XS400 SE Cam Chain Wear

[Lester]

Hi all,
I am new to the forum though have been lurking for quite some time now building my know how of these bikes. I have not been able to find an answer to my present problem and would like your opinion on the way forward. In brief I have just rebuilt the cylinder head on my 4G5 engine and when coming to setting the valve timing found that I couldn't get the datum line on the sprocket to exactly the horizontal position. All seems ok until I fit the chain tensioner and this pulls the sprocket round a little clockwise. Refitting the chain back a link just causes the same error the other way. Do you think this is just excess wear on the chain and would this be corrected by fitting a new one. Are there any views for or against the "split" chains?

Any help fully appreciated.

Lester

 

[drewpy]

the manual states you need to tension the cam chain first which is normally the rear one. wait till you fit the tensioners in that postition before rechecking.

 

[Lester]

the manual states you need to tension the cam chain first which is normally the rear one. wait till you fit the tensioners in that postition before rechecking.

Thanks for the speedy reply Drewpy. Your manual must be completely different to mine. I have read and re-read the procedure in mine and the final stage is to remove the small screw used to hold the spring tensioner in place prior to reassembling in the cam box. It is when I remove this screw to release the tensioner that the sprocket turns a little clockwise away from the datum position. I can't see any other way to do the job. What manual do you have?

Lester