[Ascended696]

So I've scoured these forums and they've helped me a great deal on fixing this basket case of a bike I bought. Now before you say you should just trash this bike or you should part it out, I bought it with the intention of learning and a project and plan on keeping it for years. So a little back story, I went and saw the bike, rode it, everything was good, it had an issue with if you tried to crack the throttle under load it would bog, but if you got the R's up past 3k then ease into it and hit WOT it would go. So buddy said it needed carbs and a cam chain tensioner. I thought nbd, looks simple enough, It came with a spare parts motor and a tear down manual. Well....... I wouldn't be here asking this if it was so simple...lol. So the question I have is, I've removed the cct from the donor motor where the cam chain tension was very good and in spec and am about to put it into this bike. What I'm wondering is can I do it without removing the valve cover? Will removing the cct cause the cams to move if the motor isn't at TDC? If so I have no qualms about removing the valve cover etc. The thing I'm really wondering is what nut do I put a wrench on to turn the motor over by hand and in what direction. I believe in the manual it tells me what nut but I believe it only says rotate in the direction the crankshaft spins.... Which is what? CCW or CW? Any help would be greatly appreciated, please be patient as I'm mechanically inclined, but intimidated and learning. This will be my first ever motor tear down. Thanks in advance!!!

 

[Ascended696]

The thing I'm really wondering is what nut do I put a wrench on to turn the motor over by hand and in what direction. I believe in the manual it tells me what nut but I believe it only says rotate in the direction the crankshaft spins.... Which is what? CCW or CW? Any help would be greatly appreciated, please be patient as I'm mechanically inclined, but intimidated and learning. This will be my first ever motor tear down. Thanks in advance!!!

So that was a stupid question.... But any help on weather I need to remove the valve cover etc to change the cct would help. Guess I should just do it anyway and check the valve clearances.

 

[maniac1886]

So removing the valve cover is not REQUIRED, but it's the correct way to do it. Reason being is that taking the chain adjust out creates slack, and putting the new one in may not garauntee that the chain is right, and when you roll the motor over, it jump a tooth.

Turn the motor clockwise until the timing marks are lined up, the pull the valve cover, run zip tie through the hole in the cam sprocket and zip tie the chain down against the sprocket on both sides. Then remove the CCT and replace. Once it's done, roll the motor by hand a few time to make sure it's in time, and the valves don't touch the pistons. If it were me, while I was there, I would roll it back to in time and check the valve clearances too.

 

[Ascended696]

Thanks for the reply Maniac, That's what I was going to do. I figured just to be safe I should remove the cover. Reason I asked if I could do it without is I was going to seafoam that motor and see if it will clean up cylinder 2 valves etc. I'm getting a 25 psi difference between #2 and 1,3,4, and I think the psi difference limit is 28 psi, so it's on the edge of rebuild. To note I did the compression test cold, all I was looking for was consistent numbers between the cylinders.
So my plan was to seafoam the motor and redo the test hot and see what I get between them, then tear off the cover and do the carbs tensioner and check the clearances. What are you thoughts on seafoam top end cleaner and would it be safe to do it on this motor as is? Motor is still in bike, albeit tank and plastics off.

 

[maniac1886]

I don't see it being a big deal, but I can't garauntee the results will be what your hoping for. I've seen some seafoam videos on car motors and it seems like it doesnt quite live up to its reputation, although it does help a bit.

 

[maniac1886]

I think compression tests are better done on a warm motor, but don't quote me. The psi loss could be cold piston rings not seating.

Valve clearance checks should be done on a stone cold motor though.

 

[Ascended696]

Yeah I'm not placing high hopes on seafoam, more of a hey wth might aswell try it before I tear into the motor.

 

[Ascended696]

The psi loss could be cold piston rings not seating.

Yeah I was kinda hoping that was it. But all the other 3 were consistent within 5 -6 psi of each other. So it's not looking too bright