Proper engineering There's nowt that can't be fixed by destroying it and starting again ........ :wink:
Right I borrowed an impact driver from the village garage and that didn't move the engine bolt BUT it was low on charge so they are going to recharge it and I'll try again tomorrow . I removed the front engine bolt completely and it was slightly stuck to the engine alloy but nothing too bad . Then I let the front of the engine down so it rotated around the rear bolt and there was a slight crack as if the alloy to steel corrosion had let go but the bolt still would undo . More penetrating fluid applied and I've left it for tonight . The guys at the village garage suggested using freezing spray on the bolt so how does ths next idea sound , I'll drill a small pilot hole in the middle of the bolt , heat up the frame with a heat gun and then whilst the frame is till warm put the freeze spray into the small hole in the bolt and attack that with the impact driver ? If or as I'm fearing when that fails what size bit to do I need to use to drill the bolt out ?
+1 to that. The bolt is 200+mm long so it will twist easily if siezed only in the thread. It will have the dreaded galvanic corrosion through the crankcases. So heat and lube, you can apply a lot of heat at the cases without worry but whilst doing it have someone applying some force to the bolt.
+1 for Louigi Moto, Rich is a top bloke, extremely knowledgeable and willingly let me do the 'donkey' work on my ST4 engine in his workshop, when the main bearings went to keep the cost down. His rebuild was spot on and it never gave me any problems in the following 6000 miles before I was forced to sell it. With regards to the engine bolt, I always use a heat gun as opposed to a blow torch. You get nearly as much heat but it's more gentle and kinder to paint than a flame. You could try 'freeze' spray (liquid nitrogen type stuff available from good motor factors etc) on the bolt itself after heating around the nut. The sudden difference in temperature should break the bond and allow you to free the nut.
Epic fail on the impact driver and heat/freeze so I've started drilling the bolt out now . I'm just hoping that the bolt lets go at the threads and doesn't leave a bit sticking out the crankcase side which would mean the engine still wouldn't drop out . Thinking ahead when re-assembly time comes I'm tempted to drill the frame threads out completely and use the longer engine bolt/nut that goes through the front of the engine , that might be a bit too long but it'll be easier to shorten that and tap the thread down a bit than helicoiling the frame .
Yes , I eventually got the rear bolt out by drilling the threaded end , soaking it in penetrating fluid over night and then finally getting the bolt to move with an impact gun . I dont think the frame threaded end was actually the problem , the bolt was very corroded in the middle so I think it had bonded itself to the casings . I've just dropped the engine off at Louigi Moto and now I have the dilemma of whether to paint the frame and wheels whilst the mechanics are being fixed ?
You mean like delaying the pain . £££'s . If I do take the opportunity to paint the frame & wheels then the engine will look scruffy and the bars , the levers and front fairing stays . I see a vicious cycle of paint fumes and sand paper in my future .
