My crankshaft can't rotate....what to do?

I've bought an old Yamaha XS11 (from 1979) and want to change the gaskets because it's sweating some oil around the cylinders/motorblok.
To your information I havn't seen the bike driving, only heard the motor running (bike started).
Engine is still on bike and the gear is in neutral position.
To give it a overall service-checkup and changing the gaskets, I've removed the seat, fuel tank, sparkplugs and drained the bike for oil.
Then I've removed the ignition ballast resistor, the cylinder head cover (...or cam shaft cover, not sure if that's the same?) and the timing plate cover.

Then the manual instructs me to rotate the timing plate, clockwise to the "T" mark.
I've tried, but I can only rotate the crankshaft (a little bit) to the "F-mark" on the timing plate... Then it stops.
What to do then?
Will it be OK to try to rotate the crankshaft counter clockwise to check mobility?
Any help or good advice to a newbie, is apreciated!

 

put the oil back in also you may want to post in the proper forum this forum is for instruction threads on how to do something.
you want the xj technical chat
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/forums/xj-technical-chat.4/

or other motorcycles forum under general forums
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/forums/other-motorcycles.5/

 

Have you put any oil etc in the cylinder
If you heard it run there should be no reason it won't turn all the way but don't forget the xs1100 motor rotates backwards to most bikes

 

Have you removed the spark plugs? With the spark plugs in place it can be difficult to overcome engine compression by hand. Remove the plugs and try again.

 

Tried without sparkplugs, didn't help.

 

No oil in the cylinder. I've drained the engine for oil. Is that a mistake?

Rotates backwards...??? Can't I trust the arrow on the timing plate?

 

You want ther to be oil in the engine when it's being rotated, but you wont' do any harm so long as you don't start the engine ithout any oil in in.

You can trust the arrow on the timing plate. It notes the direction of engine rotation.

 

How long before you got the bike did you hear it running? And is it possible something fell in the spark plug hole when you had plugs out?
Next step pull the valve cover and see if any cam lobes are not touching the shim indicating a valve stuck open.

 

Okay, I'll try. But just affraid of not having the cams, pistons and cramshafts in the right possition (TDC) before removing/lifting of the cramshaft.
Had the bike started just before disassembly and No, no "dirt" in the empty spark plug holes.....I hope.

 

Hold on.....disassembly?
You've had the top end apart already?

 

Yes, cylinder head cover (...or cam shaft cover, not sure if that's the same?) is of.

 

Just the very top cover? That's the valve cover, I think. You should find a manual (at least download one) and also read "The Information Overload Hour ". This will help with terminology. It helps us diagnose easier if we're all speaking the same language.

 

Yes, you're right. Thanks! I'm struggling with the English names on mc-parts...sorry, my mistake!
Correct name (taken from the manual) is "cam cover"! ;-)
The very top cover....is of.

 

Cam cover ... I guess i should re read my manual and Information Overload Hour! Hehe