Can't you feed the new chain after the old, do you need to split the bottom end?

 

After breaking the old cam chain, you can link the new chain to the old and turn the crank. It will feed up the new chain and then link it together with a riveted link. Just like doing the drive chain, except you don't want to drop the chain into the engine.

 

that's exactly what I'm wondering,... is the cam chain a one piece rig, or does it have a master link as well


I've been working on my bike all day.. it took me over 2 hours just to clean the rims, they were that dirty

I replaced the spark plugs, pics of the old ones below (lean???)
the order is 4-3-2-1 in the picture

i had posted earlier about the carb slider pin having a c clip on it to adjust the mixture at part throttle.. well, it doesn't have one, it did however have a shim under the head of the needle, i added shims to #1,3 and 4, and I checked the relative free length of all the springs, one was a little short (1/4" at most), I gave it a very gentle tug to stretch it a tiny bit, until it was the same length as the others.. I put some thin oil on the sliders, and reassembled it all, then finally found the idle mixture screws for the #2 and 3 carbs, thy are on the inboard side.. I had to find a piece of thick wire (3/16 SS wire is nice), ground the end to a flat, then with flashlight in one hand, laying on the ground, I was able to richen the idle a little...

with all this done, it seems to be that I have eliminated that miss at idle when it was hot (it would miss for about 30 seconds and suddenly stall) looking at the plugs I'd say they were either far too hot, or too lean, or both...anyone got the NGK # for a colder than stock plug? when it was misfiring badly I think i could hear preignition.. but I'm not all that sure about that... engine was at 1/3 temp on the guage

[IMG]local://upfiles/2395/2FCC313BCC964127800C0552AAF5103C.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]local://upfiles/2395/7C886743C42141349325ECE4B8D4E9B6.jpg[/IMG]

 

You can get a cam chain and master link from

http://www.fitomaster.com/K&L/KL04-0...ts-114-163.pdf

The link above brings up a pdf file, you'll have to scroll through until you find the cam chains. I'm not sure if the chain comes split, or if you have to grind a pin off and split it. It was suggested on another forum that when the master link is installed it should be tig or mig welded in place as there is no lock to keep it there and apparently is too hard to be peened in place. Most likely you can get the chain from any source that handles K&L parts. The chain part number 12-0408, the master link number is 12-0409.

It's hard to tell from a black and white image, but it looks like plugs four and two are running okay, three might be rich or a tad oily and one is running too lean. I'm assuming the bottom image has the plugs in 4-3-2-1 order, and that's the one I'm commenting on.

Sorry about the confusion as to which adjustment screws you were looking for. I re-read the post and you definetly said 'idle mixture'. I'll read a little more closely in the future.

 

well, on the bottom picture, the rightmost plug, noticfe the insulator is completely white? I think that's running too lean, at least from the plugs I'm used to looking at.. I am thinking a colder plug may be what i need

i did get rid of that misfire after a couple minutes of hot idling though.. I haven't gotten any readable deposits on the plugs yet so I'll have to wait a little i guess

anyone have part numbers for colder than stock plugs?I'd go one step for sure, possibly 2.. hey, NGK's are cheap plugs so i don't mind having a set or two spares.. if I find the #4 cylinder still running lean/hot Imight end up mixing and matching plugs to get it right on all cylinders.. I still have some playing to do with the carbies too i think... I'm not going to bother bolting down the fuel tank until I dont' have to lift it off every hour for plug checks etc though lol

 

You're correct, the rightmost plug, number one, is running too lean. As far as I know using hotter or colder plugs will not affect a lean burn condition. Since you were experiencing a miss at idle it is possible that the idle jet is blocked or was misadjusted and you may already have solved your problem by adjusting the idle mixture. If not, check for a vacuum leak at the rubber boot that connects your carb to the intake first. A leak there will lean your mixture. If there is none therem the carb will have to be checked out. Improper float height (unlikely) or a plugged jet (quite possible) will both limit the amount of fuel being delivered, causing a lean mixture.

 

it's running like a top now.. at idle, I got rid of that misfire successfully, but I took it for a ride I noticed it was down on power (intersting that I'm already saying that), it just carries the torque it has a 5000 rpm all the way through redline, while before I felt it pull harder at i got to 8000, after that I was probalby getting ready to shift. I removed the shims I used underneath the slide needles to richen it thinking that was it.. nope, still the same, every possible change i did trying to get rid of the misfire I've undone, except changing back to the old plugs (new ones are same model plug)... what gives here... I figure I'm down no less than 10 HP, possibly 20, but it runs beautifully *GAH*

 

You might do a 'chop test' where you warm the bike up, take it out on the road and ride at highway speeds then kill the engine without shutting the throttle. Pull over to the side, lift the tank, pull the plugs and read them. That will give you an idea as to mixture under real world conditions. A shot in the dark here - did you synch the carbs after undoing all your adjustments? Unsynchronised carbs can affect performance significantly. Another real long shot - hows the air cleaner? A plugged air cleaner might let enough air for good running at low rpm but shut things down at high rpm. I'd check the last two items first as they are easier than pulling plugs alongside the road.

 

Plug #3 is forsure rich ! What kinda pipe and air filter u running ?

 

carbs are nicely syched, well within 1" Hg... it has a nice K&N air filter i found (I was going to replace the a/f as routing maintencance when i saw that... stock exhaust system, I think its been rejetted.. I'm not getting nay readable deposits off the plugs until well, it's now been about 200 miles and i'll check them in about 5 minutes


any choices out there for aftermarket plug wires? I think it woiuldn't hurt to replace these... they're looking lousy, though not leaking... do they have silicone ones available?