Thursday: removed the side car from the main body so that I can drop the engine.

Friday: didn't have much time, so I basically just removed a couple of cables and began draining the oil.

Saturday: spent the morning dropping the engine from the bike. That evening I placed it on an engine stand and began disassembly.

Current status: cylinder housing removed, carb removed, rear brake housing removed, clutch cover removed.

I am stuck trying to remove the flywheel and the clutch. I can't find exactly what I am dealing with but I think I need special tools. Now, if only Mike can help me...

Wow, you should see the piston! It is caked with soot. Obviously too much fuel was getting into a very hot chamber. The only other thing I discovered that seemed to be wrong was that one of the cable tensioners on the gear shift mechanism was broken. That could explain why the shifting was inexact. However, it doesn't explain why the bike would drop out of gear. I'll have to crack open the case to do find out why.

I have been taking pictures of each step as I so along. All the pieces I place in a plastic zip lock bag corresponding to that part of the engine. I don't think I'll have any trouble getting things back together.