Topic: 78 550 Engine to Remove or No?

[550Resto]

Thinking of removing my engine on my 78 550. Is this a relatively easy task? I'd like to do it to get it nice and clean. Lots of gunk and what not. I've got the carbs off so she's half way there. Just looking for some advice on ease and what needs to be removed to do it.

[Smudgemo]

It's just going to get dirty again.  If you're not painting the frame, it seems overkill to pull the engine.  You can get it out with just removing the oil filter housing and the breather cover, although pulling the oil pan would make it just that much easier to clear the frame.  Check the manual for torque specs and be sure to clean up the ground locations.

[BomberMann650]

The cleanest my engine has ever been was after a good old fashioned toothbrush scrubbing.  Degreaser in a spray bottle, dawn dish soap, gunk cleaner, engine brite; used them all at one time or another.  Came out nice and clean thanks to an old toothbrush or two.

[uksparky]

This is how I got my engine out

[Gordon]

How old are you?

I ask because it makes a difference in how necessary it is to remove the engine.  When I rebuilt my 550 I was 29. I straddled the bike, bent over and lifted/slid the engine out of the frame onto a milk crate sitting next to it.  I'm 41 now.  Ain't no way that's happening again. 

[uksparky]

Old enough to be your dad lol.....i just rebuild the engine

[jonda500]

How old are you?

I ask because it makes a difference in how necessary it is to remove the engine.  When I rebuilt my 550 I was 29. I straddled the bike, bent over and lifted/slid the engine out of the frame onto a milk crate sitting next to it.  I'm 41 now.  Ain't no way that's happening again. 

At 50 that's still how I do it (-protect lower frame rail with tape and remove sump, oil pickup, oil filter and breather cover first, then slide it out halfway and rest it on the frame while moving outer hand from over the top of the frame to through under the top of the frame and then swing it over to the milk crate)  so how would you do now it Gordon?
John
n.b. At 50, I would be unlikely to do this just to be able to clean it better though! That would be something I definitely would have done (and did do) at 18 or so though!

[Gordon]

so how would you do now it Gordon?

Well, that was the last time I had an engine out, but I'd probably do the lay 'er on the side method now.  I have a herniated disc in my lower back, so even though I can still physically lift a 550 engine, it wouldn't be a good idea to do it.