Tips, tricks & hints

rficken42

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Hey guys. I'm trying to remove the engine out of my '81 to do a head gasket and to clean the carbs. I'd like to know some tricks to getting the engine out and back in easily. Thanks guys.
 
Check out the homemade tools thread in the XS650 TECH section. It has several tools to make the job easier.
Leo
 
Some guys lay it on its side and unbolt I just take carbs off grab the kick starter with one hand and the other hand in the intake tip forward and lift it out make sure you have your man pants on while doing so
 
Engine weighs 165 pounds. Having the bike up at waist height and somewhere to set the engine after it comes out really help if you are a "one man band". Drain the oil before you remove the engine. Yes these lessons were learned the hard way, sigh.
 
I really thought the hoist made it a lot easier. Also having everything unbolted and unhooked before you get started is a must (grin to gggGary, yes, I too learned this the hard way).

full
 
Given how easy it is to get out by laying it on its side I don't see a good reason to lift it with your back. I have an old rug I lay out first then its simple to get it in and out without having to jiggle it whilst your back has the weight.
 
Some guys lay it on its side and unbolt I just take carbs off grab the kick starter with one hand and the other hand in the intake tip forward and lift it out make sure you have your man pants on while doing so

This is exactly what I did too. Wasn't that heavy, until I had to lift it up above waist height to get it on my work bench, then I felt the pain a little haha.
 
The first time I pulled it I went through all this too but like a few others have said, in the end it's not as heavy as I thought it would be. If you can recruit a second pair of hands for a minute then you shouldn't need any fancy tricks, just grab on and lift it out.
 
take everything off that you can-carbs, left side clutch cover, any thing you can take off now will make it easier on the back.
The tricky part is getting it back in a freshly painted frame.
 
Lifting these engines by yourself, is a good way to get a permanent back injury. The preferred way is to use some type of mechanical lifting aid such a a hoist/chain falls etc. Without a hoist, use 2 people and a couple of pipes/nylon slings.

I don't see any advantage to laying a bike on its side on the floor. Once the frame is lifted, you have a 165 lb engine laying on the floor. Now you have to lift 165 lbs from the floor up to bench level in order to do work. Is there some magical way to get the engine from the floor to the bench?

The smart way is to remove the engine and place it on the bench/engine stand, all in one continuous job.
 
I agree with RG if you are not used to lifting up to 200lbs do not try. The engine is only 165 but it is an ackward lift. I do lift my own but I lift VW aircooled engines also. Use a lift!
 
Angus hit the nail dead square on the head, getting it back into a freshly painted frame is the hardest part.
I drain the oil the night before and leave it to drain overnight, nothing worse than oil running out of it when you're struggling to lift it out, then take everything off that can be removed in the bike, have it sitting on the central mounting bolt under the engine, then get a friend to help me lift it out the left side of the frame. Comes out pretty easy really.
 
Lifting these engines by yourself, is a good way to get a permanent back injury. The preferred way is to use some type of mechanical lifting aid such a a hoist/chain falls etc. Without a hoist, use 2 people and a couple of pipes/nylon slings.

I don't see any advantage to laying a bike on its side on the floor. Once the frame is lifted, you have a 165 lb engine laying on the floor. Now you have to lift 165 lbs from the floor up to bench level in order to do work. Is there some magical way to get the engine from the floor to the bench?

The smart way is to remove the engine and place it on the bench/engine stand, all in one continuous job.

I found it a lot easier with 2 or 1 person lifting to have it out of the frame first so you can squat and lift it with your legs and not your back as you haunch over the frame and try to clear the bolts out then wriggle out the side of the frame. YMMV.
 
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