Camshaft chain question

Hello everyone.

I need some help determining if my cam chain is damaged. 1983 KZ550LTD (chain drive)

***Please understand I am a newbie***

This is the story. 1yr/5 mos ago I bought the bike. took the carbs out. Cleaned them, etc, etc.
Well at the time, there was this bulky thing in the way giving trouble to remove/install the carbs. I removed it and re-installed it after the carbs were in place.
Now I find out this bulky thing is the cam chain adjuster and there's a specific order (which i didn't follow at the time due to ignorance) of loosening/ removal that needs to take place or the pushrod extends and locks and the cam chain gets damaged, per the clymer manual.
The bike starts ok and has power. The only thing is that when you first start it (until it warms up), it sound like the engine is knocking (dieseling), like if it had bad gas.
My question: Is my chain damaged. How do I find out for sure? and Is replacing it a big task?
The manual say the cases have to be split? Has anyone done it without having to split the cases?

sorry for the long post. Any help with this issue is appreciated.
Thanks,

Will.

Not much chance that the cam chain is damaged, but there is a possibility that the valves are.
You need to do a compression test, and then post the numbers here.

Does it knock every time you start it, or did it do it only once?

Mistakes are how we learn

Post edited by: steell, at: 2006/02/25 10:33

Yes, it knocks everytime I start it when its cold.
I put the choke on, it starts, then after a few seconds (30secs or so) the idle goes down like in the 850-900RMP range, that's when it knocks. like it wants to die. so I have to play with the choke (let off a bit) to bring it up above 1000rpm and then its fine, no knocking. the cycle repeats about 4-5 times while it's warming up. once it warms up it holds the idle fine.
When I cleaned the carbs, I never sync'd them afterwards since I didn't separate them. could it be a carb sync problem. the plugs appear to be burning rich (3/4 especially).

I ran a comp test. cold engine. carbs removed/wide open intakes.
My "cheapo" comp tester (doesn't lock the reading, I have to guesstimate, also do not have an adapter for the spark plug thread. have to hold the rubber tipped tube against the s.p. hole) registered the following across the board.
#1 - #4 115-120psi first test.
#1 - #4 115-120psi second test.
battery dying no third test. recharging at this time.

BTW. While the carbs are out, I removed the camchain adjuster, the correct way, and re-installed it as per the manual.
What else, if anything, can be done to check if cam chain is damaged? What do I look for?

thanks,
Will.

I'm not real familiar with the 550 (maybe loudhvx will jump in here), but I think it's the same general design as the 650/750 motors.
I think your cold compression numbers are a little low (nothing serious though) and a valve lash adjustment may help that. Other than that it sounds like the valves are ok. Not much in the way of damage you can do to the cam chain itself, and since it only does it at cold idle that leads me to suspect something else anyway.
Use a stethoscope, short piece of hose, or as a last resort a long screwdriver, put one end of the hose or the handle of the screwdrive against one ear, and the other end on the left side of the engine right behind the cylinders, and listen to see if that's where the noise is coming from.
I think you may be hearing the primary chain rattling, it's a common problem on 650/750 motors and I imagine 550's also. It is worse when you have carbs that are not synchronized. It's also something you can live with
Chances are you did not mess anything up

Post edited by: steell, at: 2006/02/25 12:55

Thanks Steell.

Well, Since my saturday is already shot, plus it is raining, I went ahead and pulled the valve cover and measured the valve clearances.
#1IN - .006 #2IN - .007 #3IN - .007 #4IN - .007
#1OUT - .010 #2OUT - .007 #3OUT - .007 #4OUT - .008
The book calls for .004-.008 on intake and .006-.010 on exhaust. Intake looks decent, Exhaust will require some attention. Since I don't have shims or the tool to change them, this looks like it'll have to wait for another 1000mls or so. I am going to button up everything and sync the carbs. Just got my manometer last Wednesday since I needed it for my other bike I am restoring. I thought I was going to get a one time use out of it. I guess I was wrong.
Also verified the camshafts position against TDC and timing marks. All looks good.

Thanks again,
Will

I don't have a 550 but most of these automatic tensioners work the same way.

Tensioner is a 'one way' travel device until it's been reset. When taken out and put back in without resetting it's at it's full range of travel.

Suggest you follow the reseting procedure if you haven't already. Take it out again...it's in the manual.

If noise doesn't go away and you want to give me a call, I'm in Atlanta near L5P.

If noise goes away and it runs OK, just measure your chain the next time you have the cam cover off.

OH! check your oil level, smell your oil. taste your oil. make sure it has no fuel in it.

Before you call, get a stick and hold it to engine and to your ear. Move it around(engine, not ear) to find the source of the noise.

-Duck AKA Bob 404-822-8255