5th Gen Camshaft installation

Discussion in 'Mechanics Garage' started by TheVallog, Mar 10, 2019.

  1. TheVallog

    TheVallog New Member

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    Hi folks,

    Having checked and reshimmed (some of) the valve clearances on my 2001 VFR800FI, i now need to reinstall the camshafts (all four out of the engine). I have a Haynes manaual and have downloaded the factory manual.
    Question 1: My main concern is getting the wrong TDC on the pulse rotor and ending up 360 degrees out of sync. Is that something that can happen and how does one safeguard against that? Does anyone have any useful insights, tips or tricks? Is it best to work front to rear or vice versa?
    Q2: I was proposing to use Honda red silicone sealant for the valve cover gaskets. Anyone have any thoughts on the best sealant to use?
    Q3: I've blanked off the PAIR system but may need to reuse one or two of the old PAIR dowel O-rings and spark plug tunnel o-rings due to difficulty getting spares. Is this a complete no-no?
     
  2. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    1. If you follow the cam timing marks you can't go wrong and won't be 360* out
    2. Any silicon sealant will do, only used in the cam cutout area.
    3. My bike has 130,000km on it and still uses the original seal and O rings.
    Make sure you recheck gaps after everything is back in again and torqued.
     
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  3. TheVallog

    TheVallog New Member

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    Model answer! Thanks very much. All back together but haven't rechecked gaps yet. Fingers crossed that nothing has shifted (and that I got my sums right first time around). One really does need cranked feeler gauges to get in between lobes and followers. It's really tight in there. In fact it's really tight everywhere on those bikes.
     
  4. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    You should try working on a Tuono V4.
    I bought a set of feeler gauges just for this bike and bent them all to fit.
    I'm always carefull when working on anything, but twice already I've found that after the cams are back in, torqued and turned over a few times a couple of the gaps were wrong.
    Either I stuffed up or just bad eyesight, a couple of times I've found shims in the wrong size compartment.
    I now check every shim with micrometer before installing them.
     
  5. TheVallog

    TheVallog New Member

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    Tuono V4? That's a serious bit of kit... imagine the parts are bit pricy.
    Can't understand why turning over by hand should affect anything but I'll take that tip, too.
    Talking of 'turning over', there's a serious scheduling issue if you're doing a complete overhaul on a VFR that involves draining oil, flushing and refilling coolant and checking stator wiring and compressions.
    Stator can only be checked with oil out but coolant flushing and compression checks involve running engine up to operating temp, which means keeping oil and coolant in - also putting tank and airbox back on, which make it hard to reach the plugs, which need to come out to check the compressions. And so it goes. Bottom line... oil change is the last on the list.
     
  6. Cycleman1

    Cycleman1 New Member

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    You should really only work on one bank at a time ie: 1&3 or 2&4. Its pretty clear in the manual. Very easy to get camshafts mixed up. After you are done shimming etc, make sure you turn the motor over a few times by hand, then recheck the gap.
     
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