1981 GS450E Rebuild

[Charlie G]

Pete,

I had the cam chain tensioner loose tension last year on my 450 and had to reset the timing of the cam chain. The thread for this is : http://www.thegsresources.com/_forum...light=lost+nut

The thread may offer you some help in setting the timing. I had some problems as the pictures in the manual didn't quite line up with what I was seeing on my motor.

cg

[pete]

Thanks heaps for the link there Charlie, that actually confirms in my mind that what I'm doing with the exhaust camshaft, the number 1 arrow, and the timing mark on the ATU unit are all OK, but I will still double check before doing the inlet shaft.

When I was looking last night, it was hard to tell if number 1 arrow was slightly above or equal to the height of the gasket surface, but it looked to me if I dropped it one tooth down it would point downward an awful lot, and that just didn't sound right to me, and it looks like your thread there is confirming my thoughts.

[Charlie G]

Thanks heaps for the link there Charlie, that actually confirms in my mind that what I'm doing with the exhaust camshaft, the number 1 arrow, and the timing mark on the ATU unit are all OK, but I will still double check before doing the inlet shaft.

When I was looking last night, it was hard to tell if number 1 arrow was slightly above or equal to the height of the gasket surface, but it looked to me if I dropped it one tooth down it would point downward an awful lot, and that just didn't sound right to me, and it looks like your thread there is confirming my thoughts.

I can't remember the particulars well enough to discuss it with you acurately. Hope it helps. It was an "Up one Level" experence for me.

cg

[pete]

All good, the whole thread and advice you got from Chef, Nessism, etc. makes perfect sense and I'm really glad to see that what I was thinking matches with what they all said, which is awesome.

So, anyway, I did manage to get the head nuts and the bolt between the exhaust ports all torqued up tonight, but that's all I got done.

I've now had a six pack of beer, which is bad for a work night, but typical given that I've had no power since I got home from work this avo as we had a very quick but very powerful storm blow through. Not alot of water, but a reasonable amount of wind.

Anyway, hopefully tomorrow night I can double check that timing and oil the shims up.

I had just enough light with a torch to be able to torque the head nuts and the bolt between the exhaust ports, but I wasn't game to do any more than that without reasonable lighting.

We shall see what happens tomorrow...

[Leigh]

Every day is a step forward, eh Pete?

I bet you're getting itchy now.

[pete]

True indeed Leigh! Baby steps are better than no steps that's for sure.

I'm itching so bad I need to find some calamine lotion...

[pete]

More calamine required tonight... another storm and another night with nothing done, so frustrating. The storm was nothing; bit of lightning, bit of thunder, bit of wind, bit of rain, but my wife's gotten a little paranoid about them lately so when one hits I need to stay near which means no time in the garage.

I really want this weather to fine up so I can get back down there. Maybe tomorrow night... except the bureau say possible storm Thursday... sheeesh.

[pete]

Well, after a miserable week so far for weather and progress, I finally got back into the garage tonight.

So, first up, I oiled up the inlet shims and then managed to loosen off the camshaft bearing caps and oil the exhaust shims without screwing up the timing of the exhaust camshaft and also still allowing the tacho drive to remain sync'd up with the camshaft.

Next up, double check the timing I did earlier this week:



Looks pretty good to me! And Charlie, once again thanks for the link to your thread, that does really confirm that this is ok.

So, one inlet camshaft:



Cleaned up:



And moly lubed ready to go in:



Bit hard to tell but bearing journals and shims oiled up ready to go:



Inlet camshaft in:



And sorted with the arrow on the 18th pin of the cam chain from the number 2 arrow on the exhaust camshaft:



Continued...

[pete]

Close up of the timing arrows, and funnily enough there is no "3" on the inlet camshaft, but there is only the 1 arrow:



And bearing caps on and torqued up:



Next up, my cleaned up and sorted camchain tensioner and new gasket ready to roll:



Note that I have rotated the knurled nut counter clockwise and pushed the tensioner shaft in as far as I can and locked it with the locking screw ready for installation.

And bolted in nice and tight:



Released the locking screw a quarter turn while holding the inlet camshaft so the chain didn't go springing off the sprocket and screwing up the timing:



Lock nut is done up tight now too.

And here she is now:



So, at the completion of that, I did some revolutions clockwise and double checked the timing was still good, and it was, so good stuff there.

Next, I did what the manual recommended and turned the knurled nut on the tensioner counter clockwise while turning the crank a bit counter clockwise. I then released the knurled nut, turned the crankshaft clockwise again, and watched the tensioner unwind itself and put tension back on the cam chain again as it's supposed to. Nice.

So, I'm now up to shim adjustments, and hopefully I won't have to wait another week before getting to that.

Going car hunting tomorrow which should be, well, horrid and painful to say the least (I hate buying and selling cars), but hopefully I can drop into the local Yamaha dealer and pick up some Yamalube carby cleaner. I'm hoping to get some daytime time on the bike next weekend, and if I have carby cleaner then that's the perfect time for it.

[Charlie G]

Little concerned that there is no #3 at your arrow on intake cam shaft. I can't remember if mine had one or not. If you checked it over good for one, then your probally fine. Youv'e got an arrow, at least.

Did you rebuild the tensioner? Make sure the nut that holds the knurled knob is secure!

cg

[pete]

I should have mentioned this in my update, but I was concerned enough about the missing "3" that I actually removed the camshaft before timing it and looked again really closely under the lamp, and there is only that one arrow and nothing else except the IN stamped on the sprocket, so I'm satisified that's right.

I do plan on triple checking it though because my paranoia has definitely set in on this one

I haven't had to disturb the knurled nut as the tensioner has never leaked or anything and the nut still turns smoothly etc. and I decided it was better not to disturb them unless I find out I need to if it starts leaking.

I did pull the rod, spring, and locking assembling out and clean those up though and they're now clean and lubed up nicely.

[davidduarte]

Well, after a miserable week so far for weather and progress, I finally got back into the garage tonight.
SNIP

speaking of weather:

This was last week, we got more snow last night:


we got at least another 5 or 6 inches after I started clearing the drive:


down at the corner:


sorry for the hijack, back to our regularly scheduled program

[pete]

Wow that's a lot of white stuff!!! You can keep that, I'll pass

And don't worry, this thread has taken many detours along the way, all the more fun that way

[Flaming Chainsaws]

HOLY ****!!! So much snow!!!!! Give me!!!

[KC1908]

Pete,

Have you seen the latest Aussie weather map.

Ken