Can alignment nightmare

[ERM83]

I’ve been working on this thing since 1pm…cam chain slipped off, got it back on the crank sprocket, and now I’m trying to align the cams. Sprocket holes won’t line up, but even more irritating, when I try to line the sprockets up with the cam flange, the chain keeps slipping, and it is near impossible to know if I’m in the right spot. Also, the manual says to line the holes up WITHOUT the cams on the shoulder, THEN put them on simultaneously. That doesn’t work worth…you know. I’m at a complete loss…before I took them out, the exhaust cams were dead on, and the intake was off slightly. I can barely get the intake cam back to where it was (no room for a wrench), but even still…the slipping makes it IMPOSSIBLE to line anything up. I try to pull a bit on the chain while rotating the cam, but…still slips. I don’t know what to do, and I have to get’er out of this garage ASAP. I didn’t expect this to be this much of a headache!!!

[Bax]

Can you post a pic or two showing the top end cam line?

---Bax

[ERM83]

Sorry about no pic!! I was BEAT tired…got it lined up at 445am. I’ll take some pics when I get home from work. The dots are off, but not by too much. I just want to know if they’re acceptable! No binding / hold up when I turned the crank. I’m SORE today!!



Eric

[LenB]

ALL marks need to be in EXACT position!! Cams and crank need to be DEADLY aligned!! If the camchain is off on the sprockets, final alignment can be accomplished by unbolting spockets (don't drop the bolts into the crankcase) and moving the chain position on the sprockets to line up, moving cams only SLIGHTLY and carefully only if absolutely necessary. If this isn't done properly, IF it runs, it'll run like poop or worse yet, valves may smack pistons. Re-set tensioner and hand-crank over a full revolution afterwards to confirm proper set-up. Just fished in a new camchain but left all other moving parts in place - made it a lot easier.

[ERM83]

Ok…finally going to show you before and after pictures. It’s actually almost dead on how it was before I started…

I just wanted to double check before I put it back together & started it up!! Thanks for the help, everyone!!



Eric

[LenB]

Top end looks all fine and well - where's the crankshaft? Is it at the 'T" mark?

[ERM83]

Top end looks all fine and well - where's the crankshaft? Is it at the 'T" mark?

Yessir, exactly on the “T”!! Buttoning everything back up carefully now.

[skids]

That alignment on the cams looks pretty darned good.

[DiverRay]

Very inmortant question! Do you have the OEM cam adjuster or did you replace it with a "newer" ACCT? Please say you put an ACCT in it.

[ERM83]

Very inmortant question! Do you have the OEM cam adjuster or did you replace it with a "newer" ACCT? Please say you put an ACCT in it.

Oh, HELL YEAH there’s an ACCT in there. That’s on of the first upgrades I learned from you guys, and actually one of the first things I worked on!! It’s from a raptor…I used that huge cross reference list that was posted years ago!! Easy / cheap fix for peace of mind.

She’s running fine so I’m gonna ride her to the gym, as it’s going to rain for the entire weekend here…bummer!!