Kawasaki Z550

More efforts were made to remove the engine but the heavily corroded front engine bolts proved too tough a nut to crack. Whilst drilling the heads off seems to be the only option to allow the engine to be lifted out of the frame, that still leaves an immense problem to overcome if we are to re-use the existing engine. The odd shaped nuts are securely corroded onto the ends of the bolts, so much so that attempts at turning the bolts have broken large sections of the surrounding aluminium fins off the engine. Because the bolts are in a blind channel, a way needs to be found to cut the nut off the bolt in order for both pieces of each corroded bolt to be removed from the channel. Once the bolts/nuts are out a very clever welder of aluminium needs to be located to rebuild the fins. Without the fins around the nut there will be issues with the new nut spinning around when attempts are made to tighten the new bolts. One can’t help but wonder if another engine needs to be located. But then it would end up like Trigger’s broom – New frame, new engine new broom!!!