Cam chain adjustment

[Colbeatnik]

So... I think I screwed up. Bike ran great (minor carb issues but that's the beast) until I broke a chain tensioner arm and a chain. While I was waiting for a master link I thought I'd adjust the cam tensioner? Remove the crown nut and turn the stator. So that's where I screwed up. I turned it the wrong way and forgot to take out the spark plugs. And I think I turned it too far. The notch is supposed to be in the marks in the case. Mine is about 180 from that. What's the fix and did I screw it up pretty badly?

 

[Jan_P]

Ok lets be careful
Is it stock rotor and stator.
There are two parts the stator and the rotor .
The rotor is the one sitting on the end of the crankshaft . That rotates obviously.
The stator is fixed with two screws. Does not move.
In the center of the rotor most likely there is a nut with 17 mm width. if I remember right.
Clymer manual
So if you sit on your knees at the left side of the bike
For adjustment turn counter clockwise to take up slack in the front of the chain.
There is no mention of need to align any marks.
Do not make any violent movements in the turning the nut can come loose.
Plugs out and slowly and gentle will do it.

Again I dont think the marks are vital here the stator and rotor marks should be for ignition timing.
There is a pushrod that should be flush with the adjuster.

Broken chain is not good. The chain end can smash the engine case.
If the chain is old a replacement is something to consider.
Do not overtighten. The drive chain -- Keep some slack according to chain instructions.

 

[Colbeatnik]

What if I did turn it clockwise without talking it the spark plugs?

 

[Bushyeyed1]

The direction of travel is counter clockwise. You will probably end up loosening the nut if you don’t take out the spark plugs. You can rotate it clockwise and it won’t hurt anything if your just lining it up, but I’m sure someone will disagree with me. I’d take out the plugs and rotate it counter clockwise and make sure TDC is actually where it’s marked and watch the cam chain adjuster move in and out. It will never be flush throughout the whole rotation so finding a happy medium is where it’s at.

 

[Colbeatnik]

Again, I appreciate your input but I already turned it clockwise with the plugs in it I need to know if it screwed something up and how I fix it. I shouldn't have screwed with it but I did and now I need to fix it. what should I check and what should I look for?

 

[lakeview]

Don't overthink this.
You have not messed up.your ignition timing doing what you did.
It's not like timing a distributor in a small block.
Finish your cam chain adjustment and forget about it.
(you could check your valve adjustment as well, but read your manual and the tech section here first)

 

[5twins]

Yes, about the only negative consequence from turning the engine backwards is that the timing marks may not accurately reflect where the cam is actually at. When you turn the crank in the correct counterclockwise direction, the sprocket on it pulls down on the cam chain in the front and makes the front run taught. That puts all the chain slack in the rear run where the spring-loaded tensioner can take it up. If you turn the engine backwards, the rear run of the chain will be taught and the slack will be in the front run. With the rear run taught, it may be pushing the spring-loaded plunger on the tensioner out more. If you adjust it to suit that, it may be too loose when the motor is running and spinning in the correct direction.

There is no set point or mark for adjusting the cam chain tension at. This is because during one revolution of the motor, there is no spot where at least one valve isn't partially open, putting pressure on it's rocker, the cam, and applying tensioning force to the cam chain as a result.