This article is one of a series that describes how to disassemble, work on, and reassemble the Road Star engine. This particular article shows how to reassemble the engine’s crank, transmission, and oil pump assemblies into the crankcase. It also shows how to put the crankcases back together, and install the assembly back into the frame. See the Complete Engine Tear Down, Orientation article in this website for details.

Be sure you refer to the service manual through all phases of this project.

I highly recommend you take lots of pictures as assembly proceeds. There have been several occasions when I've wanted to review some part of the engine internals to satisfy my worry-wart mentality, to show to a supplier that I installed their parts correctly, and to make it easier to explain how to do something to a fellow Road Star owner.

Start by taking some photos of the empty cases.

Lubrication Tip: There are many opinions for the proper way to pre-lube an engine. Unless you plan on starting your bike within a few days from now, I recommend using a good quality assembly lube on most of the places the service manual would have you use motor oil or gear oil.

Assembly lube sticks to parts much longer, giving you time to put your bike back together properly, and still offering lubrication during those first, critical, 30 seconds of start-up. This way, no parts are dry for the initial start-up, even if it takes a month before the engine is started. Yet oil journals are not clogged by too much assembly lube.

Disclaimer: What works for me, may not work for you. Use your own judgment.

Torque Tip: (for all critical bolt torquing) First, using a criss-cross pattern, tighten bolts as needed to draw the piece in until it has seated and all bolts are just begining to tighten. Then continue tightening bolts evenly, roughly 1/4 turn at a time, until you've reached the proper torque. Next, back off a little on all the bolts and then re-torque. This will ensure that the piece has fully seated--without binding--and the bolts are pulling evenly.

Stainless Bolts Tip: If you are using stainless steel bolts, remember the following:

• Stainless bolts stretch less than steel ones. Tighten them approximately 20% less. Refer to your supplier for details.
• Always use anti-seize.

Reassemble and pre-lube the crank/connecting-rod assembly, if you took it apart. Refer to the service manual for details.

If any cylinder studs are easily loosened, remove them, clean the threads, apply thread-lock liquid, and then tighten them moderately with some pliers.

Next, lay down a bed of clean rags for the right-side case, and then lay the case down, internal side up.

Tip: Actually, I rested mine on bubble wrap, on a padded furniture-moving dolly. This allowed the case to rest totally on its side. It also provided space for the crank and transmission shafts, as I installed them. See photo below.

Install the oil splash using blue thread-lock on the four bolts. Torque the bolts to 7.2 ft-lbs, which is 86.4 in-lbs.

Take picts of the bearings in the cases.

Tip: Moderately lube all bearing surfaces with engine assembly lube as assembly proceeds.

Lubricate all the bearings in both crankcases using assembly lube. Oil the bearing surfaces of the generator shaft using assembly lube. Install the generator shaft into the right-side case.

Oil the bearing surfaces of the crankshaft using assembly lube. Also dribble some assembly lube onto the connecting rod bearings, as best you can. Then, carefully install the crank assembly into the right-side case. This is a very heavy assembly (50 pounds). You must slowly guide the crankshaft through its bearing without binding. Be careful you don't distort or damage the bearing; easy does it. Also, be sure to engage teeth with generator shaft.

Next, oil the bearing surfaces of the transmission shafts using assembly lube.

Install the transmission assembly into the right-side case. Depending on whether or not the transmission assembly has been kept wire-tied together during this project, do the following:

• If still wire-tied together, then, while holding both shift-fork shafts from sliding out, carefully install the assembly into the right-side case. After ensuring that all five shafts are seated into the case, remove the wire-ties.
• If the transmission pieces are apart, install them in the following order (as viewed with the crankcase in standard orientation):
  • Left shaft (main axle) and gears
  • Right (drive axle)
  • The three shift-forks
  • Shift-drum
  • Both shift-fork shafts while aligning the forks into shift-drum, and on their gear sleeves
• See photos above and below

Check the transmission function by rotating the gears and sliding the shift-forks. Everything should move without binding, and look like the photos below. Also, refer to the service manual.

View from engine's bottom

View from engine's rear

Overhead view

Dribble assembly lube onto the transmission's sliding and rotating surfaces.

