Left and right hand engine covers

What's behind the engine case's?
Do you need to drain the oil first?
Do you need to replace the gaskets?
Are there any movable parts that I can break by taking them off?

[Nickj]

That'll be engine stuff ... And they are bated in oil so unless you want to make a big mess (you'll still get a small mess taking them off) drain the oil first.
On the right side you'll find the clutch and this casing is pretty easy to get off. You won't find a washer as they use a sealant bead.. essentially a techy bath sealant.
On the left is more engine stuff BUT you need a simple puller, well a pusher really for this side. Inside is the flywheel, generator, ignition pick up coils.
For both of these, unless you're really interested in looking at oily parts is... If it ain't broke leave alone.
Personally I'd pull them off just to check all is OK, clutch basket wear and flywheel nut is tight.

I don't want to take them off..... I just figured that if the came off easily it would be better to remove them to paint.
Tbh I think I'll just invest in a load of masking tape and news papers to cover all the bits I'm don't want to end up silver.
With getting a another bike next year I'm starting to want to get stuck into making my current one look a bit prettier

[Mr Gazza]

It can be done.


Bear in mind that my swinging arm was off at the time, this makes things a lot easier, and not a bad idea to check the bearings anyway...and re-paint the arm too come to think of it.



The alternator side comes off so easily it's not worth masking it up in place.

You might notice that I took all the cover screws out to spray. I managed to leave it like that and not break the seal. I replaced with new polished screws after spraying (with VHT).
You could just spray the screws and replace them one by one afterwards I suppose?

Did you jack the rear up and put the engine on blocks?

What did you use to prep gazza?

[Darkness]

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

The alternator side comes off so easily it's not worth masking it up in place....

It does, but make sure you've taken out all of the bolts [Including the one behind the clutch slave] and it helps hugely if you buy or make a simple three bolt puller to break the bond of the joint and pull the alternator magnets away squarely from the flywheel.

[Dukedesmo]

Originally Posted by davkyt

1. What's behind the engine case's?

2. Do you need to drain the oil first?

3. Do you need to replace the gaskets?

4. Are there any movable parts that I can break by taking them off?

1.

RH side (although oil pump is missing);



LH side;



2. Yes although it is possible to remove one side with the bike leaning over so as not to spill the oil.

3. Yes OR use threebond.

4. Yes, but if you're careful it will be OK. Left side is the easiest as you only need to remove the gear pedal, clutch slave cylinder and the bolts, then 'extract' the cover with an extractor tool which can be cheaply bought or easily made. If you do remove the LH side it would be worth checking the flywheel nut torque.

RH side is more complicated as you will need to remove the clutch assembly which requires a clutch holding tool and large torque wrench to refit.

[Darren69]

IIRC the clutch side on a wet clutch bike you don't need to remove the clutch first, its all inside the case.

[Dukedesmo]

Originally Posted by Darren69

IIRC the clutch side on a wet clutch bike you don't need to remove the clutch first, its all inside the case.

Good point and quite possibly the case, although I don't know as I've only got dry clutch bikes.

So.. Drain the oil. The clutch side pops off and I need a tool thingy for that alternator side... ��

[Dukedesmo]

Originally Posted by davkyt

So.. Drain the oil. The clutch side pops off and I need a tool thingy for that alternator side... ��

Sounds about right (assuming wet clutch is all 'internal'). The tool you require is something like this;

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/lase...-cover-puller/

They are also easy to make if you have the inclination.

If the clutch side is stuck on with threebond it may need some prying to move it, do this carefully as you don't want to break anything - a wooden dowel into the oil filler hole gives a good pulling point.

As said above, ensure you remove all the screws from the cases before pulling, especially the 'hidden' one by/under the clutch slave cylinder that will likely be crusted in chain crud...

[Mr Gazza]

Originally Posted by davkyt

Did you jack the rear up and put the engine on blocks?

Originally Posted by davkyt

What did you use to prep gazza?

As you see the paint on my covers was not too bad, just an awful colour.
I keyed the sound paint with a scourer and plenty of de-greaser. Where there was suspect areas where it looked likely that corrosion had got under the paint, I rubbed it through to bare metal and blended it in. The VHT primer went over bare metal and prepped paint with no bother, and you can't see the joins.

Genius..... That looks pretty stable.
Someone has already had a crack at respraying mine and is flaky again, down to a dull grey alloy type finish

Originally Posted by Mr Gazza

As you see the paint on my covers was not too bad, just an awful colour.
I keyed the sound paint with a scourer and plenty of de-greaser. Where there was suspect areas where it looked likely that corrosion had got under the paint, I rubbed it through to bare metal and blended it in. The VHT primer went over bare metal and prepped paint with no bother, and you can't see the joins.

[Mr Gazza]

Originally Posted by davkyt

Genius..... That looks pretty stable.
Someone has already had a crack at respraying mine and is flaky again, down to a dull grey alloy type finish

In that case it sounds like your best bet is going to be to pop the covers off and get them back to clean bare metal by blasting or rubbing by hand.

Is your clutch slave part of the clutch cover, or externally mounted on the Alternator side?

To get the frame on the sawing stool, I remove the rear wheel on a paddock stand and then lower the bike off the paddock stand onto the stool. Luckily the stool is just the right height... Handy for changing rose joints and messing with suspension.