When should I peen the new cam chain?

[bpupeza]

The top end is off of the engine because I had the head freshened up and the bores and pistons are new.
I split the old cam chain and ran the new one through. I have a long piece of wire in a loop securing the ends of the new cam chain.
Should I peen the new cam chain before or after assembling the jugs and the cam?
I would like to do it now to avoid the possibility of dropping it into the engine.

I have a DID cam chain and the master link does not just slide into the chain. Is this normal?
When you put sealer on the top of the head gasket around the studs, cam chain tunnel, and a strip across the front can you use Yamabond or something else?

 

[motormike]

assemble the engine.... keeping the wire on the cam chain ends.... the master link can be difficult to press on... Mike's XS sells a kit to " peen " the rivets and it does work well... I have also rented the largest set of bolt cutters.. with the long.. l o n g... handles and peened the link... 12 inch bolt cutters doesn't get the job done. I never add sealant near the studs... a light coat at the front and rear of the chain tunnel…. I also do a light coat on the cylinder base... prior .. I use a popsicle stick to pack the " O " ring into the base groove... make sure there's no twist....

 

[5twins]

Many of us have now taken to using spray-on Copper Coat gasket sealer on the head and base gaskets. You spray the whole gasket, both sides.

I always wait until the topend is assembled before riveting the cam chain together. The cam sprocket holds it nicely for you while you work on riveting it. For me, riveting the link is a 3 step affair. The first few I did, I had issues with the rivet pin in the riveting tool slipping off the side of the chain pin as you tightened it down. I now tap a slight "X" cut into the chain pin ends first using a small sharp chisel .....

This seems to "grab" the tool pin, keeping it centered and from slipping off .....

I finish the job by lightly hand peining the pin ends with a small ball pein hammer .....

 

[bpupeza]

Thanks for all of the tips.
When you seal around the timing chain channel on the head gasket do you use yamabond or something else?

 

[5twins]

I used to use a narrow bead of sealer (Yamabond) but now, as I said, I just spray the whole gasket with Copper Coat.

 

[59Tebo]

spray-on Copper Coat gasket sealer

Gonna git me some of that! That, and some of Jim's (Perma-tex) Aviation gasket sealer...

 

[bpupeza]

Ok I will go with the coppercoat. Do you prep the gaskets in some way?

 

[5twins]

No, just hang them from some wire hooks and spray them.

 

[Jim]

Have a read here.

 

[bpupeza]

Have a read here.

This is just what I needed.