1971 Kawasaki 500 H-1 Teardown

[Homeskillet]

Originally Posted by Frank06

+1 Now's the time! It's easy to pop the cases apart and send the crank off for rebuild. Well worth the time/money. The last thing you want to have happen is to get the engine reinstalled in a nicely painted frame and find it doesn't run well and have to yank it out again.

Don't ask how I know...

Somebody educate me on crank seal significance. I heard my seller speak of crankcase sealing, but I didn't understand him. He was probably refering to this item. Can they go bad, sitting up in the engine in clean oil?

Thanks to all for the suggestions. I'm the blind leading the ignorant when it comes to mechanical expertise. But I try to listen....

[anonny]

There are seals on each side of each of the crank lobes, so thats 6 seals that stop anything leaking between cylinders. Over time they get brittle and start cracking, if air leaks in the cylinder runs lean and very bad thing happen.... like seizures and holed pistons.

The seals do not sit in oil so having oil in the engine is not a cure.

A leakdown test will give you an idea of their condition but personally unless I changed them in the recent past or was positive someone else did I would (and did) take it apart and see what shape they are in. You will save money and heart ache.

[ausfahrt]

Originally Posted by anonny

the seals do not sit in oil so having oil in the engine is not a cure.

A leakdown test will give you an idea of their condition but personally unless i changed them in the recent past or was positive someone else did i would (and did) take it apart and see what shape they are in. You will save money and heart ache.

+1

[Homeskillet]

Thanks Big A! Great advice.

[Homeskillet]

[Homeskillet]

[ADV8]

Originally Posted by Homeskillet

Somebody educate me on crank seal significance.

Once you get to that stage,if you have any doubts at all about the crankshaft (and sitting for years will do them no good)
Contact Damon Kirkland... he has a world wide reputation for crank building...fwiw

[Homeskillet]

Put the triple tear down project on hold during the triple digit Louisiana summer. Just started back. Trying to get the stator rotor off the side of the engine so I can split the cases and get the crank sent in for repair.

But first, I need to order that special bolt puller tool to get the stator off.

(I'm in way over my goggle strap.....)

[England-Kev]

Watching this with interest, as I am about to start rebuilding my 72 H1b over the winter

[Homeskillet]

[Homeskillet]

Tried several sized pullers but stator would not come off. Found out that a special threaded bolt pulling tool is required. ($19.99 on eBay)

Pulled pistons and marked each....

[Homeskillet]

[ragtoplvr]

From the look of the pictures the oil that is in the engine is oxidized, normal when things sit for years.

You do need to have torn down, cleaned and renewed just to get the old gummy oil and gas mix out of there, and nice clean stuff.

Oils now are much better, you will have nice long life as long as you ride it regular.

Wait until you see the fork oil!!! And the wheel bearings, steering bearings, and swingarm bearings.
Rod

[blaine.hale]

Just use a metal pin and a bolt with threads matching the hole to pull that rotor.
BMW tries to sell that crap for way more than it's worth too.
When I bought my charging kit for my r90, it came with a small metal dowel and a standard bolt. All it does is push that dowel against the bottom of the hole while the bolt threads into the rotor and pushes against the dowel to pop the rotor off the cone of the crank.

If you're broke, think like a broke man
I know I always do!

[JonnyCash]

Can I take that for a spin when you're done? I promise I'll bring it back.