Engine R&R

Engine Removal/Breakdown

USE THE YAMAHA SHOP MANUAL AS A STANDARD GUIDE

Courtesy of Joe Conway (Our Engine Expert):

Engine Removal and Break-down

Starting from the point of having removed the seats, tank, exhaust, carbs, all the plastic chrome head covers, and the neck covers which cover the coils up front . You will need one those small rolling Hydraulic floor jacks. You can get one at any Auto Parts Store

The other is a ground wire you will find a piggy backed on the batter ground cable. Unhook at the split connector and the negative battery cable comes out with the motor. The 3rd is the starter motor power line, unhook from the starter. The starter stays put

12. Remove the front lower engine stays ( mounts ). Then remove the right side down tube. Two bolts on each end.

Are you ready?? Set up a couple of small pieces of 2x4’s side by side to the front right side of the bike to put the motor on after it comes out of the frame. You might want to grab a friend to help here. The motor weighs a lot be careful.

13. Make sure the jack is pretty much centered on the bottom of the motor and take out the remaining 4 front upper mount bolts and she is free. Roll the jack You will have to progressively lower it as you go. Lift the motor onto the 2 pieces of 2x’s secure it and take a break.

Engine Rebuild Procedures

USE THE YAMAHA SHOP MANUAL AS A STANDARD GUIDE

END GAP THE RINGS as per the instructions on the J&E web site. They are usually within spec. So don’t get too crazy here

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We are going to do one cylinder and cam at a time. This should be a must for 1st timers working on this motor. There have been several people who have disassembled both cylinders at once and had some major problems due to not knowing how to set up the motor properly. BIG PROBLEMS, BIG MONEY. Trust me and follow these steps.

WE WILL BE STARTING STARTING WITH THE REAR CYLINDER.

MAKE SURE TO USE AMPLE ASSEMBLY LUBE ON THE NEW CAMS AND THE PISTON PINS. THIS IS CRITICAL FOR THE INITIAL STARTUP OF THE MOTOR. MOST FAILURES AND DAMAGE HAPPEN WITHIN THE FIRST FEW MINUTES OF OPERATION DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION AND OR NOT ENOUGH ASSEMBLY LUBE.

14. Remove the side cover from the rear head to expose the camshaft gear. Use a large flat head screw driver to remove both the large and small plug on the (L) crankcase cover. Using a 22mm long socket on the crank shaft nut thru the large hole turn the crank clockwise. Then following the instructions in the manual to bring the rear cylinder up to TDC and line up the rear timing mark, T l , in the small timing hole on the crankcase cover, The motor turns clockwise from the left side. The cam gear dot may be off the head pointer slightly when the Tl timing mark is lined up. Take note of how they align in reference to one another, and remember for when the cylinder is going back together. Sometimes the cam gear marks are off about a ½ tooth

15. Now we want to break the cam gear bolt free. Use the ratchet thru the crank nut hole to keep the motor form spinning. If it moves line everything back up after it is loose. Don’t remove just yet. Leave the bolt finger tight

Place a piece of rag into the timing chain slot to keep debris or parts falling into the motor. Remove the tensioner. Remove the cam gear bolt, use a piece of wire to keep the timing chain from falling into the motor. Remove the cam gear and place aside. ***refer to the cam install instructions

Now it is very important that you do not lose track of the crank shaft position. It can move a little but don’t forget to move it back to the timing mark before lining up the new cams. We’ll get to that soon

16. On the rear cylinder start loosening the head nuts. There is also a cap nut in by the spark plug, and two 6mm allen bolts by the cam chain galley. Follow the repair manual for reference. Once they are off you will need 2 very slim regular screw drivers.

Place the head aside.

17. Take out the three bolts holding the cylinder and repeat with the screw drivers and ease the cylinder off the piston. Remember if the crank shaft moves don’t lose track of the rear timing mark. Stuff rags around the piston rod. Use an all or pointy small screw driver and remove the circlip from one side of the piston pin. Slide the piston pin out. Be real easy if you need to tap it a little to get it going. Remove the old piston.

Now it is time to check the end gap of the rings all rings should have around .015 to .017 inch gap. Use the old piston and follow the direction from the manual and the J&E. they will most likely be OK

18 The spreadable center oil ring goes on 1^st and then the lower and upper oil ring. Then the second compression ring then the top ring (VERY IMPORTANT THE little letter on the top two rings face up) . Follow the instructions in the repair manual on how to space the rings. Make sure you get the piston on the piston rod correctly. They go on one way. Match the dome of the piston with the head. The intake valve relief is also closer to the edge of the piston. Install one of pin clips in the piston 1^st and put the piston on the rod with the piston pin and secure it with the other pin clip.

19. Working with the head on your bench. Remove the cam. It’s easy. 1^st remove the cam retainer., and then put the cam gear bolt back in the cam end and use it to pull on ( a pair of vise grips on the bolt will help to pull the cam). Next the valve springs will be replaced with the new dual spring kit. You have to have the cam out to remove/install the new springs. You will need to follow the repair manual on this, and the directions that come with the springs. Keep in mind that spring heights and clearances have already been worked out. You should not need shims for the new springs. Just use the new lower and upper spring retainers.

Now Just repeat the process

AS ALWAYS DOUBLE CHECK ALL WORK. SPIN THE MOTOR BY HAND 1^ST.

ENGINE BREAK IN SHOULD INCLUDE AT LEAST THREE HEAT CYCLES*** ON THE MOTOR ALONG WITH SOME NORMAL RIDING. AFTER HEAT CYCLES DO SEVERAL RUNS TO HIGH RPMS, THEN LETTING THE ENGINE DECELERATE. THIS WILL HELP WITH THE RINGS SEATING PROPERLY. I USE 3RD GEAR RUNS WHEN DOING THIS.

***Heat cycle is letting the motor cool completely before running again.

23. Reinstalling the engine into the frame is basically the reverse of taking it out. You need to tilt the motor forward and move it in on an angle with the rear going in 1^st. Watch the right lower fixed engine stay and the mount on the engine case. You have to get the engine case mount to the inside of this stay. Watch the universal joint slide into the shaft pocket and make sure it goes on the shaft. There is no real easy way to explain this but to say take your time and have a 2^nd person helping. It will slide into place easy.

More installation notes from jking2100 from the forum:

Its all about how you position it on the Jack. If you set it on the Jack how is looks in the bike it won't go in.

The rear cylinder has to point almost straight up so the trans is at about a 35* angle. Tilt the engine towards you as you push in and jack up the lift. As the lift is rising you straighten the engine out and tilt the trans down into the tunnel.

We fought for about two hours trying to get it in place then I pulled it out and repositioned it as stated above and it took about 10 minutes to get it where I could get the upper engine mount bolted on.

Here is link to Pix for the engine in various stages of tear-down / rebuild: Thanks Cobb!

http://s191.photobucket.com/albums/z162/AussieCobb/EngineVStar1100/

Rebuilt Engine Startup Procedure - from Cobb

If you have performed a complete disassembly and rebuild of your engine then the following initial start-up process will ensure the oil lines and feeders are fully primed and oil has been pre- circulated throughout the engine to minimize start-up wear and tear.