THE MOMENT OF TRUE.

Yesterday, Sunday, I went down for a while to continue assembling the engine.
I placed the valve covers with their shims.
Then the camshafts.
With the "T" mark in place I align the exhaust camshaft at its marked point, count 17 links and secure the camshaft at its marked point as well.

I proceed to crank the engine to ensure timing and... surprise...
The motor does not turn completely, it is blocked, it only turns about 30 degrees forward or backward.

I double check the entire process carried out, "T" points, 17 links...
Everything seems correct.
I take the timing chain out of the sprockets again, put it back in its marks and it's still blocked.


It's time for dinner and I leave the engine cursing this failure.


That's how I spent the night, and it's not the first time.



Today, with more calm, I went back to review the service manual.
There are effectively 17 chain links between the marked point on the exhaust camshaft shaft and the marked point on the intake camshaft shaft.
17 from point to point but COUNTING THE TWO POINTS.
I had started counting on the next link and the number two piston was abutting the intake valve, there was the assembly error.
Once the error is corrected, the motor now turns without difficulty.




Next step, this week I will try to gauge the valves.

You did exactly what I would have told you to do. Walk away, clear your head and come back and recheck your work. You probably picked up on your mistake right  away. Had you stayed with it and tried to figure it out, you would have spent hours and got frustrated.
So- you did the right thing here. Good man !!

Maybe it was dreaming about Volkswagen air cooled engines that cleared your head 

That is SO me. I hate that about me. Then again, that attribute, in the long run, has served me well.

Kawboy wrote:

You did exactly what I would have told you to do. Walk away, clear your head and come back and recheck your work. You probably picked up on your mistake right  away. Had you stayed with it and tried to figure it out, you would have spent hours and got frustrated.
So- you did the right thing here. Good man !!

Maybe it was dreaming about Volkswagen air cooled engines that cleared your head 

The fact that I trapped my index finger between the chain and the block, causing a nice bruise under the nail, will ensure that I will not forget this step again in future repairs.

That will take about 6 months to grow out and at the rate you're going, the bike will be finished long before that.

I suggest the color red. It fits you best and will color coordinate with the KZ?