78/79 Head For Sale?

[sidecarKev]

Looking for a usable head, complete with valves, camshafts, lifters, buckets and shims. Prefer 78/79. Mine develped a tick and I think I damaged a valve trying to diagnose the problem. I see one is on ebay right now but thought someone here might want to get rid of one. Please include shipping to 54868 in the price.

Thanks

[TopCatGr58]

Hey Kev,

I don't have what you're looking for, but I damaged a couple of valves(BENT) during my initial rebuild, had all valves and both cams in with head off engine on bench, was turning one cam to position flatside for clearances measurements, didn't turn other cam to close opposing open valve and pushed other right into it!! Both valves CANNOT open at the same time! DOH.!!

I just replaced both valves and has worked great for going on 3 years now! So, if you just bent a valve, just replace it!!

These engines are 20+y/o technology, they make noises!! It amazes me so many peoples obsession for perfection!?!?
T.C.

[rneal55555]

Kinda a different topic but it is about noise. How much noise does a prpoerly adjusted cam chain make. I've adjusted mine twice and still have kinda smooth chain like noise, never here any ticks or slapping but I do wonder about it. Also does it make a difference if you do it engine warm or cold?

[skids]

If you do get a used head, try and get the cams and buckets with it. It is good to get the same year head as what you have if you need to swap intake valves, because I think they are bigger in the later models. Just make sure that the guides are all good in the next head.

[sidecarKev]

I got a new head. Came with cams, buckets, shims, valves and all that. I took the old head off last night. #3 intake shows a spot that may have contacted the piston. I guess I can't really tell without really checking.

Hey TopCat, how can I make sure what happened to you doesn't happen to me? When I put the new head on I need #1 at TDC and both cams lined up with their marks. Now I know that when the cams are lined up I think some of the valves are open on #4 maybe? I guess when I put the head on I want the cams already lined pretty close to minimize turning them after the head is back on.

[skids]

You can't get the new head on with the cams bolted down. There is that cam chain issue... :-)

Originally posted by sidecarKev

When I put the new head on I need #1 at TDC and both cams lined up with their marks. Now I know that when the cams are lined up I think some of the valves are open on #4 maybe? I guess when I put the head on I want the cams already lined pretty close to minimize turning them after the head is back on.

[sidecarKev]

Well a cam chain with a master link will get around this.

But say you are using a continuous chain. When you get the cams and sprockets in and are ready to bolt the cams in place it seems to me it might be best to bolt them in as close to the marks as possible to minimize the movement after they are bolted in. Say you bolt the second on in and the mark is 180 degrees off. The first is already lined up. So if I now turn that cam its 180 I could hit the opposite side open valves. Having it on the bike just makes it harder to see if you are going to hit an open valve.

[randy]

Kev,

Don't try to re-invent the wheel, here. Follow the procedure in the manual TO THE LETTER and you can't go wrong. I've done this about a dozen times and never had a problem.

And don't worry about being 180 out. When you set the #1 piston to TDC, do it without the cams installed. Then when you install the cams you are initializing the timing and if you follow the marks, there's no way you can be 180 out.

Randy

[sidecarKev]

I'm not worried about it being 180 out. I'm worried that the same could happen the bike like it did on TopCat's bench. If you put the cams in and bolt them in and then start turning couldn't a valve hit an opposite valve? That's what he's saying. What is stopping the same from happening when its bolted in?

[fredintoon]

So don't turn 'em!

Jeez Kevin,
put 'em in where they need to be and don't turn 'em until the camchain is on & the marks are right.
My son & I had the valves touch the pistons reassembling a V4 Honda (Clymer tells lies about the front bank timing marks!) but just turning gently by hand until something goes "click" and then stopping shouldn't bend anything. Should you decide to whiz it over on the starter motor, that's a different story.
Fred Hill, S'toon.

[TopCatGr58]

Hey there Kev,

Like Skids said, following the manual is the key. You have to take the sprockets off/loose off of the cam shoulder where they mount, this allows enough slack in the continuous chain to be able to then put the cams in with their timing marks aligned! Then you put the chain around the sprockets, and you then position the sprockets up onto the cam shoulder, aligning the mounting bolt holes with VERY LITTLE MOVEMENT of the cam, you may have to wiggle/jiggle, rotate, slip a tooth or two of the sprocket to get it to line up, but it will, then you put 1(one bolt) in, for each sprocket.

Then you NOW HAVE THE CRANK and CAMS fairly timed together, you then can rotate the crank and the cams will turn together in time, and you can then gain access to the other sprocket bolt hole, then torque them both to 10ft/lbs IIRC. Then you rotate the crank and cams a few revolutions and recheck your timing marks, the dots on the top of the cams, and once you are convinced that they all line up, you're essentially done, except for the slack adjustment! This is all off the top of my head, PLEASE refer to the MANUAL for Xplicit Instructions!
T.C.

PS, Meal55555,
The chain does make some noise, although it's supposed to slide against a rubberized guide that is keeping pressure against it. They can wear down/out!? May also depend on what type/grade of oil, thicker can reduce noise factors!! I would think most people would do the adjustment COLD, safer around the pipes and getting to the locknuts and bolts and such!? Plus if you adjusted it hot, then it might shrink too much when cold and overstress the tensioner vs. when it's hot and stretched!?
T.C.

[sidecarKev]

Well I didn't plan on turning anything. I guess I was just bringing it up for the sake of bringing it up. Just like discussing the subject I guess and going through "what ifs". I plan on putting a new cam chain with master link in anyway so the cams will be on the head and lined up already.

[pgg]

Kev, main hassle is stopping the chain slipping on the CRANK. Upon turning the crank 2 rotations, the dots probably WONT line up the first time. Count the links between each camsprocket and have a 22mm spanner to move the front cam to the sprocket bolt holes.