URGENT - cam chain check problem

[Smash]

Alright guys, followed the procedure in the manual (2-6) for the cam chain adjustment. Followed it to the "T." First time we did it, started the bike, and the mild ticking at idle was gone but a good rattle was present around 6k.

Ok, lets do it again. Follow the procedure closely again. This time, the mild ticking is back, but the nasty rattle is gone.

Ok, lets do it one more time, see if we can get it better. Follow the procedure closely again. Try loosening the lock nut and stopper bolt a little more, maybe we were doing that wrong. Well, now we can't get the lock nut and stopper bolt to tighten. They just spin and spin and spin.

Clearly not going to start the bike like this. What went wrong? Any idea how to fix whatever we broke?

Right now I'm wishing I hadn't touched the damn thing at all.

[motoman]

Sure glad to hear that you did the adjustment......what happened sounds like maybe that set bolt either may or may not of held slabbing the higher rpms on you upcoming jaunt to Alb........could not of happened in a better location!

[petejw]

hi smash,

as u said, definately dont start the engine.

uve more than likely stripped the threads in the adj where the bolt secures the
plunger, many have done that before including me so ur not the
first and definately wont be the last.

cpl of options, ull need to remove the adjuster,

u can either attach a heli coil to the stripped thread,

u can replace the adj with the a self adjuster (do a search
theres been a few threads on the subject.

or like me u can tap the center of the adjuster and put a bolt in behind
it, heres a pic of mine



if u do it this way, ull need to remove the valve cover and be careful
not to over tighten the chain.
the side bolt in the pic does nothing other than preventing oil leaking out from it.

[TopCatGr58]

Hopefully, all you've done is stripped the threads in the housing. You can take the bolt out, the spring of the tensioner plunger will keep tension on the chain as long as the engine isn't rotated. Then you can tap the hole to the next larger thread tap size you have, hopefully metric. Then get a larger matching bolt/lock nut and rubber O-ring and then reinstall and tighten.

The noises you heard could have been because the LOCKbolt was not actually keeping the tensioner plunger in place, and allowing the chain to slacken as the engine ran!? Hopefully it hasn't jumped a tooth!?

Might want to pull the valve cover off to check the cam alignment dots. You'll need to anyways IF you need to remove the tensioner housing to tap it instead of on the engine! This way you can take up the chain slack by rotating the exhaust cam clockwise SLOWLY by hand with a wrench while the lock bolt is out, until the cam stops rotating, this will depress the plunger back into the housing and keep it TIGHTLY on the crank sprocket, then you can remove the CCT housing for tapping and such!

T.C.

[Smash]

We did not overtighten anything, nor did anything "pop" like when you strip a bolt. What makes you think I've stripped it?

So what does this mean? What happened? The cam chain tensioner is toast? What now?

[TopCatGr58]

The CCT Aluminum housing is 30years old, no telling how many times a PO has been there, done that, without the use of an inchpound torque wrench, but just used the "Good-n-tight" method, IIRC, the torque specs are something like only 10 footlbs or so, so it's EASY for the threads to SLOWLY STRIP as you are tightening it!

Read the above replies for what to do to FIX it, several choices!
T.C.

[petejw]

it doesnt take much to strip,
the torque setting is 7.5 ft lbs from memory,
unscrew the locking bolt all the way and remove it, if the housing has
been stripped ull more than likely find the stripped threads
on the bolt. ive stripped more than one over the years
thats y i went the way i did with mine.

[natemoen]

Also, when doing the tensioner shouldn't it be on the c mark and not the t mark?

[Smash]

Right now I want to blowtorch the bike. It felt like we were so close. She's had such an incredible time riding it the past 4 days. Cracking it open to check to see if its jumped a tooth is like reading greek to me. I'm good at brake rebuilds and fluid changes, not getting into an engine. Ugh. Looks like the ABQ trip is out.

[Smash]

Yes I'm sorry that was a poor use of a figure of speech. To the "T" meaning we followed the directions carefully. We rotated the engine by hand to the C mark.

Thank you everyone for your advice. I had to leave the garage as did Karla before I found a sledge hammer. I will consider what everyone has said. The trip seems to be out and I'm not sure how we will proceed from here.

[petejw]

it gets like that, i bent 4 valves the 1st time i did mine
only after having the bike a cpl of weeks, the reason
i was able to find this great site.

if u havent started the engine u should be sweet,

u just need to remove the valve cover, have the engine
set at tdc, if the tensioner is removed place a screwdriver
in the hole and place pressure on the cam chain guide to
line the engine up at tdc, dont rotate the engine backwards, the chain
will definately jump, rotate the enginge clockwise only. once at tdc on
number 1 cylinder u can then check the dots on the cam for
alignment.

[motoman]

Smash, You and Karla did just fine........as stated not the first as mine finially ended up doing the same. Had an extra, and eventually it went south too.........hence the VMax/ Venture self tensioner. Petejw's would be an easy fix to get you going, and once initially set would work for the short trip to Alb. then definitely would replace with the self tensioner before any longer hauls for sure unless you felt familiar enough with internal functions to re-adjust that type of setup. Incorporate some help again if possible, would only be a couple hour fix, even with a couple coffee breaks.........throw in dinner and bet you'll be good to go before Friday!

[mack]

Cct

I have three CCT's here, one is new I bought in 82. Still in the bag. Two more I swapped out for the auto CCt's. I doubt it would get there in time but if you PM me I'll send one down.

[Smash]

Alrighty. So remove lock nut and bolt and use a helicoil with new lock nut and bolt. As long as I don't turn the engine, I can remove that bolt without popping the spring. Once I get the helicoil and new bolt in, should I go through the entire process described in the manual or just leave it as is?

Just trying to get us to ABQ. Sounds like this fix will be good enough? Once we get back will swap this darn thing out, hopefully with some help.

Mark - tempted to take you up on the offer, how much would I owe you?

[Smash]

Want to confirm the helicoil is the way to go before the trip before going out and buying the right size. Any help? I'll get to it this afternoon.

Also, is this the auto CCT I want? I couldn't find any good looking ones for an old venture.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/82-xz...item335e043278