Cam Removal Question

[Black Jack]

I have to do valve adjustments and the camshafts have to come out. In the service manual it first says to line up to the "T1" mark (for the left side) when I do this the index marks on the sprockets line close to how the picture shows but not exactly even. Just a tinny bit off, is this normal?
Also it then says to rotate 360 degrees to remove the other cam sprocket bolts, I am not removing the sprockets from the camshafts so do I leave it at the "T1" mark for the remaining steps? OR do I rotate it the 360 degrees?

 

[Scooter]

I have to do valve adjustments and the camshafts have to come out. In the service manual it first says to line up to the "T1" mark (for the left side) when I do this the index marks on the sprockets line close to how the picture shows but not exactly even. Just a tinny bit off, is this normal?

I guess it depends on how you define "a little bit off"? I've seen them off by a degree or so. Not very much. Some what depends on the angle that you're looking at it.

Also it then says to rotate 360 degrees to remove the other cam sprocket bolts, I am not removing the sprockets from the camshafts so do I leave it at the "T1" mark for the remaining steps? OR do I rotate it the 360 degrees?

Leave it at the T1 mark for the rest of the procedure. They only want you to rotate the crankshaft so you have access to the other set of bolts if you needed to replace a camshaft or the sprocket.

Tip: Before removing the cams, use a Sharpie and place a mark on the chain and on the sprocket (both cams). This can help make sure you get the teeth realigned easier when you put the cams back in.

 

[Black Jack]

Thanks, Yes I was thinking 1 or 2 degrees from being parallel with the head surface and the valve cover.

 

[GitSum]

I am also in the process of shimming some valves. To help getting it back togethor, I placed a straight edge across the face of the two sprockets and drew a line with a sharpie. I also counted off 10 full links of the chain and made marks on both sprockets

 

[Black Jack]

Hey Scooter,
I also read that I should check the cam chain tension before starting, so I can tell if I am back to normal. When I did this before takings apart I found the left side a lot looser than the right side. The left side had about 1/4 - 5/8" deflection when pulling up between the two cam gears (after removing the top chain guide) The right side was about 1/8 - 3/8" (this side seemed correct to me). These deflection sizes are as I remember from this afternoon not actually measured. Any comments? Most of my valve clearances were at or below the tight side of spec. Only a couple were on the loose side of on spec.

 

[Scooter]

Hey Scooter,
I also read that I should check the cam chain tension before starting, so I can tell if I am back to normal. When I did this before takings apart I found the left side a lot looser than the right side. The left side had about 1/4 - 5/8" deflection when pulling up between the two cam gears (after removing the top chain guide) The right side was about 1/8 - 3/8" (this side seemed correct to me). These deflection sizes are as I remember from this afternoon not actually measured. Any comments? Most of my valve clearances were at or below the tight side of spec. Only a couple were on the loose side of on spec.

Black Jack,

I am assuming that you are talking about the tension in the cam chain before turning the cam chain tensioner clockwise (to loosen the cam chain)?

I have not noticed a lot of slack in the cam chain when I first removed the top chain guide on the three bikes that I've adjusted shims on (two left banks , one right bank). There was some deflection there but didn't seem like much. I never measured it.

I have observed that on both bikes that I changed shims on the left bank, after putting the cams back on the engine, I had to manually rewind the cam chain tensioner by hand. In other words, it didn't want to spring back into place like I thought that it would. Other people on the forum have also reported this phenomenon.

 

[Black Jack]

Thanks Scooter,
That gives me some place to start. I'll check the tentioner before I take it apart.

 

[Txrebel]

Mark the chain and sprocket both cams. This will insure the teeth of the sprocket go back into the same links they came out of. Keep the chain under tension with a bungee while the cams are out.