Best rebuild advice

[phishoook]

Rebuilding ASAP.

When I tear this stock 1980 440 trailfire down, where should I start? and go for parts? Looking at Dennis kirk...

with a 30 yr. old sled, I'm guessing I should go all the way to the crank seals?

[JDT]

You are correct.
Complete engine teardown, cleaning and inspection. New seals and gaskets at a mininum.
Pistons and rings if needed. Careful inspention of crankshaft and bearings. Loads of fun ahead.

But do the rest of the sled also. Steering, suspension, electrical system, skis, ect ect ect.

[phishoook]

The steering and clutch will be next. I know I need new buttons on the secondary.

Put an 80' liquifire trac and suspension on when I painted 2 seasons ago. First ride after the new paint, the compression dropped like a rock from 130 to about 90 on the fan side. I didn't have the time or cash to rebuild then.

*also looking for a new backrest, or at the least the back of it.

[phishoook]

OK I was wrong, it was the clutch side that had the low compression, and I'm just now getting to the rebuild.

I'm having problems pulling the clutch off. The puller I have is the wrong thread size. Anyone know what size treads are on the clutch to pull it?

Has anyone here heard of using hot water to pull the clutch? Or would some heat be better?

[JD600]

The threads inside of the comet clutches are 3/4 fine thread. I wouldn't recomend putting any heat on the clutch. If you can't get ahold of the proper puller, and you don't have a sled shop close by to pop it off for you, it is possible to pop it off using a 3/4" FINE THREAD GRADE 8 bolt and automatic transmission fluid. Turn the engine on its side with the clutch facing up and the bolt removed. Fill all but about a half inch of the hole with ATF and thread the bolt in. Put your impact gun on it, and presto chango, your clutch will come off. Just be careful because the fluid could be under extreme pressure when the clutch finally pops.

This is kinda messy, but i perfer this method over the puller because nothing metal ever comes in contact with the end of the crankshaft. Good luck and let us know how you make out.

DE

[phishoook]

Thank you! That is the same method I heard as using hot water.
______

Next question...
splitting the case, how? Does the whole fan side come off, then split it?

[harleysportster]

Yes, you must remove the fan cover in order to remove the flywheel.
Here is a link to the service manual.
http://www.vintagesnow.com/John_Deere_f ... ilfire.pdf

[JDT]

After the flywheel is off then the stator has to come off before the case can be split.
The stator is bolted to bolt the upper and lower halves.

[phishoook]

well the clutch Cyl. is shot. It needs bored and re-chromed.

I do have a 440 kaw motor out of an invader. Do these parts interchange? Or should I just swap motors and rebuild the Kawasaki? Would the electric match up?

[phishoook]

*lets just say the clutch didn't come off as planned, the jugs for the Invader are not the same, and the clutch on the Invader has a metal band holding it together with self tapping screws. So I'm sure that clutch is junk too.

[JDT]

While both engines are Kawasaki the Invader is LC and the T-fire is FC.
No parts will interchange.

Never use a damage clutch. If it has been juryrigged it will be out of balance and may explode at speed.
Having pieces of metal pierce your favorite snow boots will ruin your day not to mention your two-step.

More than likely someone on the board will have a jug for your engine. If not check e-bay or just buy a complete used engine.

[phishoook]

It must not have been an Invader, this is a fan cooled 440.

I think I found a complete motor. But I wont have it until next week.

[Invader440]

You can also use Drifter jugs if you can't find some for a Trailfire.