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Pulling Engine to replace head gasket

7K views 50 replies 5 participants last post by  Spockster 
#1 · (Edited)
I don't know if I have anything useful to add, but I thought I would post pictures of my progress for anyone interested.

I haven't removed the front bevel assembly yet.

EDIT:
I am adding the link to my photo album to the first post, so new followers can find it quicker.

To anyone that wants to follow along, I have a Google Photo album. It's pictures of my progress.
 

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#2 ·
I left the bevel gear on mine, but I only tilted the engine. You have to be able to manage stabbing the driveshaft onto the gear as the engine goes in, has to happen before any bolts can go in. Impossible for one person hefting the engine by hand or even on a jack most likely.

Left the exhaust manifolds on too.
 
#3 ·
bevel gear is relatively easy to remove, and reinstall. only tough part is stabbing the front of the driveshaft into place as you install the gear assembly (would be same if you didnt remove the bevel gear, but with the rest of the engine 'helpin' you screw it up or get mad at it).

the only thing to remember about removing the bevel gear from the driveshaft is to keep the driveshaft as far rearward as possible to prevent it from dropping off the rear splines, or you have your work cut out trying to align them
 
#4 ·
I should add, while I left the bevel gear in place, the rear gear was removed which made it easier to manipulate the shaft (was doing rear tire and spline lube at the same time).

At the time my thinking was, one less gasket, and to remove the least amount of parts as possible. The carbs, cables, exhaust manifolds, etc. Also had an extra pair of hands when the engine went back in place. Did it twice in two days!
 
#5 · (Edited)
My drive shaft came off the rear spline while pulling the bevel case. But I've taken the rear apart before and it wasn't terrible. Just one more thing to assemble later on. For now, it's just sitting in the shaft casing.

It looked like the bevel case had its own fill and drain port on it. But I don't recall noticing these before.
It also didn't have its own fluid in it, just engine oil.

I plan to tinker on the engine over a period of a couple months. I'm in no rush. I have until April. My wife wasn't happy with the parts all over the garage, so they're neatly tucked onto shelves now. :)

With few exceptions, I've been able to put every screw back into it's spot after removing the item. This helps me keep track of the screws. Only the subframe bolts and the bevel gear cover screws have had to remain off.

The front spline looked good (unworn) but dry. Should that have moly grease on it?
 

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#7 · (Edited)
And so it begins...
 

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#8 ·
#9 ·
In the album I linked to, there's a picture of the cam with a lobe circled. It looks worn. Replace?
 
#10 ·
from that angle, it definately looks worn.. check the follower for that lobe and see what it looks like.

If your replacing the cam, I would look at replacing both on that head, and if do-able, replace all 4 (both heads), and definately check the followers and such for all the valves
 
#12 ·
I'll have to check my budget for all 4 cams.

In the meantime, anyone have a flywheel holder tool and a rotor puller tool?
 
#13 ·
the flywheel/rotor (left side of engine, where the stator lives), the puller is just a bolt threaded into the end, and can be 'borrowed' from some place else on the bike, but my swiss cheese brain seems to have let the info leak out.

a clutch basket tool... not real expensive is you need to buy one, but some people have made due without it. a strap wrench around the outside of the basket may work, some have put a couple bolts into the bosses for the clutch springs and put a pry bar between them (I wouldnt do this, as the perches are not all that strong with loads in that direction).
 
#14 ·
Made a post earlier and didn't hit the button.

I used a penny to block the gears, it bends the penny 90° but doesn't hurt the gears. Have also done it by stuffing a folded shop rag in there but it shreds up some lint onto the gears.

The balancer gear bolt is left-hand threads.

Can get a whole box of the puller bolts for $20 at Fastenal, the correct size is posted around here somewhere (metric). I already had one from Motion Pro, Honda uses the same puller.

Maybe it's the rear axle that works for a puller? I know the rear axle nut will pull the spark plug wells.
 
#15 ·
for the life of me, I cant remember which bolt fits the rotor, and I even did that job.. using the bolt made rotor removal extremely easy, and reinstalling is just plain stupid simple.

note: the bolt for holding it on is smaller than the bolt to remove. the inside of the rotor is threaded as well as the inside of the crankshaft. the rotor threading is for removal, the crankshaft for installing/retaining.
 
#16 ·
Puller bolt size is 18mm with 1.5mm threads - 18mm x 1.5mm



Found your post from 2017. :)

https://www.vn750.com/forum/31-engi...29-trouble-removing-flywheel-look-here-2.html

alternative to the flywheel puller tool (the bolt), is a bolt for the upper chain tensioner.. just above the acct (or mcct if converted), on outside of the head. I (and others) have used it with success. its the right size thread,, just a hair short. you can use a small socket inside it (its hollow) to give it that little extra length (it dont need much). pops right off using it.
 
#19 ·
I added up the costs of all the gaskets, o-rings, and 1 camshaft and 2 rockers.
I'm looking at $465.08 from Partzilla or $620.24 from Kawasakipartshouse.com! GULP!

The camshaft is $157.33 from Kawasakipartshouse.com and 117.06 from Revzilla.com.
The rocker is $68.76 or $49.54 each.
Any cheaper reputable sources than these sites?
I don't really want to trust Ebay with parts like this.

My coworker says all the rockers look like they have significant wear, and suspects that it ran dry at some point in its life.
Should I be running a zinc additive?
I run this oil. But I've only used this for 21k to 27k miles (changed every 3k miles). I don't know what the previous owner used.

It's hard to spend this sort of cash on an old bike....
I still gotta get approval from my wife.
It's already apart because I wasn't going to go another season risking the coolant mixing with the oil.
 
