GSX1100/GS1150ES - Tight Camshaft - Won't Rotate Freely

[londonboards]

Hello - done a ton of searching on this I can't find anything about how tight the camshafts should be to turn. I know how to torque the cam caps but even with finger tight caps on the intake, I cannot turn the inlet camshaft. There are no valves or springs in this head.

I read somewhere, that engine builders like to set up the cams so that they spin nicely. Do I need to do the Plastigauge thing and then gently wet and dry them until they spin nicely?

Greetings

[TeamDar]

Make sure that the cam caps are in the correct location. A,B,C,D. The caps could be from a different head.

[londonboards]

All in correct location. I don't know the history of the head or the cams but I don't think they have been together before.

Can I do anything to alleviate this issue?

Greetings

[rapidray]

Another thing is to switch the cams to make sure FIRST that you don't have a BENT camshaft. If you find that isn't the case, then you need to line hone the head on those journals.
Ray.

[blowerbike]

we have had good luck in the past using a ball hone to fit mix matched caps or a tight journal.
if the cam isn't bent then find the tight journal(s) and ball hone till you have a nice fit.
this only works if you need to remove minimal material.

[Nessism]

I'd check for head warpage. If the head is bent a little the cam could bind. When bolting down the head it will flatten out some, and the binding will lessen or go away completely.

Edit: just watched the video and it seem to me that if the head was warped both cams would bind. Now leaning toward a bent cam.

[tatu]

I'd check for head warpage. If the head is bent a little the cam could bind. When bolting down the head it will flatten out some, and the binding will lessen or go away completely.

Edit: just watched the video and it seem to me that if the head was warped both cams would bind. Now leaning toward a bent cam.

Richard, to eliminate the head warpage you could swap the cams over that would determine head or cam but first thing is take that cam out and don't try to turn it. Be interesting to spin that shaft between centres.