how spot on do the dots have to be the cams aligned?

[psyfi_1]

Okay can get cam nearly aligned any tips for getting it right and how to tighten the nuts on the brackets that hold the cams in place

[humbucker88]

Not 100% sure what you're asking, but tighten the camshaft caps down like you would torque a cylinder head down, in a criss cross pattern to avoid snapping/bending a camshaft.

[garyb]

Did this recently myself and dots on my camshafts (with new chain installed) were slightly to the left of the alignment dots on the cam holders, no issue with this for me and bike is running fine since.

Start tightening the bolts down a little at a time in a criss cross sequence from the center of the camshaft to the outside.

Keep a close eye when your doing this that the holders are moving down and into place uniformly and evenly.

[psyfi_1]

okay thankyou beacuse one is spot on the other is so close i still thik it might sink in line when i torque it but i have to go buy one tommorow and then tighten the chain tensioner

[inditime]

I did this a few times over the past week, even took the bloomin cams off AGAIN this evening.

They should line up almost exactly with the T timing mark on the alternator at its correct position in line with the front casing half line. get the cams in line and tighten the cam holders down gradually starting with the bolts closest to the most open valves. This will put less stress on the cams. i did this and the cams fell into place, but make sure the chain is tight on the top of the sprockets. I then put the cam tensioner once all this was in place. It took a few attempts to get the cams inline, then torqued them down.
Then the usual manual cranking to ensure the cams and crank are in the correct timing in all 720 degrees.

I did take the inlet sprocket off, which made it easy, but ive just remove the cams with both sprockets still on and tight, just hoping it would meake it easier on reassembly as the sprocket bolts are a fiddly pig, and if your not careful, theyll drop into the sump at the first slip of a finger..

[psyfi_1]

okay cheers mate ill take into consideration and double check it  i can only keep trying right

[inditime]

I took the head off again yesterday, cos Im anal. But mainly cos im stupid for loosing a shim.

I found there is no need to ever remove the sprockets. But it is essential to get it looking like the dots are lined up, and then putting the tensioner in and whilst holding it tightly down just turning the crank slightly to show you where they will eventually be when you tighten down the cam holders.

Then once everything is all torqued up and about to put the cover on, notice the top chain guide is still sitting on the bench, arggh, i learnt a lot yesterday.

[red98]

as inditime....well explained,the reason the marks are not aligned is because theres too much slack in the cam chain diffacult to hold everything in place but make sure the marks are aligned,this will also help with tightening the caps as cams will be in best position,from memory you should feel a bit of compression on 2 of the valve springs when tightening the caps,any more and somethings not quite right......turn over on the crank using a socket before pressing the starte button to make sure alls well .......