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Painfull Lessons of Camshaft work Part Deux
- keconomos@sbcglobal.net
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rrsmsw9999: suggested (thank you) removing the camshafts to change shims during a valve adjustment. I like that idea but on my KZ1000P there is the chain tensioner challenge.
If it were just removing the caps and cams to do the shims that wouldn't be bad but on the KZ1000P the chain tensioner is under the intake manifold. You can get a ratchet on the lower chanin tensioner bolt but the upper bolt no chance of a socket and most open end and closed end 10 mm wrenches don't have clearance- won't even go on. Fortunately I have a cheap (thin-headed) clossed end 10 mm that just make's it on there - and then it is a third of a turn a crank and plenty of scrapes - no room to turn by fingers. This is the kind of job that after two minutes even a patient mechanic wants to hammer something.
This last cam-cap bolt, stripped thread, adjustment session, I had the chain tensioner off and on 3 times. I almost considered removing the carbs (almost.)
Please tell me there is a cable tie trick for this.
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- Nessism
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- SWest
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- 10 22 2014
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Steve
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- rrsmsw9999
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1980 KZ 1000E2
Crashed 6/2016
1980 KZ550A
Sold 3/2016
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- keconomos@sbcglobal.net
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Even with the locking crosspiece and spring removed, the chain tensioner has its own spring. From what I read you are saying that after removing the crosspiece there is enough give in the main tensioner spring to repace the cams (correctly aligned with the chain) and get the caps in place.
That will save me a ton of hassle - have you done this a few times?
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- Nessism
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keconomos@sbcglobal.net wrote: Hi Thanks for this,
Even with the locking crosspiece and spring removed, the chain tensioner has its own spring. From what I read you are saying that after removing the crosspiece there is enough give in the main tensioner spring to repace the cams (correctly aligned with the chain) and get the caps in place.
That will save me a ton of hassle - have you done this a few times?
Yes, the main spring has enough give to allow the cams to be easily installed. I believe the design of the spring and cap was done specifically for this reason.
Once you have the cams installed and the cam caps tightened down, you can them reinstall the tensioner crosswedge spring and cap. Don't tighten down the cap overly tight though. At this point you should turn over the engine with a wrench and double check your camshaft alignment and the shim clearances. Once you are happy that everything is hunky dory then remove the tensioner cap and spring once more and install the valve cover. Tighten all the screws and then as the last step, reinstall the spring and cap once more and torque the cap.
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- keconomos@sbcglobal.net
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Kirk
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