How to: Rotate your engine 2009 Buell XB 12 Scg : With Pics!

[TPEHAK]

I noticed that some threads here do not fully describe engine rotation process, also 2009 Buell XB has sligtly different engine rotation process, so I decided to drop my pictures with engine rotation process description for 2009 Buell XB12 Scg.


Remove front wheel fender

I recommend you put the screws and fasteners back in the holes where they from and secure them with tape, it will make the engine rotation process more enjoyable and less stressful

Remove chin fairing

Remove front pulley (in my case front sprocket) cover

Remove the saddle

Locate and disconnect fuel pump connector. The connection for fuel pump is just above the pump located at the rear of the fuel tank on the left side of the vehicle

Turn ignition key ON, turn engine switch ON, press start button and let engine runs with no fuel pump until it is out of fuel

Disconnect negative terminal of the battery first, then disconnect positive terminal of the battery, then remove the battery from the motorcycle to prevent shortening battery terminals

Unscrew and remove airbox cover

Put the motorcycle on rear and front stands

Unscrew 3 screws on interactive exhaust valve actuator

 

[TPEHAK]

Disconnect the cable from the interactive exhaust valve actuator

Disconnect the plug from the interactive exhaust valve actuator

Disconnect the fuel tank vent hose

I recommend you to secure engine and fuel system holes with tape or cloth to prevent dropping dirt or parts in the holes

Remove airbox baseplate cover

Remove air filter

Secure throttle body velocity stack inlet hole to prevent parts falling down the hole

Slide the throttle body velocity stack rubber lip trough the airbox baseplate hole to release the baseplate

Pull the left side short breather hose out the baseplate hole. I was not able to pull the short left side hose, so I just cut it off and pulled the rest out. Then I replaced the short hose using fresh hose

Press the airbox temperature sensor down to remove it out the rubber grommet

Pull the right side long breather hose out the baseplate hole. It should be easier than lest hose since now you will have more space to grab it in pull it out

Remove the airbox baseplate

Cut off the zip ties on the PCV valves

 

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Disconnect the front and the rear hoses with PCV valves

Using pliers and zip tie release the velocity stack clamp and move it full way up the velocity stack

Prepare piece of wood, breaker bar and strap. Pull the the velocity stack up out the intake manifold using these things like it showed on the pictures below

Unscrew right side airscoop

Cut off the zip ties between the right side airscoop and the alternator vires

Unscrew and remove the left side airscoop

Remove the fuel line connector from the intake manifold assembly. It is tricky part. You have to use small flat screwdriver to hook the connector latch and pull it up and back to be able to release the tubes connector

 

[TPEHAK]

Remove throttle position sensor connector. You have to remove the metal clamp using flat screwdriver, then pull the connector out. Attach the metal clamp back to the connector so you will not loose it

Remove the front and the back injectors connectors. To be able to remove the injector connector you have to squeeze the side tabs on the connector first

Disconnect intake air control sensor connector

Now you can secure the wires harness on the frame using zip tie so it will not bother you

Disconnect the ignition coil connector

Unscrew two ignition coil screws

Disconnect the spark plug wires from the ignition coil using special spark plug pliers with plastic tips to not damage the wires. Grab and pull only the plug itself, not the wires

Remove the ignition coil

Locate and disconnect rear cylinder O2 sensor connector. It should be above the left back corner of the rear cylinder rocker box inside the plastic shelf. Fish the connector out and disconnect it

 

[TPEHAK]

Locate and disconnect the rear cylinder temperature sensor connector. You can find it on the left back corner under the airbox

Now you have to remove rear wheel axle and idler to be able to remove the muffler straps. I use chain conversion instead the belt so I do not need to remove the rear wheel, I just removed the idler

Cut off the secure wire on the oil filter to release it from the muffler

Loosen the front bracket of the muffler, do not fully remove the screw, just loosen

