M42club.com - Home of the BMW E30/E36 318i/iS

DISCUSSION => Engine + Driveline => Topic started by: sailer6460 on May 30, 2011, 09:37:08 AM

Title: Engine Bearing color codes??
Post by: sailer6460 on May 30, 2011, 09:37:08 AM

Can anybody tell me what the difference is in the color codes i.e. red and blue for the rod bearings and yellow, white, and green for main bearings are?? On realoem.com it's showing different colors for mains and rods for std. sizes etc. I understand there is a difference between early and late models but this isn't listed for a build date of 8/1990.

Title: Engine Bearing color codes??
Post by: DesktopDave on May 30, 2011, 10:46:48 AM

I'm not suprised that BMW swapped them from year to year, mike them out to determine which size you'll need.  Your crank should be marked to show what was originally installed but the paint has likely worn off.

I'd figure that the bearings are specific to each crank journal, not a particular model year.

I'm pretty sure green is the stock size for the mains, yellow thinner, white thicker.  Not sure about the rods.

http://tis.spaghetticoder.org/s/view.pl?2/27/72

Title: Engine Bearing color codes??
Post by: bmwman91 on May 30, 2011, 11:30:00 AM

Great link! I have always been curious about this stuff myself.

Title: Engine Bearing color codes??
Post by: sailer6460 on May 31, 2011, 10:29:55 AM

Cool link! Thanks for the info.