Hahaha, epic! That method will be tested! I am sure that if I aborted right now, it would suddenly decide to give in while traveling at 100 mph...

 

This is a wild guess but it still looks like you have your oil pan on. Take that off. You are most likely missing a bolt somewhere. The case will split no problem with a rubber mallet if you have all the bolts out. You are probably missing one.

I hope you have a genuine Honda service manual, because you will need one to put the transmission and case back together properly.

 

You, sir, are absolutely right! I do have my oil pan on due to the fact that I was too lazy to remove it. I will remedy that and try again! As for manuals I have both a Clymer and a Haynes so I should be good to go, I guess. Who knows, I might discover some new way of making this engine supercharged with only some paperclips, some white lithium grease and used copy of FHM...

 

The story goes on... I smacked the engines a few times before I decided to drop the lazy attitude and remove the oil pan. So I did. And that's when I noticed why I couldn't split the engine. Dissevered, you were absolutely right. There are six bolts locking the engine halves in place that you can only access while having removed the oil pan. And while I was there I removed the oil pump as well. So now the engine is split. I will now begin the cleaning and measuring process and check that everything is all right. It has been a really educating experience this far and I hope that I'll get it back together so I can hear her roar once more...

 

Now that the engine is split, I've spent a lot of time cleaning the outside and getting all of the old sealant away from the surfaces. It takes a lot longer than you might think. I've also begun cleaning the pistons from all the carbon deposits which was, apart from the learning process, one of the main reasons for splitting the engine. I did one piston and took a break when I discovered that getting it back in isn't quite as easy as I thought. Those damn piston rings... But I've ordered a piston ring compressor which should arrive any day now.

I am still not a hundred percent sure that I will get this beast back to working condition but if I do, it will be amazing. If not... Well, it's been entertaining and educating. For my next bike I'm thinking Ural since I've heard that you can do almost all the wrenching using just an adjustable wrench. No special tools needed...

 

The pistons came clean very nicely.




The CBR isnt exactly complicated.

But the Ural, you could probably fix it on the side of a trail with muddy hands/tools and it'd run like normal.

 

You're right about the CBR not being too complicated but still, every time you work on it, it seems you need a new "special tool". I'm talking about valve spring compression tool, clutch basket tool, piston ring compressor, flywheel tool and so on... My dirt bike isn't half as complicated .

 

Are you getting new piston rings? What about measuring the cylinder bores, crank journals, and rod journals? Those measurements are CRUCIAL and must be checked or you could have things out of round or with excessive clearance.

Do yourself a favor and take the head to a machine shop and have them change the seals and check the head to make sure it's straight, guides are good, seats are good, valves are good, and that the head is not cracked.

 

You need to decide whether or not its going to go back together. If you decide to build it, you need to do it correctly. The tolerances and clearances are crucial.

You need to make sure you can use those pistons by measuring the piston to wall clearances. Then you need to take it to an engine shop and make sure it doesn't need a sleeve or overbore (should you decide it needs new pistons). They'll hone and hatch it, which is an absolute must when using new rings anyways.

What do the skirts look like on the pistons?

And demon is right. Its cheaper and easier to let a shop freshen up the head. But you can use plasti-guage to check and get measurements for your rod and main bearings though.

If you were worried about the crank, the auto-machine shop can make sure it's true (and straighten it if its not).

 

Plasti-gauge on the bearings is great for checking bearing clearances, but you must measure the crank and rods id different spots to make certain that they are round.


Ask me how I know....