Unscrew the nut on the front strap on the muffler

Unscrew two back straps of the muffler

Apply some PB Blaster or liquid wrench oil on the torca clamp, wait for an hour and unscrew the torca clamp

Detach the muffler from the pipe. I recommend rotate muffler back and forth to slide it down the pipe. Be careful do not stretch the interactive exhaust valve cable, put the muffle carefully under the motorcycle

Unscrew interactive exhaust valve cable from the muffler bracket

 

[TPEHAK]

Detach the interactive exhaust valve cable plastic clamp from the muffler

Detach the interactive exhaust valve cable from the rocker and put the muffler away

Remove the front muffler bracket

Unscrew left side footpeg bracket and slide the vent hose out the bracket

Loosen and shorten the clutch cable

Remove the clutch cable from the clutch cable lever

Detach clutch cable bracket from the front mount of the engine

Locate and disconnect crank position sensor pushing the connector plug tab down to release the locking features

Unscrew the front tie bar on the clutch cable side and slide the clutch cable out the steering head. Do not lay the clutch cable down the floor like it showed on the third picture below, hook it upper the primary case cavity level, otherwise primary case oil will leak out the cable

Put scissors jack under the front area of the engine bottom. I recommend to use a few layers of thick tape between the scissors jack and the engine to protect the engine against scratches

 

[TPEHAK]

Unscrew 3 bolts on the V-bracket

Remove the rear tie bar screw

Unscrew the center tie bar

Unscrew the right side footpeg bracket and secure it on the passenger footpeg bracket with zip tie

Loosen the engine rear mount bolt. Do not remove the bolt, just loosen it!

Remove front engine isolator bolt

Unscrew front engine isolator fasteners and remove the front engine isolator

Detach the wires plastic bracket from the throttle cables bracket

 

[TPEHAK]

Loosen two nuts on the throttle cables bracket

Remove the throttle cables bracket lock plate

Unscres two nuts on the throttle cables

Shorten both throttle cables using adjusting nuts near the throttle housing

Remove the throttle cables from the bracket

Check that all necessary cables disconnected and there is nothing will catch the engine on the way down. Carefully start to lower the engine using the scissors jack.

On the way down you can find that scissors jack will rock too much out of vertical orientation. You can use piece of wood to support the engine and reorient the scissors jack properly

Here is the picture with lowered engine

Now you can do the easiest part, maintain the rorcker boxes, change the rocker box seals, change the PCV valves and PCV valves grommets, replace the headers, maintain the manifold intake and change manifold intake seals, change the spark plugs and spark plugs wires, replace O2 sensor. Most of these things can be done without engine rotation, but replacing rocker box seals and PCV valves can not be done without engine rotation.

I see no reason to post assembling process - just do this in opposite order and follow service manual fasteners torque requirements.

The only step where you have to be very careful is when you will rotate the engine back, see that PCV valves do not slam the frame and PCV valves do not trap any wires.

Follow the service manual when you will mount the engine front isolator, you don't want to damage the front isolator bolt threads, you have to support the engine by scissors jack and find the point where you can easily screw the front isolator bolt into the place.

Also follow carefully the muffler mounting process, because of the muffler fasteners must be mounted and torqued in particular sequence. Do not reuse the muffler front strap, discharge the old front strap and attach new.

Use some soapy water when you will mount the velocity stack back on the intake manifold and when you will put the velocity stack rubber lip back on the airbox baseplate.

Use some soapy water when you will mount the breather hoses back in the airbox baseplate holes.

Readjust the throttle cables according service manual and perform throttle position sensor reset according service manual.

 

[Sirius815]

That's probably the most thorough walk-through I've seen. Good job! I just did a rotation on my 1125 yesterday - I think it was easier than this...not that this is hard.

 

[Silverrider]

^^^^ Thank you TPEHAK , I will be saving your great write up for the future.

 

[GregoXB]

Whew, that's a lot of steps, I'm dizzy lol...