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22-10-2015 XB9S 2003 replacing base gaskets

24-10-2015 - What did we do today 22-10-2015 XB9S 2003 replacing base gaskets

bike cleaned, and ready to strip

pita 2003 intake stack, glad Buell only had this on the 2003 models

throttle cables out the grip

old model fuel line, push the line forward, press the red tab , and pull it off ( carefull if you just primed the ignition there can be fuel pressure left )

loosening the clutch cable

rear axle loose, to remove the tension on the belt

What did we do today., idler puly bracket off

and exhaust removal , this exhaust douse not use the stock bracket

left foot peg bracket off, other wise this will poke in the primairy cover

 

supporting the weight off the engine with a flat jack

and unscrew the front mounting bolt

header nuts loose , always a gamble if there corroded and seazed

lucky... need to buy a lottery ticket , al nuts come loose , take off the header

unplug the injectors and tps sensor

and loosen and remove the intake manifold

as the heads need to come off , remove the coil bracket

and the top mount for the tierod

intake manifold off , nasty gaskets

and rear sparkplug wire id gone

so rocker box cover off

and start unscrew in the 9 bolts holding the rocker box , start with the some ones and do the 4 big ones last

a rag placed on the rear right corner will help to catch the oil comming out when you take off the cover

front same procudure , cover off

rag right front to catch the oil

some one asked some time ago, what is the effect off mineral oil, whell it breaks down more under heat, this bike is been running some time with mineral oil , hence the brown coat inside the rocker box , and it has a typical smell to

bump sticks out , there color coated, but when the markings are gone, the long one is exhaust

little breaker bar to loosen the headbolts , there tight,

the stock head gaskets will stick when there some time in, a little tapping with a tumb detector will break it

off with the heads... looking good , valve look good, not to much carbon ( 35000 km )

for now i secure the cylinder with some nuts ( these are special made for this ) but you can use the short head bolts and a socket

and the same story for the rear head, but with a longer extention , rotate the engine down to the happy spot so you have a good grip in the bolts

rocker covers off

and pull off the cylinders

some rubber hose put over the studs to protect the piston, rings look ok, not to much wear , and no play on the pision pin

the part it all started it , sweating base gaskets

rear piston looks good to

now the fun begins.... moment off mediation and concentration not to chisel the cylinder bases

one down , on to go

cylinders cleaned , degreased and coated with a light coating off assembly lube

pistons cleaned, check the slot gaps for position, importend put the base gaskets on, and piston mounting clamp ove the pistonring

and pushin the cylinder over the piston, screws on for now, and front cylinder first

front one the same

now first the pushrod covers back on

heads cleaned and prepped, mount the upper pushrod cover o-rings in the heads, with a litle oil on the o-rings

cylinder head on... first push the o-rings over the pushrid covers than find the position dowels in the cylinders , doing this other wise can nick the o-rings to easy and can cause theme to fail after 3-400 km ( oil leaking ) you really don't want to do this twice

cylinder head bolts, few drops off oil in the threads, and on the flange

and tighten down in steps

bump sticks back in , rocker cover gasket on

postion the rocker box , and start all the bolts first , than start tightening with the 4 big bolts evenly and give the lifters time to bleed, 4 big bolt to 22 Nm and the 5 little screws 14 Nm

cover back on... this one is ready

do the same for the rear one , keep a eye out on the temp sensor cable , you will be not the first to pinch this cable between the covers wink-emoticon

something can help a little , spary a little oil on the valve springs and rocker arm , just to easy the wear on start up , it take a while before the oil is up there

coil bracket back on line this one out in the middle and top mount back on

headers back on , take care off the O2 sensor wire so you will not pich this in the rear port

intake manifold back on

don;t for get to put the breather valves in before you rotate the engine back up

engine back up, and hool up the top side

ready to rumble

and with 1 push off the starter, she is smoking, and runs nice ... i let here heat up for some time to check the gaskets as they can sweat a little

so far so good... she is dry, airbox back on

and test ride to morrow , i leave the scoop off for the test ride, to check for leaks and sweating after the test ride