Topic: Top End Help! - Kickstart Stuck after rebuild

[luap]

pull the head off an start over double checking everything

[Mo]

I was hoping to avoid that but I guess not..

What should I be looking for?

[mickwinf]

i am wondering if you put the camchain guide at the front of the engine in the wrong way round, it goes inside the camchain pointing out.

[Mo]

I think I have that right.

Cam Chain Tensioner & Guide

[luap]

i am wondering if you put the camchain guide at the front of the engine in the wrong way round, it goes inside the camchain pointing out.

+1 was the chain riding on the inside an not in the middle
Pull the chain tight an cycle it does it make noise
 

[mickwinf]

hmm video didn't realy help. if you imagine the chain in a loop, the main tensioner presses from the outside of the loop, the guide presses from the inside of the loop. And yes the main tensioner does locate in a slot at the bottom with a little locating piece, make sure that it is in place.

[Mo]

Okay so. I rebuilt it again, making sure everything was carefully put in place and that seemed to solve my problem with the cam chain noise (completely silent now).

BUT: When the valve cover is off, the kickstart turns the engine fine (a bit of resistance though). When the cover is on, the kickstart still on partially turns the engine, and then locks. Turning it over via the bolt frees the kickstarter again.

WTH?

[Mo]

A theory perhaps: When the cover is off, its still pretty hard to turn via the kickstart using my arm. When I put the cover back on, could I be getting "stuck" when multiple springs are being compressed and I am just not pushing it hard enough?

I know this would be easy to test, but I don't wanna use too much force and break something. What should the level of resistance here be?

[luap]

did you try cracking all the rocker adjustment screws? those at this point should be your only resistance. Im no expert but if the kicker cycles w/o cover on no resistance on valves put the cover on an kicker doesnt cycle to much resistance on vavles crack adj screw shouldnt be any resistance on valves then gap them

[LesterPiglet]

Are any valves bent? It can be easily done reassembling if you haven't done it before.

[Fritz]

My guesses:

- The bottom of the cam chain tensioner was not sitting in its groove in the engine case, rubbing on the primary chain. You seem to have got that right on your second rebuild.
- The cam shaft is not correctly aligned, making your pistons hit the valves or
- You did not pay enough attention when putting on the valve cover. Rockers or valve adjustmend screws interfered with some of the valve stems, bent them and trashed their valve guides.

Recheck your cam timing and put a straight edge on the valve stems. A bent stem will point a little bit outwards.

[Mo]

Okay well I think I got it now. I'm not really sure, but it seems like adding some more force on the kick worked out. I mounted it back onto the bike and it seems like its pretty smooth kicking over.

[DustyRags]

Oh man, getting the bottom of the cam chain tensioner installed right is a pain and a half! I wrestled with that stupid thing for a week!

Here's the tricks:

1) Don't put the cylinder in and the tensioner- hold the cylinders about an inch or a bit less up off the crank case, put the tensioner lock bolt through the hole, then drop the whole thing down nice and easy.

2) Pop the oil pan off and see if you can the bottom of the tensioner, it's not in the right spot. Dave schools me on this about halfway down this page: http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php?topic=110973.100 Look for the post with the schematic.

Good luck!