pulling apart engine, have I missed something?

So I'm following my clymer manual and it says to remove some bolts (sort of marked with red lines below) and to use a rubber mallet to loosen the top half of the engine block.

So I've been hammering away at the bits marked with green (with wood inbetween) and I'm getting nowhere.

Regarding the lower middle two bolts in the pic, they're definately not studs yeh?
Removing the nut should suffice?

Am I just being too gentle?

 

Pulling the head apart from the lower jugs is not an easy task. I've done it on my 650 more than once and each time it seemed to get easier but yeah, you're going to have to use some force especially if its the first time taking it apart. One time my rubber mallet started to become brittle on me and chip away (cheapy HF brand) but don't beat on the fins too hard, they CAN break on you. I found that out too.

Looks like you got all 14 bolts removed; just keep at it. A solid 'tap' with a rubber mallet just about anywhere on the head should suffice as long as you aren't putting rage into it while hammering

**Edit: Just curious, is the timing chain slouched over the back of the engine head? I don't see it hanging anywhere...

 

I don't have my manuals in front of me; but aren't there a pair of studs "underneath" on the rear of the head as well?

 

Yup, my engine rebuild is currently in progess, there ARE bolts on the other side that connect the jugs and head.

 

Heya,

Cheers all,
Yep the carb side lower nuts are off as well
(the red lines are hidden behind the engine block .. yeh..)
So 12 acorn nuts on top, 4 nuts underneath, 16 nuts in total.

I have been about as brutal as I can be.. I'm going to look into a rubber sledgehammer.

**The white string holding the cam chain is masked by the white background.


Is it a problem that I've let the cam chain go slack?
Can I use a torch on the gap between the head and lower jugs?
If I wreck the engine, can I swap in one from another model bike?
Why did the dinosaurs die?
Can I get a mix tape of random encouragements from you guys?

 

I had a similar problem with an xj900 motor I was taking the head off . All bolts and nuts were removed , but after literally soaking the head in PB blaster (down the head stud channels and along the head/barrel joint ) ,judicious banging with a rubber mallet , wooden wedges between the reinforced parts of the fins , I could barely get 1mm separation at one end . Eventually I had the block strapped to a tree , passed strapping through the air channels in the head , attached that to a 1/2 tonne chain block and pulled . Even then it would not let go until I attacked it again with the rubber mallet. All in all , I spent off and on three weeks trying to get the head off . The cause of all this , a rusted in locating dowel . It would seem a bit extreme , but there was no other way to get it apart , and that was the fourth xj motor I,d pulled down , so I was aware of how they should come apart normally. Fortunately no damage to the motor , goes fine after top end rebuild (hope this is not your scenario ), cheers, Murray

 

Persistence will be more destructive than having a great deal of patience.

30 year old top end has probably never been divorced from it's bottom end.

Corrosion, carbon, elements, time. These things are working against you.

Spray the head bolts with PB Blaster, spray into the spark plug holes and around the head seam.

Vibration is your friend, not brute strength.

I would get a small metal mallat and replacing the head bolts finger tight, gently start taping on the rods creating vibrations through the head. Alternate using your rubber mallet from time to time to loosen the head from the jugs.

Again, be patient. Brute force will cause breakage.

Hope this helps

 

Heya,

Really appreciate the info,
Sadly, my clymer is vague to the point of useless.
Here is my answer:

Found this pic on Ebay. Some guy is selling the cylinder head, here it is upside down.
I'v marked the unnoticed nuts in red angry circles.

Yes my friends, I had not removed all the nuts and bolts.
There are 18 nuts to remove.
12 acorns on top, 2 underneath at the exhaust end and 4 at the intake end.

I hope this is useful to someone later on.

Cheers again for all the replies.