Cam walk, options?

[Guest]

I have the same thing on my GS450 - at idle until the bikes warmed up nicely. It happened on my old engine, too, so I figured it was harmless. That being said I definitely understand finding it irritable!

It's a mystery to me why the noise would be less when it's hot. The endplay must be getting greater because the aluminum expands considerably more so you'd think the opposite. The only explanation that makes sense to me is that the buckets become easier to rotate thus putting less side thrust on to the cams.

If you put your finger on the cam cap at idle, you can feel it tapping away. My exhaust cam hardly does it but the left intake is whacking away pretty badly. Silent once it's fully warm.

 

[uk gs nut]

I did this to my 750. Bolt two cam caps together and make one end flat and square, then measure end float to work out the shim thickness. I made mine with brass plate and drilled and tapped 2 holes to mount them to cam caps. It seems to be working after 10k miles.

 

[jsandidge]

View attachment 46519
I did this to my 750. Bolt two cam caps together and make one end flat and square, then measure end float to work out the shim thickness. I made mine with brass plate and drilled and tapped 2 holes to mount them to cam caps. It seems to be working after 10k miles.

That seems to be a very interesting approach, and inexpensive too. How did you square the ends?

 

[uk gs nut]

Both caps clamped together with a steel bar in bearing faces and mounted in a pillar drill. Squared up with a dial gauge, and 80 grit orbital sander disc stuck to a board on drill table. finish off and polish with finer grit.

 

[davegs850]

Just happened on my 850 this year. Happened after my first ever do it yourself valve adjust. Slipped the tool off the one bucket 50 times. Hope this had nothing to do with it. It is exactly as described for cam walk. The sound is annoying and embarrassing though. Decided to live with it!

 

[Guest]

You can turn the rubber 1/2 circle gaskets around backwards and they will stop the cams from walking. I learned this from a pro.

 

[Nessism]

You can turn the rubber 1/2 circle gaskets around backwards and they will stop the cams from walking. I learned this from a pro.

I was about to suggest doing something like this. There are aluminum billet plugs available, or at least they used to be, that could be used along with a shim of some sort to keep the cam from moving too much as well.

 

[thebusdweller]

What is the spec for end play? I've seen 0.0015 for runout, but I think that's how straight the shaft is. Tom

 

[Guest]

What is the spec for end play? I've seen 0.0015 for runout, but I think that's how straight the shaft is. Tom

Given that the head will expand way faster than the cam, I'd think anything above binding at the lowest temperature you're likely to start the engine would be enough. You also want the oil from the bearing to spray out over the cams so about .001 would be fine.