Oil dripping out of the muffler??

[don07tncav]

The air vent is clear, thanks for the suggestion. And I dumped the pipes.

I don't understand the rope routeen, perhaps one of the guys who is going to help me tear down the bike when that time comes will get it.

[John]

The rope would be inserted through the spark plug hole, and it would jam up between the piston and the valves to protect them, and hold them closed. It also keeps the engine from turning. Even if you are able to hold the valves closed, I can't think of any way to compress the valves to remove the keepers. Everything sits down in a deep pocket, and I had to build an adaptor for my valve spring compressor, just so I could get to the keepers. I had the head off, and clamped to a bench when I did the work, and even then, it wasn't the easiest of jobs. I don't know how you would do it with the head still on the engine, the valve springs are not up on top of the head like a car engine. You would have to pull the cams, shims, and lifters, then put the cams back in and pry against them to compress the valve spring. I wouldn't try that. Something would surely break.

[prometheus578]

Removing the keepers is easy. With the valve stopped by the rope and piston, Place a deepwell socket on top of the spring. Whack it with a hammer. The socket pushes the spring down, and the keepers fall offa the valve stem. Cover the area with a rag as they sometimes go flying... like down the cam chain hole. There... that's how you remove keepers without removing the head. Now all you need to have is someone to tell you how to REPLACE them without removing the head. I'd REALLY like to hear that one!

[prometheus578]

Actually, it can be done, but it's really not worth the time and frustration. You'd be better off, seeing how you have to pull the cams, etc, anyway, to just pull the head and do the job right... valve seals and lap the valves. Remember that the new head gasket set does not come with a cam chain guide gasket like the original. That part has been done away with. And don't be an idiot like me and leave it in there when installing the new gasket. I realized my error when I cracked a chunk off the cylinder right above the cam chain tensioner. JB Weld and permatex has kept it on for two years but it's starting to leak now.