• Required reading for all forum users!!!

    Welcome!
    Register to access the full functionality of the GSResources forum. Until you register and activate your account you will not have full forum access, nor will you be able to post or reply to messages.

    A note to new registrants...
    All new forum registrations must be activated via email before you have full access to the forum.

    A Special Note about Email accounts!
    DO NOT SIGN UP USING hotmail, outlook, gmx, sbcglobal, att, bellsouth or email.com. They delete our forum signup emails.

    A note to old forum members...
    I receive numerous requests from people who can no longer log in because their accounts were deleted. As mentioned in the forum FAQ, user accounts are deleted if you haven't logged in for the past 6 months. If you can't log in, then create a new forum account. If you don't get an error message, then check your email account for an activation message. If you get a message stating that the email address is already in use, then your account still exists so follow the instructions in the forum FAQ for resetting your password.

    Have you forgotten your password or have a new email address? Then read the forum FAQ for details on how to reset it.

    Any email requests for "can't log in anymore" problems or "lost my password" problems will be deleted. Read the forum FAQ and follow the instructions there - that's what we have one for...

  • Returning Visitors

    If you are a returning visitor who never received your confirmation email, then odds are your email provider is blockinig emails from our server. The only thing that can be done to get around this is you will have to try creating another forum account using an email address from another domain.

    If you are a returning visitor to the forum and can't log in using your old forum name and password but used to be able to then chances are your account is deleted. Purges of the databases are done regularly. You will have to create a new forum account and you should be all set.

Need help with GSX400 cam timing

X

xxenzor

Forum Apprentice
Hey guys, I’m working on checking the timing on my 1980 GSX400E and could use some advice.

The manual says that at TDC, the inlet camshaft “3” arrow is supposed to be angled, and the exhaust camshaft “2” arrow should be vertical. On mine, both arrows are vertical. There are exactly 20 pins between the two arrows on the timing chain, so that part seems right.

The cam lobes are pointing away from each other like they should, but the notches on the ends of the camshafts are facing each other—not perfectly parallel to the gasket surface

Is it a problem that the “3” arrow is vertical instead of angled, or does it sound like everything’s okay? Just want to make sure I’m not missing something here.​
 
Photos needed: show crank aligned to 1-4T position, show exhaust cam, with --1 mark aligned level with gasket surface. Then count links between marks on intake and exhaust cam. I hope you have the factory manual for your bike, not a Clymers or Haynes.
 
Pins between 2 and 3 or start counting with the pin over #2 as Pin #1 and the pin over #3 as pin # 20? It matters. Make sure to read manual and count as described. This is a constant and common source of misinterpretation.
 
Nessism said:
Photos needed: show crank aligned to 1-4T position, show exhaust cam, with --1 mark aligned level with gasket surface. Then count links between marks on intake and exhaust cam. I hope you have the factory manual for your bike, not a Clymers or Haynes.
Click to expand...

If I put the left cylinder on TDC the 2 points at the gasket on the exhaust and the 3 points at the gasket to the right on the intake
 
Rich82GS750TZ said:
Pins between 2 and 3 or start counting with the pin over #2 as Pin #1 and the pin over #3 as pin # 20? It matters. Make sure to read manual and count as described. This is a constant and common source of misinterpretation.
Click to expand...

the pin directly above the 2 and directly above the 3 is 20 pins
 
Nessism said:
Photos needed: show crank aligned to 1-4T position, show exhaust cam, with --1 mark aligned level with gasket surface. Then count links between marks on intake and exhaust cam. I hope you have the factory manual for your bike, not a Clymers or Haynes.
Click to expand...

If I’m TDC on the right cylinder the 2 and 3 are vertical with exactly 20 pins and the 1 on the exhaust is pointing at the gasket surface
 
This is the correct orientation of the cam sprocket arrows with the timing mark "T 1.4" aligned to the pointer. This from the 750 manual, but it should be the same. Notice that the slots in the cam ends are pointing at each other.

 
Well, this bike seems to be a twin, so there is no 1.4 T mark. This photo shows a GS450 rotor, and the T mark. Same thing. TDC for the number 1 cylinder.

This is where it all starts. Set, then go to the exhaust cam next. The 1 mark may be a smig high, and that's okay because the cam chain may have elongated a little. The 1 mark should never point down, though.

Screenshot 2025-03-23 180351 by nessism, on Flickr
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

B
GS550e cam timing
Replies
4
Views
52
Bilco3000
B
timebombprod
Setting the timing properly
2 3
Replies
42
Views
592
timebombprod
timebombprod
igoldin74
Help identify correct engine timing
Replies
2
Views
100
GregT
G
Kiwi kid
Incorrect Timing mark on EX Cam
Replies
18
Views
213
Kiwi kid
Kiwi kid
A
1981 GS1100E cam timing set up
Replies
2
Views
94
slayer61
slayer61
Back
Top