Who stole my Vision's engine?

[wolfman]

...and gave me this nice quiet one in exchange?  Needless to say she is back together with new stator and repaired starter clutch.  The engine is so much quieter it really seems like a different one.  The starter clutch itself was intact, but the bolts were history.  You could literally turn them with your fingers and the threads on them were ruined as well as the threads on the hub.  Good thing the puller holes can be used to bolt the clutch on as well!  ;D I used locktite BLUE on the new custom cut bolts and peened over the ends.  Starter is MUCH quieter when operating and silent once the engine is running.  The old stator does not "look" fried but tests bad even off the bike.  Headlight is brighter now when the bike is running, and an intermittant occasional ignition cut out the bike seemed to always have had has vanished.  A couple of things and tricks I used/learned.

1.  Get a 14mm 6 POINT impact socket (1/2 in drive) for the hub bolt.  Used with a breaker bar, the bolt will come right off.  (I split 3 regular sockets before I bought it)
2.  BUY a harmonic balancer puller!  (Went to Sears and 3 autoparts stores before I found one and then had to buy 3 8mm X 125 bolts and washers as the ones that came with it were too big)
3.  To prevent the engine from turning when removing the bolt and pulling the hub, use this old mechanics trick...Remove the rear cylinders spark plug, turn the engine by hand until the piston is bottomed in the bore, then thread about 8 inchs of 3/8 in CLEAN nylon rope into the spark plug hole.  Turn the engine again by hand until the piston rises and jams the rope against the top of the combustion chamber.  This will prevent the engine from being turned in either direction (provided the piston is at the top) and allow you to do what you need to do.  When you are done, just turn the engine by hand to lower the piston and pull out the rope.  Works like a charm and will cause NO DAMAGE provided the rope is clean.
4. Place a large box or?  with a towel in it under the hub as you pull it off, the clutch rollers and springs etc., WILL fall out as the hub comes free.
5. Place the large starter gear on the HUB not the crankshaft (as Haynes suggests) and place the whole thing on the crankshaft as an assembly. The gear will hold the starter clutch rollers in place.  Do it the Haynes way and the starter clutch rollers constantly fall out making assembly nearly impossible.
6. You CAN use just sealer (no gasket) to reseal the case to the engine.  Just get everything squeaky clean (engine and case) and spray down the sealing surfaces with brake clean prior to putting on the sealer. I used Permatex "grey" semi hardening, and allowed it to set overnight (24 hours +) after assembly before filling the crankcase up with oil.  She's leak free.

Hope all this helps.

[Paul_Jungnitsch]

Thanks for taking the time to write that up. I noticed my Vision is making a lot of noise under the engine case at idle, and I was wondering how to hold the engine still without a chain vice-grip. I'm sure the other notes will come in handy as well. It is always amazing how clear things are just after a job is done.

Paul

[Lucky]

I use an old lead wheel weight in the gears to keep the engine from turning.

[kiawrench]

i tried to just use my fingers,, but on first turn,, saw that lucky was right again,,, hurts like #*2$$ when it starts to bind,, used the wheel weight , got worried, so i used the soft plastic wedge from my repo lockout kit.

    as for the puller,,,, have enough of those in my tool box to pull it out from the other side ,(big snap on set ,40 pc kit )
  Wolfie, mine is completed now , did keep the vision as well as the new v-star. will ride the V daily, the classic for poker runs and stuff,, (until i get it paid for )
   added a tip of hat to lucky, wolfie and ron g  in my paint scheme :
    wolf head graphic on tank, the metalic riders of vision from the gallery page and a graphic of a pair of vegas style dice ,,,
  (rolled out to snake eyes. ) all on bright silver metal flake paint job , then clear coated over the top of it all, to keep it "sparkly".
   blacked out the engine in honor of leather 's bike and his reason made sense, why polish it if you can wash it .
  left saddle bag has little shadow graphic,, clavin peeing on a honda emblem .

[Walt_M.]

You might want to mention that the rear cylinder should be on the compression stroke before trying the 'rope in the cylinder' trick. If it is on the exhaust stroke, you could bend a valve or two.

[Rick G]

Its simpler and quicker to stick a lead bar (wheel weight) in the gears. I think safer too!!

[Walt_M.]

Both true, but I thought anyone who might try the 'rope' thing needed to be aware of the exhaust valves.

[Glyn Pickering]

Could anyone tell me what a harmonic balance puller is? and how does this differ from a 3/4 leg puller. I plan to do the clutch mod very soon.

Cheers

Glyn

[wolfman]

They are also called "Harmonic Balancer Pullers"  about $20 from Sears or NAPA auto supply.  You cannot use a 3 jaw puller or you will warp the hub.  http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/product.do?BV_UseBVCookie=Yes&vertical=TOOL&pid=00947626000

[jasonm.]

They are also called steering wheel pullers.

[Lucky]

Kia, i'm honored!,
how did you do the graphics? I have one I can't find, it involves Calvin peeing on a baseball team's logo.. (don't want to offend anyone here, but Go Red Sox!)

[Paul_Jungnitsch]

Should add that Canadians can rent those types of things for free at Canadian Tire stores. The US may have something similar at big auto parts dealers.