Ok to remove head nuts without removing cams [Head Gasket Leaking]

[ViperRon]

You may want to check the fuse for ignition and make sure you have good voltage to the TCI if the voltage is low under 11 v the TCI can become intermittant just like the broken wires on pickups. If bike was working before you took it appart then you first check the areas that you worked with Mechanical timing and compression because any time the head is off the valves can be easily bent. Wiring because you typically disturb it when shifting the air breather assembly arround. Next would be things that just fail like electronics. When carbs were working before and you have not added fuel or let them set for a long time they are the last thing I go for.

While you can not fix things that are not broken you can break them. Sometimes repair success becomes directly proportianate to how many things you work on to repair the problem.

[D0wn5h1ft]

You may want to check the fuse for ignition and make sure you have good voltage to the TCI if the voltage is low under 11 v the TCI can become intermittant just like the broken wires on pickups. If bike was working before you took it appart then you first check the areas that you worked with Mechanical timing and compression because any time the head is off the valves can be easily bent. Wiring because you typically disturb it when shifting the air breather assembly arround. Next would be things that just fail like electronics. When carbs were working before and you have not added fuel or let them set for a long time they are the last thing I go for.

While you can not fix things that are not broken you can break them. Sometimes repair success becomes directly proportianate to how many things you work on to repair the problem.

I check the voltage coming from my TCI (orange to ground, grey to ground) to my coils and it was about 10.53v is that too low? Why would it be low if my battery is a full charge?

As far as the cam timing is concerned, I took that very seriously when I put the head back together. I followed the manual to the letter and made sure the dots on the cam boss lined up with the arrows just like it says in the manual.

I really don't understand why people say the valves can easily be bent. I never took the valves out of the head. I just removed the valve lifters and pads (fancy name for shims) just like the manual said but I didn't touch the valves because there was no reason to remove them.

[IanDMacDonald]

I really don't understand why people say the valves can easily be bent. I never took the valves out of the head.

Hehe, they bend like paperclips if you turn a mis-timed engine over.

[D0wn5h1ft]

Hehe, they bend like paperclips if you turn a mis-timed engine over.

I guess what I meant is "how they can be bent if you do everything right". If you get compression and a successful spark I can see how they might be bent if the cam timing is off and all of that pressure is inside the cylinder but I would think that'd be relatively difficult to do. (I say that until it happens to me)...

[Petersg_99]

Hehe, they bend like paperclips if you turn a mis-timed engine over.

That's disturbing...

[IanDMacDonald]

I guess what I meant is "how they can be bent if you do everything right". If you get compression and a successful spark I can see how they might be bent if the cam timing is off and all of that pressure is inside the cylinder but I would think that'd be relatively difficult to do. (I say that until it happens to me)...

"Thinking" u did everything right, and doing it right are two different things. Then there is sometimes just nature at work. Mechanical things do crazy stuff sometimes. Chain develops a kink, or has minimal tension, jumps a cam sprocket tooth or whatever, and there goes all of your intake valves. I could go on & on. I read a lot of the old threads for bedtime reads. The engine knocks that develop into a hole in the case are interesting, especially when nobody could diagnose the cause through just words, and the next night it's pics posted of holes. Things happen, and sometimes you have to chalk it up. Other times, definitely owner error.

[WMarshy]

I guess what I meant is "how they can be bent if you do everything right". If you get compression and a successful spark I can see how they might be bent if the cam timing is off and all of that pressure is inside the cylinder but I would think that'd be relatively difficult to do. (I say that until it happens to me)...

I dont disagree with your comment, if you did everything right then its not an issue. You might want go back to basics at this point, starting with compression check. You have spark by the sounds of it, that leaved fuel and compression.

Statistically speaking, the problem is related to what you worked on. If the motor ran before you worked on it then going into the carbs would be last on my list. It wouldnt hurt to crack the valve cover and see if the cam dots line up or just go get that compression tester.

[Rasputin]

It wouldnt hurt to crack the valve cover and see if the cam dots line up or just go get that compression tester.

I have had good compression with the timing off a tooth so the only sure way to tell is to remove the valve cover and recheck things.

[Rasputin]

[QUOTE=D0wn5h1ft;424052]I check the voltage coming from my TCI (orange to ground, grey to ground) to my coils and it was about 10.53v is that too low? Why would it be low if my battery is a full charge?
QUOTE]

Hook a known good battery up to your bike via cables or what have you. Early on in this thread you mentioned it was on the charger. WHY?
If a battery needs charging it already has problems, at least most times. Unless you do something like drain it down trying to start it or leave your lights on and that type of thing.
Batteries can fail for a multitude of reasons that I will not go into here but they can cause so many problems. So pull the old lady's van in there and use a set of jumper cables to the correct wires and try it again. Personally I would disconnect the bikes battery and just go with the car battery. That is a lot of discussion we have had previously and the choice is yours. It would at least eliminate one possible area of concern. Good Luck

[IanDMacDonald]

How's it coming Gabe? Dang rain shoulda given u plently of garage time to tinker.

[WMarshy]

I have had good compression with the timing off a tooth so the only sure way to tell is to remove the valve cover and recheck things.

Off by one tooth wouldn't keep it from running would it?

[IanDMacDonald]

Nah. Just not running great. It would be the equivalent to a mis-timed bike.

[D0wn5h1ft]

How's it coming Gabe? Dang rain shoulda given u plently of garage time to tinker.

Been a bit preoccupied with selling the '78. Now that it's sold I'm picking up an FZR600 on Saturday, buying a battery for the '79 (because I was swapping the one in my '78 back and forth), and hopefully "finishing" it.

As far as the charging stuff goes, this bike has never had electrical issues but the '78 did at one point.

[IanDMacDonald]

I'll give u less than a year before u go bigger displacement on the sport bike, probs 750, then a liter bike.

[D0wn5h1ft]

I'll give u less than a year before u go bigger displacement on the sport bike, probs 750, then a liter bike.

It's supposed to just be in "investment bike" until the spring when I'm going to sell it because I'm picking it up dirt cheap. I'm not a fan of sport bikes and I don't really like riding them. If I could find a nice 80's japanese standard bike right now for the same price I'd snag it. For some reason the market right now in my area is saturated with overpriced older cruisers and nobody wants to budge on the price.

Not to mention the ones that are decently priced need untold amounts of work done to them which I'd be willing to put in if I didn't already have a project sitting in the garage.