SuzukiSavage.com - Had to take the head off today

Toymaker Serious Thumper Offline Dragon Rider Posts: 1534 Granite Falls, NC Gender:	Had to take the head off today 04/13/08 at 16:05:22 So I am wondering, how do I go about timing the cam with the valves? I have never messed with an over head cam machine.
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #1 - 04/13/08 at 16:16:15 The cam always timed with the valves, it's the crank you gotta worry about. Put the tdc mark on the crank on the mark of the case. Then there's 2 lines on the cam gear that align with the head and there's one more mark on that gear that should be at 1 o'clock. There's a picture somewhere.
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Toymaker Serious Thumper Offline Dragon Rider Posts: 1534 Granite Falls, NC Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #2 - 04/14/08 at 05:58:01 A picture would be great. I figure there must be timing marks somewhere...I just don't know.
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #3 - 04/14/08 at 06:37:46 Lines on the cam drive gear lay flat, using the head as a reference. The crank has a mark, too, but cant remember that part.
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T Mack 1 - FSO Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline sold 2001 LS650 for a 1986 XLH1100 Posts: 2919 Emmaus,Pa Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #4 - 04/14/08 at 07:22:54 You took the head off ????????? Why?? That's a big project, you really really should have a manual for that. There is a on-line manual on the tech/ref section .... Taking the head "cover" off is a much less intense project.......
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Chopped Senior Member Offline Hurts Like hell when you shoot yourself! Posts: 499 Stafford, VA Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #5 - 04/14/08 at 07:49:09 With an idea of what you are doing and general knowhow, taking the head off isn't that hard of a task. I have done it twice on my savage and I don't have a manual. Runs just fine...well enough anyways! My problems aren't in the engine.
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Yonuh Adisi FSO Serious Thumper Offline Savage Jedi (Knight) Posts: 3622 Pilot Valley NV, aka Tatooine Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #6 - 04/14/08 at 07:59:51 When I replaced my camchain I timed it by putting the crank on TDC and making sure the cam lobes were pointed down, as long as they are like that, it is timed.
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Toymaker

Serious Thumper

Offline

Dragon Rider

Posts: 1534
Granite Falls, NC
Gender: male

Re: Had to take the head off today
Reply #7 - 04/14/08 at 08:41:45

Ready for the best story!!!

I have been noticing more noise coming from the head of late. Since the bike is a 95 and has 10k miles on it, I figured it needed the valves adjusted. Well, about a month ago, I tried to remove the inspection "plug" from the generator side of the crankcase. Durned thing has never been off and you guessed...13 years has seized it up good. As I was trying to free it..DUN...DUN...DUUUUUUN. You guessed it, I cracked it. Not much mind you, but enough for oil to leak. So I cleaned it up, filled the crack with 5-minute epoxy and ordered a new plug.
Well Saturday's ride was nice but the noise was definately more, so I figured it was time to do the valves. I tried again to remove the plug..but nope..no go.

So I removed the generator cover and by drilling two holes in the old plug, placing 2 1/4 inch bolts in the holes and craming the bolts in the vise..VOILA!...the old plug was loose.

Now I could see the paint splash on the crank and proceeded to turn the engine to find TDC. Well, mr Smartypants thought, Let's remove the plug, that way I'll tell when the piston it at the top. OK...needed to see what the plug looked like anyway. Well, after removing the plug, I still really couldn't tell if it was at TDC or noT. So I did the dumbest thing possible. I placed a short wooden dowel in the hole to watch the rise and fall. Well it worked like a charm..however, with the pressure on the valves from the spring, and really no resistance from compression, the crank moved past TDC and SNAPPED OFF MY FREAKIN DOWEL IN THE CYLINDER! Now I hadd no choice but to take off the head....so, 60 bucks later I'll get my bike going...so, there..
DO I FEEL DUMB OR WHAT?!?!?

So, if you good people want to help a happless, stupid bugger (as my wife called me), you help is greatly appreciated! Shocked

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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #8 - 04/14/08 at 09:09:14 oh! you hit the starter button with the wooden dowel in there? we have a new hall of fame in the cafe you might want to checkout
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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Offline Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28886 L.A. California Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #9 - 04/14/08 at 09:12:37 some tips but the pics are gone sorry http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1173305128/30
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Chopped Senior Member Offline Hurts Like hell when you shoot yourself! Posts: 499 Stafford, VA Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #10 - 04/14/08 at 09:47:28 I guess you can chok that one up in the Lessons Learned Folder! No more wooden dowels!
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T Mack 1 - FSO Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline sold 2001 LS650 for a 1986 XLH1100 Posts: 2919 Emmaus,Pa Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #11 - 04/14/08 at 10:09:45 Haven't tried it on the savage yet, but a finger on the sparkplug hole, then turn engine by hand and you should feel the air pushing out on the compression stroke. BUT .... I'm not sure if my hand & finger will fit down into the cavity where the plug is.....
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Chopped Senior Member Offline Hurts Like hell when you shoot yourself! Posts: 499 Stafford, VA Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #12 - 04/14/08 at 10:12:32 could work, but will make it hard to determine whether its at TDC.
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T Mack 1 - FSO Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline sold 2001 LS650 for a 1986 XLH1100 Posts: 2919 Emmaus,Pa Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #13 - 04/14/08 at 10:14:42 Chopped wrote on 04/14/08 at 10:12:32: could work, but will make it hard to determine whether its at TDC. TDC is by the marks, you just need to know if you are on compression stroke or exhaust stroke.
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Chopped Senior Member Offline Hurts Like hell when you shoot yourself! Posts: 499 Stafford, VA Gender:	Re: Had to take the head off today Reply #14 - 04/14/08 at 10:52:54 Gotcha... I am trackin now
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