One man engine removal in ten minutes

[shinyribs]

Okay...ya'll probably don't wanna see this....and i probably shouldn't tell on my self.But,living in the sticks with no neighbors around(that are still awake)makes you get creative sometimes.I wanted my motor out tonight so this is what i did:

Step one:nothing but front end and motor on frame,all mounting bolts out and let down gently onto frame with a floor jack.Slowly let front tire roll forward to let off center stand.Gets bike low as possible to floor...

Lay on side with plenty of protective foam and rags for engine case/covers...

Take forks out of clamps to make frame lighter...

Lift frame off of engine...

Then QUICKLY upright engine before someone comes in and sees what the heck you just didI'm sure that I'm not the first to do this...strangely fun,though

[TOOLS1]

That's kinda how I do it, but I don't stop to take pictures.
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[shinyribs]

Then you're not a true professional HAHA

[shinyribs]

Okay,I'm sure this is childs play to alot of you veterans on here,but im a greenhorn and whenever i learn something i think is useful i try to put it up for someone else like me.

Obviously,if you pull a motor in this way your are gonna scratch some stuff up.At least more than likely you will. Since you need a way to reassemble everything WITHOUT damage i did this:

Mount motor on an automotive engine stand,but only use the upper mounting bolt holes.The one with the removable motor mount plates.



On this particular stand i once built a big block chevy with a blower and a bird catcher setup that weighed well over 700 lbs. So only using two legs of the stand didnt bother me. After it was up and i slacked the straps it was really solid.What you cant see in the pics is a piece of foam between the head of the stand and the points cover of the engine,helps to prevent it from trying to roll over with only using two legs.Keep everything up tight and you can hang the frame on the motor and put in the bottom two mounting thru-bolts.Once off the stand put in uppers and youre good to go.


Because i know the stand will take the weight,what i plan to do is paint motor and frame,assemble those two,and then get the wheels back on the bike,all on the stand.That way i only have to lift it off once and it can go right on its own tires with no worries of scratching fresh powdercoat with jack stands.Just and idea.Maybe a bad one.Hope it helps someone.

[Piute]

Call a co worker and say you have a cold 12 pack,..Piute..

[TOOLS1]

That's too easy. Something is going to have to go terribly wrong.
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[shinyribs]

How do you guys do it? What is the "preferred method"? If I am involved you can be sure that something will go....dang it.....just lost the "Q" key off the keyboard....see???...

[Re-run]

The laydown is a pretty common method but you do have the chance of damage if not careful. I have not seen it done using a stand like that, that is pretty awesome really.
I have heard of people fabbing metal bars to use on a hoist too. I really like the engine mount method though!

[shinyribs]

Hasn't fell in the floor yet. I'll keep you posted

[seestheday]

After it was lying on the floor, how did you mount it on the stand?  Is that something you did without a friend as well?

[shinyribs]

I threw a rope over the rafters in the barn and lifted it with a come along.

[seestheday]

Ah, I'm guessing you mounted it first while it was on its side, then hoisted it upright with the come along.  Makes sense.

Any guess on how much it weighs?  I'd like to do it in my garage eventually, but I want to make sure that the 2x4's will support it (I'm guessing your barn beams are bigger and stronger).  I might end up having to build a structural box to spread the load across several beams.

[shinyribs]

I would guess it weighs about 200-250 pounds. I picked mine up off the tailgate and carried it to the table. I wouldn't want to pick it up off the floor, though.  I weigh 220 so o did a few pull ups on the rope first. It held, so I went with it. Soooo, I'm guessing your pulling yours?  :(

[TOOLS1]

Since yours is a DOHC all, you need is a floor jack to remove the engine. Place the bike on the centerstand. Then put a floor jack, or motorcycle lift jack (works better) under the engine. Remove the frame tube that goes under the right side of the engine, and wheel the engine out. I wish they had done that on the SOHC bikes.
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[seestheday]

Wouldn't the oil pan get crushed if I lift the entire engine from one point?
Or is there a support that missed when I last looked?

[Lucky 1]

This would scare me that the aluminum engine case could get broken the way you are lifting it.

[seestheday]

Interesting, I thought it would have weighed more.  I can deadlift way more 250, but that is a bar and not an irregular/awkward object so it'll be harder.

I don't think I'll have to pull my engine.  I'm pretty sure I need a new valve shim and that should fix my engine noise.  I'll pick up the tool and shim this week and figure it out.

I'm just planning/learning about pulling the engine because it's something I'd like to do at the end of the riding season.

[TOOLS1]

If the oil pan will not support the weight of the engine, then I have busted about a hundred of them. Including the six I have on the floor of the shop right now! And soon to be the 81 C model I am taking the engine out of right now to put in an 81 K model.
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[shinyribs]

Lucky 1 wrote

This would scare me that the aluminum engine case could get broken the way you are lifting it.

Don't be scared,buddy! It worked! I didn't lift it like that,it just hung on the stand. There is nearly a full foot of aluminum holding the engine like that.it's all good,man.Proof is in the pudding right?

Sees-you're right.You could lift it,but the fins and exhaust studs dig into your arms pretty bad. Sound like you DOHC guys have it easy on engine removal.Engine comes out AND your valve cover comes off.Dude,you got it eeeeeasy

As far as the oil pan goes,just slide a piece of plywood umderneath if you are worried about cracking a pan fin.Do DOHC's have a finned pan,too? 200+ lbs...if you can lift it,it'll hold. Aint none of us strong enough to drive our hand thru an oil pan

[TOOLS1]

 
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