Article by Dr Dick of the XLFORUM ¹⁾

• Take the cam cover off without dropping anything in the drain pan or on the floor while preserving where all the shims are positioned.
• Try not take the cams out unless you Need to.
• Strip all needed parts to get to the cam cover only.
  • Carb
  • Mag
  • Exhaust
  • Pegs
  • Kicker
  • Shifter
  • Breather tube
  • Generator
  • Kicker cover
  • Pushrods
• Remove all screws from cam cover.

Gently work the cover to this position 2)

• Now look in the gap, and with a skinny screw driver, push all the cams back into the engine so that they won't come out with the cover.

With that done, open gap a little more 3)

• Now, you will be able to see the shims if there are any in there.
• Use an ice pick to work any shims, that are hanging on the cover bushing flanges, back onto the cams.
• Make sure the cams hang inside the motor using the skinny screwdriver again as you work the cover off.
  Note that the cover is still engaged to the cams and that they are slid fully into the motor side.

Keep this up until you have the cover off 4)