chrisadams810

Resurrecting an old post. Finally after putting new rings in? Cam sprocket, electronic ignition, stripping and cleaning carbs etc etc. Getting past mot, three weeks later of running, then putting up for sale, the tensioner has collapsed! How this happened I do not know. Has this bent valves...we will see. Back to the drawing board? Anybody have an xs400 engine kicking about?

Got the original filters back in their housings. Still very slow so I think these carbs need properly setting up or new jets.

Yep I have the air filters just missing the air boxes. The PO had them cable tied on. I've just bought a set from e bay. Thanks for the help. Fingers crossed I get some improvement.

Ah unfortunately in his wisdom the PO threw out the air boxes and had the original filters exposed linked up to the H pipe. I in my infinite wisdom decided to fit cones. I'll try the cones on the H and then the originals to see if there's a difference. That is once I've sorted the birds nest I've found hiding behind the headlight.

Ah well on this occasion I'd say it's the bike not me (it's been a few weeks since Christmas). Anybody know to source some new jets? And in particular what size with my cone filters?

Erm...do you mean I could be too fat for my bike? Lol. I weigh about 13.5-14 stone.

Timings been checked with strobe. I'm happy with that. Carbs have been stripped. Jets look a little worn but I imagine that'll allow more fuel in. I guess it could be giving it to rich a mixture. Might purchase a jet kit. I am now running fine filters which won't help matters. Any recommendations?

So today I decided to make a ride to work the bikes maiden voyage. I made it but not without problems. The bike will top out at 60mph. Is this normal? And the bike cuts out at idle.

Hello again, Promise one day I'll post something selfless and useful. So I'm still waiting on this replacement part from Newtronics. It's in the post they say. I'll give them the benefit of the doubt. It's allowed me to ponder something. When setting the timing on the crank for timing on the points. The notch on the cam for your advance timing mechanism should be parallel to the ground shouldn't it (9 o clock)? My notch is sitting at 10 o clock. And I know the crank is set right at R/F Is it possible the cam sprocket is out a tooth?

Newtronics claim it is part of the motorcycle but state it's so thin that it won't make a difference in the operation. I beg to differ. In hindsight I wish I'd bought the Pamco kit. It looks more robust. But I'll have to work with what I've got. I'm hoping they'll send me a replacement rotor.

I tried posting the diagram that I have last night. It shows a shim. The rotor won't clear the triggers. I turned the engine with a spanner and it broke the locating legs on the rotor.

There's a shim on the Newtronics diagram but none present on the actual bike. I thought this might be fishy. Newtronics claim it is on the bike already.

Looks like I'm missing the shim from the advance mechanism Which is odd... Does anybody know the dimensions of the shim?

Music to my ears

The Newtronics kit from Yambits

Although not the complete reason why but it's lead me to purchase electronic ignition.

Whoops my bad! Unfortunately my points must be earthing on the cover. Because with the cover off it runs. It does not with the cover on.

Thanks I've played with the chain and seemed to have got it to turn. I've also found the spark plug thread to be not much better. So I'll be dealing with that next. I'm no whizz kid mechanic but boy was this bloke useless.

A little advice and input might be needed. Having put the sprocket and cam in with it set for 'LT', cam pin in air and the lines on the sprocket horizontal I've attempted to fit the sprocket bolts. Two problems. One is when fitting the sprocket bolt and then turning the engine I'm pretty sure the chain is jumping on the crank sprocket. So the cam isn't actually turning. Only when I provide it with assistance. Is this because the tension blades aren't in yet or because the sprocket teeth might be too damaged. I noticed some damage on the teeth but clearly shrugged it off and will probably pay for it now. Secondly I'm pretty sure the cam thread is damaged. As a) I found one of the original bolts had a stripped thread and the bolt is immediately tight.

No the camshaft was there. One of the sprocket bolts retrieved has a badly stripped thread. I think the bolts weren't tight enough. The sprocket has been vibrating and slapping against the casing and shattered. A little concerning is from what I can see a slightly damaged tooth in the crank gear.

All fragments of the sprocket now removed after removing the head. The last small piece came out through the plate and gauze underneath the block. Thanks for the help and patience. Just need to put it all back together now.

So I've removed the cylinder head cover and removed the cam. Peered down to check the chain guides. The sprocket has wedged itself in the depths of the engine and it won't budge. I've found one bolt under a valve spring but not the other. It's time to strip. It's alright though. I'm enjoying the process. I don't get a great deal of time on the bike (it was supposed to be a quick starting fault rectify) but when I do get the spanners out I've enjoyed seeing how well these bikes seem to be put together. Now I can reassure myself that when it's all back together it'll run properly as I have my doubts about the Po's workmanship.

No but with the chain being fairly loose (as there's no cam sprocket to keep it taught) is the chain sitting properly on the crank sprocket?

I am wondering what the chain is hanging on at the other end. Is it still wrapped around the crank sprocket? Starting to think stripping it might be for the best.