In frame head removal.

Can it be done? I really don't want to remove the engine to replace a head gasket, as that would open up a can of worms!

Regards, Andrew.

sure just get a manual and tear into it! goodluck,happy wrenching!

You really do need to break down and buy a Clymers manual! Bwhahahaha wireman was spot on... To answer your question, YES, and it is easier to remove the cylinder head with the engine IN the bike as the frame works as a great engine stand.

Here is the general outline of steps:

1. remove plug wires from plugs
2. remove valve cover
3. remove cam shafts (tie your cam chain up to the frame so it doesn't drop into the engine well)
4. remove 12 nuts and 2 bolts holding the head in place
5. use the 2 pry points on the bottom of the head... they will be on the outside/bottom and look like someone had taken a screwdriver and punched between the cylinder and cylinder head. Gently pry on the head till it moves off the gasket mating surface. This can take more or less effort depending on how sticky the old gasket is.
6. stuff some rags around the cam chain well and over the pistons and clean the old gasket material; also clean it off the cylinder head. The cleaner the mating surface, the better the gasket will work
7. Now you are ready to put the new gasket in place. I am not all that familiar with the 650, but whether it is a 2 piece or one piece gasket, follow the directions in your manual for installation. I think this means there is an oval metal part around the piston hole and I think the side of the gasket with more metal showing goes up. READ THE CLYMER to make sure. Anyway, I use NAPA spray gasket sealer. I apply it to both the gasket mating surfaces and both sides of the gasket. It is high tack and will keep the new gasket from leaking...ever. Put the head back on after the spray starts tacking up.
8. Reinstall the 12 nuts and two bolts and torque to spec in the PATTERN that the Clymer manual suggests. It is very important to torque in this pattern. Then you will RETORQUE all the fasteners to a slightly higher torque value.
9. Reinstall cams per the Clymers manual (fairly involved so I will skip elaboration)
10. Reinstall valve cover and plug wires.

This can generally be done in an afternoon if you are not familiar with the general procedure. Take care not to drop anything into the open cam well as it can get "lost" down in the crank area. If you do drop something, like a cam tower idler bolt, use an extending magnet to fish it out. You might want to have a pan gasket available in the event something needs to be fished out from the bottom and it would probably be a great time to clean the gunk out of your pan and off your oil pump screen.

A rubber mallet comes in handy here to loosen the head. Give it a few good wacks all the way around the head. Careful not to break any find off the cylinders either. If the head has never been off then it will stuck on there pretty good. Remember that is not wise to reuse the head bolts. They are made to stretch a bit but only once. When you teighten them again they can stretch beyond their limit and snap. Then you get to take the head off again. Make sure you surface is pretty clean also. I use some gasket remover and light sandpaper to remove everything. Some say to use a gasket sealer, others do not. I don't use any but I really don't have a reason why I don't. This is a personal choise so either way is fine. Remeber to re-torque the head botls after you put some miles on the bike, like maybe after 20 or so then again after a few hundred. The manual will give you specific intervals. Good luck. This is a pretty easy job and it will give you confidence to tear into something else on the bike. BWAHAHAHAHA

ive rebuilt plenty of motors reusing the origional studs and nuts,allways replace the copper washers.unless you are doing something really radical the stock parts are fine,the aftermarket studs are not necked down like the stock studs and actually reduce the oil supply to head through those end oil gallerys ive got a couple 13.5:1 motors and my old turbo bike i use them on but on anything less than that is overkill i think.:whistle: goodluck,happy wrenching!

I have NEVER seen a manual tell you to go out and put some miles on and then retorque. I have a BUNCH of manuals for different models and all say to torque in a specific pattern then retorque. I NEVER ride till I have done the second torque (or start the bike). Which manual do you refer to? Is this a 650 thing?

And reusing the bolts because they stretch? There are two appx 55mm long 6mm bolts on the ends. They stretch? Never had one break although I generally use stainless steel socket head bolts to replace them. If you are talking about the studs, I have never seen one break or stretch...

WIREMAN! I NEVER buy new copper stud washers. I take the old ones out and heat them RED HOT with a torch and drop them in water. This process is called annealing and if you get them hot enough, they will work great in keeping the studs from leaking as they regain their ability to compress. I haven't a clue where someone would buy new copper washers unless a hardware store copper washer happened to be the same size. Harbor Freight does make a copper washer "warehouse" which is a fancy way for saying a multipack of various sizes but they are SAE; not metric.

WHAT A GREAT THREAD!!!! I have had a head gasket and new end plugs for about 4 months. At first I was going to do it last fall and ran out of time. Then it got too cold (no heat in the garage - wimp!).

After reading this thread, I am really getting psyched up to do this. Great instructions by all.

One thing I am also going to do is to change my tach seal while I am at it.

Thanks to all for taking the time to share your experience with us beginners.

Dale

WG:ive anealed banjo bolt washers before for cars when i do brake jobs since they are easy to swap back out if they leak.but on bikes of got a bunch of banjo bolt washers i chrome plated in one of my bolt drawers same thing with head bolts ive a big bag of washers i got from a dealer that used to be in omaha before they closed i put chrome ones on the outside studs ,plain ones on the inside where they cant be seen,ive also got a bunch of the copper exhuast gaskets from the same dealer,no i dont plate them!bwaha how many headbolt washers do you want,ive got enough to do 2-3 motors

The reason I asked is the manual I have (Haynes) does not list head removal as being able to be done in frame. I was concerned that the studs may be too long to allow teh head to come out, but it apears not.
I've pulled many heads before, recently a Jaguar XK engine head, which is a bear of a job, so I'll be right!

Regards, Andrew.

I have a Haynes for the 900/1000 but seldom use it because of the English and grainy pictures but have read it when I was doing something I was unfamiliar with just to get another slant on what needed to be done. The Clymer manual was probably written by a guy looking at the factory service manual so the info seems to sound very much the same except the Clymer will often have better pictures or at least different pictures of what is being discussed.

wireman... I have quite a few of the copper crush washers. I have never tried annealing the brake crush washers as you can buy them easily and inexpensively. I have a few boxes of new ones at most any times. As far as the exhaust gaskets, I think those things may have a bit of a hollow center so once they get crushed, they are crushed and annealing might not help any.

the exhuast washers are a one shot deal,i anneal the automotive ones when i have to change brake calipers or take a rubber brake line loose no big deal but im really picky about bike stuff and once theyre plated you cant anneal them.i wish i could remember the name of that dealer it was on about 40th and cumming st,maybe solomrus can remember the name;)

Hi,

Where do you guys use these copper washers,under the nuts that hold the cylinder head down ?

If so do you use them instead of, or as well as the standard steel washer, and what is the benifit?

I'm about to put my Z650 head back on and am wondering if I would benifit from using them.
Also, I still have the original nuts, should I b changing to a later type?

All advice much appreciated

Thanks