Topic: cb 550 Having problems reinstalling cam with clymers!

[rsmith550]

Clymers as good as it is does not describe which mark to align with "T F 1-4", There are 2 marks above the "T F" and 2 above the "1 4". Then I need to know whether to point the notch on the end of the cam at the exhaust or the intake. Can somebady help me put my 78 cb 550 k back together?

[Buffo]

I have the 1978 CB750K8 and the clymer SUCKS!!!

[rsmith550]

Agreed!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Paul]

regarding the "Notch" on the cam shaft, It doesn't matter if it's facing forward or back. You'll notice if you set it up one way with all the settings correct - rotate it until the settings are again correct...the notch will be facing the other way....
not very clear.. , Bryan Jones explains it better.

[bryanj]

OK Bryan will have a go!
Look carefully at your advancer unit  and you will see, in order, as it turns clockwise:-
Duplicated, one labeled 1-4 the other 2-3
Two parallel lines about 1/8 inch apart (the advance timing marks)
A letter "F" followed by a line ( the ignition timing mark)
A letter "T" followed by a line (the top dead centre mark)

The correct crank possition is when the top dead centre line for 1-4 alighns with the centre of the raised mark on the crankcase. The camshaft notch can go either forwards OR backwards as long as the edge is as parrallel as the chain will allow to the gasket surface. It dont really matter a stuff as if you turn the crank 360 deg till the mark lines up again the cam only turns 180 and the notch faces the other way!!!

MOST IMPORTANT
When putting the top cover on get your trained humongous spider to hold all eight rocker arms up via the inspection caps or you WILL bend a valve as you tighten the cover down

[rsmith550]

Thanks for the info guys - which line is the top dead center for 1-4? There are 4 differenet lines and the manual does not differenciate between them. it just says when you see " t f 1-4" you are at TDC. So I have set the mark at the line above the "T". Is this correct? - Ryan.

[Bodi]

T is top dead centre, F is "fire", the spark should fire at this point at idle. There should be another unlabeled mark at 1-4 and 2-3 that shows where the spark should fire at full advance, above 3000 RPM roughly. You can check that 1-4 is a TDC by looking in a sparkplug hole and seeing that the piston is at the top.
You don't have to be anally accurate, the camchain teeth are quite a few crank degrees apart and if you get it on the wrong tooth it'll be way off.
If you plan on degreeing the cam - ie setting it to spec with an adjustable sprocket - you have to be anally accurate with TDC on your degree wheel, a dial indicator on the piston should be used to set TDC exactly.

[bryanj]

Again. there are two sets of marks one labelled 1-4 the other 2-3 and the TDC mark is the line after the "T" as you rotate forwards.

[hymodyne]

1-4 TDC = cam lobes on #1 cylinder both in a downward position, and the rockers are moveable (If you try to wiggle them through the tappet cover holes they'll move a little)   Also, for those who don't have a big spider capable of lifting all the rockers for re-installation of the valve cover, someone on this site sugested pulling them clear of the cam with a rubber band for each pair of intake and exaust tappets... I've used this method twice and had very good results. When I didn't use this method, I bent and chipped three intake valves 

hym