79 KZ1000 Cam Timing HELP!!!

six862m6 wrote: ...Anyone have some small shims (2.25 or smaller) they want to sell? so I can get a good base point and do the math. Also.... need some parts for some flat slides (Mikuni RS34s) looking for a bowl and 4 new float needles and seats....

If not already done, would check out KZr's Classifieds categories, and possibly post in Wanted.

Top. Holy sh*t. The big line across the exhaust cam is not the reference mark? my god. so the "mark" is the point of the isosceles triangle made by the bolt pattern? because there is no real discernible mark. hope i didn't bend all of my valves.

Sorry to hear that my friend.... it sounds like you made the very same mistake I did. There is actually a very small carrot on the exhaust cam that looks just like the mark(s) on the intake cam that you are supposed to use. Its definitely not the flat lines that go all the way across. I hope you didn't bend any valve man... I wasn't so lucky though; it caused me to bend almost every valve in my head (and I only hand cranked it).

David

Yup. Compression = 80 on nos 1-3 and zero on no. 4. I'll take a day off to clear my head.

Whelp. Didn't take the day off. Pulled the head and i've got 6 of 8 valves bent. New valves are on the way.

As others have provided... it's the > mark not the lines on the exhaust cam...

Maybe this help when ready to put back together after repair...

With 1/4 @ TDC "T Mark" as you have in the image, from the right side of the engine looking at Cams...

Both cam lobe tips should be facing in @ deck height....
Right side image is the correct alignments!

Thanks. That pic is super helpful.

I made the same mistake, got away without bending any valves though, suprisingly. I saw all the valves afterwards because I decided to have Larry cavanuagh do his magic on it. Happy, very happy. I'm planning to assemble it tommorow, and I'm also planning to go camera phone crazy during the assembly process. Then I will start a thread.

Assuming i did all the steps correctly and all of that ....I have 2 questions on this topic at what point do I put the tensioner in ? it is a aftermarket APE type with the bolt and plate and is there  And is there a general rule on adjusting that tensioner ? ......
and maybe I have a 3rd question lol.  If I do all the timing and I'm going to time my Cams with a degree wheel after im finished finding lobe centers is it ok to turn motor backwards to adjust the APE cam sprockets to get them to 110° or whatever degree I'm going for ?
thanks