#20 ·
Ebay is the first place I look. You can find good used parts there, even new ones. Can't remember ever buying anything from the parts websites at all. I've saved plenty of cash shopping ebay.

Otherwise, close your eyes, invert wallet, and shake well. All the parts sites have astronomical prices, and always high shipping.
 
#21 ·
For what it’s worth I shelled a good piece out to get the stator replaced last summer. Yes it’s an old bike but it is also from what I understand, the type of bike that if properly maintained will basically last and last. Of course I’m not telling someone how to spend their money, but if you like the bike then you decide what it’s worth. Nobody wants to take care of a money pit but if you got the motor open and can fix all the major issues once in for all it’s almost like starting fresh. But! If you’re eyeing a different bike and this is your way out then by all means have at it lol
 
#22 ·
Thanks everyone for the help and advice!
I do love this bike. I don't have a clue what I would even replace it with. I take test rides on anything I can, and nothing has been quite like this! I just needed reassurance that it's worth it.

I am tackling the flywheel today, so I will add more pictures to the album along the way. If all goes well, I should be fully disassembled!
 
#23 ·
I can get over my fear of eBay I suppose. I found a set of 8 used rocker arms for $24.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/94-Kawasak...456350?hash=item4210c919de:g:Re4AAOSwWkdeJGMW

Other than the one I have that is obviously worn (mated with the worn cam lobe), are the rest of mine showing significant wear? I don't know what new ones look like. For this price, I might as well replace all 8, and pick the best 8 out of the set of 16.

Do the cams and rockers have to wear in together, or can I mate new(ish) rockers with my old cams (the three camshaft that don't seem to be worn out)?

I will upload some close up pictures of mine, later this morning.
 
#24 · (Edited)
Ideally, and according to the manuals, rockers should be kept in their original positions. However, when parts must be replaced, there's no way to avoid mismatching the parts.

I would say as long as there aren't deep grooves or divots worn into the surface, it should be ok. Deep groove is one that catches your fingernail.

I have mixed used cams, rockers, and lifters from different engines and never had a problem. As long as there are no abnormal wear patterns mating, you should be good.

Noticed one or two rockers in the ebay listing, and your engine, have the rocker pad worn to one side. If you can match that to the lobe causing that, you may be better off. Seems to be a common wear pattern in this engine. It depends on the wear pattern seen on your replacement cam. edit: Just remembered, you're getting one new cam? If so, I think would choose a rocker with even wear on the pad. Are all those rockers the same size/shape, or are there differences like left/right, intake/exhaust?

Don't get the cams mixed up, that makes a huge headache.
 
#25 ·
I would get a small container of cam assembly lube, the paste type, not the liquid. Apply it liberally to the rockers, cam lobes, and cam journals. The paste will cling to those spots for as long as it takes until the engine gets fired up the first time.
 
#28 ·
I didn't want to quote your longer post. 🙂

Thank you so much!
 
#26 ·
In a perfect world, you could assemble the parts in the head, apply lapping compound, then spin the assembly with an electric motor until the surfaces are mated.

In that same perfect world, you could buy everything new.

I think I when I first fire it up, I'd try to keep the idle no lower or higher than 1500-1800rpm for the first 10-15 min., steady and moderately fast during the first warmup. Assuming there are no problems to handle, like leaks, running rough, etc. This should help with the surfaces mating. Break-in period for a new cam/lifters is usually 20-30 minutes at around 2000rpm, then allow the engine to cool completely.

You can probably just use the choke to manage rpm, but if it warms up quick, you'll have to twist the idle setting.
 
#27 ·
Disassembly is now complete!

A few words of advice to anyone who is looking to do this.

The flywheel removal tool is not needed. You can put a penny in the gears to lock the crankshaft. You can use an 18mm bolt to pry off the flywheel. I tried using the bolt that was suggested by other members of this forum. It probably would have worked, but the socket that I used as a spacer, was cheap and Chinese and it crushed my socket rather than pulling the flywheel off. Instead, I bought a 18 mm bolt. These bolts, coincidentally have a 27 mm head, which are perfect for removing the spark plug socket. I would have used the one that I purchased last week, but my Vise grips had destroyed the thread on that bolt (my local hardware store doesn't carry nuts for M18 bolts, oddly enough). So now I have two 18 mm bolts.

I recommend removing the rear cylinder before the front. When it came time to remove the cam gear for the rear cylinder, it was easiest to partially reassemble the front cam gear, so that I could mesh a penny in the gears to hold everything in place. Otherwise, it was very difficult to take the bolt off of the cam gear for the rear cylinder, without spinning the crankshaft. The book lists the front cylinder first.

For removing the clutch assembly, I put the transmission in gear, and held the bolt on the drive shaft output, while loosening the clutch assembly bolt.

The book is NOT clear about the clutch side cover bolts. There is quite a few. I didn't bother removing the circular cover, as I had to pull the whole side off anyways. I removed the bolts clockwise and laid them out left to right, for proper reassembly.

The 6mm head bolts are perfect for removing the cam mid gear idler shaft.

For both the clutch bolt, and the rear cam gear bolt, I used an impact wrench to loosen them.
 
#29 ·
How does the clutch wear look? I took a close up picture of it. I know it's something that can be done with the engine in...but while I am here...

Same with water pump. Replace now? I am going to do the tuxedo mod, so I'm not worried about the stator at this time.

I had no issues with the clutch, water pump/cooling (other than leak) or stator when it was last runn
 
#31 ·
Removing old gaskets sucks!
 
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