I need to remove and replace my 2009 R1200RT's cylinder head

[MGMcAnick]

Pieces of my left cylinder head, among other things, were scraped off in a fall. I have another head complete with valves and rockers from Rubbersideup. (Good people BTW.) I have a Haynes book, but it assumes that the engine is removed, and I know more than I do. This isn't my first rodeo, but it is my first on an R1200RT.

 

I tried a search here of HEAD, CYLINDER HEAD REMOVAL, and HEAD REMOVAL. Each search turned up 1500 hits, none of which seemed to have anything to do with cylinder head removal.

 

I need to know what to do about the camshaft and its sprocket. I'm assuming that they stay with the cylinder as the head is removed. Will the head just pull off over them after removal of the torx nut? Or do they stay with the head. How are they kept in time? I can't lose the timing, or I'm really in deep do do.

 

Where can I find good detailed instructions on how to do this? How about an exploded view?

[AnotherLee]

MGMcAnick -

 

This is how I did my 1150. After you lock the flywheel with the cyl at TDC on compression, you zip tie the cam chain to the sprocket. They stay with the engine when you carefully remove the cyl.

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[MGMcAnick]

So TheOtherLee, am I to remove the cylinder along with the head? Seems unnecessary to me. Does the R1150 have the same camshaft set up as my hex head? Do I need to remove the starter to be able to lock the flywheel?

[AnotherLee]

MGMcAnick -

 

Good questions. I don't know the answers for '09 R1200RT. Hopefully we'll get some more experienced help here.

[Guest Kakugo]

According to the RepROM I have, the operation can be done with engine in frame.

 

Apart from various ancillaries (such as exhaust system, ignition coils etc), the RepROM says you should do the following:

 

Remove camshaft cover

Set the cylinder whose head you need to replace at TDC

Disconnect engine sensors

Disconnect throttle body

Remove trigger for camshaft sensor

Remove camchain tensioner and sprocket

 

Then you can remove the damaged head, install the new one and set timing before reassembling the bike.

 

The RepROM is actually very detailed on the matter and for such a major work I strongly suggest you get a hold of a copy or borrow one: in the past I've found Haynes manuals to be very lackluster and missing vital informations especially when dealing with engine internals.

[dirtrider]

Morning MGMcAnick

 

Having a BMW RepRom is handy as well as having a Haynes manual. BUT they are both lacking things that are assumed known. (manuals assume reader has done job before & just needs to refresh the basics)

 

You are removing the L/H cylinder head so no cam sensor on that side. The L/H cam has a crankcase vent impeller bolted on the cam gear not a cam sensor.

 

The CAM stays with the cylinder head, the chain & sprocket stays with the engine & the cyl head c-a-r-e-f-u-l-l-y slides off over the gear & chain.

 

You will probably find one cylinder stud sticking out farther than the others (leave it be & resist the urge to screw it in farther or you can damage the engine)

 

Be very careful when unbolting the cam sprocket as too much force applied too HARSHLY can break a cam chain guide & that is devastating because cam guides are extremely difficult to install.

 

Lee's zip tie trick to hold chain to cam gear works great & is advised.(just don't drop the gear & chain into the engine). I usually also hook a short piece or wire to the cam sprocket to aid in pulling/guiding it through the new cyl head (it's a tight fit)

 

Also be careful on what you read as there are slight differences in the venting system between your 2009 & earlier 1200 hexheads & especially between your 2009 & the 1100/1150 oilheads-- the BASICS are the same but the parts are slightly different.

 

My suggestion to you is to: read many procedures-- then work very slowly and STOP at anything not fully understood-- then post up your question so you don't do something & get ahead of yourself that you will regret doing.

[MGMcAnick]

Is this the sort of thing I need to get? Is this a good one? If not what would you recommend?

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/BMW-R1200GS-R1200RT-R1200ST-Service-Repair-Manual-Workshop-K2X-/111723830949?hash=item1a03425ea5&vxp=mtr

[dirtrider]

Is this the sort of thing I need to get? Is this a good one? If not what would you recommend?

 

Afternoon MGMcAnick

 

 

No way to tell as that is an illegal copy of something.

[MGMcAnick]

I tore into this project today. I used the zip tie as suggested above as well as marking the chain and sprocket with some white paint. It has not changed position. Unfortunately I don't know whether the used head was removed with everything at TDC and all lined up. The cam gear and camshaft do not seem to line up like they should. The intake rockers no longer have any play like they did before I installed the head. The exhaust rockers do. Do I need to rotate the camshaft to line up? What should it look like?

 

I took a picture of it with my phone, but it says it's too big a file to upload here. I have no idea how to fix that, or my bike either I guess.

 

My picture shows that I have notch in the camshaft's end pointing at about 2:00 O'clock and a depression in the gear pointing at about high noon. Is there a notch on the unseen side of the gear that engages something on the camshaft, or is it just held in position by the bolt? That doesn't seem sufficient. The zip tie is presently keeping the gear from completely seating against the camshaft, and the tensioner is not yet tight.

 

 

[dirtrider]

I tore into this project today. I used the zip tie as suggested above as well as marking the chain and sprocket with some white paint. It has not changed position. Unfortunately I don't know whether the used head was removed with everything at TDC and all lined up. The cam gear and camshaft do not seem to line up like they should. The intake rockers no longer have any play like they did before I installed the head. The exhaust rockers do. Do I need to rotate the camshaft to line up? What should it look like?

 

My picture shows that I have notch in the camshaft's end pointing at about 2:00 O'clock and a depression in the gear pointing at about high noon. Is there a notch on the unseen side of the gear that engages something on the camshaft, or is it just held in position by the bolt? That doesn't seem sufficient. The zip tie is presently keeping the gear from completely seating against the camshaft, and the tensioner is not yet tight.

 

 

Morning MGMcAnick

 

First (& very important) point is: one side valves MUST be at overlap (all valves loose) with the other side having some tight valves. (if both sides have all valves loose then one side cam is timed incorrectly)

 

You really need a good BMW manual to verify you have it together correctly as you don't want to bend valves at first engine cranking.

 

Next point is: ALWAYS turn engine over (CAREFULLY) by hand after re-assembly, if any tight spots felt then STOP & find out what is causing that binding.

 

Your cam gear has a tab on the back that MUST line up with the camshaft slot (see picture below)

 

[MGMcAnick]

It's almost funny how this worked out. Since the "new" head and its camshaft were not at TDC while the piston was, all it needed was just a little nudge in the right direction. I stuck a big screwdriver into the slot and gave the cam a very slight twist. The valve springs seemed to WANT it to be at TDC with all for valves closed. The rockers are loose. The cam lined up perfectly and the gear's bump (which I could FEEL on the non-visible side) is in the cam's notch.

 

I will pull the valve cover off of the other side to be sure I'm in the right position with valves open, but I'm pretty sure it's OK.

 

I'll let you know when I have time to finish it up, and it runs again.

[AnotherLee]

How's it goin, MG?