cam install

kayodash wrote: loud, are you saying to put the cams on. line them up. then attach chain?

Well the chain has to be on top of them when you install the cams or you will never get the chain on.

But when I do it, the chain is just laying loose on the camshafts, not on the sprockets. And, the sprockets are just loosely attached to the camshafts with one screw finger tight. I lay the cams down close to correct timing by looking at the notches at the end of the cams. (Or you can look at the sprocket marks too, of course.) But they just have to be close.

Since everything is all loosey-goosey, it's much easier to concentrate on clamping down the cams very evenly, and gently. If it seems to be binding, loosen whatever caps are the most fully tightened as that is often the culprit. Also, you can wiggle the camshaft sometimes and it will line up better.

Notice when you lay down the cams, one end will be high up, and the other end low. Don't clamp down on the low end with the cam cap. That end will need to come up when you start to tighten the high end. There should never be any binding with the cam snapping into place. That is doing damage.

Then after both cams are installed (give them a little rotation to make sure they turn), I remove the sprocket screw and let the sprocket slide down onto the base shaft. This makes it trivially simple to line up the sprockets to the correct position on the chain. Then with the chain and sprockets together, I slide them back up onto the camshaft flanges. Confirm the timing marks. Wiggle the crank if necessary to un-bind the chain from the bottom end. There should be plenty of slack.

Now the crank is timed to the sprockets. The sprockets will just sit there, and you slightly rotate the camshaft a few degrees one way or the other to get the sprocket screws installed. Since the sprockets are now timed to the crank, it doesn't matter if the crank rolls off TDC by a few degrees to get the camshafts attached to the sprockets,

oh man i dont really wanna mess with the sprockets. how can i avoid this? obviously the came off without having to mess with the should go back on right?

kayodash wrote: oh man i dont really wanna mess with the sprockets. how can i avoid this? obviously the came off without having to mess with the should go back on right?

Yes, I agree. My method really needs to be used from the start. You probably don't want to change methods mid-install.


Doom warnings:
The main thing to worry about is stripping the cap screws. That happens a lot easier than expected, so be paranoid of it.
Don't use a wrench. Use a nut driver until everything is fully seated.
ALSO, MAKE SURE THE TACH DRIVE GEAR, IF EQUIPPED, IS OUT OF THE HEAD.

With the sprockets fully attached, it's all a lot of juggling, like I said. But there is still enough slack to walk the chain if necessary.
It's all about getting the EX mark lined up. The intake is much easier since it's just a matter of counting links, so it should be done second.

You will have to make a best-guess, the first time on the exhaust cam. Play with the crank, rocking it back and forth a few degrees to make sure you loosen up all the slack you can get on the chain. Pull up on the chain while doing this. This motion also helps retract the tensioner to get you a little more slack. But the tensioner will try to take back this slack if you let it. Make sure to return the crank to 1-4 "T".

Don't move it around too much. With the cams out, the tensioner may be able to get over-extended. I'm not certain of this, as it never happened to me, but I can't rule it out.

Once the cam is installed, check the ex mark with 1-4 at TDC "T" mark. If it's off, you should be able to walk the chain over the sprocket as necessary. Once it's set, zip tie the chain on the exhaust sprocket and count links and insert the intake cam and zip tie the chain on the intake sprocket.

Now you will have to fight with the chain to get slack, but you will not need to worry as much about the crank rolling off since the sprockets are locked to the chain. You will have to worry about the chain jumping on the crank, though. If you hear a chain jump, double check the crank to "EX" timing. Install the intake cam.

BTW, I wasn't sure where you were at on the install. I assumed you had both camshafts out when I wrote this.

yes both cams were off, last night i was fighting with it for about 3 hours. i have pictures on my tablet on how it looked lined up. so i was trying to mimic it. the cams kept rocking. i guess ill play again with it tonight. i had the exhaust lined up and the intake was proper counted out the z/5 line right between 43&44 pins (as per manual) except it wasnt lined up.

Puttng the intake on would spin the crank to raise intake and lower exhaust or vice versa

Ok I'm working on my bike right now, I've got it lined up best I can. I've got an issue. I'm attaching photos. This is about the counting of links. If I start my counting at the EX line and that pin is 0 then inbetween 43&44 the z/5 line should intersect. That's the first picture. If I count at 0 being pin below EX line and keep links ending in an even number 43&44 intersect the z/5 line in the middle of a link. That's the second picture. However my tablet pictures ill post later show 43&44 intersectin the middle of a link.. Lined up with the gasket surface. Also added exhaust side photos

Check your FSM. The 0 pin is below the EX line.

550 cam timing by nessism , on Flickr

Yes, I know, that's why I'm stumped. The 43/44 pins is shown on the intake side in picture two where the z/5 line intersects. But its not line up. Only thing I can think of is the tensioner keeping slack. But that wouldn't make sense on the exhaust side

Set 1-4 T, install ex cam, then tighten down ex cam caps. Verify proper alignment and then move to the intake cam.

Once you get the pin count right on the intake cam tighten the cam caps. The alignment of the marks will be there.

You need to get the exhaust cam bolted down with the crank at tdc and the ex marks lined up first otherwise you may be a tooth out on the whole set up when you bolt it down.
None of it will look right until the cams are bolted down and you need to start with that exhaust cam correct in relation to the crank.
If you are any teeth out on the exhaust you can leapfrog the chain round the sprocket until you get the correct position.
Only then can you count back to the inlet and set that up on the 43/44 th pins.
Forget where the IN marks are in relation to the head as it's the pin count that matters.

thank you guys. i love this site. everyone has been a huge help with my bikes over the past year or so. Again tonight, I'll get back to it,..will post progress as I get along.

Look at.my valve warning page. Scroll down to the GIF drawings I made. They are clearer than the manuals. For the intake to Line up, you have to push down on the chain, as in the drawing.