Engine removal.

[toglhot]

Just working out how much steel I'll need to make an engine removal winch/tool. I've made the top section of the removal tool which lifts and tilts the engine. I still have to fabricate some engine mounts to weld to the rotating spigot.
A quick look tells me the engine has to be lifted up an inch or so for the bottom mount to clear the frame, then the engine tilted forward a few degrees, and the engine moved forward in the frame a few mm for the rocker box to clear the upper frame tube. It also looks like the sump filter housing needs to be removed to clear the lower frame tube, then the engine removal tool can be wheeled away from the frame - correct.
Can the engine be removed without scratching the frame. New paint, so don't want to scratch it.

Another question. What the hell am I going to do with the removal winch/tool when I've finished.

I think the Japs should have consulted the Brits on frame design so all this 'crap' could be avoided.

Another alternative is my engine crane. Is it possible to lift the engine out using one of these things without scratching the frame. I'm guessing the rear rocker mount would be roughly at the point where the engine tilts forward slightly.

 

[Signal]

Maybe lay bike on its side on an old mattress. Use engine to lift bike off motor. This can be done with a bare frame I have done an install this way to avoid scratching new frame paint. This will be more difficult with wheels ,forks etc but might be easier to avoid damage to frame paint.

 

[toglhot]

Nope, I'd never be able to lift the engine out.

 

[Signal]

Wrong direction, motor stays on mattress bike lifts up.

 

[toglhot]

Not going to happen, can neither lift engine or frame. Doesn't matter anyway, crank sprockets are not available, so I'll probably strip,the bike and sell whatever parts I can and dump the rest. No market for XS650s here.

 

[BowlingSS]

Not going to happen, can neither lift engine or frame. Doesn't matter anyway, crank sprockets are not available, so I'll probably strip,the bike and sell whatever parts I can and dump the rest. No market for XS650s here.

What year do you have?

 

[gggGary]

I use a strap looped around the head below the exhaust studs going up to the shop crane at middle back. Thats about the fore aft balance point anyways. The sump DOES NOT need to come off. Then again I'm just not the super careful guy re; frame paint n such.
Actually I use a Hoyer patient lift.

On this old beater a chain was fine. but you get the idear.

 

[DogBunny]

No market for XS650s here.

Talk to 650Skull about that. The XS650 is very popular in Australia. I ship XS650 parts to Australia, all the time, especially the early years, 1970-1973. Aussies readily pay high shipping prices from the U.S. for their XS650 parts.

 

[Wingedwheel]

If I remember right that’s a TX so the first year frame change. I just used an engine hoist like Gary described but with straps. I got the engine in a ‘72 frame which is tighter than yours and didn’t scratch my paint. I also had the frame on my jack so slight adjustments to frame height helped as well.

 

[5twins]

I wrap the frame with rubber strips from old cut up inner tubes to keep from scratching it. My original removal/install "tool" was just a couple of "handles" that connected to the engine. With a helper, we could lift the engine like a stretcher and wiggle it in and out of the frame. This worked well but you need two people .....

Eventually, I built myself a one-man removal/install "cart". It's based on an old shopping cart I pulled from a ditch on the side of the road out in the country, one of these smaller types .....

It's all man-powered, no hydraulics, just using simple leverage to lift the motor. The lift handles I previously made slip on the lift bars and act as extensions to give the needed leverage .....

Both ends of the pivot bar can be adjusted up/down to get the perfect height .....

Simple hooks made from 1/4" bar stock hook under the cart handle to hold the motor lifted as you roll the cart in .....

It works quite well ......

Top

 

[Slippery]

Not going to happen, can neither lift engine or frame. Doesn't matter anyway, crank sprockets are not available, so I'll probably strip,the bike and sell whatever parts I can and dump the rest. No market for XS650s here.

Get another crank from GeoffsXS

 

[toglhot]

Replace a used crank with another used crank and hope it doesn't have the same problem. Nope, I don't think so.

 

[gggGary]

Never seen a worn out crankshaft cam chain sprocket and I've seen a few....

 

[Jim]

Never seen a worn out crankshaft cam chain sprocket and I've seen a few....

Same here... never seen one.... and I been into one or two of 'em.

 

[toglhot]

Talk to 650Skull about that. The XS650 is very popular in Australia. I ship XS650 parts to Australia, all the time, especially the early years, 1970-1973. Aussies readily pay high shipping prices from the U.S. for their XS650 parts.

I have a heap,of parts from the bike I've replaced with custom parts: Alternator, regulator, rectifier, carbs, battery carrier, side panels, tail light, manifolds, aircleaner, seat lock, indicators, brake backing plate, right side engine cover, harnesses, plus a heap more. I started advertising them three years ago, all I managed to get rid of were the carbs, side panels, alloys and seat lock. Advertised on Gumtree, Marketplace and a few of the XS650 forums at prices that mirror the going rate on ebay, didn't sell a thing. Dropped prices down to giveaway sums and all I've managed to off load are the wheels, carbs, side panels and seat lock.
XS650 parts are not easy to sell. I'll be dumping them shortly, no point hanging on to them if I can't even give them away.

 

[toglhot]

Never seen a worn out crankshaft cam chain sprocket and I've seen a few....

Seems odd to me to, but there must be a reason for the chain to have jumped a few teeth. Chain is tensioned correctly, new guides, new chain.
Perhaps because the cam chain was so stretched the PO extended the slots on the points backing plate another 5-6mm so he could time it. That's a pretty stretched cam chain. The drive chain was also stretched beyond acceptable , and it made a mess of both drive cogs.
If it jumped once, no reason to believe it won't jump twice.
My fault, I should have overhauled the crank when I had it out

 

[toglhot]

I wrap the frame with rubber strips from old cut up inner tubes to keep from scratching it. My original removal/install "tool" was just a couple of "handles" that connected to the engine. With a helper, we could lift the engine like a stretcher and wiggle it in and out of the frame. This worked well but you need two people .....

View attachment 252026

View attachment 252027

Eventually, I built myself a one-man removal/install "cart". It's based on an old shopping cart I pulled from a ditch on the side of the road out in the country, one of these smaller types .....

View attachment 252028

It's all man-powered, no hydraulics, just using simple leverage to lift the motor. The lift handles I previously made slip on the lift bars and act as extensions to give the needed leverage .....

View attachment 252029

Both ends of the pivot bar can be adjusted up/down to get the perfect height .....

View attachment 252030

View attachment 252031

Simple hooks made from 1/4" bar stock hook under the cart handle to hold the motor lifted as you roll the cart in .....

View attachment 252032

View attachment 252033

It works quite well ......

View attachment 252036

View attachment 252037
Top

Thanks, some good, simple ideas there 5twins. I made a lifting, tilting thingamajig, from a truck brake worm gear and was going to build a rolling cart to weld it to, but I might try adapting it to my engine crane or the wheeled bike stand I made.

 

[gggGary]

You'll be able to see it when you open the sump.

 

[toglhot]

You'll be able to see it when you open the sump.

See what, the crank sprocket?
Thanks to 5twins, I now know it hasn't jumped a few teeth. So, the problem lies elsewhere I think.
Rather strange the way it started and went so well when Stuart and Adam rode it, but next day it wouldn't start at all, very odd.
I'll blow some air in through the plug hole, as you suggested, if that passes, it looks like the engine will be coming out. But that's alright, I've been thinking of buying another engine, any engine, to play with. I must be odd, I really like playing with engines for some reason. And making stuff on the lathe of course.

 

[toglhot]

Hmm, leaking inlet valve on the left, never checked the exhaust. Engine out!