Next, install the oil pump. Be careful of the strainer screen; it is delicate. Torque with 7.2 ft-lbs. Remember, there are three black bolts for the pump, plus the two brass-colored bolts for the strainer. See photo below.

Insert alignment dowels into the crankcase, and test fit the left case onto the right. As you do this, watch the transmission shift-drum-assembly. It might need a bit of rotating to align with the (puzzle-piece) hole pattern in the left-side case.

Rotate and push/pull all the shafts to be sure they work smoothly, without excess play. If something binds or feels sloppy, DO NOT PROCEED. Stop, examine, and fix the problem, even if it means starting all over.

Separate the left case from the right, and remove the alignment dowels.

Now, insert the crossover tube per the photo below. Be sure its two O-rings are installed. If you use a plastic dead-blow hammer, as I did, be sure to tap very lightly.

Now the cases must be prepared for final closure. Your case should now look like the photo below.

Be sure the gasket surfaces of both the left and right crankcases are free of oil, dirt, and fingerprints. Tip: To be certain, I cleaned mine with xylene on a clean rag. Or you can just use paint thinner on a clean rag, if you let it completely dry before continuing.

Take photos.

Apply Yamabond to the entire mating (gasket) surfaces of the right-side crankcase--including the little ‘V’ part between where the cylinders go.

Yamabond Tip 1:

I used four, new, 1"-wide, parts cleaning brushes (aka chip brushes). See photo below. I cut the bristles to half-length for better control. Then I trimmed off about 1/3rd of the bristles on each brush to make them thinner.

Yamabond Tip 2:

I also used a plastic lid as a ‘painter's pallet,’ and squeezed a glob of Yamabond on to the lid.

Although the Yamabond must be applied thinly, be sure to cover the surface well. After about 25% of my gasket was painted, the Yamabond began to thicken on the brush, so I tossed it, squeezed a new glob of Yamabond on a new area of my plastic lid, and continued--using a fresh brush.

Yamabond Tip 3:

I had been told to use a very thin coat of Yamabond--so I did. But I also made sure I got complete coverage.

I don't recommend using a thicker layer at certain places, as that would make for uneven gasket formation. Also, I don't recommend laying down two coats, as that would make the gasket too thick, and possibility allow too much end-play in all the shafts. Just be sure you paint on a full-coverage gasket.

Yamabond Tip 4:

Work quickly, but don't rush. You have about 15 or 20 minutes of working time, if using Yamabond-4.

Alignment Dowel Tip: I lube all alignment dowels when I insert them. That way, they aren't likely to hang up or jam while closing the cover over them. This also acts like a 'glue,' to hold the dowel. And I figure, a film of assembly lube trapped in with the dowel, will inhibit rusting.

Lube and re-insert two alignment dowels into the right-side case.

Be sure the last bit of Yamabond you painted on has had enough time to skin over--usually about a minute. Then carefully place the left-side case onto the right-side case. As you do this, watch the transmission shift-drum-assembly. It might need a bit of rotating, to align with the (puzzle piece) hole pattern in the left-side case.

Now press down, being sure all shafts fully seat without binding, especially for the transmission. Remember, you will need to use a bit of extra pressure to seat the little O-ring for the crossover tube, but do not force the fit.

Check that all shafts rotate freely, without excess end-play. Also check that the cases are fully seated.

Bolt on and torque the 15, M6, left-side case bolts (7.2 ft-lbs). Tip: Be sure you remember the long one that goes in the recess of the shift-shaft area, away from the case perimeter.

Then tip the engine up, and install/torque the six right-side ones (17 ft-lbs for the three M8 bolts, and 7.2 ft-lbs for the three M6 bolts). Refer to the service manual.

Take picts.

Stuff some rags in the case holes around the connecting rods. Tip: Instead, I used some small food containers with cut-outs for the rods. This protects the cases from the rods, and prevents parts, tools, and dirt from falling in. Similarly, stuff rags into the lifter-block holes and cam area. See photo below.

Bolt up all sight plugs and drain plugs in the cases. Use 5 to 6 lb-ft of torque on the little sight plugs. Be sure to use copper or plastic washers under each. Drain plugs are torqued to 31 ft-lbs.

Loosely thread in the left-side case bolt for the chrome, ‘Y’ shaped, oil-delivery tube. It is near the generator shaft cover area. This is just to keep dirt and tiny parts from dropping in during assembly.

