How do you take the motor out?
 

I am going to take my engine out this winter.
How ever, the swing arm is mounted on the frame.
I have a frame lift, that goes through the swing arm pivot and a regular track stand, but neither of them will work, because the swing arm must come off.

How do you keep the bike secure when the engine is out?

hang the rear of the bike from a sky hook, or other overhead support.

After the engine is out, remove the forks. The frame can them be carried to an out-of-the-way place and set aside.

Crap, I knew that's what you were going to say.

you can get a cheap hoist that folds up pretty reasonably if you need from northern tool or similar.
you also need some special tools for the frame bolts - some people on the forum have them and could probbaly lend. I used to but sold the bike

Sorry it was the first thing that came to mind...

Well if you are just removing the engine then like everyone else said, build or use a support but if you are stripping the bike down to the frame then you and a buddy could lay the bike on its side after it is stripped and drained and remove it that way... I laid down cardboard and I didnt scratch anything.

UM, you mean like allen keys for the bolts?

Honda uses special castle nuts on the frame bolts... they need to be tightened in a specific order to get the proper tension on the frame/motor when re-installing.

I've never used overhead support to swap motors. I support the motor and swingarm from underneath and lift the frame up off the engine. Then you can remove the swingarm, which is attached to the engine, not the frame.


I was swapping frames, but you can lift the frame off the motor with the front end still on if you want, but it's easy enough drop the forks, or pull off your top triple clamp, and check the bearings when you pull the stem out.

You can make the engine castle nut tool out of a socket carefully using a grinder.

Just watching your video makes me not want to do this job.
In my younger years, sure, but I'm old now.
I don't have the time.
I am thinking bout selling my bike and getting into something newer.
I like the idea of getting a new v-twin, but nothing is as solid as a Honda.
Honda doesn't make a v-twin sport bike any more.
I think a CBR1000 is in order.

Who want's to buy my 103,000 km VTR with engine trouble but very good cosmetically?

I'm sure the process is outlined pretty well in the repair manual, but when I did my front and rear tire and bearing changes, I was able to support the entire bike with a Craftsman bike lift, positioned just so under the engine. It was sturdy and secure enough that I removed both wheels at the same time and left the bike alone for several hours. I'd bet if you used some tie straps to actually secure the engine to the lift, you could remove everything from around the motor and end up with just the frame/engine on the lift. Then, as has been stated, you just lift the frame away from the engine and leave the engine strapped to the lift.

Good luck! I think about removing my engine through the winter as well, for a minor rebuild, but the thought of doing it in an unheated garage makes me sad.

Well, you cannot use this kind of a stand if the engine is not in place.

What kind of engine trouble is it anyway? That's a lot of km's, but if you're just talking about something in the valves/heads, those can be removed with the frame still in the bike.

When you get to the point that the motor is out there's nothing left to support.

The VTR isn't like most bikes where you can remove the motor and have a rolling chassis to move around. The rear wheel and swingarm are connected to only the engine case, and connect to the frame through the motor.

So you only want to remove the motor if you then have a rolling chassis? Just make a little wood dolly with swiveling wheels. I did my swap without removing the forks, just lifted it up, rolled the motor out then in.

Think of the frame with the subframe and forks and wheel as a wheelbarrow. Just find or make a cradle (milk crate) to support the engine and lift the 'barrow' off and on.

Well, here stands the issue.
The bike started running on one cylinder, I thought the valves were way out.
Then I took off the air box to check the carburation. I saw that the front slide was not lifting. Checked the diaphragm and found a crack. Replaced both, started the bike and it ran OK. While I had the air box off, I proceeded to change both CCT's. Started the bike to loud knocking noise in the front cylinder.
I have left it since then.

So you can take both valve covers off in the frame???????

That's all I really need to do initially, just to see what the hell is going on.
Then decide what kind of repairs need doing after.

Yep, you can take the heads off and do a full valve replacement with the motor still in the frame. I've done it on mine... it's much easier than a motor swap. The only real caveat is that if you damaged the cylinder (and you won't really know until you're in there), then you have to drop the motor out to replace that. It may still be very worth taking the front head off. It seems that most people in your situation (cct failure/mis-install) just need new valves though, so there's a good chance the job may have just gotten a touch easier for you...

Hold on, you can also take the head off in the frame?

Yup - means moving all the gubbins like oil cooler out the way to gain access but it can be done. Only as a last resort is it necessary to drop the motor.

Download the Honda service manual PDF. Did you set the timing for each cylinder before changing the CCTs?

no
third time, never did it before