CB350 Engine reassembly- Valve Timing Help??

[madmatt1]

I am trying to get my engine rebuild buttoned up, but I have run into something that has me pretty frustrated. I am trying to set the valve timing, and get the tach drive & points housings installed. First off, I cannot figure out how to manipulate the sprocket posistion without turning the crank....I know that the rotor is supposed to be in the LT position while the cam sprocket cutout is level with the top of the rocker box, but how do you do this? The service manual is really not helpful in this area, it says something like " align the cutout on the sprocket by raising". The timing chain doesn't seem to have enough slack (no the tensioner is not installed yet) to pull it off of the sprocket and reposistion it.
Anybody have a good method to share? I'd appreciate it!

 

[crazypj]

Remove both of the end bearing caps, lower cam and lift chain one tooth at a time rolling it around sprocket.
It's really easy to do and show but not so easy to describe

 

[madmatt1]

Hmm... I'll have to try it again when I get home. It just seems like no matter where the cam is positioned, I don't have enough slack to actually roll the chain.

 

[SONICJK]

Remove the entire tensioner assembly first

 

[madmatt1]

I didn't install the tensioner yet, or the end caps.

 

[crazypj]

Put some washers/spacers on studs and torque head down (actually you only need to tighten center 4 studs, 8~10 ft/lbs should be plenty)

 

[madmatt1]

Great idea, thanks!