Unfortunately the mains are all blacks and they ain't easy to find, there is only one shell bigger and that's blue and given a choice always fit a larger shell not smaller, of course always fit the right one whenever you can but what with availability that's not always possible. The conrods if you were going to replace them are 2 sets of yellows and 2 sets of green, A2 is yellow, A3 is green.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Last time I looked  (last week) DS had black mains in stock.

[Oddjob]

He has 8 big end black shells Ted but no mains. None on the web either.

[Bryanj]

Try Yamiya in japan

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

He has 8 big end black shells Ted but no mains. None on the web either.

You are correct again Ken my Bad.

[Matt_Harrington]

Bill, I decided on a practical route regarding my main bearing shells. I used Plastigauge (a few times) to establish that the shells were within the service limits of the chart below (taken from the shop manual):

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I am getting close to the service limit BUT as the engine is not really going to be used that much, I decided to refit the shells. If I could have bought 'black' shells at a reasonable price, then I may have gone that route. (Webike - Japan did have them in stock a few weeks back...)

[Bryanj]

I remember a post where somebody found a place in japan that did shells but may have been for a 500, as usual cant find it now

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Was it Webike Japan Bryan?

https://japan.webike.net/moto_news/

[Matt_Harrington]

Probably Ted. I mentioned it in my last post. Not sure if they have Blacks in stock at the moment, however.

[Bryanj]

That link just takes me to a page i cant get away from but may well be the right firm

[Fleabie]

Thanks all!

So I it looks like I need some blacks (or even blue) shells for the mains.

Sorry, I should have put these pics up before: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1FGK0xmXN2eiM9KJ9NTA5tb3KN_PbPNkR?usp=sharing

As I hope you can see in the pictures, I think the conrod shells needs replacing as well, but these seem to be easily available. As for the black main shells, as you all said, rare as rocking horse sh... Had a good Google hunt. I did find this site for shells possibly.

https://en.impex-jp.com/catalogs/moto/honda-other/cb400/cb400f-a-usa-6898/crankshaft-467977.html

If I need black shells, am I right in thinking I need "Rrg.a crank shaft 13315-333-003" ? I am not holding my breath but I have sent an enquiry to check availability, quantities etc.  If it came to it, I would happily buy some extras and hold on to them for people seeking these in UK\Europe.

I did see this site that will make bespoke shells. https://vandervell.co.uk/custom-service/ Could be pricey though. Has anyone gone down this route with a similar company?

Any ideas for black main shells gratefully received :-)

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

13315-333-003 is the so called black mains shell part number I sold my last pair a couple of weeks or so ago to a member here.

[Oddjob]

I remember a post where somebody found a place in japan that did shells but may have been for a 500, as usual cant find it now

It was David in Cumbria Bryan and for the 550 I believe.

Yamiya have most of the conrod colours including red and yellow which are kinda rare. They only have brown and green mains though. At a real pinch you could fit browns, not ideal but better than refitting the old shells.

Just looked at the pics. The rod shells are toast, unfortunately the journals are also in poor condition. Maybe think about replacing the crank entirely, at least you may get away with needing black shells that way.

[Bryanj]

That impex site looks like the one i remember and yes the journals look scored from the one pic i got to open for me, sorry 2 i saw one shell which was bad.
Again dirty oil and lack of changes, maybe used crank and rods could be a better way to go

[Fleabie]

Thanks people, I would be completely in the dark without your help.

I thought that the photos may have been showing things worse than they actually are.  So I took the crank and rods to a local engineer. They said that the journals are fine to reuse as they are. They suggested a polish of the journals would be a good idea. They agree that the shells are all "past their best" :-)

Out of interest, how did people arrive at me having and needing black shells? I am guessing that its something todo with crank case, webs & rod marks but after that, I am in the dark!

I have sent a few messages out to people advertising the black main shells I would ideally refit, but with no joy. Oddjob suggested fitting blue mains but I can't find these anywhere either. I can currently get brown and greens mains. Are these shells an option with some engineering?