OK, doublechecking my head re-install with folks here, need some reassurance.

[Courtney]

OK, first lesson I learned is that no way in HELL are you gonna get the timing chain over the cams unless you bolt them in first with the caps and leave the sprockets off at least one. I thought my timing chain had shrunk or hung up on the crank gear. So, bolted them down, put the chain on the sprockets and bolted those up. So here is the question, as I followed the manual and common sense.

1) I had the pulley on the T, the little holes on the cam lined up perfectly with the arrow on the caps, and the piston of No. 1 cylinder at the top of its' travel. Is there any way this could be wrong???
2) I then put the pulley on the C installed the CCT per directions and heard it pop out when I loosened it after installation. I then turned the engine through a couple of revoutions and the timing marks all line up still. Is this sounding right to you folks??? I just need a little reassurance after ALL this resto work that it's done right.

[WMarshy]

Uhh... what I read was you rotated the engine from the T mark to the C mark with no tensioner..? That could be a problem... did the cams rotate when you did this? What kept tension on the cam chain?

[pmurphy]

Patience, Grasshopper! Reread "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance", sit in your yard with a beer, and all will be revealed. Ya done good, Kiddo!

[Courtney]

Uhh... what I read was you rotated the engine from the T mark to the C mark with no tensioner..? That could be a problem... did the cams rotate when you did this? What kept tension on the cam chain?

Page 80 of Haynes says install cams and sprockets as I described, then Step 9 says "turn the crankshaft through about 45 deg. until the C mark aligns with the pointer. Take the tensioner p0lunger assembly and loock it in the retracted position etc, ..... Fit the plunger assembly etc.... The cam chain can now be correctly tensioned by releasing the locking bolt to allow the plunger to act on the tensioner blade.

So basically I moved it from the T about 45 deg. to the C and installed the tensioner as per the manual.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Courtney,

Sounds like you're still okay. The manual sometimes assumes too much, like a not very worn/stretched chain. Also, as you quoted it said rotate the engine/crank timing plate from "T" to "C", but it then said to REMOVE the CCT, compress the plunger, reinstall, release lock bolt to allow the spring the drive the plunger home and take up the slack.

So..like what Marshy was alluding to...the engine/crank/cams should not be rotated/turned without the CCT in place to keep the slack from dropping around the crank sprocket and possibly skipping a tooth.

You've rotated the crank a few revolutions and the timing marks are still lining up, so as long as you're sure the chain is around/on the crank sprocket, then you're good to go. Tod/Trbig has reported the crank and chain and cams turning in TIME even with the chain in the groove/slot between the crank sprocket and crank.

T.C.

[Courtney]

Just wound it through 5 complete revolutions, and the timing marks all line up. Time for a beer.

[Courtney]

Thanks TC, I will put my flashlight down the tunnel and make sure about that. That would NOT be good. If that is the case, I'm just going to split the camchain and put a master link in instead of all the take off the sprockets crap etc.

[Courtney]

Yep all is good. the camchain is on the crank gear, and the timing marks are dead on. Certainly learned a lot doing this. NOwhere does it say you won't get the camchain on the sprockets unless you bolt down the cams first. I wrote that down in my manual in the border for next time. :-)