Splitting Electra Crankcase - Stuck

Hi Robert,

Lightweight twins are not my area but if you search for "electra crankcases" lots of help there and 'overlooked screws / bolts' discussed too.

Take care!

Rgds Steve

Previously robert_juric wrote:

I'm making progress with my teardown slowly. I'm practicing on a damaged crankcase so when I move to my primary I should have a feel for it.

I've removed all the gears and gearbox internals. I've removed all the nuts surrounding the crankcase including two inside the timing cover. I've started to get separation at the bottom around the oil plate. It was fairly easy to pull at the bottom. It has a good gap all the way up to where the barrels sit, there it is firmly stuck together. I've even removed the two studs at the top that were joining the halves. It will not budge, it's almost as if the camshafts themselves are holding it together.

Right now I have it timing side up with some PB Blaster soaking on the ends of the camshafts. Did I miss anything around the barrel surface that may be holding the halves together? Or is there any proper procedure I'm not following?

You will also need to remove the two that are hidden in the cylinder cutouts. - Pistons are best removed first. You really must get a Twin Cylinder Manual - the one I used is available as a photocopy on ebay for about £15. This one for example:

Ebay item number 171357356881 - best £15 I spent and saved me a fortune in errors. The pictures are not always that good as they are photocopies, but good enough.

I bought one before I managed to get my hands on an original copy. You will need a few other things like pullers etc. I suggest you dont try without them - especially the timing pinion puller. The others can be fabricated if you have access to a good drill etc.

Andrew

Previously robert_juric wrote:

Success!! I was able to drift the piston heads off, remove the Allen screws, and split the case. Drifting the pistons was tough, I have no idea why the manual recommended a 1/4â rod, but at least now I have some spare pins to drift the pistons on my primary engine.

The only issue now now is the crankshaft. I canât remove it from the timing side. I canât tell if itâs stuck or if this is a gear left of the crank. Iâve attached a picture. Is that a gear tha needs to be removed? Also donât worry about the bearing blow out, that wasnât me.

Yes that gear needs removing and the Woodruff key that keeps it aligned on the shaft. The shaft should then pass through the bearing. The triangular spacer behind the gear should also come off the shaft before trying to pull the shaft off the crankcase and bearing. Make a note of which way round the triangular spacer fits (you have that in the photograph) as it must go back the same way. The gear may need some persuading but with luck a soft drift will force the shaft through the bearing and free the gear at the same time. If not try some gentle heating of the gear.

Previously dennis_thompson wrote:

Previously robert_juric wrote:

Success!! I was able to drift the piston heads off, remove the Allen screws, and split the case. Drifting the pistons was tough, I have no idea why the manual recommended a 1/4â rod, but at least now I have some spare pins to drift the pistons on my primary engine.

The only issue now now is the crankshaft. I canât remove it from the timing side. I canât tell if itâs stuck or if this is a gear left of the crank. Iâve attached a picture. Is that a gear tha needs to be removed? Also donât worry about the bearing blow out, that wasnât me.

Yes that gear needs removing and the Woodruff key that keeps it aligned on the shaft. The shaft should then pass through the bearing. The triangular spacer behind the gear should also come off the shaft before trying to pull the shaft off the crankcase and bearing. Make a note of which way round the triangular spacer fits (you have that in the photograph) as it must go back the same way. The gear may need some persuading but with luck a soft drift will force the shaft through the bearing and free the gear at the same time. If not try some gentle heating of the gear.

In reference to removal of the gudgeon pins from the pistons I think the manual recommends using a threaded bar or bolt as a 'draw bar' to pull the pin out so as to not place too much sideways pressure on the conrod and piston that might result from drifting the pins out. i found that with a little heating of the piston the pin came out with hand pressure alone as they are an interference fit.

Previously dennis_thompson wrote:

Previously robert_juric wrote:

Success!! I was able to drift the piston heads off, remove the Allen screws, and split the case. Drifting the pistons was tough, I have no idea why the manual recommended a 1/4â rod, but at least now I have some spare pins to drift the pistons on my primary engine.

The only issue now now is the crankshaft. I canât remove it from the timing side. I canât tell if itâs stuck or if this is a gear left of the crank. Iâve attached a picture. Is that a gear tha needs to be removed? Also donât worry about the bearing blow out, that wasnât me.

Yes that gear needs removing and the Woodruff key that keeps it aligned on the shaft. The shaft should then pass through the bearing. The triangular spacer behind the gear should also come off the shaft before trying to pull the shaft off the crankcase and bearing. Make a note of which way round the triangular spacer fits (you have that in the photograph) as it must go back the same way. The gear may need some persuading but with luck a soft drift will force the shaft through the bearing and free the gear at the same time. If not try some gentle heating of the gear.

I suggest you buy or borrow the pinion gear removal tool, that gear can be difficult to shift. Trying to remove it with screw drivers / levers or whatever may well end in tears. It was a tight fit on mine.