Removing Engine Covers

[Punx Clever]

I noticed quite a few of you guys have painted/machined engine covers.

I was curious how much work was involved in removing them?  I might want to send mine off for powdercoating if it's not too hard and I can find the cash.

[aaronb]

the left side requires a puller ( i made mine in five minutes) and the ride side requires you to remove the clutch if it is dry.  that means buying or making a clutch holding tool.

other wise it is just a bunch of cap screws and they come right off. 

[Popeye the Sailor]

I ganked a cover off in about three seconds after I left the highway.



While quick, I do not recommend this method 

[Punx Clever]

the left side requires a puller ( i made mine in five minutes) and the ride side requires you to remove the clutch if it is dry.  that means buying or making a clutch holding tool.

other wise it is just a bunch of cap screws and they come right off. 

heh, already did some clutch work... clutch holding tool = fat friend standing on rear brake.

But, seriously, no gears or anything in there to mess with?  I don't want to have to fidjet with gears really... I suppose I could handle a stator...

[nomadwarmachine]

The alternator cover is easy, but you need a puller (which you can make for $5 in parts from a hardware store).  You need to get the clutch hub off to remove the clutch, but the fat-friend method is a good one for that.  Once the clutch is out, it's just a few screws.  No messing with gears.

[booger]

I'm doing this soon. If one were to use a paper gasket say from CA Cycleworks instead of the goop, on the alt cover how would one deal with the sensor air gap upon reassembly with the paper gasket? Any tips on stripping both sides so the misc parts aren't harmed by the high heat of the powdercoating process, i.e. bearing in the alt cover?

[DucHead]

I'm doing this soon. If one were to use a paper gasket say from CA Cycleworks instead of the goop, on the alt cover how would one deal with the sensor air gap upon reassembly with the paper gasket? Any tips on stripping both sides so the misc parts aren't harmed by the high heat of the powdercoating process, i.e. bearing in the alt cover?

I bought a used clutch-side case cover on eBay to see what was involved, and I'm having trouble removing a small seal, but the biggest problem is removing the large seal that is pressed into the case.  For me it will not budge.

Taftonomos says he drifted it out with a piece of hardwood, but I cannot get it to move at all.  On the bright side, it appears that the alternator side cover just involves removing the stator.

[aaronb]

I bought a used clutch-side case cover on eBay to see what was involved, and I'm having trouble removing a small seal, but the biggest problem is removing the large seal that is pressed into the case.  For me it will not budge.

Taftonomos says he drifted it out with a piece of hardwood, but I cannot get it to move at all.  On the bright side, it appears that the alternator side cover just involves removing the stator.

that's why i had mine painted instead of pc'd.   i didn't want to mess with the big clutch seal. 

on a side note, assuming you have oil up to 300F splashing around inside the cover, what is the max operating temperature of powder coat?

[TAftonomos]

Alternator side is remove the stator, and the shift shaft seal.  2 out of 3 stator bolts sheered off in the cover for me.  One I removed by drilling and ultimatly welding something to the remaining bolt.  The other one I had to have drilled out in a bridgeport.  There is red locktite on the bolts, but you can't get to them to heat them up without possibly damaging the stator (goop/epoxy on the windings).  Hopefully you won't have this problem.

Clutch side, remove large seal, remove oil sight glass.  Make sure you don't loose the tiny o ring back there.....if you loose it just make sure to replace it!

I use honda bond, or yamabond, or tribond.  My ducati dealer didn't have any of there goop, but the local japanese dealer had tons.  In past years, the machining was so poor on the cases a gasket would have been better, but the cases are actually flat now, so the goop works well  .

The large primary/clutch basket seal is driven out from the inside.  You'll need to support the cover around the perimeter, and shmack it good.  TAKE NOTE of how deep it is installed.  If you simply drive it in until the metal flange is flush with the case, you'll be soaking your clutch in gas and cleaning up a mess when the seal fails.....the seal is flush with the cover, and if you look now the metal flange is actually further past the case on the inside.  It'll make more sense when you look at it.

