Topic: A tale of two cam chain guides - What to do?

[Patrick]

Please look at the picture linked below. On the left is the cam chain guide I pulled from my K0 750. It is 4 5/8 inches long. On the left is one of two NOS cam chain guides that came with my bike. It is obviously longer, measuring 6.5 inches. Both are purportedly from SOHC4 750s.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p247/wordguy11111/HPIM2162.jpg

Obviousness tells me the parts are not the same. What obviousness doesn't tell me is whether the guide on the right is an upgrade that occurred with later 750Ks that also will fit in a K0. I would prefer to use the guide on the right, since it is new and the original guide shows signs of wear, including no longer having a discernable ridge on the front to guide the cam chain.

Can anyone tell me if I can use the longer guide? The pegs line up. The longer length appears to come above the top pegs.

I really want to mount the cylinders only once.

Thanks,

Patrick

[Patrick]

Oh yeah, one other thing that might prove of significance. The longer guide came in a sealed bag with a tag that says it is a K&L, Part No. 0810

Edit. Never mind the part number. That is the part number for the NOS wheel that came with the NOS cam chain tensioner. All I have to go on is whether cam chain guides got longer in later 750 Ks.

Thanks.

[scondon]

 From what I can find, the longer guide was put in during the K2 year and used thereafter. I've got the long one in my F2's and K8. I don't know what dimensional differences there would be in a K0 motor that would make the long one unusable. Hopefully someone can say for sure.