SuzukiSavage.com - Print Page

SuzukiSavage.com
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl
General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Removing head covers
/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1366828990

Message started by perajani on 04/24/13 at 11:43:09

Title: Removing head covers
Post by perajani on 04/24/13 at 11:43:09

I'm considering getting head covers off for easier maintenance + older looks..

So if I remove those 4 bolts....
A. Im done
B. i have replace them with shorter ones?

So do they give any tension to head/cylinder ?

Title: Re: Head cover not coming off...
Post by Bubba on 04/24/13 at 11:58:51

Don't exactly recall but I think the extra long one that's over by the decomp might need to be rigged cuz it does give some pressure there...but like I said...i don't recall...exactly...

Title: Re: Head cover not coming off...
Post by perajani on 04/24/13 at 12:21:42

Should have checked it last time I had it open :(

Anyone recall ?

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by Dave on 04/24/13 at 17:36:21

The front left fastener for the head cover is a long bolt with an acorn nut on it. You can't take it out with the head still on. The best you can do is to stack some washers on it and put a not back on. You could just leave it sticking up without a nut - however it is a bolt that does apply pressure to the head cover....and it should be used.

The other 3 head cover fasteners just screw into the head cover and can be removed and left off.

This is how I currently have the bolt on mine.....however when I had the engine apart I put a threaded stud in that I can cut off at any lenght, and it will be trimmed to length soon.

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by 87 savage on 04/24/13 at 18:33:38

Geez Dave, that engine sure looks super clean. Freshly painted?

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by ZAR on 04/24/13 at 19:58:56

Good idea Dave! I think the sleeve looks much cleaner than a stack of washers!

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by Dave on 04/25/13 at 04:48:24

616C6265727431373938000 wrote:

Geez Dave, that engine sure looks super clean. Freshly painted?

The bike only has 1,762 miles on it, and at about 1,000 miles it came apart to fix a loose bearing and loose flywheel......so it got a real cleanup about 700 miles ago.

I plan on getting it dirty this summer! ;D

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by Gentlemanjim on 04/26/13 at 00:28:49

Why not just use a dremel or hack saw blade and cut the head of that long bolt off?

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by ToesNose on 04/26/13 at 04:21:10

Yea I just did mine not long ago and used an open ended hacksaw blade on the advise of Bouletard originally, then just got shorter hardware. I laid painter's blue tape around the area first so as to not scratch any of the paint off ;)

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by Dave on 04/26/13 at 04:47:58

0F2D263C242D252926222125480 wrote:

Why not just use a dremel or hack saw blade and cut the head of that long bolt off?

I don't belive the stock bolt is threaded down far enough to allow you to cut it off near the hed cover and still install a nut and tighten it down. I do believe you can cut some of it off. If you cut it off completely, that corner of the head cover is not clamped down as it should be.

I have a stock bolt and a cylinder had and cover I can check and see how far down it can be trimmed.....I will post pictures this weekend.

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by Gentlemanjim on 04/26/13 at 05:39:05

566D6077666A71776C646976050 wrote:

[quote author=0F2D263C242D252926222125480 link=1366828990/0#7 date=1366961329]Why not just use a dremel or hack saw blade and cut the head of that long bolt off?

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by Dave on 04/26/13 at 05:54:21

0F2D263C242D252926222125480 wrote:

[quote If the covers are being removed there is no need for the bolt.

The need for that bolt is open to debate. It provides the clamping force for the left front corner of the head cover. Suzuki must have thought it was a good idea to have it hold the head cover down, or they would have just made it like the other 3 bolts.

I gabbed these photos from the Technical Section. Here is a photo that shows the long bolt with the cover removed - and the threads do not run down far enough to allow it to be cut shot enough to put on a nut and have it tight.
http://i42.tinypic.com/357m0z5.jpg

And here is the gasket surfce that shows the bolt does provide a clamping force at the front left corner.
http://i41.tinypic.com/35l4squ.jpg

It is my opinion that the font left corner should be secured. If you are comfortable that it won't leak or warp with that bolt gone......that is OK with me......I just was not comfortable without having a bolt in that spot.

