Turning crank during piston removal

[Guest]

Sorry, this is just a question born of being paranoid:

I've got the head and block off my 79 GS850 for a top end rebuild. I set the crank with 1-4 at TDC before I started, just to get my bearings on the cam position.

The machine shop wants the pistons of course. So I've removed a clip and tapped out the wrist pins now on 1 and 4 because they were high enough to get at. But now I have to turn the crank to get 2 and 3 up where I can get at the clips and pins.

Here's the dumb paranoid question. Can I screw anything up here? I can get someone to hold the cam chain. But given that, can I turn the crank both clock wise and counter clock wise without wrecking something? Can I get something "messed up" somehow?

Sorry, I'm just on new ground here and sometimes miss the obvious.

[Nessism]

No worry. The motor seems happier to turn in the normal direction of rotation but that doesn't seem to really matter either.

[SkeletonLake]

I had the whole engine apart on my '79 several years ago, crank out etc and it all went back together just smooth. If you get that far, replacing seals for example, just be sure to locate the bearing dowels back in their indents.

[Road_Clam]

Sorry, this is just a question born of being paranoid:

I've got the head and block off my 79 GS850 for a top end rebuild. I set the crank with 1-4 at TDC before I started, just to get my bearings on the cam position.

The machine shop wants the pistons of course. So I've removed a clip and tapped out the wrist pins now on 1 and 4 because they were high enough to get at. But now I have to turn the crank to get 2 and 3 up where I can get at the clips and pins.

Here's the dumb paranoid question. Can I screw anything up here? I can get someone to hold the cam chain. But given that, can I turn the crank both clock wise and counter clock wise without wrecking something? Can I get something "messed up" somehow?

Sorry, I'm just on new ground here and sometimes miss the obvious.

Doesnt matter which direction you rotate the crank. One tip when removing the pin clips, STUFF RAGS IN THE CRANKCASE!!!!!!! Those buggers have a habit of ejecting right down into the crankcase, then you are SCREWED.

[Hap Call]

Doesnt matter which direction you rotate the crank. One tip when removing the pin clips, STUFF RAGS IN THE CRANKCASE!!!!!!! Those buggers have a habit of ejecting right down into the crankcase, then you are SCREWED.

True and good advice...I know! (Don't ask how I know)

[mark]

Thanks for the help guys. Rags are in place. This is just major surgery for me and I'm a little nervous.

[brveagle]

Don't be skurrrd!

But make sure that you keep that cam chain from binding up... once i was so focused on watching the stroke of the piston that the cam chain got all winded up around the crank. took a few min to clear up..