Cylinder doen't want to come off...

[Anonymous]

Hey everyone, I've got a 78 GS750 and it has been leaking oil for a long time... So this spring I decided to finally tear it down and reseal it. The Heads came off relitively smoothly, but I'm stuck on the cylinder.

I've cracked the seal almost all the way around but it is still holding tight and won't budge right at the Front middle. maybe a space of 2-3 inches. It almost seems like there is a bolt or something keeping it together. The only problem with this theory I've found is that from the outside there doesn't seem to be any bolts that go up that high from underneath. I've followed each bolts channel, and any that I can't see I've removed the bolt just to make sure..

Do I just keep wacking at it? or is there some trick that I should know about?

Thanks in advance for any and all help.

Chris

[Anonymous]

sometimes buildup on the bolts themselves keep the cylinder from sliding up,
also buildup in the holes on the cylinder, clean off the bolts & put some penetrating oil down the holes.
Then work the cylinder up and down, by rotating the crank, till it comes off.

Take the crank and rotate it until the pistons are in a diff position, and see if you can get it up higher.

Using different tools (screw drivers, pry bars etc), use them as wedges as it comes up, working your way to 2x4 blocks of wood.

Careful not to pry on the edges, fins break easy.

I used blocks of wood on either side of the head, and rotatated the crank slightly & the cylinder came right up after the 2 & 3 pistons popped out.

That was yrs ago on a 650, but was the only time I had similar issues with a stubborn cylinder.

good luck,
Ron

[Anonymous]

on the front of the motor between the #2 &#3 exhaust ports there is a small bolt that runs up from the bottom, I am pretty sure that needs to come out to remove the cylinders. At least there is on my 850, can't be sure on yours but it would be worth while looking because it sure sounds like a bolt is still in place somewhere.

[mcycle-nut]

If you DO happen to break a fin, Krazy Glue works great! Don't ask me how I know....

[mike J]

Get a "dead blow" hammer, they are plastic and filled with sand. I would never use a screwdriver of pry bar as you will damage the gasket surface. Hit the cylinder in an area without fins on it with the dead blow and it should come right off. Mike J

[Anonymous]

Thanks!

Thanks to everyone, for the hints, hopefully I'll have some time again this weekend to keep working away at this. I love this bike and have had a few good years with it. And I'm getting really jelous because all my freinds are riding and I'm stuck in my cage...

Cheers!

[Guy]

Rust and crud can build up around the bottom of the studs, making it impossible to lift the block up over them. Remove the offending stud(s) by screwing on 2 nuts, locking them together and turning the bottom nut out with a spanner. Easier to remove a couple of studs individually than trying to lift the whole block over them, and less chance of damaging the pistons in the process.