Engine Removal

[Benjammin7]

I've got a 1981 XS 1100H sittin' in the garage. It started burning oil and smoking out the tail pipes after riding it for a few months last summer. I found a serious amount of oil in the air cleaner box (a puddle of oil in the bottom of it). Compression test told me I'm going to need new rings on all four cylinders.
Anyways, my plan was to take the engine over to a machine shop to have them go over the engine, hone and measure the cylinders, valve package, hopefully to get it tuned up and solve this blowback problem.
So I'm following the Clymer manual stringently. I'm working through "engine removal" section, which took me over to "cylinder removal" temporarily. I've come to step 15 of this process, let me catch you up . . .

13. Remove the cam chain guide
14. Remove the 2 exposed cam sprocket bolts
15 Rotate the engine 180 degrees clockwise and remove the 2 remaining sprocket bolts. Do not rotate either cam.

CAUTION

Severe damage can be caused to the cams, valves, cylinder head and pistons if the cams are rotated after the sprocket bolts have been removed

I've removed the first 2 sprocket bolts and am thinking about the next step, of removing the last 2. My question is, how do I rotate the engine without rotating either cam?
Am I supposed to keep rotating the crankshaft? Because that seems to rotate the cams at the same time.

Maybe there's a better question for me to ask: Is there an easier, less involved process to remove the engine? The Clymer advises that "prior to engine removal and disassembly the majority of parts be removed from the engine while it is in the frame. By doing so it will reduce the weight of the engine considerable and make the engine removal easier and safer."
Considering my lack of mechanical skills and knowledge, I'd think the safest approach would be to remove it in as few of steps and pieces as possible, then send it to the people who know what they're doing.

Any ideas as to what the best approach is?
Thanks

[DGXSER]

First, many an engine has been removed without taking any parts off, save perhaps the oil filter cup.

That said, you have to rotate the cams to get to the other two bolts. Do rotate it clockwise when looking from the timing side.

[Benjammin7]

Continued on

I went ahead and continued to rotate the crankshaft, clockwise.
Problem.
Something seemed to "slip" off as I did this. The back cam sprocket tuned enough to expose it's second bolt, however the front cam sprocket did not turn at all. As the back one turned, the back cam did not rotate with the sprocket as it turned, it would spin a little ways and then release and sort of pop back into the resting position it was in. Now, as I spin the crankshaft, neither sprockets will turn as all, and something feels as though it is "slipping" as I turn the crankshaft.
What the cuss?
I must have broke something, any ideas?

[DGXSER]

Well, I would not continue turning the crank if it put the cams out of time. That is how you end up with a head full of bent valves.

See if you can get the bolt out of the one cam, and slide that cam out of the head. Then you can pull the other cam out without needing to remove the second bolt.

Again, I would not turn the engine any more period.

[Yard Dogg]

When I did mine, I went ahead and turned it to get at the 2 bottom cam sprocket bolts. I wasn't worried about it getting out of time because I was removing the cams next anyway. With the cams out there is no danger of bending valves. As soon as you remove the cam shaft gear bolts, remove the cams without rotating the engine any further.

[scoot]

Benjammin, in regard to your earlier question, you pointed out step 15:

15 Rotate the engine 180 degrees clockwise and remove the 2 remaining sprocket bolts. Do not rotate either cam.

Well, the second sentence should start with "Then", as in Then, do not rotate either cam.

And it sounds like the chain slipped off the crankshaft sprocket. So at this point, just remove the cams. The valves will all seat out of harms way. Reinstalling the cams in time with the crank will be easy enough later.


scoot

[Benjammin7]

Jugs

I proceeded accordingly, and am now working on getting the jugs off.
Scoot, I think you are correct about the chain.
I don't believe I bent the valves at all, but the shop should clarify that.

Now, One of the bolt guids is holding up the jug removal. I've got the thing more than half way up. I've used various forms of force and now I've got a ratchet strap underneath it and wrapped up around the frame. I'm letting it sit over night to think about life while the ratchet constantly pulls and some liquid wrench goes to town on it.

We'll see if I can get it free this weekend with some more coercion.

Thanks for all the help.
I assure you, I'll be back with more ?s

[DiverRay]

Loosen up the strap, and let the jugs go down a little bit. Then clean up the gunk on the bolts, top and bottom, and try again. That is the ONE problem I had with special ed's engine. If you look at the bolts, you will see they have a LOT of open space between fins. This catches all the road grit from the 30 years of riding, and THAT is what you are working against. You also need to remember, the threads are a LARGER DIAMETER than the main shaft of the bolt, so you are now trying to put this gunk through a smaller opening.
Try a 50% mix of ATF and Acitone on the gunk. It is the BEST de-rust on the planet.

[Yard Dogg]

Sometimes it will get crooked as your pulling it off and jam on the threads. If you see one corner higher than the other try tapping it back down then pulling the low corner. Wiggle it around as you pick up on it.

[Cobia]

Engine removal

Benjammin,

Take the carbs and oil filter cup off. Unbolt the dirveshaft at the back of the tranny. Remove the front upper engine mounts and bolts. Disconnect all wiring connected to the engine, mainly grounds, generator leads, timing lead, neutral switch, etc.
Of course your tank, seat, side covers, etc. need to be removed.
Keep only the bottom two long engine mount bolts w/out the nuts on.
Put a heavy duty blanket on the floor on the right side of the bike. Now, tip her over and lay it on its side, remove the two bottom engine mounting bolts and lift the frame off the engine. Voila, that's it.
Of course I did this while stripping down the bike so I also had the swing arm and final drive off as well as the forks and triple tree. Basically, all I had when did this was the frame and the engine. But it does come off real easy that way.