How to remove these covers?

[KA1J]

I'm trying to polish the aluminum covers and I think at least one of these in the photo is the starter cover.
I removed the three allen head bolts from the cover on the left but it didn't budge. I tried tapping it lightly
with a mallet to persuade it to come loose but when that didn't happen I put the bolts back in & took this photo.
What I need to do to remove the one on the left and how do I go about getting the other half on the right off
without damaging anything?

Thanks!

[mlew]

There is a bearing behind that cover, it actually holds the bearing. The starter has to come off first, then the 3 bolts. It will need to be gently pried and wiggled out. I start with a large flat screwdriver to break it free, then some presuation with a rubber mallet to walk it out. There are two o-rings in there that will need to be replaced, they seal a oil gallery supplu to that bearing.

[DiverRay]

The three bolts hold a bearing cover in place, don't try to remove it. The other cover can be removed with the starter bolts.
HTH

[KA1J]

Hmmm... I don't have those O-rings. Since advice is to leave them alone, that, with my general unwillingness to undo that which is hard to do and un-necessary, I'll have to approach this polishing at a different level & do it on the bike.

So I'll tape off the aluminum pieces and put Aircraft remover on them to remove the clear coat; then try to get some 1500 wet-dry paper onto it, then some 0000 steel wool & then Mothers aluminum polish.

Looks like it's still going to be a PITA with all the tight surroundings of these covers, especially to the left side.

[ViperRon]

That bearing cap assembly can be hard to get off after its been there a long time. A friend decided he was taking his off to shine it and tried prying and put too much force on the outer cover and it snapped like a fortune cookie.

Fortune said " YOU HAVE SO MUCH BAD LUCK" because this was before EBAY and Yamaha did not even have the bearing in stock which got damaged when the part was welded back together.

Finally after months he found a used part so (Not) taking it off is a good idea.

[crazy steve]

Hmmm.... I've never had any issues with removing that bearing cover. It is a bit hard to get out; you definitely need to pull the starter (the other cover you're trying to get to is the end bell for it) and some very careful prying is needed, but once you get it broken loose it's not all that hard. A few medium whacks with a rubber hammer will usually break it loose.

I would recommend removing the two o-rings once it's out and setting them aside while you polish it so they don't get damaged, also taping up/covering the bearing to keep polishing residue out of it. Reinstall with a new gasket or some Yamabond. If you use Yamabond (or some other silicon sealer), don't get any sealer 'inside' of the outermost o-ring. I'll mask off the two o-ring grooves with tape, apply the sealer, then remove the tape and install the o-rings, then reinstall the cover.

[trbig]

You put sealant on those, Steve? That's what the O-rings are for. The only thing I've ever put on them was some sort of pre-assembly lube (Almost always use white molly-lube) and tap them in. Never even replaced one of those O-rings, since they'd be easy enough to replace if it did start leaking at some point... just never have had one leak?

Seems a bit overboard, but to each his (Or her) own.

I leave those 3 bolts loose until I get the starter back on. There's no adjustment to the starter cover, but you can spin that bearing cover slightly to get it lined up just right with the starter's, then snug them up.

[crazy steve]

No sealant for the o-rings (I try very hard to keep it away from those) but for the gasket/mating surface only, assuming the gasket doesn't come out in one piece.

And yeah, I'll leave those loose until I 'align' the cover...

[trbig]

Gasket?? Gasket surface??



Is it peyote season up there in the great PNW? lol.

Must have missed that one in the gasket sets..

[crazy steve]

Gasket?? Gasket surface??

Every one I've pulled off had a thin paper gasket, I've never looked to see if that's included in a set...

[James England]

Yes, I found a papery thin gasket on three that I pulled. It's obviously not there as an oil-proof gasket because that's what the O rings are for. It's just to stop crud from seeping through the joint, I'd say.I put a bit of clear silicone on mine when I put them back in place.

[ViperRon]

There is a paper thin gasket and the starter cover part does come off easy but the other cover with the bearing in it can be tight and it really does not take much presure on the outer lip going back to the starter for it to snap. If you pry against the inside near the bearing that is safe but prying on the outside can snap it.

[KA1J]

Well, I'm glad I broached this question. It seems there's the possibility of un-necessary issues if I remove these parts without a functional reason to do so. I'm sure I can wrangle this cover off but instead, I went to a hobby shop & bought some dremel buffing parts and I'm going to buff everything in place.

I need to read up on removing the starter and I'll remove it and do that cover separately but the other one I'll just do in place.

How difficult this all would be if there weren't the internet & the forum here to help filter & find answers to the unknown. Would most of us ever be able to rehab these bikes without this resource? And certainly, the access to these unobtainium parts would be zilch. My guess is the internet and these forums have saved uncountable numbers of these old beautiful bikes.

S'wonderful!

[BA80]

OK boys. Some pics.

The bearing cover/retainer for the starter clutch idler gear.



As you can see there are 2 oring seals.



The bearing inside that the shaft the idler gear rides on slips into. And here you can see there's no kind of gasket other than the o-rings.



I just happened to have one in a box of engine parts and thought I would go ahead and give y'all a visual.

[crazy steve]

Now that's weird, because I've found a thin paper gasket on every one I've pulled.

But the parts fiche also doesn't show a gasket, so WTF...