I lost a nut!

[Charlie G]

Thanks Chef. It's nice to know someone agrees.

cg

 

[Wallowgreen]

Following this to make sure I understand how to do it when my time comes. Seems right to me from what I've read about it but listen to the more experienced among us like Chef and Nessism.

Keep the pictures coming though Charlie.

 

[Guest]

Hard to believe people still have those things on their bikes still.
http://gszone.biz/sprockets.html

 

[rapidray]

I thought the same thing Jay! Some just don't know they are available I guess. I also know some DO know about them but aren't smart enough to chose the better part! Ray.

 

[Charlie G]

" and now a word from our sponsor..." O.K gentelmen,..... I plead ignorance. Why should I change my cam chain tensioner to an APE manual one?



cg

 

[Guest]

" and now a word from our sponsor..." O.K gentelmen,..... I plead ignorance. Why should I change my cam chain tensioner to an APE manual one?



cg

This thread...............

 

[Charlie G]

I've got the cam sprockets set with # 1 just below head surface and the proper number (18 pins for a gs450) of pins between #2 & #3. The origional cam chain tensioner is installed. have to clean the old gaskets off the covers, install new ones along the tank and such.

Seriously, why the manual cam chain tensioner? I haven't read anything about the stock ones being prone to failure. I read that they tend to leak, but are easy to fix. Assuming the mechanic installs it correctly and checks that all nuts and bolts are tight (locktite?) they work,...don't they?

cg

 

[Guest]

They're fine for you. You ride mellow and aren't running 130+ HP.
The problem with these stock tensioners are during hard accel and a sudden closing of the throttle can cause a short time of slack in the cam chain and bend valves.

 

[Charlie G]

I got it put back together this afternoon and took it for a 3 mile ride. It's seems to run fine now. I may have gotten lucky. Thanks for the coments all.

cg

 

[Guest]

I got it put back together this afternoon and took it for a 3 mile ride. It's seems to run fine now. I may have gotten lucky. Thanks for the coments all.

cg

Good to hear Charlie!

 

[Nessism]

It's a little hard to judge from a photo but I think it looked better with the 1 mark above the cam cover surface. Rotating the cams back counter clockwise would allow your 3 mark to be on a tooth touching the cam chain.

 

[Guest]

I couldn't see the mark in the second pic. I thought it was perfect in the first pic.
I didn't realize he changed it.
If the arrow is pointing down at all it is wrong.

 

[sam78gs750]

It's a little hard to judge from a photo but I think it looked better with the 1 mark above the cam cover surface. Rotating the cams back counter clockwise would allow your 3 mark to be on a tooth touching the cam chain.

I agree, the exhaust cam was where you needed it to be before you moved it. In the last pic, it looks like you're off by a tooth. you need to rotate the cams one tooth counter-clockwise

This is where she sits now. I plan on moving the sprocket one tooth clockwise so that # 2 aligns with my red mark on the chain and #1 will be just below the surface of the head.

cg

this was right, before you moved it.... line up the timing marks, set the exhaust cam to where it was in this pic, then count the pins to set your intake cam... should be spot on.

 

[Charlie G]

I agree, the exhaust cam was where you needed it to be before you moved it. In the last pic, it looks like you're off by a tooth. you need to rotate the cams one tooth counter-clockwise



this was right, before you moved it.... line up the timing marks, set the exhaust cam to where it was in this pic, then count the pins to set your intake cam... should be spot on.

Thanks guys for your coments, because these thoughts are mine as well. The final way I set the cam timing "best" fit the discription in the manual, aside from #1 being 4mm below ( as apposed to1-2mm) surface of cam cover and #3 mark not really engaging the cam chain. The first photo (the one with red marks) the #1 mark is 3mm above cam cover surface, which is contrary to manual. I really didn't like the way the 18th pin was not engaging position #3.

My test ride was somewhat lacking but I attributed it to me being sick. I'm going to pull it apart again today and reset it as I had it initally and give it a ride.

This engine seems to be pretty forgiving to misalignment of timing. Thanks again!

cg

 

[Charlie G]

I switched the cam timing back to the first position I posted and I'm confident that the bike has the same power prior to losing the nut off the cam chain tensioner. I can pop wheelies again. Thanks all for sujesting I reset it!

Charlie G

 

[Wallowgreen]

Well done Charlie, glad you got it figured out.

 

[Charlie G]

Well done Charlie, glad you got it figured out.

"...with a little help from my friends"

cg

 

[hzoltaan]

hello, I had two broken bolts removed by a mechanic from my cylinder head and 1 of the threads seems to be damaged, weak. I don't have the nerve to fasten the cam shatf retainer bolt to the required 8Nm torqe... So I'd like to know your opinion if some loctite will hold it or I'll have to get it redone what I really do not want. (I don't want to disassemble the whole stuff again) I can apply about 2Nm on it without problem and with the metal dowel in it holds the retainer cap firmly so I'd need to prevent it from coming loose. Loctite red? Blue? Thanks a lot!

 

[Charlie G]

hello, I had two broken bolts removed by a mechanic from my cylinder head and 1 of the threads seems to be damaged, weak. I don't have the nerve to fasten the cam shatf retainer bolt to the required 8Nm torqe... So I'd like to know your opinion if some loctite will hold it or I'll have to get it redone what I really do not want. (I don't want to disassemble the whole stuff again) I can apply about 2Nm on it without problem and with the metal dowel in it holds the retainer cap firmly so I'd need to prevent it from coming loose. Loctite red? Blue? Thanks a lot!

I need to preface my comments by saying that I'm not qualified to really address your problem witha reliable solution. That said....failure of the bolts that hold the cam caps on, can lead to the cams coming loose and causing quite a bit of damage to your head and pistons, or so I read in my manual. I would seek to repair the threads in question, so you could bring the torque up to spec.

I have a simular problem on my oil filter cover. There are three studs bolding the cover on. One, I can't bring to the required torque. If it fails I have two remaining bolts holding the cover on. I assume it will leak a bit and give me warning that it need attention now and most likely won't lead to engine failure. It's a gamble, but I don't think it is as big as the one you might take, by not fixing the problem.

You should post this problem in a valve or engine section and with luck, several of the more experienced folks will reply with a solution you can do yourself with reliable results. Good luck and be sure to state what bike you have and maybe where you are located, someone maybe close by willing to help.

Charlie G

 

[hzoltaan]

I'm not sure either... If this solution does not work I'll have to drill it a bit deaper and drill a new thread... and to do it properly I'd need to remove the cyl head again. I've been struggling with this head for months now thanks to lousy mechanics who made me frmly beleive that it's better I do everything myself. :/
About the location: I'm in Poland... makes it difficult as I do not speak the language.