think i may be screwed...

[Nick7777]

recently noticed that there wasn't a CCT on the bike i have been building, now that i have one installed and did the timing it can only get about a quarter turn by hand before the crank seems to "lock-up". any insight is appreciated

[BA80]

Remove the valve cover and left engine cover and check if the timing marks are lined up correctly.

[James England]

It looks as if your valve timing is incorrect and this can mean that the pistons can touch valves when they are open. Don't force the crankshaft and don't under any circumstances use the starter motor! Or kickstart, if you have one....

If you are able to, back off the crankshaft using a wrench until the ignition rotor (under left engine cover) is on the T mark. You should find your camshaft dots (punched into the circular part of the camshaft) line up with two arrows on two of the camshaft clamps (one on each camshaft). By the sound of it though, yours aren't lined up correctly, so proceeed with caution, don't force anything. There are several threads here about setting valve timing. If you've moved the crank gently and stopped immediately you felt resistance, you probably haven't bent any valves....

[Nick7777]

i reaccomplished the lining up of the cam timing marks and the crank "t" on the timing wheel. ensured that it was at TDC when on the "t" and after installing the tensioner i decided i would turn the crank clockwise by hand a few turns to make sure all timing marks were still in line(like i do on automobiles) and din't get past about 9 on the wheel if it were a clock, and the "t" would be @ 7 in relation, so maybe an 1\8th of a turn...

[James England]

Which way did you rotate the crank when doing the first bit? Clockwise?

Are you sure the head has no bent valves to start with?

[Nick7777]

i was just doing the timing to check if it was okay or not, i turned it clockwise, and i aligned all the dots with there respective clamp arrow. is it binding like this generally a symptom of bent valves by chance?

[James England]

Yes, the engine locking can be a sign of bent valves. If the engine has been run, or the electric start or kickstart used, or the engine turned with a wrench without a CCT in place, there is a likelihood that the valve timing will have been so wrong that a piston will have hit one of the valves, bending it. This stops the engine rotating past that point.... the crown of the piston just hits the bent valve and the engine locks. At speed, it usually puts a hole in the piston too.

I'd remove your valve cover, then take out the camshafts and check that all the valves are closing. If you find any only half closing (by looking at the height of the valve buckets), then you have a bent valve...

The gearbox is in neutral, yes?

[BA80]

i was just doing the timing to check if it was okay or not, i turned it clockwise, and i aligned all the dots with there respective clamp arrow. is it binding like this generally a symptom of bent valves by chance?

That valve would have to be bent pretty badly I would think.

How long has it been since the engine has run?

[Nick7777]

this engine probably hasn't been ran in ten years from what the PO told me. was supposed to have had a couple grand worth of work put into it and so forth. obviously not the case. i turned it over withe the starter once, 2 seconds top to make sure it wasn't seized up. then i realised it didnt have a tensioner installed(my first bike) and today i re-accomplished the timing. would i be better off removing the head and posting some pictures on here? i am not to familiar with valve jobs but cando just about anything mechanical. would it be possible to use a surface grinder to manufacture new valves, i am a machinist...

[BA80]

I'm thinking there may be some rust in the cylinders from sitting. As long as the valve timing is correct and the thing WILL turn with the starter you might just put some automatic transmission fluid in each of the cylinders and turn it over with the plugs out.

Cover the spark plug holes with a rag or something because that stuff will come shooting out. That will get a good coating in the cylinders.

Pour some more in there and let it sit overnight and repeat, maybe a few times. Then just get it running and ride it. that should loosen up the rest of the rust and any stuck rings there might be should loosen up with some heating and cooling.

It cant hurt. That's what I would try.

[Nick7777]

if that were the case it wouldn't spin freely when the chain is off the camshafts right? thats why im leaning towards bad valves

[BA80]

if that were the case it wouldn't spin freely when the chain is off the camshafts right? thats why im leaning towards bad valves

If you spun it over with the chain OFF you DEFINITELY have bent valves.

[motoman]

Greg, he said he noticed the cam chain tensioner missing AFTER he spun it over with the starter................bummer.........definitely kissed some valves.......

[Nick7777]

so it looks like im in the marketfor some new valves or a used head ... anyone ground these before?

[bikerphil]

If you do end up needing a few valves, here is a source for new ones...

http://www.newmotorcycleparts.com/mo...ts/valves.html