CB350 main bearing locating pegs

ducatiboy

Been Around the Block
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OK so I'm putting my CB350 crank back into the upper case and there seems to be a problem.

I have pulled apart my engine, rebored the barrels and pistons, recut valve seats and refaced valves. I split the cases mainly to satisfy my curiosity about what goes on down there in the cases but also to instal a new cam chain.

I am now rebuilding the engine and I find that I have 3 locating pegs to locate the main bearings in the correct position in the upper case to allow the oilways to line up. The trouble is there are 4 main bearings not 3. Guess I may have lost one but the honda manual only describes 3 locating pegs: the middle two bearings and the bearing on the left side of the crank.

To confuse matters more, the bearing on the left side of the crank does NOT have corresponding recess in it's outer race to allow the locating peg to locate it (so it would be impossible to fit the crank in with the peg in position) nor does it have an oil way in it's outer race (there is an oil way in the journal of the case though it gets blanked off by the bearing). The bearing on the right side of the crank DOES have a recess for the locating peg but according to the manual does NOT have a locating peg! It doesn't have an oil way in it's outer race either but again there is one in the case that gets blanked off by the bearing.

Anybody have any idea what's going on here? Did Mr Honda change the two outer main bearings to not require oilways but left the peg recesses in the case? Would it matter if the locating pegs were not inserted as there are no oil ways that need lining up? The only potential problem I can see is possibly the outer race of the bearing turning in the case and damaging it but I doubt this could happen as the two halves of the cases clamp down firmly on the bearings. Anybody got any input?
 
Left one is ball bearing not roller? (can't be bothered to find 350 manual and it's several years since I did one)
It probably doesn't need locating pin as it's open to oil in generator cover
The center ones are critical as there isn't pressure feed to big end bearings
Oil 'leaks out' from mains and collects in groove around flywheel to centrifuge oil into big ends (actually works real well)
 
PJ Both the 'end' bearings are standard open roller bearings and therefore plenty of oil splash to keep them lubricated. The two middle bearings I think have needle rollers but I haven't dismantled the crank and I can't find an exploded diagram so can't be sure. They DO have the locating pins in the correct place and there is no problem with the two centre bearings.

I did have the good fortune to have a mate of mine come around for a few beers last night. He owns a BMW motorcycle shop and does plenty of work on engines. He had a look at the bearing/crank set up and suggested that it's not uncommon for factories with such huge model runs such as the cb350 to make small detail changes over time. The left bearing may have originally needed to be located with a peg but was changed to an open roller with no need for an oilway leaving the recess in the case as a left over artefact.

Anyway I'm just going to assemble the bike without locating pegs in the outer bearings.
 
The ball bearing outer allow case to expand at a different rate to the steel crank.
As I said, the center bearings 'feed' the big ends.
CB360 uses same method
 
unpinned left bearing is sometimes prone to spinning in the cases, apply an adhesive (search loctite).....good luck
 
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