The oil sight glass pops out from the inside as well....an appropriatly sized socket and a shmack will get it out.  It will press back into the case with good thumb pressure.

Good luck, and you can always PM me if you have a specific question.  I'll do what I can to help

[TAftonomos]

that's why i had mine painted instead of pc'd.   i didn't want to mess with the big clutch seal. 

on a side note, assuming you have oil up to 300F splashing around inside the cover, what is the max operating temperature of powder coat?

Put a bit of mustard behind your whacks with the hammer.  It's a freaking $40 seal from the dealer, not a huge deal if you damage it. 

Factory cases are coated as well.  IMHO, if you are going to go to the trouble of pulling the covers off, you might as well put something durable on them.  No problems with temp on any of my ducs, and they ALL had powdercoated covers.

[aaronb]

Put a bit of mustard behind your whacks with the hammer.  It's a freaking $40 seal from the dealer, not a huge deal if you damage it. 

Factory cases are coated as well.  IMHO, if you are going to go to the trouble of pulling the covers off, you might as well put something durable on them.  No problems with temp on any of my ducs, and they ALL had powdercoated covers.

regardless, i have about 5000 miles on them since i had them professionally painted and the are still pristine.  i see no downside to having them painted. 

[TAftonomos]

For what it would cost me to have the covers professionally painted, I could powdercoat everything on my bike. 

[junior varsity]

Alternator side is remove the stator, and the shift shaft seal.  2 out of 3 stator bolts sheered off in the cover for me.  One I removed by drilling and ultimatly welding something to the remaining bolt.  The other one I had to have drilled out in a bridgeport.  There is red locktite on the bolts, but you can't get to them to heat them up without possibly damaging the stator (goop/epoxy on the windings).  Hopefully you won't have this problem.

Clutch side, remove large seal, remove oil sight glass.  Make sure you don't loose the tiny o ring back there.....if you loose it just make sure to replace it!

I use honda bond, or yamabond, or tribond.  My ducati dealer didn't have any of there goop, but the local japanese dealer had tons.  In past years, the machining was so poor on the cases a gasket would have been better, but the cases are actually flat now, so the goop works well  .

The large primary/clutch basket seal is driven out from the inside.  You'll need to support the cover around the perimeter, and shmack it good.  TAKE NOTE of how deep it is installed.  If you simply drive it in until the metal flange is flush with the case, you'll be soaking your clutch in gas and cleaning up a mess when the seal fails.....the seal is flush with the cover, and if you look now the metal flange is actually further past the case on the inside.  It'll make more sense when you look at it.

The oil sight glass pops out from the inside as well....an appropriatly sized socket and a shmack will get it out.  It will press back into the case with good thumb pressure.

Good luck, and you can always PM me if you have a specific question.  I'll do what I can to help

2yr old thread? NO BIG DEAL!  Awaken ye, thread of yore!

What about the bearing on the inside of the alt. cover that's in there with a snap ring? I hope I haven't just hallucinated this, but I could swear there is one just on the inside of the removal-cover hole, before the stator.

...sidebar...
On this project M900 bike, the stator bolts (3) and the wire bracket bolts (2) came out just fine (albeit with an audible snap or crack sound as they began to turn).   On the '02 SS 900 motor I have disassembled for parts (it had the cracked motor mount) - the stator's 3 bolts were fine, but the two for that bracket broke. Boo. (So I definitely know what you mean - they are quite small in diameter - not unlike the m5 rod on the 888SPO rocker I have, which broke under the stress of a hex-flange lock nut being snugged up - not with a wrench but with three fingers on a t-handle!)
...end sidebar...


Likewise, there seems to be a bushing on the inside of the clutch case... does this need to be removed? Or is only things that would melt/catch fire when being baked?    I suppose I could ask the ol' powdercoater himself (and may later do so), but I figure I can get some information from those who have done this before as well.

[junior varsity]

then again, I see lots of positive reviews about VHT...

[Speeddog]

The bushing would likely survive just fine, but depending on how the cover is oriented while baking, it may fall out or move.

For all the hassle and expense involved with powdercoating, I'd go paint.