whats the trick to engine removal honda 250sx?

[Coopart1]

ok...got a different engine to drop into my 250sx, spent most of the afternoon pulling parts off and finally got to the point were its time to pull the sucker out of there!!! well not so simple it seems..i put a floor jack under the front of the engine and an A-frame with a strap supporting the the rear of the engine. Tried many different angles to pull it out with no success. Jack it up to get past the front lower mount brackets..hit the top of the frame with the head before engine clears the front frame brackets...try to tilt the engine ...no good..still hiting the top of the engine on the frame..mind you i am trying to pull the engine the way the manual says too..opposite side of the drive shaft. HEEEELPPP you guys that have done this please share any secret tips you might have!!! i sure don't want to pull the swing arm if i don't have too.!!! thanks for your reply fellas,

[Flyingw]

Would it have killed Honda to make the frame a tad larger to facilitate engine removal and installation? Take the valve adjustment covers off first. To get the motor out, you have to lift the back of the motor above the rear mounts at the same time rotating it to the right and turning the motor to the right to come out the right side of the frame. An extra set of hands is needed. Those motors are all of 100lbs. Going back in is the exact reverse. Stick it in to the frame at about a 45deg angle. Lift the rear of the motor and rotate it to the right as you drop it in to the mounts. Dont worry too much about the propeller shaft plugging in to the output shaft. Its spring loaded. get the motor set roughly in to the frame then set the propeller shaft. Again, extra hands are needed.

[trike savior]

i normally remove rocker cover to get more room. not the two little adjuster covers but the whole top cover of the motor. they used gasket maker at the factory so there is no gasket to replace, just use rtv when reassembling. two people to get motor out is a must

[rcurtis16]

well, i've done it 4 times so far, i've learned that if you just release the driveshaft in any way possible, and exhaust, and then just tilt the engine right out the left side, bc once the shaft is off you can shove the motor back

[Flyingw]

Thats assuming he can get all the bolts out of the rocker while in the frame.

[just ben]

I did this just friday. I had to call an expert myself. Remove all motor mounts,carb,airbox,exhaust,wires ,kicker and the left foot peg. tilt the engine foreward lift a little and it will rock out the left side easily. If you look at the frame from the side you can see that it has a "cut out" that is the same shape as the rocker cover. That cut out is what gives you the room to rock it out the left side.

[jeswinehart]

Bigreds are the same ~ tight fit. I have always pulled them out from the left side (same side as drive shaft), with head cap on.


john

[dustrunner]

ive pulled them out the right side ...once ya find the sweet spot in the frame and remove the right foot peg...but it can be a pain ...

[Coopart1]

All great tips!! i might have to wait till the weekend to have time to get back at it but at least i have several NEW ideas to try that are proven to work for others. My teenage son is eager to help, he's a pretty strong fella. And i KNOW he dosent want my trike down for too long cuz it keeps him/us from going out on the trails..he rides my four wheeler..Thanks again!

[Flyingw]

Hell I've been so frustrated at times with the SX motors that before I installed my last motor, I pulled a set of cases, covers, and top end out of the attic and pinned it together to use as a mockup to figure the best way to get the motors in and out. Even with a shell of a motor it still wasnt easy doing it alone. You and your boy gonna be available to come up to OK the first weekend in May for our annual ride at Little Sahara?

[Coopart1]

That sounds fun...were not too far from there. I will put that thought on the burner.

[Flyingw]

I hope you guys can make it.

[Coopart1]

I GOT IT!!! Thanks to all the great tips i got it out last night, took about 20 min. ! Here is what i did ... Seems part of the problem was the drive shaft and out put splines were fairly well stuck together and not pulling all the way off DAMN THAT rubber boot! , so i jacked the REAR of the engine up slowly while using a flat screw driver to carefully pry the knocker loose soaked shaft away from the engine till it slipped off with engine output now slightly above shaft and still jacked up in the rear i straddled the trike and lifted the head cylinder up and canted it to the left and it came right out..i rested it on the frame while i got off the trike and then just lifted it away...NOW lets see how the new engine goes in...better knock on some wood..Thanks again for all the great tips! thought i would share my success.