CB 550 Cam Shaft Removal issues:(

R

redrider736

New Member
In the process of doing a 650/550 Cam swap into my 78'CB 550k... I bought a Junk'd 79' 650 to learn how to srtip off a few parts, keep what I could use for my 550 and sell off what others needed... Work out pretty well..

I removed the 650 Cam last summer (Remember reading some great posts on the topic) ... Now I can't seem to get my 78' 550 Cam out !??
Removed the Cam Cover, loosen the Cam Tension adjustment nut off completely, removed the 2 bolts that attach the Cam/Cam Sprocket ............ For the Life of me I can't get any slack to slip the Chain over the Sprocket ???

Any help would be greatly Appreciated !!

ThX
rEd !!
 
You have to tap the sprocket sideways slightly away from the flange that the two bolts threaded into. Theres a shoulder that the sprocket fits snugly on and it may be stuck a bit. Tap it with a soft face mallet. Once it's free, there will be a large notch on one side of the Center hole in the sprocket that will allow you to drop the sprocket down enough to slack the chain.
 
dualitymike said:
You have to tap the sprocket sideways slightly away from the flange that the two bolts threaded into. Theres a shoulder that the sprocket fits snugly on and it may be stuck a bit. Tap it with a soft face mallet. Once it's free, there will be a large notch on one side of the Center hole in the sprocket that will allow you to drop the sprocket down enough to slack the chain.
Click to expand...

Done that, But still not enough slack to get the chain over the sprocket??
 
It's not enough to loosen the jam nut on the cam chain tensioner. You have to turn the adjuster bolt counter clockwise as far as it will go and tighten the jam nut in that position to get the tensioner to back all the way off for maximum slack. If you just loosen them jam nut, the tensioner will keep pushing on the chain.
 
dualitymike said:
It's not enough to loosen the jam nut on the cam chain tensioner. You have to turn the adjuster bolt counter clockwise as far as it will go and tighten the jam nut in that position to get the tensioner to back all the way off for maximum slack. If you just loosen them jam nut, the tensioner will keep pushing on the chain.
Click to expand...

Hey dualitymike,
Thanks for the great info and help, very much appreciated !! Im out on the road/work for the next while and won't be able to see my girl (78CB that is :) but will use your advice when I get back!

Cheers !
 
Able to get back into town today... Did exacually what you said, and it did the trick !! It just gave me enough slack to be able to get the chain over the sprocket!!

Thanks to dualitymike, calji737, and flatlander for the help !! ( http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,150324.0.html )








 
Getting in back on can be a little fun.
If you haven't seen it mentioned before, make sure you back your tappet screws right out, and use the rubber band trick to hold up the rocker arms, before refitting the rocker cover - this is to avoid bending a valve.
 
It's best and easiest to loosen cam chain tensioner, turn engine BACKWARDS to compress tensioner blade then lock tensioner back into position (works on almost anything with manual tensioner)
Slide sprocket sideways so you have lots of slack and take chain off sprocket
Back off tappet adjuster screws so they are level with underside of rocker arm plus use rubber bands. It is very easy to bend a valve tip (and crack valve guide) if you don't get things right
 
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