Cam end float

[cyberdork]

Is my GS700 prone to cam end float? I saw on the pdf on bikecliff's website and it said the 2 valve bikes are prone to this. My bike is a 16 valve correct?

[rapidray]

It is NOT an issue with the 16 valvers. Ray.

[Steve]

OK, now that we have a rather definitive answer, let me ask another one along the same lines.

Are all the 8-valve engines prone to cam end-float, or is it more likely in certain years or models?
I have two '82s that have the 'problem' right now, a 650L and an 850L. Have not yet noticed it on the '81 850G, never did notice it on the '81 450T that was around for a while.

.

[cyberdork]

It is NOT an issue with the 16 valvers. Ray.

So my GS700 has another problem?

[Steve]

So my GS700 has another problem?

What are the symptoms?

.

[cyberdork]

top end kicks, I suspected a faulty cam chain tensioner

[cyberdork]

bump

[Nessism]

Do you mean top end "tick"?

It's hard to diaganose noises on the internet. As Ray aluded, cam float is most likely not the issue. Of course, there are also other possible reasons for noise from a 16v motorcycle engine top end.

Have you done all the bikes maintaince? Adjusted the valves lately? If not, sounds like a good time to do them. The 16V engines need to have the valve clearances set in pairs - both valves need the exact same clearance or the rocker arm can twist. If you are worried about the cam chain tensioner it's a simple matter to remove it and check for smooth operation.

Hope this helps.

[tfb]

In my experience (with a couple of GS1000's) the camshaft end-float noise comes and goes.

For example, if the engine is nice and toasty warm, then I stop (eg. at a gas station), pop it on the side-stand, then re-start, I get the end-float knocking sound...

... presumably because the hot oil has drained away from the area at the end of the cam, and it can rattle around for a while until the oil gets back into the gap.

That's my theory, anyways.

[cyberdork]

Do you mean top end "tick"?

It's hard to diaganose noises on the internet. As Ray aluded, cam float is most likely not the issue. Of course, there are also other possible reasons for noise from a 16v motorcycle engine top end.

Have you done all the bikes maintaince? Adjusted the valves lately? If not, sounds like a good time to do them. The 16V engines need to have the valve clearances set in pairs - both valves need the exact same clearance or the rocker arm can twist. If you are worried about the cam chain tensioner it's a simple matter to remove it and check for smooth operation.

Hope this helps.

No not a tick, an actual kick where I can feel it buck up top. I haven't done valve clearances yet, I know I need to do them. I thought I remembered a website that helped check the tensioner, but I can't seem to find it. Could anyone point me in the right direction?

EDIT: Found it http://bwringer.com/gs/camchaintens.html

[bwringer]

Here's documentation on cam end float in a GS850 and an ingenious fix from a gent named Grant in New Zealand:

http://bwringer.com/gs/cam_end_float_mod.pdf

[cyberdork]

Ray said it's not an issue with my 16 valve motor. Is this correct? If so then the cam end float mod won't matter for me, plus it's about 20ft over my head.

[TheCafeKid]

Note that the 16v motors also use TWO bearing caps per side. While walk is still a possibility, I would think the extra retaining caps should do much to eliminate alot of it. When you say it "kicks" how do you mean? How have you diagnosed that its coming from the top end?

[cyberdork]

Man this is becoming hard to explain. I can just tell it's coming from the top, it'll jerk and catch up with it's self again and keep running. It disappears with RPM's like cam end float. I might attempt to take off the tensioner tonight but that link I found confused the living day light out of me towards the end.

[jmanz6]

What you are describing sounds more like a miss than a kick. Could even be a ping. I would run some Seafoam thru the engine and see if it removes some of the crud on top of the piston/combustion chamber that might be causing the misfire. The top of the engine can't actually "kick" since it should all be bolted together tightly. The movement you feel is from the engine possibly firing before the correct time and causing the engine to become unbalanced. I would do the valves as well as it could be a timing issue with loose valves.