Stuck cylinders

[je2wheeler]

I am breaking down my spare engine. Head came off just fine however, when I tried to tap the cylinders loose and then pry them loose using the reinforced protrusions on the cylinder front underside with a wide, long screwdriver, it will not break loose. I pried hard enough to start deforming the protrusions. Before I try driving a sharp chisel into the gasket, any ideas?

[b.walker5]

I am breaking down my spare engine. Head came off just fine however, when I tried to tap the cylinders loose and then pry them loose using the reinforced protrusions on the cylinder front underside with a wide, long screwdriver, it will not break loose. I pried hard enough to start deforming the protrusions. Before I try driving a sharp chisel into the gasket, any ideas?

Does it turn over okay?, i.e. do the pistons go up and down in the bores? if they do then it's only the gasket and dowels holding it in place, if they dont then you may have rings rusted to the bores, which will need soaking with diesel or wd40, or similar.

Be sure to remove the locating dowels on the cylinder head studs, it's gives you a little more wiggle room while lifting the barrels up.

[je2wheeler]

Does it turn over okay?, i.e. do the pistons go up and down in the bores? if they do then it's only the gasket and dowels holding it in place, if they dont then you may have rings rusted to the bores, which will need soaking with diesel or wd40, or similar.

Be sure to remove the locating dowels on the cylinder head studs, it's gives you a little more wiggle room while lifting the barrels up.

The engine turned okay with valve spring and seaming even compression resentance. The dowels are removed.

[jetmechmarty]

If the rings are frozen in the bores, both the head back on. Follow these instructions:

How to unstick a stuck engine.

[je2wheeler]

If the rings are frozen in the bores, both the head back on. Follow these instructions:

How to unstick a stuck engine.

The rings are not frozen, they move as they should.

[b.walker5]

The engine turned okay with valve spring and seaming even compression resentance. The dowels are removed.

Then it's just the gasket holding it down. Probably been 'glued' in place by a previous owner. Wouldnt recommend a chisel, but you might have to get a bit brutal get them off. I've had success in the past with a sharpened machine hacksaw blade. You know, the 2" wide ones. Get an old one from a machine shop and cut it into 6" long peices with a cut off disc, and sharpen one end on a good grinder. Great for removing pop rivets as well.

[ViperRon]

Gasket

Just to identify what you are dealing with. Does it have a gasket? If it does not have a gasket look close at the sealant used to put the cylinders on. This will help us identify for sure what you are dealing with. I worked on a different bike for a friend that some idiot had used Indian Head Gasket Cement on which is a black tar looking sealant. As stated its a cement not sealant and the only way I could get it to break was heating the cylinder head up. If its a gasket use the previous made suggestions they work.

Do the cylinder head studs going threw the cylinders have a lot of corrosion on them? If this is a bike left ouside corrosion may have formed inbetween the cylinder and studs. If so you may want to fill the void between the studs and cylinder with a high quality rust dissolver and let it soak the longer the better. Doing this will not cause a problem and its better than brute force.

[natemoen]

Also originally there was some sort of crappy sleeve that went over the studs as a vibration dampener or something. That material degraded and helps to make the jugs near immovable.

[je2wheeler]

Also originally there was some sort of crappy sleeve that went over the studs as a vibration dampener or something. That material degraded and helps to make the jugs near immovable.

Great info but there is not any outward evidance of any type of gaskit goop and I can sight down each stud and each is clear down to the base gaskit. I am studying the saw blade idea - thanks

[mack]

send Andreas a PM

Not to detract from the usual epertise but this this what Andreas Wiess does for a living. PM him and follow his direction to the letter. He strips bikes apart and sellls the head and jugs separate., I doubt if there is anything he hasn't seen or a trick he doen't know. I have done two, so I'm no expert, he has done probably a hundred or more.

[bikerphil]

Take a putty knife (1" or 1.5") and hammer it in between the jugs and the case to get it started. Once it seperates a little, work your way around.

[je2wheeler]

Take a putty knife (1" or 1.5") and hammer it in between the jugs and the case to get it started. Once it seperates a little, work your way around.

The last two are great info added to the data bank - thanks. Must jump off line for now - I will be back!

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Glued!

The old, "I think I need gasket sealer on the head gasket" PO thing Like Phill said use a thin putty knife and tap it all around the cyl between the block till it pops loose somewhere, then keep poping it loose all the way around, good luck

[James England]

Last year, on a scrap XS1100, I decided to see what it would take to remove the barrels, for future reference. The fins were already broken and in a bad state, so unsellable/unuseable. I tried everything to get the barrels off. I ended up hitting them with a huge sledgehammer and they still would not budge. I couldn't believe it.

I've heard that you could put freeing oil down each of the stud holes and leave the stuff to soak in for a couple of days.

Proceed with caution!

[je2wheeler]

Last year, on a scrap XS1100, I decided to see what it would take to remove the barrels, for future reference. The fins were already broken and in a bad state, so unsellable/unuseable. I tried everything to get the barrels off. I ended up hitting them with a huge sledgehammer and they still would not budge. I couldn't believe it.

I've heard that you could put freeing oil down each of the stud holes and leave the stuff to soak in for a couple of days.

Proceed with caution!

Again, thanks to everyone who has contributed. All information holds a ton of weight for me. I'm going to work on it now with a putty knife as that is what I have. I had poured a healthy amount of break free down the studs two days ago, great minds think alike. I will keep y'all updated.