Has anyone removed the Engine? Any handy tips?

[Tarzan]

I have searched the internet, youtube, this site, and Facebook. I can't find even one thread about this. Has anyone removed the engine? I have a 2012 RTS. The P.O. experienced a catastrophic clutch failure. The clutch basket is in a bunch of pieces. I posted about this on Facebook and was told that I should split the cases due to the probability that the engine could and probably has metal in it. Anyway, I bought an online PDF manual and am about to begin the process of pulling the engine and would like to know if anyone has any handy tips or tricks that could help me be somewhat efficient at removing the motor. I appreciate any help given.

Thank you
Rick

[Little Blue]

Don't have a good Fix

......... ........ I know one thing for sure. This will be a very good experience, or you will need expert advice and help.
Now that I am older and wiser, I would let the pros ..... 'Do the Job'.

Good Luck on Your Mission. ....

[BajaRon]

We are preparing to do a 2008 rebuild. But to date, we have not.

I have, however, done other motorcycle and car engines. Most notably, my 1970 Honda 750 4 cylinder. A habit I started in high school was to take each component and lay it out on a large piece of cardboard (or several) in a straight line in the order of disassembly with all bolts & nuts in their respective holes. This really aided in reassembly where identical fasteners (varying only in length) can be a real challenge to get back into the correct position if you just throw everything into a container. It also helps with reassembly sequence.

Take your time, be organized, and it should go just fine.

Good Luck!

[Tarzan]

So I went ahead and removed the motor. It is a pretty big job. I had to remove the Frunk, all side plastics, and the glove box before even starting on removing the engine. The manual is pretty helpful, but not excellent. I have the engine on my work bench and have removed the Transmission shift system, the rocker covers, and few other things. I’m stuck at removing the Rotor for the alternator presently. It requires a crankshaft locking pin, but they don’t tell you where this pin goes. I don’t have the pin, but I’ll buy a grade 8 bolt and turn the end down on my lathe to fit in the hole, wherever it is. They do give a picture of the pin, just no location to use it. I’ll figure it out. If anyone knows where that pin gets inserted to lock the crank, I would very much appreciate that.
I found a new complete clutch basket, but when the clutch exploded it took out a plastic gear for the water pump. It’s the water pump intermediate gear. I was thinking on just replacing the clutch and gear but decided it will be wiser to disassemble the engine to check for any chips or broken pieces in the crankcase. No sense doing the job twice. Or even worse, destroying the engine completely.
I’ll post a couple pics of what I have been doing.

IMG_4749.jpg

IMG_4766.jpg

[pegasus1300]

Do you know why the clutch failure?

[RULINGCHAOS]

This is going to be a great resource thread for lots of people if the OP does a good step by step write up of the process.

[Tarzan]

Do you know why the clutch failure?

I don’t know why. I bought it with the clutch side disassembled. I’m not real familiar with these motors yet. From what I have read so far it could be as simple as overheating the clutch by not keeping the revs up causing slipping, which I don’t completely understand since all the clutches I have seen that overheat just eventually just stop holding. Another thing I read is about an orifice that controls shifting. But I’ll see if I can figure it out with the disassembly. It may just be a material failure.

[Tarzan]

This is going to be a great resource thread for lots of people if the OP does a good step by step write up of the process.

I’ll do what I can. That is so far the biggest frustration. Apparently Spyder owners aren’t typically wrenching their own bikes. Most motorcycles I work on there are plenty of mechanics posting how to’s and their experiences. That isn’t the case with the Spyder. So I am having to figure out the logistics as I go with just the use of the manual, which leaves a little to be desired as far as complete information goes.

[EdMat]

So I am having to figure out the logistics as I go with just the use of the manual, which leaves a little to be desired as far as complete information goes.

That may be a bigger understatement than the manual.

Good luck on this project, I hope it ends up being miles of smiles.

[pegasus1300]

With more dealers going to the 10 year policy the owner/mechanic may become more common.

[Snowbelt Spyder]

Try This. Just a SWAG. If you buy a new clutch through the system, it will be slightly different. There will be an extra plate and a new oil spray nozzle. It should come with a spacer plate kit, also. You'll need that to set the clearances. If they forget it, go back to them to get it.

[UtahPete]

I strongly recommend not removing the engine. Without it, the Spyder is just a piece of modern art!

[Tarzan]

I strongly recommend not removing the engine. Without it, the Spyder is just a piece of modern art!

It’s was just art when I bought it. I’m aiming to reverse that situation.

[Tarzan]

So I have the engine largely disassembled. I’m waiting on a flywheel/rotor puller so I can remove flywheel and split the cases. I have found chips in several areas while disassembling so far. So I’m glad I decided to tear it down. I will say that this is not a job for the light hearted. It’s been a chore removing some of the gears and interpreting the manual. The piston skirts do have a little scoring from chips getting between them and the cylinders. I could clean them up and reuse them , but I found some very low mileage pistons and cylinders for a very good price. So I will replace those parts. I also purchased a whole new clutch assembly. I just need to get the cases apart and inspect so I can order all the gaskets and anything else I run into that I don’t like.

