Any tips for engine removal?

[JL]

So, as per my other thread I need to drop the motor to open up my oil tank for inspection. I have one of those cheap hydraulic cruiser/mx type lifts which I will try to utilise. Aside from that anyone got any handy tips they could share?

[phuk72]

I find that by far the easiest way to drop the engine out is actually not to drop the engine but to lift everything off.

Get the bodywork off, exhaust, wheels, and forks removed. Remove carbs, coolant etc and then support and balance the engine. The you can unbolt and lift the frame off the engine.

Helps if you have 2 people but can be done alone.

When it comes to rebuilding, you'll find it is much easier to lift and move a frame around to get the engine bolts back in that it is to try and support the engine (which is the heaviest fecking lump I have ever encountered!)

[Con Rod]

+1, on lifting everything off,

Other wise, bike on stands, trolley jack underneath, undo the front, then rear bolts pivoting down on the bottom rear bolt

I dropped it out but I reckon it would be easier to lift the frame off

[trixynut]

Deffo lift off the frame.
Dropping the engine down is not difficult, the hard part it dropping it back up again!!

[M.V.]

Yep, lift it off.

Build something like this: http://www.trx850.com/phpBB_forum/viewt ... f=6&t=6818

Mine is free if you want a lend, I can't guarantee the welds will hold though

[JL]

Great ideas guys and great inspiration. Think I might try supporting the engine using the mx jack, and then pivot it down a fraction on the rear bolt, as I only need a little bit more clearance to get the oil tank cover off. If it works I will post pics

[phuk72]

Great ideas guys and great inspiration. Think I might try supporting the engine using the mx jack, and then pivot it down a fraction on the rear bolt, as I only need a little bit more clearance to get the oil tank cover off. If it works I will post pics

I think that pivoting the engine may well give you the clearance you need to take the oil tank cover off but when you see how much sludge has collected in there you might wish you had the engine on a bench as that will make flushing it out a lot easier

[JL]

G'day phuk, I was actually thinking about the sludge build up. I've got plenty of rags and kero, might have to make sure the fridge is full of beer as well to help the time pass by

[devlin]

Another method I have used is twisting a rope. Using a strong point above able to take the weight, tie the rope around the engine and create a loop through the point above making it with little bit of slack in the loop. Enough to have th engine on the ground once you are done. Then take a decent length of something strong enough, put it through the loop and twist. Keep twisting until you just start to take the weight of the bike. Then undo all the bolts. Once you know you have it ready. Reverse the twist and lower the bike and then the engine will start to drop out and you can keep lowering it to the ground. A bit fiddly but you don't have to remove anything off the bike. Conversley you can use the same method to lift the whole bike off the engine.