reinstallation of camshafts and sprockets, tips/advice?

1985 Maxim 700 X. Just set new shims in under the buckets, but I'm having a bit of difficulty reinstalling the camshafts and sprockets. Doing the best I can to follow directions in the manual, but it's a bit confusing. The cam chain tensioner is out. I'm starting with exhaust camshaft and sprocket, with TDC alignment and the camshaft positioned with the little hole upward as mentioned in the manual. Manual says that you should put sprockets onto camshafts then fit it in under chain. I can't figure out how to simultaneously set the camshafts into position while looping the chain over the sprocket, since there's not an abundance of slac in the chain. Am wondering if there's another method/approach that makes more sense.

As always, thank you.
Joe

 

Hi Joe,

This is how I do it on my XJ750, hopefully its the same for you.

- Put the front guide in.
- Put #1 at TDC and check the mark on the reluctor is showing the same.
- Slide the cams in with the sprockets loose into the chain loop.
- Align the cams as best as you can and tighten down the cam caps evenly and to torque. leave the caps that are just for anchoring the cover off(no bearing face).
- Turn the cams using the hex type flats near the centre till the dots line up to the dots on the centre caps. (be careful, it won't take much pressure with the right size spanner and if one of the cams is in the completely wrong spot and opens a valve onto the piston, go back and drop the pistons slightly to turn the cam past and then put #1 back into TDC.)
- put the gears on one at a time onto the cam and put one shouldered bolt in, not torqued but not loose. (slip the gear around by feeding one tooth at a time, before you put it on the cam shoulder, to get the gear in the right place)
- put the top chain guide in.
- Fit the 'reset' auto tensioner in without the spring or bolt and then put spring and stopper bolt in.
- turn the engine to the C mark on the reluctor (put all the slack of the chain at the auto tensioner and it will take it up)
- move the engine back to TDC on #1 and check that the dots are all lined up still and if they are then move forward... if not take the tensioner out and re-align the sprockets.

- turn the engine and put the other bolts in and torque them all up.
- put the cam caps that the valve cover attaches to on and torque.


Works like a charm!

If the gears don't want to go on because of the bolt holes not lining up, try rotating them and using the other hole in it, I swear the holes aren't equidistant.

Hope it makes sense.

 

CDS, thank you. I need to read this several times in order to fully grasp all of what you said. when you make reference to "gears" I'm assuming they are what I would call "sprockets". I also have to locate the "hex flats", as I've not heard reference to them before. Since I don't know exactly what TDC on #1 looks like in terms of camshaft position (really new to this), I'm using the "little hole on top facing upward" as my guide positioning. Is the "front guide" the single circular bit on the camshaft that drops into it's own slot? Again, thank you.

 

The process BEGINS with properly positioning the Number-1 Piston at Top Dead Center.
There is a MARK and an INDICATOR on the Ignition Rotor to be lined-up with a Pointer on the Left Crankshaft end.
::: Workshop Manual Instructions :::
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

Follow each step, in turn ...
Turn the Engine over MANUALLY to check.
If there anything BINDING or BLOCKING, ...
START from scratch.

 

Rick, thank you. I actually do have that manual. When I read "install cam chain sprockets onto the camshafts" under #1, I thought that meant setting the nuts in as well. You are absolutely right in that, if I had read all the directionns from start to finish, alongside the machine, visually grasping every move as I read, I would almost certainly have been okay. Sorry you had to take the time to scan all that, merely because I jumped the gun, but at the same time, I really want to express my appreciation for the help received from you and many others on this forum. I'm convinced there are times I've been saved from enormous headaches by you folks!