Question for '02-up E/C/S/X440 Bike Owners!

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promod · #1 Post by **promod** » Fri Feb 17, 2012 10:35 pm

Never tried it or had a need to until now, and thought i would ask before i did it and learned from it that you cant, But has anyone ever removed the Water Pump Cover without lowering engine on the Later "E" framed motorcycles?, of course we all know that all but one bolt is easy to get to, but it looks like if you remove the tank and wires out of the way you can get to that bolt down beside the inside of the RH frame spar to remove the bolt!, and if and after you do remove the bolt is there enough room to manuver the cover off from around the wp impeller and frame spar and still give you room to intall it and re-seal it properly!

No such thing as a silly question is there!

promod · #2 Post by **promod** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 2:05 pm

No one has tried, done or can answer this question?

wistech · #3 Post by **wistech** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 3:43 pm

Never tried but its a bike. You can yank the engines on them in less than 20 minutes which im sure is a lot less time than it would take to duke it out with that one bolt and your pinkies.

Canniboomer · #4 Post by **Canniboomer** » Sun Feb 19, 2012 6:14 pm

You can certainly remove the impeller cover, in FRAME, and it needs to be done to every cannondale on the planet, and before the first motor drop -- if you are not dropping the motor anyway for other issues. An upper bolt will likely get marred up from removal with a longnose plier after loosening, or from whatever you may use, but replacing IN-frame with any socket-head capscrews and a ball-hex is easier for those upper bolts going back in.

Why every machine?...well even the earliest Cannondales with an ALUMinum valvecover had a non-bleedered impeller cover which should be updated anyway, and some had a softer plastic impeller that should be checked. And the later machines with the auto-bleeder covers and the better plastic impeller got the MAGnesium valvecover, for certain hidden corrosion underneath, and a bleeder orifice that is plugged up.

promod · #5 Post by **promod** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:52 pm

QUOTE (Canniboomer @ Feb 19 2012, 12:14 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can certainly remove the impeller cover, in FRAME, and it needs to be done to every cannondale on the planet, and before the first motor drop -- if you are not dropping the motor anyway for other issues. An upper bolt will likely get marred up from removal with a longnose plier after loosening, or from whatever you may use, but replacing IN-frame with any socket-head capscrews and a ball-hex is easier for those upper bolts going back in.

Why every machine?...well even the earliest Cannondales with an ALUMinum valvecover had a non-bleedered impeller cover which should be updated anyway, and some had a softer plastic impeller that should be checked. And the later machines with the auto-bleeder covers and the better plastic impeller got the MAGnesium valvecover, for certain hidden corrosion underneath, and a bleeder orifice that is plugged up.

Very true Boomer! Before i got the answer i was looking for and was hoping to hear (which i knew would come from you, which i think as from being one of the very few true Bike guys left!, with no dis to anyone that rides anything else though as i know the ATV frames are layed out different and might be a different story of doing so, but i dont know, no quads...cant help it if i cant ride one!, but know we have members that still have both, but the ATV's do dominate the Bike Q&A's, tech..etc, on here!).

But Late saturday night I Took a gamble and went for it! In less than 20 minutes had the cover off, drilled auto bleed nipple hole to 2mm, flushed out cooling system and had re-installed! (thank goodness for the 6mm hex bolts holding it on instead of the torx!), as it was no problem to remove that hidden bolt through the top of inside spar of frame with a long ratcheting open/boxed in wrench, and no problem to re-install!

Athough this 450cc bike already came from ATK with the Aluminum valve cover and alum. impeller and all other verified updates from previous owner it showed no corrosion after removed, yet there was a small particle of some kind of debris plugging the hole to prevent auto-bleed (Yes, still knew you could manually do it though!), But really had no reason to remove engine for any other reason, and i did know it wouldnt take that long to do so or lower it if needed...been there, done that!, it was sort of FMI and others if needed of doing so, but one way or another i was going to have to do it!

So now we know the easy way! Thanx!