Removing left side cover?

[BassHunter0123]

well i got the sparks advance key. it appears to be easy to install but having a hard time getting the side case off. i got all the bolts out of it. do i have to pry on it or what to get it off. i dont really want to beat it all up. any thoughts are much appreciated

[rob_990]

did you remember to take the starter cover off too? when i took mine off i had to tap it a few times with a mallet.

[rcatvrider]

Mine was alot more difficult than I have read about. I was hitting it around for about an hour with a mallet and nothing was happening. In the end, I ended up having to pry in back of where the starter gears go, and at the pry points elsewhere on the cover. Just make sure you go a little at a time.

[BassHunter0123]

ok i got it off just warmed the engine up. but i just ran into a problem got everything bakc together and started it well it started and it stalled now when i try to start it i just hear the starter turning and the engine isnt cranking. what did i do im going to go take it apart now. is it possible to put the key in too deep???
please help asap

[rcatvrider]

Did you torque the flywheel bolt enough? It could also have to do with the key. Hopefully the key didn't snap and/or the flywheel fell off.

[BassHunter0123]

the key snapped!!! why did this happen? did i do something wrong. could i of put it in too deep?? it looks like it sheared the flat part off

[rcatvrider]

When tightening the flywheel bolt it is important to keep the flywheel turned to the left. Did you do this?

[BassHunter0123]

sure did. but i noticed when i put the key in it was almost flush with the shaft it goes into should i only put it like halfway in?

[rcatvrider]

When I did mine it looked too far in until it was perfectly aligned meaning both ends were flush with the shaft. The flat part was a hair under the top of the groove in the crankshaft if I remember right.

[BassHunter0123]

well im thinking i put it too far in. i ordered another one and i will try it one more if i screw it up again i will just put the old one in. so when you installed your key it stuck up out of the slot a little bit right to catch the flywheel?

[rcatvrider]

I had the type of key that has an groove on one side thay makes it look like an L on top. I know there are 2 different types of keys but that's what mine looked like. The highest part did stick out enough to catch the flywheel.

[BassHunter0123]

yea mine is like that also. and i think only half of it was sticking up(if that) and it sheared it off

[tri5ron]

Basshunter,
I am sensing two things here.
Something dosen't sound right about the key seeming to go to deep. That simply should not be possible. Are you sure the new key was the same height as the stock key?

Did you by chance, compare the height of the new key to the old one? (They should be the same).

Also are you SURE the flywheel bolt was properly torqued using a torque wrench? and that the torque wrench was set to 94 FT/LBS.,(not inch/lbs)? This is vitally important.

did you read the "how to" that I wrote?
The only other person here (That I know of), who has sheared a key, was due to improper tightening of the flywheel bolt.

here's a link to the "How to",
http://www.exriders.com/vbb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=349499&highlight=sparks