Engine removal?

1981 750RH, removing the engine. Manual has nothing specific on this, but describes a lot of steps which (I assume) should be done first. Here's what I was thinking, please tell me if I'm missing something, or can skip something.

- Free up all the wiring (done)
- Remove exhaust (done)
- Remove carbs and airbox (looks simple enough)
- Support engine & frame
- Remove rear wheel & swingarm (? this is where it gets sketchy- not sure if you can safely pull engine without this or not, due to how final drive connects)
- Remove engine mount bolts (2 large in rear, 4 medium in front) so engine is resting on stand
- God-DAMN that thing is heavy! (Make sure its strapped to something tip proof with wheels)
- re-mount swingarm and rear wheel, roll spindly light frame away for welding & painting

 

after you have disconnected and removed everything, get the engine out the easy way by carefully laying the frame/engine on it's side and lifting the FRAME off of the engine. Now that the frame is out of the way, tip the engine back upright, and you're good to go.
FWIW, it does sound....and feel......like a lot of work, but after you've pulled a couple or three, you start to realize that there is NOT a lot of work and it becomes pretty routine. You also start to gain a real appreciation for the genius engineering of the xj designers.

Dave F

 

LOL - thanks for the tip, that laydown sounds the trick! Had the bike on its side last weekend to clean the underbody, amazed I didn't think of that!

I'm not all that intimidated by the work. I've already taken out (and replaced) most of the required bolts, one at a time, for other reasons. My big head scratch was if the swingarm had to come off, and if it does, then it does (and as you say, is designed to do so pretty easily). I need to do that anyhow for the 25K checkup, and it will make for much easier painting. Hell, with the engine out, I may not bother re-mounting the swingarm, and just pull the fork. Moving the frame on its own is probably as easy as the roller.

A big benefit on the bike I'm wrenching is the bolts have (so far) been entirely corrosion free and generally at quite moderate torque. Fingers crossed, knock on wood!

 

i hear you want to remove the oil filter in the front

 

When they built the bike at the factory, they didn't lay a frame on a sideways motor.

Most likely, they put the motor in from the right side, on a hydraulic arm.

I made a bracket that swings the motor in almost effortlessly, you still have to pad the frame.

You could do similar with rachet straps and an overhead support.

 

Ah, good tip. I missed that pokey lump.

 

you can take out the clutch, alternator, starter to make it lighter, use the trans gears to hold the clutch nut from spinning. the shifter cover off gives another hand hold. i moved the swingarm back a half inch last time and it seemed much easier, especially putting it back in. never tried the tip-over, not enough room

 

I posted this a while ago in another thread:









There is room for evolution.

 

darkfibre dont mean to hijack but how does the bracket bolt on to the engine?

 

Also wondering the same thing. Kinda looks to me like it doesn't, and just hooks in and rests the weight on the cooling fins... yikes? On the other hand, from what I've seen of assembly lines, jigs much like that are exactly what they use, with safety pins holding the parts from falling off. The 215mm hole spacing seems pretty precise, so I'm guessing it lines up with SOMETHING...

I'm also guessing the 280mm vertical measure is just a minimum?

Don't have an engine hoist, so not really an option anyhow, but I may be able to get my hands on one for the re-install.

 

What Darkfibre has done is to use the studs on the head that hold the head to the cylinders; 2 for a non-YICS bike, 4 for a Yics bike. He just put the bracket on those studs which is why they are precisely measured.

 

Hey DF, I suggest you add some tabs that allow you to use the intake bolts to make it even more secure; it seems there is an awful lot of weight for just 2 tabs. Or at least have a cargo strap attached as a back up in case of a failed weld.

 

Carbs came out just as it says in book. Prying the rubber tubes from the airbox was a bitch, since I'm working outside in near freezing temps, but I got there.

However, the $#& swingarm is just NOT coming off. The allen bolt on the left sire that runs into the center of the swingarm rto set tension is really farking tight, and there's only so much force I can (or want to risk) apply on a 6mm allen. WTF???

 

Hi sebwiers, you don't have to remove the swing arm. But if you really want to here are some pointers: if you have already removed the locking device, and the lock nut is loose, then you have crud on the threads which is making the pin hard to turn, so get some kind of penetrating fluid and soak the threads, then give it a try. They have normal threads as opposed to left handed threads; righty tighty- lefty loosey! If you still have trouble, get an Allen socket and put it on a breaker bar. Good luck!

 

Locking device? Do you mean the folded tab on the left side? Yeah, that's free.
I kinda do want it gone, since I'll be doing a lot of welding and painting on the frame. However, just removing the big heavy final drive would be an acceptable alternative - is that possible without removing the swingarm?

Socket was in fact going to be my next move. Penetrating lube was first thing I tried, I use it on pretty much everything by default if it doesn't turn out with minimal force because hey, 30 year old bike...

 

Hooks onto the M8 studs holding the head to the barrels.

Seemed to be more than strong enough when I rolled the engine along uneven ground.

If you consider the suggested design not secure, please do not make one.

 

Looks good to me; without having my carbs off, I never noticed the studs.

 

Great idea, thanks!

More, it is the nicest 3D annotation I've seen!

 

The final drive is attached to the swing arm with just 4 nuts and the shock. Sometimes the driveshaft will come away with the final drive, but that's no problem. If you have a propane torch you may free it by heating the area around the pin while you are trying to loosen it.

 

Huh, mine would NOT pull free. Then again, its cold as %$^# in my garage...