Disassemble the cylinder head
Remove the cylinder head cover, loosen the timing chain, remove the cam trees, remove the engine casings
Kawasaki ZX6R 636 model 2002 sports car restoration saga: 10rd series
The cylinder head is the top of the engine block - above the cylinders - that contains the combustion chambers, spark plugs, and valves. Typically, you need to disassemble the cylinder head to replace the cylinder head seal, the seal that prevents leakage. The seal is not expensive at all (about thirty euros, a little more expensive if you buy a bag with all the engine seals), but the disassembly time is long and therefore expensive at the dealer. And be careful, this is not a simple operation and therefore requires a minimum of experience and skills.
In short, I've already disassembled as many pieces as possible to see my cylinder head now. When it comes to attacking him (literally and figuratively), I remember a simple solution: take the motorcycle to my dealership, kindly ask the mechanic to install the Gelocoil without removing anything, and return home on the way. Just. But no, môoooossieur said he was detained if I show it myself ... and if I take advantage of this poooouuuuur ...
Take a deep breath and I return to my back. For me, a self-respecting engine. I will take care of the tightening torques of the various elements and will do my best. Since then, I have dreamed of using a torque wrench!
The cylinder head is strong, complex and fragile at the same time. A play, the weakness of which we can not always guess, and so far. Especially when dismantling. It contains and retains the basic elements and is subject to many restrictions of all kinds (physical, mechanical, chemical). Then be careful. Moreover, this is an expensive part. Concentration ... Again (included).
Removing the cylinder head is a long and tedious operation. She asks to remove most of the vital elements of the motorcycle in order to achieve this goal. It also requires even more precautions as I chose to leave the engine in the frame, which is not the best idea in the end. But due to a lack of space and time, and mainly for financial reasons, we sometimes make decisions that we say have a posteriori forged experience. It must be a way to calm yourself down so you don't get called an idiot, right?
A posteriori recommendation: remove the engine from the frame for easier access
To calmly intervene with the engine, you can also pull it out of the frame. We then have all the space we need, optimal accessibility as soon as we can put it at the height of a person, and enough to work on all of its elements. Therefore, we save valuable time. On the other hand, it should also make you want to do much more than is necessary. Then the trap. Provide in this case a good sized workbench and / or rolling support and sufficient for spreading.
When we intervene in this way, it is also necessary to be able to write everything down, store everything and, above all, find everything. So making a memory stick, shaping a motor, and storing parts is not a bad idea. As well as the scattered case, in which small details are applied, which are immediately documented by a small label indicating where it comes from ... In case. "Cylinder head", "Cylinder head on body", etc.
Again, photographing operations can refresh your memory, especially when you want to take your time, and especially if you really don't know how long it will take to recover. This time I make my life easier!
After this retreat, he is there, we get there. The step I'm afraid of: rebuilding the cylinder head and therefore dismantling the high-end engine. A real plunge into the unknown, be it mechanical or technical. In the coming weeks, Revue Moto Technique will take on dirt marks and an important place in my life, just like on my bedside table!
Engine disassembly steps must be followed scrupulously
To disassemble the cylinder head, I follow the steps meticulously, taking many precautions and keeping the parts disassembled. Opening the engine requires removing the cylinder head cover (there is a very important seal), loosening the timing chain (it also has a tensioner for monitoring), applying the camshafts ... Some cartridges are also removed. All shock seals must be replaced in order to maintain the perfect tightness of the unit. Of course, all adjustments will also have to be redone.
Thus, all that remains is to unscrew the cylinder head itself, scrupulously following the imposed sequence. Pressure to maximum. I don't know what condition the engine is in. I have no history, no maintenance invoice, and I don’t know what life the motorcycle might have had before we met on the day we bought it. I just have strong suspicions.
Anticipate that by opening the "flap" of the pot, excuse the boiler, you will find the (wood) cams in the distribution chain.
And the least we can say is that it's best to relax this one before trying to hug the engine. I take this opportunity to see if the specified chain and its tensioner are in good condition.
Personally, everything is fine. This will be confirmed during reassembly. I take markers, mark the chain and trees. Heavy parts! The inspection makes a very good impression on me and there are no signs of wear.
When reassembling the cylinder head, the timing chain and the parts it connects will tell you if they are as good as they appear. In any case, there is not a little game yet. I move on to the sequel knowing that some courage awaits me. Pulling up the cylinder head and removing it, I have a high heart ...
The valves have fared poorly in recent years and are dirty, chilly and patchy on a 4-cylinder engine to say the least. Okay, I'll do the valve cleaning and valve clearance again: I already have wedges, all this will be missing only pellets. Therefore, the cylinder head was dismantled, and soon it will go and redistribute the spark plug well: to be continued ...
Remember:
- For convenience, remove the engine from the frame
- Take notes, take photos to remember
- Correctly store and identify parts for reassembly
Tools:
- Key for socket and hex socket,
- Screwdriver,
- Marker
