CCT Woes

[WMarshy]

When you removed and installed your CCT did you do it with the bike on the center stand?

[WMarshy]

I'd suggest taking your plugs out and turning the engine over by wrench and listening. Take your valve cover off and see if you can hear the chain rubbing on something as it goes around. Use a mirror and flashlight to check the chain is landed on the guide properly in the chain tunnel down to the crank sprocket...

[metdrummer]

Morning everyone.

After much reading, mostly on Ian's similar endeavors with an ACCT installation (http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=38618), I am pretty well convinced that I screwed up this (what I assumed would be) simple task and now the cam chain is off somehow. I checked the timing marks and they line up at the same time, but I don't recall what mark I was turned to on the timing plate (I know I had it turned to C before I touched anything to start with).

I won't have time to pull the valve cover off until Wednesday or Friday at the earliest (finals week!).

WMarshy: When I first took the CCT off, no I did not have it on the centerstand. Either the manual I have (Clymers) didn't say that was a necessary step or I missed it

When I do pull the cover later this week, I'll be checking down the tunnel down to the crank to make sure the chain is landing on that sprocket and guide evenly.

I'll also be double checking timing marks and their relation to the timing plate. Timing is still pretty new territory to me so is there anything I really need to watch out for? I can follow a manual or a thread with instructions pretty well, just need to know I there is anything I should absolutely do or do not do.

Might as well check the exhaust bolts while I'm down there to rule that out but it's seeming to be less and less likely that is the case.

Can you all think of anything else I should examine or specific threads I should peruse before I tackle this? Y'all do seem to be the resident experts on this!

[IanDMacDonald]

Umm, just thinking how hard it is to look down that tunnel with the head off, I can only imagine how hard it is to look down there with the head on. If I was you, I'd start over. Follow the manual and threads regarding cam removal and CCT removal, and do it all over again. But, also take heed to possible exhaust issues (which I do not believe it is). If you have one, use an engine stethoscope and see if you can pinpoint where the noise is coming from (broomstick handle as someone suggested). My gut tells me it is a bad CCT you have installed, and that noise you hear is slack in the chain (youtube never accurately portrays sound due to compression). I would definitely look-up another ACCT on Steve's thread, and invest a few bucks in another one. I know that valve cover is a pain in the butt (especially the front and read bolt, along with the single ones on the sides), but this could be a fairly easy fix with hopefully no damage done.

P.S. If you read my whole thread, there are several valuable links in it (Steve's ACCT install), which shows the cam boss dots in relation to the cam caps, etc. When at TDC "T" mark, those cam dots should line-up with the cam cap arrows.

[metdrummer]

I'll look into another tensioner while I'm at it as a plan "Whatever letter I'm on now." Is the list in Steve's ACCT list (http://www.xs11.com/forum/showthread.php?t=35501) all the ones that fit our 11s? That's what it looks like to me, but I'm not going to be taking chances at this point

[WMarshy]

Yes, the list in the link are compatible tensioners. I dont understand why you would get a nw one though. The one you installed is one from the list isnt it?

Taking the tensioner out and putting it back on isnt a bad idea. You might get lucky and the chain might get back one the guide properly if thats the problem... might not help at all either. If you do it, do it with the bike on the centerstand.

A good mechanics mirror and a flashlight and you can check the chain on the crank sprocket. I still recommend taking all 4 spark plugs out and rotating the engine with a wrench and listed for the noise. Take the cam cover off and use the mirror to look for the chain on the guide and sprocket, check the timing marks and rotate it and see if you cant find the issue...

[metdrummer]

Yes, my tensioner is from a Raptor 660 and is compatible. But I'll see what else is out there in case I confirm everything else is right on and that would be the only thing left. More bottom of the list option.

And pulling the plugs and turning/listening is on my list of things to do first. Harbor Freight has a mechanics stethoscope for pretty cheap that should work out pretty well if none of my friends have one.

Finals week, job interview Wednesday, and 850 brake parts have arrived so it's looking like a weekend thing.

[WMarshy]

Its unlikely the tensioners fault, save your money or buy a stethoscope with it not another tensioner unless you confirm something wrong with it. I think you will probably hear the chain turning it over by hand with your normal ear, the trick is getting a visual so it can be corrected.

[metdrummer]

Thing is, the last couple times I was turning it over I didn't hear or feel anything wrong. I'm still going to try that again, but just letting yall know turning by hand has warrented nothing unusual :/

[metdrummer]

And by has I mean has not warrented anything unusual.

Not sure how to edit my posts yet....

[metdrummer]

Keeping the thread alive

Just letting y'all know I haven't had a chance to pull anything apart yet. I was away all weekend and should be tackling this Tuesday evening. Fingers crossed.

[metdrummer]

Well, it took a bit longer than expected

But I found time today to tackle the bike. I pulled the valve cover, checked the chain tension, checked the timing (spot on), turned the engine, there was zero abnormal sound coming out, pulled the tensioner off and immediately noticed there was no slack. Something was keeping tension on the chain.

What ultimately happened was a combination of rotating the crank, pulling on the chain, and just fiddling with everything in general. I noticed that a bit of slack formed whenever one of the cam lobes had a valve fully open, but I have no idea if there was any connections to really be made there.

I don't know what happened, but at the end of everything, when I decided to post my finding here, I noticed there was zero slack being formed as the crank turned. I finished putting everything back together and fired her up. Zero chain sounds.

Warm up. Zero chain sounds.

Test ride. Zero chain sounds.

http://youtu.be/NHKQRfaYVLw

Sounds exactly as before this whole fiasco.

Thank you all for your help and hopefully I won't be back with more problems

[BA80]

The ghost has left the machine.......

[Rasputin]

However, when I was installing the spring, the plunger (which I pushed in all the way) did not make the ratcheting sound I thought I was supposed to hear.

This single sentence makes me wonder if you pushed the plunger all the way in and then installed the spring... or if you let the spring do it's job. The ACCT has to be in the relaxed mode when you install it, and then when you install the spring and bolt it will tension to the correct amount. That is where the ratcheting sound comes from. That grinding, howling noise may well be from an over tightened cam chain guide or parts in that vicinity.

[WMarshy]

Sounds like its still present to me. Maybe not as audible but still there. Very few issues fix them selves, this one dosent appear to have.