engine removal

[londoncabby]

Hi all,
I attempted to remove my engine today to start my street tracker build,all the bolts came out easy apart from the one at the front of the engine where the mount plates are,its the one that goes through the engine this thing is stuck solid,does anyone know if the engine will come out with the plates still attached to the engine? Not the best start to a project!!

 

[yellowdog]

Never done it but it should be possible,as you lift the engine up tilt it back a bit and there should be enough room,you might scratch the down tubes a bit but if you are rebuilding that probably won't matter ,good luck.

 

[londoncabby]

Thanks yellowdog I didn't want to struggle trying if it's not possible, I was on my own today so if I can get a spare pair of hands to help me I will try again at the weekend as I couldn't hold the frame still and jiggle the engine at the same time! otherwise I will just have to get a bigger hammer!!

 

[Old Okie]

You may lay the bike on it's side, wiggle the engine loose and lift the frame off the engine.
I have done this on smaller bikes and it should work on your bike. Put some padding on the
floor so you do not scrape the engine covers. Let us know how this works, I need to
remove the engine from my '81 XS650.

 

[gggGary]

If you are still near it does the bolt turn when you move the mount up and down? Either way douse it with your favorite rust buster tap wiggle cajole and hit it with rust buster again. There have been a few that really had a struggle getting that bolt out. I think one even ended up drilling it out, not an easy task with all that soft aluminum around it.

As always before banging on the threaded end, run a nut or two on the threads till flush with the bolt end. Use a nice big drift preferably a chunk of aluminum, do not hammer directly on the end of the bolt. One guy smacking the drift, the other applying torque back and forth on the bolt head may help a bunch. If it moves even a little, stop hit it with lube drive it back in, repeat till it comes all the way out.

 

[5twins]

A little heat probably wouldn't hurt as well. I don't use an open flame much anymore but rather just a heat gun. It will get things as hot as they need to be for something like this.

 

[londoncabby]

Hi old Olkie I did have it on its side but because the mount plates were still attached to the engine there wasn't much room for jiggling ,it was so annoying as I almost had it out but it just became wedged,hello Gary the nut came off but the bolt is stuck solid I will keep soaking it with penetrating oil and try again at the weekend.

 

[londoncabby]

A little heat probably wouldn't hurt as well. I don't use an open flame much anymore but rather just a heat gun. It will get things as hot as they need to be for something like this.

Yes i think heat will help but haven't got access to open flame,what sort of heat gun do you use?

 

[gggGary]

My cheapie Harbor Freight gun has worked well for years. It could use a cord that's not so stiff in cold weather. Like a big hair dryer. In spite of what your girlfriend says; size matters, controlled blows with a BIG hammer work much better than fast smacks with a smaller hammer.

 

[CDNTX650]

Yup. Heat gun some penetrating oil and a sledge. Removed many a stuck swing arm pivot and motor mount bolt that way.

 

[I am Carbon]

With the supercoupon this month that heat gun is $9 at HF that's 70% off
http://click.harborfreightemail.com...dcee753e93bc658e12e8e887e675f7638155091df642e

 

[londoncabby]

well the engines out!! I bought a heat gun a bigger hammer and plenty of wd40 and spent most of the day smashing seven bells out of this thing, eventually it started moving so I just kept spraying heating and knocking it backwards and forwards until it came right out,now to set about it with the grinder!

 

[Old Okie]

Glad to hear you got that bolt out. Now I know what I can look forward to, hard labor.
WD40 is not your best penetrant, Liquid Wrench, Deep Creep and brake fluid work much better. But I use what ever I have handy at the time, like most of us, do what you gotta do to get the job done. I am a month or so from getting to work on my XS650, more about that later. My Honda Turbo has a coolant leak and a bad starter, that is the next job.
I am looking for someone in my area who has some experience with these XS650s, I just need some opinions and maybe listen to my bike and tell me how it sounds.