Degreeing in stock cams

shimvalve wrote:

Hi. I have a 81 kz550. When I was putting new shims in the buckets I may have skipped a tooth (or 3) on the cam sprockets. Damn me for taking the entire tensioner elbow n all out and pressing on the chain! I' m paranoid to turn it over now without putting it back into specs. Is there anything outlined in the manual to do this procedure? I'm no engine builder but learn easily.

Thank you.

Here's more than you ever wanted to know about 550 cams and timing:
home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/CamsKZZ...KZZXZR550500400.html

If the tensioner is out, it should be easy to walk the chain back to where it needs to be. This should be done with very minimal amounts of crank movement. You don't want things colliding. When I do it, I have the cam gears unbolted so they can easily slip off, give slack, and the chain can be walked without removing the cams.

After you walk it, you can put the tensioner back in, but it back in, but don't install the cross wedge or spring. That will have just enough tension to prevent further jumping, but don't turn the crank yet. If you do want to rotate the crank and check timing after two revolutions, put the wedge and spring back in and remember to remove them before installing the valve cover. The tension must not be tight when you install the valve cover.

While rotating the crank with cams and chain installed, I press down on the chain at the top to simulate the cover.

shimvalve wrote:

Hi. I have a 81 kz550. When I was putting new shims in the buckets I may have skipped a tooth (or 3) on the cam sprockets. Damn me for taking the entire tensioner elbow n all out and pressing on the chain! I' m paranoid to turn it over now without putting it back into specs. Is there anything outlined in the manual to do this procedure? I'm no engine builder but learn easily.

Thank you.

Actually, taking the tensioner out like that makes it easier to install the cams properly

Might be a little overkill, but when I check valve clearances, I now zip tie as in the pictures above, AND mark the cam and chain in different locations. I only remove one cam at a time to change shims, then bolt it back in place before removing the other cam to change shims. The cam tensioner gets loosened about 1/2 inch, but never removed. The zip tie will never allow the cam chain to move from it's location on the cam, and the white paint marks allow rechecking afterwards when it's turned over by hand. If the paint marks line up, afterwards, you're good. I do set the timing to TDC for another refrence mark before marking, and zip-tying.

Overkill? Might be, but it works for me.

Patton wrote:

Here's link to where may download Motorcycle Cam Degreeing for Zombies

Click > kzrider.com/index.php?option=com_docman&...d&gid=451&Itemid=108

Good Fortune!

Thanks Patton. That link will help me a great deal when I degree my Megacycle Cams to my 615cc engine. I've degreed cams before, and these are adjustable. The pages have been printed, and are awaiting my grubby hands. :laugh: Excellent!!!

I find the tricky part to be getting the chain back on the crank properly.

mark1122 wrote:

I find the tricky part to be getting the chain back on the crank properly.

Doh!!! :blink:

mark1122 wrote:

I find the tricky part to be getting the chain back on the crank properly.

wow !not really my thing but who am i to judge? she might be able to help with your problem though for a price! :ohmy: :huh: :dry: :blink: :blush: :S :kiss: :kiss: :kiss: :kiss: :kiss: :woohoo:

[Moving to Chit Chat]

:woohoo:

As far as advantages go...

I don't have personal experience but in world super bikes right now some manufacturers are throwing a fit about the Aprilia bikes having gear driven cams. Apparently throughout the race the other bike's cam chains stretch enough to lose some power towards the end where the gears don't. Other bikes have used gear driven cams but the aprilia bikes come stock with chains and have bosses machined in for gears to be added later for racing applications.

I know that those bikes are high end and 1 degree makes alot more difference, but still. I think it would probably make a difference.

gear drives dont have the ability to absorb vibrations like a chain drive,gear drives also tend to drive right through the problem also causing major carnage instead of stretching like a chain which could be easier on parts

Once a Overhead cam design comes in, due to the differences in Crankshaft to Camshaft dimension, it will change every time you heat the engine/ cool the engine, or re-torque/ replace gaskets, engines have a chain/ chains or a Belt. Gear drives are more for a Overhead valve, cam in block design. Although I don't doubt the racing bikes going to anything that will give a edge!

Enter reportedly state of the art variable on-the-fly computer controlled cam timing.

Thinking one of the recent Kaw motorcycle models.

Looks complicated.

Good Fortune!