This might be the dumb as&

[saddle up]

Question of the year.. When you do the cam chain adjustment,,, do you do it with the engine cold or at operating temp,, hot??
I checked in both the manuals and there was no reference...

So hot or cold. And why? I am assuming it should be done hot,, but?

[petejw]

I dont think it matters,
i prefer 2 do it when the motor is warm tho.

[DavesXS]

did mine cold. Took away a lot of noise.

[saddle up]

Well this sort of parallels valve adjustment on an old Honda 750 or a Chevy 350. When accounting for the expansion of metal when it is hot. ' Cause that chain is going to grow when hot. If it was possible I'd like to do the shims when the motor was hot, but the time involved would kill that possibility.
So I think that I answered my own question. Duh
Thanks petejw..

[Crazcnuk]

Valves are always set cold. The 'gap' you set is to allow for expansion when it gets hot.

If you set to specs on a hot motor, you will have way too much clearance.

[saddle up]

Ok, not wanting to get into a piss*&* contest, If you set your valves when hot, there is no gap or clearance, and there is no slop. My self,, I like a little slop as you won't burn the valves.
On the other hand I have set my cam chain tension on the fly on the side of the road without taking off the time cover. Just had to have the two separate 10 and 12 mm wrenches to do it, and listened to the engine. Some times I knew it was bad and had to pull over in 300 feet. I haven't done this lately as I got her dialed in COLD. But I believe that is is better doing while hot. Just be prepared to get blisters on your knuckles.lol

[dbeardslee]

I like to set the cam chain tension cold. Helps eliminate header pipe burns.

[trbig]

Helps eliminate header pipe burns.

Ahhhh... the old XS tattoo/brand. Been there, done that... got me a brand new one on the leg this weekend! lol

I hate when I hear that frying sound for a split second before the screaming nerve endings' signal reaches my Neanderthall brain. It's hard to rub out the fingerprints stuck to the headers that used to belong to the skin that was stuck on you! So yeah.... do it cold.


Tod

[TADracer]

My guess would be cold. Most static measurements and adjustments are done cold because room temperature is a more stable temperature. Not possible to keep a hot motor hot while doing measurements.

Consider this. If operating temp of the motor is 200 degrees (guessing here) and room temp is 72 degrees then that is a 128 degree temp change. If the length of the cam chain is about 3 feet, then if you apply the coefficient of expansion for steel over a 128 degree temp change then the chain will expand a total of only .0024"....negligable. So, check it cold.

[saddle up]

Thanks TADracer

Originally posted by TADracer
My guess would be cold. Most static measurements and adjustments are done cold because room temperature is a more stable temperature. Not possible to keep a hot motor hot while doing measurements.

Consider this. If operating temp of the motor is 200 degrees (guessing here) and room temp is 72 degrees then that is a 128 degree temp change. If the length of the cam chain is about 3 feet, then if you apply the coefficient of expansion for steel over a 128 degree temp change then the chain will expand a total of only .0024"....negligable. So, check it cold.

, I sort of answered my own question, Sort of like talking to myself on line..lol But I agree with you, and I liked it better adjusting cold. Sounded better and ran better by the seat of the pant's dyno.