Author Topic: Routine Maintenance Questions  (Read 6729 times)

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Thumper

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on: August 29, 2007, 07:03:11 pm
I'll be doing my first (2300 mile) maintenance this weekend and have a few questions for others that have paved the way before me!

I'm converting the fluid capacities from metric to US, are these what you get:

Engine: 2.25 ltrs = 2.37 qts
Primary case: 420 ml = 14.2 oz
Gearbox: 450 ml = 15.2 oz

The maintenance schedule on page 3-12 of the Service Manual differs from that on page 76 of the Owner's Manual - by only one item: item number 5 "Eccentric Spindle" has been inserted into the Service Manual version of the table. I plan to remove the cover and inspect the gear backlash. Hopefully I won't have to adjust the cam spindle(s), but will do so if needed. Has anyone else done this? If so, any tips would be welcome!


Thanks,
Matt


scoTTy

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Reply #1 on: August 30, 2007, 02:05:34 am
good luck, let us know what U find out, I asked that question too.. I have the gaskets and the torgue pattern for putting it back on.. the manual is real vague on the adjustment..  I felt like I was reading something about how to set up your digital 16 track recording station.. takes a lot for granted :o ???


Thumper

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Reply #2 on: August 30, 2007, 12:43:56 pm
good luck, let us know what U find out, I asked that question too.. I have the gaskets and the torgue pattern for putting it back on.. the manual is real vague on the adjustment..  I felt like I was reading something about how to set up your digital 16 track recording station.. takes a lot for granted :o ???

I can share the two tidbits I got a couple months ago on the Hitchcock's site:

Here is a response to a similar post:

"I checked mine just before the first service and found there was a fair bit of backlash. Checked again after the service and it hadn't been done! So much for dealer servicing! So I did it myself. I read a posting recently which stated that there was a correct direction in which to rotate the spindles for adjustment. However, I tried both ways and settled for the one which gave the best results. You have to check the backlash through a full rotation of the gears to allow for run-out as the gears are not necessarily drilled centrally. This was quite significant on my bike and I had to settle for a little tight in one place and a little loose on the opposite side. The manual says to retighten the spindle lock nuts to the correct torque but as they are round with two flats there is no way of using a torque wrench. I just made a mental note of how difficult they were to undo and retightened them the same. To do the job properly you need to slacken and remove the push rods to remove pressure from the cams."

And here is a link someone provided:
http://www.cybersteering.com/cruise/feature/bullet/camgear.html

Matt


gapl53

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Reply #3 on: August 30, 2007, 03:12:57 pm
My question to you is: Just what is the correct backlash? I couldn't find the figure in my service manual. Usually there is a measurement that you take between the meashing teeth.
I couldn't find it so I didn't mess with it. If you get it wrong it can affect the valve timing. I know that this is not a race engine where valve to piston clearance is minimal, but I would like a figure on a critical engine adjustment before messing with it.


Thumper

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Reply #4 on: August 30, 2007, 03:41:03 pm
My question to you is: Just what is the correct backlash? I couldn't find the figure in my service manual. Usually there is a measurement that you take between the meashing teeth.
I couldn't find it so I didn't mess with it. If you get it wrong it can affect the valve timing. I know that this is not a race engine where valve to piston clearance is minimal, but I would like a figure on a critical engine adjustment before messing with it.

I dunno. It's not in the service manual Service Data section (3-02 - 3-10) or other sections (pages 3-16, 4-19, 4-38). The source in the link I provided indicates 0 backlash.

Matt


gapl53

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Reply #5 on: August 30, 2007, 03:47:09 pm
Zero backlash on both gears? I don't think that is a good idea. Not with three different gears meshing together that may not be perfectly concentric. It will cause a lot of heat and wear to the mating surfaces. I've never heard of such! Also heat will cause expansion of the gears. If you are at zero where will they expand too. It sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.
« Last Edit: August 30, 2007, 03:54:13 pm by gapl53 »


Thumper

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Reply #6 on: August 30, 2007, 04:36:25 pm
Zero backlash on both gears? I don't think that is a good idea. Not with three different gears meshing together that may not be perfectly concentric. It will cause a lot of heat and wear to the mating surfaces. I've never heard of such! Also heat will cause expansion of the gears. If you are at zero where will they expand too. It sounds like a recipe for disaster to me.

I'm just passing along what the Indian source says - and he directly addresses heat expansion.

It does make sense though. This is a routine maintenance item. According to page 3-12 (#5) you check the backlash every 1854 miles (3000 kms). Assuming it's supposed to be 0, you set it precisely - as needed - with the eccentric cam spindles. That's a very routine way to ensure a precise setting is maintained.

Regardless of what the backlash specification is, it is supposed to be checked at every maintenance and adjusted as needed. So I return to my original post and would like to hear from others who have already done this.

Matt
« Last Edit: August 30, 2007, 09:15:30 pm by Thumper »


dewjantim

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Reply #7 on: August 30, 2007, 07:23:07 pm
You know, I don't think that the backlash is that critical. Some of the guys on the India website, which I visit every day, have thousands of miles on their bikes. I haven't heard one word about measuring backlash from them. Most if not almost all of the mechanics over there have a hard time adjusting timing much less doing anything else which would involve minute measurements. They just don't have the tools to do that. These motorcycles were meant to be daily transport and in India that is what they are used for, and they just don't seem to have trouble with gear backlash at all. I haven't adjusted mine in almost 6000 miles and my bike runs fine. Just my observation of course........Dew.
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dewjantim

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Reply #8 on: August 30, 2007, 07:31:21 pm
You know, I don't think that the backlash is that critical. Some of the guys on the India website, which I visit every day, have thousands of miles on their bikes. I haven't heard one word about measuring backlash from them. Most if not almost all of the mechanics over there have a hard time adjusting timing much less doing anything else which would involve minute measurements. They just don't have the tools to do that. These motorcycles were meant to be daily transport and in India that is what they are used for, and they just don't seem to have trouble with gear backlash at all. I haven't adjusted mine in almost 6000 miles and my bike runs fine. Just my observation of course........Dew.
Hey guys, my bad, I was on the wrong part of the website. I have an iron barrel engine, not one of those new fangle AVLs which I know very little about......sorry.......Dew.
If it hurts, you're not dead yet!!!!!


scoTTy

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Reply #9 on: August 30, 2007, 11:28:37 pm
it would be nice if someone that does this work would make digital pictures of each step so we all could learn from their experience.. I just turned 500 miles on mine this past week and yes I  did beep my X's horn ;D  so I'm not ready yet to undertake this check.


scoTTy

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Reply #10 on: August 31, 2007, 12:55:22 am


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Reply #11 on: September 11, 2007, 08:32:59 pm
The engine won't take a full 2 quarts. Put in one and add the second 200 ml at a time until the oil is below the mid point on the dipstick. I like to kick the starter lever over a couple of dozen times with the compression released to pump oil into the filter it if was changed. Then check the oil level again.
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