TOPIC:

The strange thing is that I had no problems before I installed the idler. Thinking back on it, I honestly can't remember if I checked the tension on the adjuster after installing the new idler. If my chain adjuster was too tight after installing the new idler, would that possibly cause the chain to stretch? Strange thing was, it was definitely rattling, like too loose, as opposed the typical whine of too tight a chain....

By the way, this is making more sense. Here is the last picture I took, right after I bolted everything up... BUT before I tightened the adjuster and turned the crank to recheck the marks. Lines up correctly with no tension on the chain...

peter1958 wrote: When ever you remove cams and put them back in a shim can move out of the seat and needs to be checked when your done. The shim was not in place all the way and just split instead of being kicked out so consider your self lucky.

That sounds like the answer to me too. Just to be sure that you didn't catch a valve, do a quick leak down test, or run a compression check.
I got a head here with a "Hockey Puck" hole in it from a shim that bailed out the front. Came with a bike I bought a few years back. Consider yourself lucky it didn't spit out on you, and frag your head.

That makes sense! I'm guessing that might have happened last night during one of the many, many times that I removed and reinstalled the cams, as I didn't notice it until this process had been underway for hours. I DO feel very lucky & will do a compression test.... right after I figure out what the hell to do about this other problem...
Anyone ever used a master link cam chain?

Some say they would never use one. I have used several. Got one in my bike now, with over 20K on it since I put it in.
Make sure you rivet it correctly, and it won't be an issue. Good quality chain, and link supplied with the chain so its the same quality, and installed/ riveted correctly.

Beware of non genuine shims .
I have had some that have cracked like that due to them being incorrectly hardened which makes them too brittle so possibly it was the shim at fault and everything else you have done is correct.
Also those billet idler blocks can let the top idler sit slightly higher on the head than with the rubber ones .
Consequently the cams will be slightly off a degree of so in relation to each other and the cam chain will be even slacker until the tensioner is fitted which will need screwing inwards more than before to take up the slack.
You may need to fit slotted cam sprockets to get the cam timing spot on, even with a new cam chain.

madmatt1 wrote: The strange thing is that I had no problems before I installed the idler. Thinking back on it, I honestly can't remember if I checked the tension on the adjuster after installing the new idler. If my chain adjuster was too tight after installing the new idler, would that possibly cause the chain to stretch? Strange thing was, it was definitely rattling, like too loose, as opposed the typical whine of too tight a chain....

By the way, this is making more sense. Here is the last picture I took, right after I bolted everything up... BUT before I tightened the adjuster and turned the crank to recheck the marks. Lines up correctly with no tension on the chain...

I'm only guessing here but that chain appears to be pulled down (between the cam wheels) a lot further than I can remember. As stated by someone else (I only quickly read this) the only why to crack a shim is to have it popped out of place on the bucket, mystery considering you did not remove the cams.

Also those billet idler blocks can let the top idler sit slightly higher on the head than with the rubber ones .
Consequently the cams will be slightly off a degree of so in relation to each other and the cam chain will be even slacker until the tensioner is fitted which will need screwing inwards more than before to take up the slack.

AH. Yeah, like I mentioned earlier, this idler doesn't even touch the chain until you tighten the adjuster in. I don't remember the OEM setup being that way. I also felt that I had to crank the adjuster down quite far before it felt right. Well, I think what I'll be trying first is reinstalling the rubber blocks, or the whole OEM setup... and seeing how my cam timing looks. If it's still off, then I'll be going after the chain. If it's on... then I'll have some expensive, barely used parts for sale.

Thanks for all the great input so far guys- I don't feel quite so stressed out this morning

As stated by someone else (I only quickly read this) the only why to crack a shim is to have it popped out of place on the bucket, mystery considering you did not remove the cams.

It would have either had to been that way for the last 200 something miles I've been driving it.... ( I wouldn't THINK it would stay in place like that, but ???) Or it happened this weekend while I was taking the cams in and out messing with the timing. That's what I'm guessing, since I didn't notice it until the end of the night. It could have popped out when I pulled the cam, and cracked it when I tightened it back down.

Oh! And another thing you may want to adjust while you are in there and if you have enough shim range left.
Whilst 0.7 - 0.9mm valve clearance is ok I advise opening them out up to around 0.15mm if you can.
0.5 to .10mm is the old spec that the factory specified for the 900's but then amended on later models to .10mm to .15mm.
Things can get a little tight at the older specs ,especially when running the motors hard or upping the spec of the engine especially concerning aftermarket cams of which some give up to .20mm recommended clearance.

I just set them as close as I could get to 0.10, which is the max spec the factory manual shows. (I thought the 80's models called for the 0.10-0.15, ? ) But if that is okay to run them that loose on my engine, I wouldn't be opposed to it as I like to run things as safe as possible. But I really don't hammer on this bike too hard... too often... honestly!

They changed the spec in the mid/late 70's for the 1000's and the factory manual recommends applying that retrospectively to 900's too as they are all basically the same engine.
I have five zeds ranging from std to turbo'd and run all close to the upper .15mm if possible (shim range permitting) and once they dip below around .9mm I pull the heads and do what's needed to re-gain clearance but that takes many many 1000's of miles.
They will run happily at those higher .20mm race specs , they will run a little noisier but I find a loud pipe cures that

two weeks ago i put some cams in and in the book it says take a look and see if the shims are still in correctly. So I shin my flashlight quickly and yeah there in. Did not look very well. So I turn the motor ove by hand and PPPLINGGGGGGGG there goes a shim into obliffffffios somefrickin where in my place. So I have 80 shims and thank god found one the same and replaced it. If I had not run the motor thru the stages by hand and just put the valve cover on disaster. S o when it say take a look really look .