Day 26 - Engine Reinstall

So now the cylinder head is back on, valve timing sorted, and valve clearances checked it's time to put the engine back in the frame. I must admit this was one of the toughest jobs to get done successfully. The first challenge was to locate the engine under the frame without scratching too much of the little feet that sit on the oil sump. It was easy enough to get the engine under the bike without the scissor lift, but as soon as I put the engine on top of the scissor lift, it would not slide in as easy as the engine frame mounts got in the way.


Eventually got to the point where I could start lifting the engine up into the frame so the mounting holes align. I ended up having to lift the front of the bike over the engine so that the frame mounts didn't get in the way. My first intention was to get all the frame mounting holes to align perfectly and then start bolting all the engine mounting bolts back in. This wasn't going to work, so instead I got the front left hole to align and then bolted that on individually, and then I messed around on got the front right to align, and with the front of the engine mounted I could continue raising the engine with the lift so that the rear mounting holes would align. After that it was just a matter of putting the mounting bolts back through the engine mounting holes ensuring the spacing collars fit on the correct side, and then done.


It's nice to see the engine back in the frame again. Hopefully a working engine that will start and run! It's still looking pretty bare even with the engine in, so next step is to refit the oil cooler, then oil filter then fill with oil (yes engine still has just moly lube in there and some minor dribbles of engine oil in the cams).


Carburetter has to go back in, then the air box, air filter, and a new battery is needed. Exhaust system then needs remounting and as I'm getting rid of the pair valve completely I need to make up some blanking plates for the pair valve holes on the exhaust side. Still quite a lot to do before I can give it a first start. I've decided before working on other parts of the bike I need to know if the engine will start and run before I work on other things like the suspension and brakes and replace the tyres. Pointless doing any of that if I have to rebuild the engine all over again...