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This is a Primer Report on accomplishing cylinder/oil pump removal, with the engine installed in a 1995 Ski……. Warning !, Warning !…… Do not attempt this unless you have an excellent supply of metric tools, sockets, extensions (both ¼ and 3/8 drive), mechanical intuition and experience. (That’s just my opinion, though)
This work was accomplished as Preventative Maintenance. Cylinder compressions were 95 and falling. I found #1 and 3 cylinders and pistons scored and the rings were stuck/seized. It was a wise decision. Bottom end seemed tight with no rod play.
Purchase a Clymer manual. It took me two, eight hours days to accomplish all of this.
Cylinders:
Everything is pretty much straight forward. Initially it was impossible to remove the piston pins. I had to fabricate a tool as described in Clymer. I started with ¼ threaded rod. It didn’t work. I then switched to 5/16, which worked OK.(see pic)
The SBT cylinders and pistons are quality stuff. There is no way I could have had the cylinder work done locally and secured the correct parts in such a short time, or for less money. The Engine was disassembled on a Sunday. Parts were ordered on Monday. Parts arrived on Wed. Engine was ready to run on Friday. That’s pretty fast. (At least by my experience) Break in to the 90% throttle accomplished on Sunday.
Be aware, you have to remove your cylinder studs and transfer to the new cylinders. The double nut method worked fine. (Hardware stores have a vast assortment of metric stuff)
Installation of the piston/pins is easier if you install one clip in the piston and then install the piston/pin followed by the other clip.
I used Permatex Hi-Tack spray on the paper gaskets and Permatex spray Copper Gasket on the metal head gaskets as recommended by SBT.(O’Reilly Auto Parts).
Be sure to torque everything as instructed.(Seems like it takes more torque, than you would logically apply).
I used 3 guide pins (which are longer correct size bolts with the heads cut off) to align the exhaust manifold to the cylinders in a dry fit to ensure everything was squared up before torquing the cylinder hold down nuts(Clymer). Installing the exhaust and water manifold is a real bear to get all to align up. The pins help immensely.
Oil Pump
Removing the oil pump is do-able but…. Extremely! , Extremely ! ….difficult, as you have to use a combination of mirrors to see. Be aware the Allen head bolts that hold the pump in place are Metric. Drain the tank before you remove the oil lines.
I first tried to seal the Block-Off Plate using an O-ring, but discovered that just would not work.( Couldn’t get hands in there). I finally used thin gasket material (per call to SBT), (made a gasket) coating all sides with RTV, which sealed OK.
I also wired in, a 33-35 ohm resistor in the oil indicator line to fool the MFD. ( I don’t know if the engine would start if the oil tank was empty or not since my MFD does not work)
Finally, 1st start was good..---Break-in to the 90% throttle position went well, except I had to change the sparkplugs after going to the 1st 20% throttle position(sequence).
Since this was a cylinder exchange and oil pump block off I had mixed 40 oz. of oil plus squirting some oil down the carbs for good measure.
So far so good. Everything went according to plan.
I hope all of this helps someone.
This work was accomplished as Preventative Maintenance. Cylinder compressions were 95 and falling. I found #1 and 3 cylinders and pistons scored and the rings were stuck/seized. It was a wise decision. Bottom end seemed tight with no rod play.
Purchase a Clymer manual. It took me two, eight hours days to accomplish all of this.
Cylinders:
Everything is pretty much straight forward. Initially it was impossible to remove the piston pins. I had to fabricate a tool as described in Clymer. I started with ¼ threaded rod. It didn’t work. I then switched to 5/16, which worked OK.(see pic)
The SBT cylinders and pistons are quality stuff. There is no way I could have had the cylinder work done locally and secured the correct parts in such a short time, or for less money. The Engine was disassembled on a Sunday. Parts were ordered on Monday. Parts arrived on Wed. Engine was ready to run on Friday. That’s pretty fast. (At least by my experience) Break in to the 90% throttle accomplished on Sunday.
Be aware, you have to remove your cylinder studs and transfer to the new cylinders. The double nut method worked fine. (Hardware stores have a vast assortment of metric stuff)
Installation of the piston/pins is easier if you install one clip in the piston and then install the piston/pin followed by the other clip.
I used Permatex Hi-Tack spray on the paper gaskets and Permatex spray Copper Gasket on the metal head gaskets as recommended by SBT.(O’Reilly Auto Parts).
Be sure to torque everything as instructed.(Seems like it takes more torque, than you would logically apply).
I used 3 guide pins (which are longer correct size bolts with the heads cut off) to align the exhaust manifold to the cylinders in a dry fit to ensure everything was squared up before torquing the cylinder hold down nuts(Clymer). Installing the exhaust and water manifold is a real bear to get all to align up. The pins help immensely.
Oil Pump
Removing the oil pump is do-able but…. Extremely! , Extremely ! ….difficult, as you have to use a combination of mirrors to see. Be aware the Allen head bolts that hold the pump in place are Metric. Drain the tank before you remove the oil lines.
I first tried to seal the Block-Off Plate using an O-ring, but discovered that just would not work.( Couldn’t get hands in there). I finally used thin gasket material (per call to SBT), (made a gasket) coating all sides with RTV, which sealed OK.
I also wired in, a 33-35 ohm resistor in the oil indicator line to fool the MFD. ( I don’t know if the engine would start if the oil tank was empty or not since my MFD does not work)
Finally, 1st start was good..---Break-in to the 90% throttle position went well, except I had to change the sparkplugs after going to the 1st 20% throttle position(sequence).
Since this was a cylinder exchange and oil pump block off I had mixed 40 oz. of oil plus squirting some oil down the carbs for good measure.
So far so good. Everything went according to plan.
I hope all of this helps someone.
Attached Files
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