Take picts.

The engine weighs about 125 lbs at this stage, so it can be set in position fairly easily with two or three people. I had to do mine by myself, so the photo below shows the way I set mine up.

Next, grease the motor mount holes in the cases. Do a good job here so as to reduce the air and moisture volume in the hole, as best you can.

Now grease the two, lower, motor mount bolts. This will (hopefully) inhibit corrosion due to dissimilar metals (aluminum engine and steel bolts) contacting each other.

Take picts.

Put some duck tape or rags along the right frame rail (the low frame member) to protect the frame and engine paint as you maneuver the engine in. Tip: Actually, I used blue painters' tape to secure some rags to the frame.

Now maneuver the case assembly into the frame. Easy does it. Since I was working solo, it took me about an hour of jockeying, to get the first motor-mount bolt in. I was very careful not to scratch my newly powdercoated engine as I inched my way in.

I used a heavy-duty tool box and four 1”x4” x4’ boards. Then I used the bike’s center lift to adjust height of frame to roughly match the tool box, and laid the boards between the box and completely across the frame.

Next, I set engine on the boards, after covering them with rags. Then I just lifted or slid the engine toward the frame, along the rags. Be very careful about the rear of the engine, as there is a protrusion that barely clears the seat-tube (downward tube) of the frame.

I kept lifting and/or sliding the engine until it was in position in the frame, but remained on the boards. Then I inserted a long 7/16” rod (as used for engine removal) through the front, upper motor mount in the case. And I rested this rod on two, car jack-stands--one on each side of the frame.

Next I lifted the rod (and engine) enough to raise the jack-stands one notch. This raised the front of the engine a little so I could slip out the front, wooden board. See photo below.

Then, I repeated these steps for the rear motor-mount.

Now the engine was hovering above the boards, which I then removed. Then I used the hydraulic center lift to raise the frame up to the engine.

I continued slowly, rolling the lift as needed to keep everything lined up, until one of the lower motor-mount holes lined up with the frame hole. When one hole centered enough to insert its bolt through, it was simply a matter of using one hand on the engine to finalize alignment, while pushing the bolt through with the other hand. Mine went in easily. Your’s should, too.

Once the first bolt was in, I removed the jack-stand and rod nearest that bolt, and continued the process for the second bolt.

Secure the lower motor-mount bolts with their nylock nuts. Once both lower motor mount bolts are in, torque them to 64 ft-lbs. Then pack the upper motor mount holes with grease, and bolt in the rear mount using 64 ft-lbs for the long bolt, and 35 ft-lbs for the bracket bolts.

Note: I did not tighten the front motor mount yet, as I still needed to re-install my crash bar--to be completed later.

Take picts.

The crankcase has two electric sensors to reattach:

• The speed sensor, which is for the speedometer and odometer. This sensor installs at the rear end of the engine, toward the right-side. It secures with one bolt, torqued to 7.2 ft-lbs. Install it now.
• The neutral gear sensor (aka neutral switch), is for the green neutral light and the neutral-start safety circuit. This sensor installs at the right-side of the engine, near the drive axle (one bolt, torqued to 7.2 ft-lbs). Install it now.

If you previously disconnected these sensors from the connector-cluster at the top of the frame’s seat-tube, reconnect those couplers now. See the service manual for details.

To access related articles, refer back to the Complete Engine Tear Down, Orientation article in this series to see which additional articles best address your situation.

Questions should be asked in our forum (Use discuss link below). The forum is very active and you stand a good chance of getting your questions answered there. If you would like to leave feedback for the author, or have additional information you think will benefit others, please use the comment section at the bottom of this page.

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DISCLAIMER: This information and procedure is provided as a courtesy and is for informational purposes only.  Neither the publishers nor the authors accept any responsibility for the accuracy, applicability, or suitability of this procedure.  You assume all risks associated with the use of this information.  NEITHER THE PUBLISHERs NOR THE AUTHORs SHALL IN ANY EVENT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OF ANY NATURE ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS INFORMATION OR LACK OF INFORMATION.  Any type of modification or service work on your motorcycle should always be performed by a professional mechanic. If performed incorrectly, this procedure may endanger the safety of you and others on your motorcycle and possibly invalidate your manufacturer’s warranty.

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