GPZ550 weird engine timing?

Hey guys

Just got myself a GPZ550 (1984) engine, and popped off the camshaft cover, and found this (this is the view from the right-hand side of the engine, with the cam lobes on cylinder 4 turned out, i.e. it should be "top dead centre".

Baffled... I don't see why the "T" mark doesn't line up with the mark on the crankcase when the cam lobes are pointing out, and, especially, why the lining-up marks on the camshafts don't point outward rather than inward. I thought they were supposed to point out, so that you can count the links between them. The Paint diagram shows the issue. Am I missing something obvious, or is there something different about the GPZ550 from the other 550 engines?

Thanks

Are you at TDC on the compression stroke?

Sorry if I wasn't clear.

I believe whoever put this together the last time made a complete balls-up of the job and put the cams in the wrong way around, because the marks on the cam gears (as shown on my diagram) should be pointing outward rather than inward when the piston is at the topmost position. I'm looking for confirmation of that, so that I can put the cams back in the proper way. So yes, it's like this on compression stroke.

This diagram is from the factory 550 manual and shows how to time the cams (align 1-4 T mark on crank first.)

www.kzrider.com/modules/ServiceManuals/Kz400500550_79to83.pdf

Nessism wrote: This diagram is from the factory 550 manual and shows how to time the cams (align 1-4 T mark on crank first.)

Yep, my Haynes manual says the same, but I just wanted to check to be sure. Cheers buddy.

You have the motor in the wrong rotational position.
Just rotate the crankshaft forward (same directions as wheels) 360 degrees. Then 1 will be at TDC fire stroke. Then the cams will be roughly in the correct position. Then check sprocket timing marks and count chain links. I have graphics in the link below, which are slightly more precise than the manuals.

s3.amazonaws.com/gpzweb/CamsKZZXZR550500...KZZXZR550500400.html

By Pagala: Yep, my Haynes manual says the same, but I just wanted to check to be sure.

There's a KZ550 factory service manual pdf available plus the 83-85 550 factory supplement manual that should cover your 550.
loudhvx may have them linked on his motorcycle stuff page.

loudhvx wrote: You have the motor in the wrong rotational position.
Just rotate the crankshaft forward (same directions as wheels) 360 degrees. Then 1 will be at TDC fire stroke. Then the cams will be roughly in the correct position. Then check sprocket timing marks and count chain links. I have graphics in the link below, which are slightly more precise than the manuals.

s3.amazonaws.com/gpzweb/CamsKZZXZR550500...KZZXZR550500400.html

You mean like i said earlier on the compression stroke?

baldy110 wrote:

loudhvx wrote: You have the motor in the wrong rotational position.
Just rotate the crankshaft forward (same directions as wheels) 360 degrees. Then 1 will be at TDC fire stroke. Then the cams will be roughly in the correct position. Then check sprocket timing marks and count chain links. I have graphics in the link below, which are slightly more precise than the manuals.

s3.amazonaws.com/gpzweb/CamsKZZXZR550500...KZZXZR550500400.html

You mean like i said earlier on the compression stroke?

I only see you asking him a question. If there's another post, I missed it.
His photos show he is not at TDC of the compression stroke for #1.

As I stated, the engine was at TDC for cylinder number 4, i.e. the piston was at the top of the cylinder while both valves over number 4 were closed (the cam lobes facing outwards and not touching the baskets).

The question is moot because whoever put the cams in did so incorrectly. So I will simply loosen off the cam cap bolts, turn the cams around to where they're supposed to be, then bolt back down while the T mark lines up.

If I simply rotate the engine 360 degrees, it will still not be possible to count the links. The cams have to come out and be rotated. Please refer to the Paint diagram again. You could rotate that all day and the marks on the sprockets still won't be in the correct position to make counting the links possible.

Pagala wrote: As I stated, the engine was at TDC for cylinder number 4, i.e. the piston was at the top of the cylinder while both valves over number 4 were closed (the cam lobes facing outwards and not touching the baskets).

The question is moot because whoever put the cams in did so incorrectly. So I will simply loosen off the cam cap bolts, turn the cams around to where they're supposed to be, then bolt back down while the T mark lines up.

If I simply rotate the engine 360 degrees, it will still not be possible to count the links. The cams have to come out and be rotated. Please refer to the Paint diagram again. You could rotate that all day and the marks on the sprockets still won't be in the correct position to make counting the links possible.

Be aware, rotating the crankshaft 360 degrees will rotate the camshafts 180 degrees. Then the timing sprockets will be in their correct orientations.

There is no way to mount the sprockets backwards since the holes are not symmetrical. As long as your sprocket bolts are in the correct shaped holes, there is no way to mount the cams "backward" with regard to the sprockets. Since your timing marks, in your photo, seem to be pointed roughly at each other, when you rotate the crankshaft 360 degrees, your timing marks will then be roughly pointed away from each other.

I highlighted your photo to show that your #1 cam lobes are pointed inward, not outward like they should be. They will be outward after you rotate the crank 360 degrees.

Sorry Loudhvx I was being a smart ass. Put #1 at TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke and it will be right.