Engine Removal....Worth it? Necessary?

Just throwing this out there to get the experienced XJer's opinions. Getting a whole engine gasket kit from chacal...Doing a valve check and replacing the valve cover gasket and donuts/head gasket/removing head to have exhaust studs drilled and retapped. An oil lead has been pretty rampant the past year, keeping my kick stand safety switch coated and dripping at least a quarter size every time its parked warm for a while. With that said I'm targeting the sump gasket.

So my question lies in wether or not it is worth it to remove the engine or not....I want to remove the air box too so it might just come out or if its a huge pain ill just bust it up and take it out in pieces.

 

Not sure what bike you have but i have a 85 maxim x 750 and if you want to pull the air box ... you HAVE to remove the engine. I just pulled my engine the other day to clean it up and fix 2nd gear, then gonna paint it. I have to find gaskets for the transmission, and clutch basket side, gearshift side and have to adjust the valves so probably gonna need a gasket for the valve cap as well. You say your getting gaskets from Chacal ... who is that ?

Zack
Good luck

 

Doing that level of maintainence is easier with the engine out, (you could have it soda blasted while it's out) you can only remove the airbox sensibly with the mill removed.
That leak on your kick stand could be the oil seal on the gear shaft.

 

Chacal has pretty much any part you need. Just go here--------------> http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewforum/f=23.html

 

if there's nothing wrong with your air box don't bust it up. they're hard to come by and someone could use it for sure.

 

its an 82 maxim 650, and yes i know their hard to come by so that was another benefit of pulling the engine was to be able to help someone else out...I'm going to a "single pod manifold" to free up some storage space and keep it as close to the stock volume as possible. and yeah chacal has all those gaskets...the whole engine gasket kit is the way to go if you need more than 2 or three specific ones.

 

I'm just curious as to how big of a mess the electrical is to deal with while pulling the motor really. Pulled and put in quite a few cars engines so i'm capable...just wondering if its a huge headache and how much time I should prepare to spend on it.

 

Also, since u brought it up...anyone know how much it would cost to get the assembly soda blasted??

 

You can leave the loom in place, just a few connectors to pull, mark where they came from & take lots of pictures.

 

I have pulled an airbox out of an '83 Maxim 650 WITHOUT removing the engine, it is possible and without destroying it to boot.
Your leak could also be the low oil sensor, mine was leaking when I bought my bike, just a thought
IMO leave your engine in if you can. I did my top end including piston rings with the engine out and it was a lot easier but it all comes down to pref.

I bought lots of parts, including an engine gasket kit, from either www.bikebandit.com or www.oldbikebarn.com (cant remember which) Both are good sites.

 

If your going to pull the engine. You need to see how Wizard did his. Laying the bike on its side is way easier then trying to muscle the mill out of the frame with the bike on the center stand. It would give you a good opportunity to clean things up frame wise and get your engine Looking good also.