Topic: Cafe 836 - first build... first bike...

[mrosso]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. The wrench indeed had been put away. I haven't touched the project for over one year now... work, moved into a house... new hobbies...

I'm planning on getting back to it now. I got flubbed-up on a critical operation: degreeing the cam. It's intimidating the hell out of me, so I just keep putting it off. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone locally here that can mentor me through some of this stuff. I'm in Fresno, CA, and the only motorhead friends I know are riding around on Vespas. They don't speak valves and cams.

[MCRider]

Thanks for the words of encouragement. The wrench indeed had been put away. I haven't touched the project for over one year now... work, moved into a house... new hobbies...

I'm planning on getting back to it now. I got flubbed-up on a critical operation: degreeing the cam. It's intimidating the hell out of me, so I just keep putting it off. Unfortunately, I don't know anyone locally here that can mentor me through some of this stuff. I'm in Fresno, CA, and the only motorhead friends I know are riding around on Vespas. They don't speak valves and cams.

I've gotten stumped many times along the way. usually they are 5/50s: 5 days,weeks, months, of procrastination for 50 minutes of work. Always kick myself afterwards. Someone here should be able to help. Carry on!

[ksmith0034]

Welcome back!

[BlindSight]

yeah just try and remember how many hours you have already sank into this project not to mention how much money...im sure someone here could help walk you thru it and help out....the hardest parts are already over right?

[Elan]

awesome! well you are still a little ahead of me in the engine build, so I'll definately be watching! Im also going 836

[mrosso]

Hey all. I'm at a stand still. I haven't worked on the build in almost 2 years. I really want to get back on this project, but I'm stuck on degreeing the cam. Anyone in or around Fresno CA want to walk me through the process? Beers are on me!

[mrosso]

Need advice regarding cam timing. Would it be safe to time the camshaft by finding 'real' TDC with a degree wheel/piston stop, then line up the cam shaft as you would stock timing? Do I really need to find lobe centers and all that other jazz? Aside from maximizing HP, what are the downsides of just doing this part of the steps? Bear in mind, I have a Webcam 41a grind. All valves, rockers, etc. are new (or new to this engine). the head and block have been surfaced, I've got a Wiseco 836 kit, and APE crank and rods.
Thanks

[MCRider]

Need advice regarding cam timing. Would it be safe to time the camshaft by finding 'real' TDC with a degree wheel/piston stop, then line up the cam shaft as you would stock timing? Do I really need to find lobe centers and all that other jazz? Aside from maximizing HP, what are the downsides of just doing this part of the steps? Bear in mind, I have a Webcam 41a grind. All valves, rockers, etc. are new (or new to this engine). the head and block have been surfaced, I've got a Wiseco 836 kit, and APE crank and rods.
Thanks

I have the 41, not 41a. It is considered a dropin, no degreeing necessary (is the 41a a "drop in"?)  but I'm going to degree it anyway this weekend, for practice. Don't know if finding TDC by itself is any benefit. I'll let you know what i find, watch my build posts.

[mrosso]

Hey there, MCRider... Best of luck. Let me know how it goes. I'm scared sh*tless I'm going to run the piston into the valves. I'm anxious to see how it turns out. If you can give play-by-play/step-by-step that would be great!

[MCRider]

Hey there, MCRider... Best of luck. Let me know how it goes. I'm scared sh*tless I'm going to run the piston into the valves. I'm anxious to see how it turns out. If you can give play-by-play/step-by-step that would be great!

Will do, should happen Sunday AM. Your 41a has 10° more duration and the same lift as my 41. In a speed shop I worked in years ago, well I was the teen age gopher, and the owner did some amazingly sloppy work I see now in hindsight. He never clayed a piston or degreed a cam and he made some pretty hot motors. Lots of 836cc, lots of happy customers.  Meaning simply with the 41 and the 41a, we have little chance of piston interference unless you have some pop top pistons.

Embarrassingly, i forgot to clay my pistons, but I'm not worried, Webcam says its a drop in and my pistons are flat tops. The degreeing is just for practice, I may use a really hot cam in a new motor. But the 41 and 41a will run just fine on a stock sprocket with no degreeing.

So I say build your motor and don't worry. It'll be all right.

[voxonda]

I dropped in a 41a in my F2 engined test-rig and no problems whatsoever. All I did was before closing the engine up was putting the piston TDC and see if I could still move the valves. No problemo.

Rob

[mrosso]

Hey guys. Thanks. That puts my mind at ease. I'm still learning this stuff. I would never have gotten this far without the help you you guys and the rest of the forum. Thanks again!

[MCRider]

Hey guys. Thanks. That puts my mind at ease. I'm still learning this stuff. I would never have gotten this far without the help you you guys and the rest of the forum. Thanks again!

mrosso: I have a play by play on degreeing the cam as my last post in my build thread. The link to it is in my signature below.