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by 87 savage on 04/26/13 at 07:17:24

0A313C2B3A362D2B3038352A590 wrote:

The need for that bolt is open to debate. It provides the clamping force for the left front corner of the head cover. Suzuki must have thought it was a good idea to have it hold the head cover down, or they would have just made it like the other 3 bolts.

And here is the gasket surfce that shows the bolt does provide a clamping force at the front left corner.
http://i41.tinypic.com/35l4squ.jpg

It is my opinion that the font left corner should be secured. If you are comfortable that it won't leak or warp with that bolt gone......that is OK with me.

Dave I definitely agree with you that the bolt is necessary. Looking at your photo, one can clearly see the slot for the bolt passes through the sealing surface. But, I believe that Suzuki chose to go with the long bolt because the decompression linkage is right in the way of where a short cover bolt like the other three would need to go. When I reassembled my engine I forgot to put the bolt in before bolting on the cylinder head cover. So I put the bolt in from the top and threaded it into a nut with lock washer on the bottom. I didn't even have to remove the tank, just lifted the back of it. Worked fairly slick. I included a photo:

http://s1287.photobucket.com/user/87Savage/media/002_zpsa8449ad3.jpg.html

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/26/13 at 07:26:00

When I reassembled my engine I forgot to put the bolt in before bolting on the cylinder head cover.

Wish Ida been there to see your face when you realized what youd done..

You didnt say anything ugly, did ya?

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by 87 savage on 04/26/13 at 07:39:53

627D7B7C61665767576F7D713A080 wrote:

I did call myself a few choice name that I can't print here. :-X

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 04/26/13 at 07:52:37

Yea, yea,, I know the feelin, alrite.. I know Ive sure called myself a few choice names. Ive insulted my OWN mother,, if ya know what I mean,,
At least there was a solution that didnt require taking things apart. I HATE taking things Back apart,,, Thats one of the reasons Im so very very slow putting things together.
And, I take things apart meticulously, putting fasteners with parts, organized, like on heads & case sides, I draw the outline of the part & slice the cardboard & stick bolts in EXACatackaleey where they go.

YOu shoulda seen me puttin the top end together on that Raptor.
I test fit the wrist pin in the piston, put one retainer in, on the bench, so I wouldnt risk fumbling it in the motor OR suffer the difficulty of installing it from the side that had the least ease of access. Test fit it in the rod & made sure that when I started trying to put that piston on it was gonna work out w/o any need for any kinda slappin or bangin,.
Ohh, Im deadly slow, BUT,, I havent heard back that it didnt survive,,

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by rfw2003 on 04/26/13 at 16:03:42

you can always use a hack saw or saw's all to cut that 1 bolt head off so you can pull it out, then use a piece of all-thread and then a nut and lock washer to put it all back together until you need to pull the head cover off and then replace it with the correct length bolt.

R.F.

Title: Re: Removing head covers
Post by Digger on 04/26/13 at 19:26:20

The last time I took off the head cover, I used Permatex® Ultra Grey® Rigid High-Torque RTV Silicone Gasket Maker (http://www.permatex.com/products/product-categories/gasketing/gasket-makers/permatex-ultra-grey-rigid-high-torque-rtv-silicone-gasket-maker-detail). I got a small oil leak after about 600 miles, in the vicinity of the head cover bolt that is under discussion here. Although said bolt had been installed (after torquing the other ones - read on), I think that the ensuing oil leak was my fault due to a faulty torque protocol. When I had initially torqued the head cover bolts down so the sealant could cure at the correct thickness (keep in mind that the Ultra Grey sets up pretty rigid), I did not torque, or, even install, the subject head cover bolt, as the associated decorative cover was not yet in place. Had that cover in place, some of the other head cover bolts would be hard to access, thus messing with my torque pattern.

So, off the head cover came again. This time, I gave some thought to the torque protocol:

Here is what I used to take the place of the decorative head cover during the next torque session - a stack of washers:

http://i235.photobucket.com/albums/ee201/Digger109/LS650/HeadCoverSpacerE.jpg

I just placed a bunch of washers on the bolt. This allowed me to torque the bolt down properly while still maintaining a proper torque pattern.

After the gasket sealant used on the head cover was cured, I removed the washers and installed the left decorative chrome head cover.

No leaks yet....and that was 2400 miles ago.

So, yeah, I think it is important to keep some sort of bolt there....

IHTH someone!