IMG_4799.jpg

[Bfromla]

Maybe some help -sorry took lil remembering & searching
https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...ghlight=Rescue

[Mikey]

So I have the engine largely disassembled. I’m waiting on a flywheel/rotor puller so I can remove flywheel and split the cases. I have found chips in several areas while disassembling so far. So I’m glad I decided to tear it down. I will say that this is not a job for the light hearted. It’s been a chore removing some of the gears and interpreting the manual. The piston skirts do have a little scoring from chips getting between them and the cylinders. I could clean them up and reuse them , but I found some very low mileage pistons and cylinders for a very good price. So I will replace those parts. I also purchased a whole new clutch assembly. I just need to get the cases apart and inspect so I can order all the gaskets and anything else I run into that I don’t like.

IMG_4799.jpg

This would be a great time to change out the spark plugs and wires!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Good Job! I like to know how things work but this would be way over my pay grade.

[Tarzan]

I finally received a puller for the flywheel so I could finish disassembling the motor. It’s a good thing I disassembled it too. There were chunks of aluminum from the broken clutch basket inside. It destroyed the oil pump, a new transmission bearing (unless that bearing was already failing), and the piston skirts and cylinders had some light scoring where I’m sure chips had gotten between them. And the case where the oil pump sits is damaged.

So, if you have a catastrophic clutch failure, you definitely need to remove the engine and go through it completely. I’ll post a couple pictures for reference.

I have acquired most parts to rebuild it. I bought pistons, rods, cylinders, oil pump, and a clutch assembly with very low miles off eBay. All those parts look new. Bought new gaskets and two new tools to work on the motor.

Those tools are:

1. Tool that locks the motor from turning, it’s basically a long bolt with a tapered end to that catches a notch in the crank counterweight; and
2. A flywheel puller, it’s a 19mm X 1.5 hardened bolt with a shoulder that screws into the end of the crank - that took an air gun and a heat gun to break loose.

I’m also going to replace all internal bearings.

[Dasmoetorhead]

As a retired Mechanic, I know what your up against ,and your doing a fine job, particularly with the lack of rebuild information out there. Take your time, and enjoy the experience.

[Tarzan]

I posted pics with my last thread. But a moderator apparently removed them. Did violate the terms of this website?

[Peter Aawen]

I posted pics with my last thread. But a moderator apparently removed them. Did violate the terms of this website?

Sorry Tarzan, but AFAI can see, no pics posted by you have been removed by any of the Moderators, at least not deliberately. Are you sure that you posted them, or if you are, are you sure that they actually displayed when you submitted the post??

If your pics are too large, they may appear while you're adding them, but then never show on the Forum when you submit the post; or they may distort/enlarge the page display to the extent that few others can see them. If you use the 'Manage Attachment' method for adding pics rather than 'Insert Image' which relies on you knowing all this already & ensuring that your images aren't too large before submitting them, then not only will the system display your images as thumbnails & manage the image size as applicable for each viewer who opens them, but you can also see the maximum sizes allowed on this site for each of the applicable image file types. Check out the thread below for how to load pics that way, and while doing that, you'll be working on the page that shows all those Maximum file sizes.

https://www.spyderlovers.com/forums/...ge+attachments

Good Luck.

Ps: I'm also not able to find any other threads from you on the Forum besides this one, with 8 posts with content in them from you in it (to date) plus 1 other post by you that is empty from your original posting &/or your edit.... Do you really mean 'thread', or do you mean one of your earlier posts in this thread?

[Tarzan]

Thank you for pointing to a solution. Hopefully my pics show up now.

[Mikey]

Please repost , WOW that thing really grenaded and went through everything. Wonder if anyone's ever done a big bore kit in one of these things? It would be a good time to go a little over size!!

[Tarzan]

Please repost , WOW that thing really grenaded and went through everything. Wonder if anyone's ever done a big bore kit in one of these things? It would be a good time to go a little over size!!

I have’t seen anything online about anyone installing a big bore in one of these. It doesn’t mean someone hasn’t of course, but if the parts are available I bet they aren’t cheap. This Spyder is for my wife, who won’t need xtra power. She isn’t even sure she’s gonna like it. She wants to try though. A couple of our friends ride Spyder’s and she rides on the back of my motorcycle. So she would like to try her own bike. More power to her and I hope she loves it.
Anyway, that’s why I bought this one and I got a very good deal on it since the motor was inoperable. I wrench all my own stuff and like to make stuff work. So that’s a win for her and I.
Also, since there isn’t much at all about working on the internals of these motors on the net , that I Have found anyway, I figured trying to document my progress through this thread and also on the Fb page that I may help someone else who finds themselves looking for help repairing theirs.

[Mikey]

Keep up the GOOD work, and good for you having a wife that wants to try her own ride!!

[Tarzan]

So I finally finished cleaning all the engine and transmission parts, in all I have about 16 hours in cleaning everything. And have gotten a good look at almost everything.
I have a pretty good idea what happened to this engine. Obviously from the beginning it was apparent the clutch took some serious abuse causing it to explode. And finding the bearing in the case for the shift drum was destroyed too, I think that somehow the transmission was possibly run on the ragged edge of shift points and maybe the trans was fighting to shift, also trying to hold a gear long enough to reach the shift point. It has one shift fork that is damaged, and three gears that have damage. I don't know much about these Semi-Auto transmissions so I'm just spitballing here. If anyone has a better explanation I'm all ears. So I will be replacing the transmission along with everything else Ive already purchased. I know I could have bought a used ebay motor for about $3K, but then wouldn't know what I really had. So parts are adding up, but Ill end up with around 1200 in parts I think. Plus my labor, which is gonna be worth about $5 per hour.
Here's a few more pics for reference.