Removing Camchain Sprocket Bolts!

Been following the Haynes manual on how to remove XJ750RJ engine. They say to remove camchain sprocket bolts but these bloody things are on tight! And if I try to loosen them, it just shifts the sprockets back. There's no space to use a socket wrench so I'm bloody doing it with a normal wrench. Maybe I can remove the camcaps first.

Any tips? Already snapped two bolts by the intake boots despite all my rust-b-gone and wd-40 spray because someone let the bike grow gunk all over it. I don't wanna break anything inside the engine.

 

I just replaced mine. I removed the carriers (they are nearest the camshaft spockets) so I could get a socket on the sprocket bolts and you can hold the cam from rotating with an open ended spanner on the flats. Just be careful with the spanner on the aluminium head casting.

 

Sounds like a good idea! I'll try it tomorrow. But care to elaborate what you mean by "the flats"?

 

Trying to upload a picture for you. Don't rotate the cam with the spanner. Just use it to stop camshaft rotating so you can slacken bolts.

 

The carrier on the left is for the cam cover to bolt to. It is not a camshaft bearing cap. The spanner flat is visible adjacent to it. Use the timing plate on the left hand of the crankshaft below the engine cover to rotate the camshafts. Turn it anticlockwise and remove the plugs to make it easier to turn.

 

Ahhhh brilliant, brilliant! Thanks you for the clear picture. I'll be sure to try it out first thing in the morning!

 

As you can see my open ended spanner is tight to the head casing, if you have one that is less bulky you should use that, better with clearance between the spanner and the casing. My sprocket bolts were tight too.

 

Hello my friend!. I have a question. What size wrench did you use to hold the camshaft by the flats? The largest I have is a 17mm. That's too small. Perhaps a 22mm?

Edit: Oh I see in the pic it's 7/8!

 

One of my father's old spanners that is. 21mm or 22mm should fit it l think.

 

I have found my 22mm which is slightly large try a 21mm. l don't have a 21 mm to check for you unfortunately.

 

My adjustable wrench always fits.

 

One spanner for all situations lol.

 

You'd think, but I have five or ten of the things.

 

This means you have a lot of situations...........

 

And lots of solutions

 

I did teach Chemistry for a while

 

Your knowledge is precipitating out nicely.....

Perhaps I should agitate you?

 

Is it a metric or standard adjustable wrench?

 

Universal.

 

Whitworth.

 

Whitworth.

Only the British would get it.

 

And that’s a metric adjustable wrench

 

Or somebody with a Norton and a whole drawer full of Whitworth wrenches?

 

Norton 850 l posted a story in Other Motorcycles about it still in original packing crate. Up for auction in November.

 

I saw that. When I bought mine it came in a similar crate. I kept all the assembly instructions and checklists and stuff. The dealership made me go look at it in the crate to be sure I actually wanted it, because it's blue and "everybody" wanted a black one back in the day.

 

How many miles have you done on it? I have seen one with 200,000 on it with only new piston rings etc.

 

45K miles; jugs never off, valves done twice IIRC. Recommissioning underway, I haven't ridden it in a couple years, brakes need work. It's 99% original.

 

Brilliant l have never owned one mabe you could post a few pictures of it in other motorcycles if ok.