Engine Tear Down

[Dennyz]

I have a couple of XS motors that I am tearing down to build a test stand motor. I have the top ends off, but having trouble getting the cylinders to seperate from the case. Any tricks?

[mpcluever]

A prybar and plenty of cursing.

[Ken Talbot]

It took me lots of pounding with a rubber mallet, then some more careful pounding with a small sledge hammer against a block of wood. You just want to watch that you're not beating sideways against a fin so you don't break one off. There are a couple of spots you can pry at with an oversized screwdriver, but again, be careful you don't snap off a fin.

[Dennyz]

OK, sounds like I am using the common method. I have done the rubber mallet and the ballpeen with wood block approach with no luck. Souds like I need to step up to the 3lb hammer.

Before I do more impacting, I sprayed the mating surface with gasket desolver/remover. I will let that work on it over night. I will see if that helps. I just don't want to damage it.

[Dennyz]

Success! I went down to spray another helping of gasket remover, but decide to give it one more shot.

I used a 24" pry bar. One with a flat nail puller end on it.

I use the flat end against two protrusions on the front side of the cylinders at the mating surface. I used the top front motor mounts as fulcrums A couple of good pushes on the bar and the front edge let go.

I use a 3" block of wood as a fulcrum on the back side, right next to the oil pressure sender. I used the valve cover flange on the back of the cylinder in the center to pry on. Again a couple of good pushes and the back let go.

I rotated the crank, while lifting on the cylinders. The pistons (1 & 4) moving up pushed the cylinders up, while the pistons (2 & 3) slid down the bores.

Now I am off to try this technique on the other two engines.

[prometheus578]

"What goes down, must come up"

Yeah, DennyZ, using the piston's movement to push the cylinder off is a good idea.
Is a great help when all the pistons are rusted in place![IMG][/IMG]
Of course, my crank wouldn't rotate nicely like yours did. I had to resort to the ol' "Hammer on the Piston's" method. 1 and 4 go down, 2 and 3 go up

(Yes, Andreas... I know you have extra pistons. Luckily, so do I)

[trbig]

LOL Pro...

"I seem to be having just a touch of blow-by on my number one cylinder... could you take a look at it?"


Tod