Disobedient E-clip trouble.

[Hati]

So my 'favourite" nightmare has materialised on Sunday, while checking valve clearances on my '13 1200R. As some of the clearances were on the loose end of the range or even outside the maximum recommended dimension, I had to pull the cam followers to measure the spherical shims to determine what I can reuse and what I need to buy new.

 

The LHS bottom intake clip decided that inside the cam chain cavity is much nicer than the being out in the big wild world and sprung itself into the guts of the engine. This of course now requires major surgery, a job best tackled with the factory cam chain tensioner tool (83300444292) in hand  as the camheads have the annoying property of still sporting the LHS tensioner on the top of the cylinder assy, rather than the bottom, like waterheads do. As we all know, the space to get the tool or the regular tensioner in and out is very limited, due to the A-arm pivot point of the telelever. 

 

Since the factory tool is now made of Unobtanium, and my asking around on the forums and at my local BMW club (that possesses many specialised tools already, except of course the one I need) yielded exactly ZERO result, I now have to start thinking about a method that would allow me to restore the cam chain to cam shafts relationship to at least the current position following a cylinder head removal.

 

The only positives are that I have the Rep Rom for this range of motorcycles and that @dirtrider may be able to double check my logic in this process and correct it before anything goes wrong.

 

The old oil is out of the motor and I did not yet poured the new one in. It is also in the exact position required to check clearances on the LHS, unmoved since the incident.

 

I am aware of the method to reset the timing to factory new, by locking the engine to TDC with the appropriate pin, inserting and then tensioning the factory tool and using the jig, rotate both cams to the correct position and locking them in place.

 

This makes me think that the tool and the "regular" tensioner assert different tensions on the chain, otherwise the regular tensioner could be used for the job.

 

My line of thinking is to lock the cam shafts into place with the jig, by rotating the engine until the jig can be placed on them, than lock down the rear wheel in that exact position making sure that it and the engine cannot be accidentally moved while the surgery is in progress. This should in theory preserve the relationship between the main shaft that is not quite at TDC and the cam shafts of the left cylinder. 

 

Then it's just a "simple" matter of removing the tensioner, the cam sprockets and the cam assembly to hopefully find that unruly E-clip. Yes, I have checked everything in and around the bike multiple times, the clip was not located anywhere, so the only likely location is inside the cam chain tunnel. 

 

Once ready to reassemble everything, the sprockets, chain followers and tensioner would be installed, with rear wheel still locked, engine unmoved and cam shaft jig still in place. That, at least in my mind, assures that as long as nothing moves, the original relationship between main shaft and camshafts will be restored.

 

I do have the equivalent of the factory chain tensioner tool and the 15 mm sleeve that is used on the RHS (and on the waterheads), but sadly the LHS on the camhead uses the tool without the sleeve, so my analogue cannot be used even if the telelever arm was removed and room was made for it to be fitted and tensioned.

 

Over to you dirtrider and thank you for reading this and burning some brain power on it.

[dirtrider]

1 hour ago, Hati said:

So my 'favourite" nightmare has materialised on Sunday, while checking valve clearances on my '13 1200R. As some of the clearances were on the loose end of the range or even outside the maximum recommended dimension, I had to pull the cam followers to measure the spherical shims to determine what I can reuse and what I need to buy new.

 

The LHS bottom intake clip decided that inside the cam chain cavity is much nicer than the being out in the big wild world and sprung itself into the guts of the engine. This of course now requires major surgery, a job best tackled with the factory cam chain tensioner tool (83300444292) in hand  as the camheads have the annoying property of still sporting the LHS tensioner on the top of the cylinder assy, rather than the bottom, like waterheads do. As we all know, the space to get the tool or the regular tensioner in and out is very limited, due to the A-arm pivot point of the telelever. 

 

Since the factory tool is now made of Unobtanium, and my asking around on the forums and at my local BMW club (that possesses many specialised tools already, except of course the one I need) yielded exactly ZERO result, I now have to start thinking about a method that would allow me to restore the cam chain to cam shafts relationship to at least the current position following a cylinder head removal.

 

The only positives are that I have the Rep Rom for this range of motorcycles and that @dirtrider may be able to double check my logic in this process and correct it before anything goes wrong.

 

The old oil is out of the motor and I did not yet poured the new one in. It is also in the exact position required to check clearances on the LHS, unmoved since the incident.

 

I am aware of the method to reset the timing to factory new, by locking the engine to TDC with the appropriate pin, inserting and then tensioning the factory tool and using the jig, rotate both cams to the correct position and locking them in place.

 

This makes me think that the tool and the "regular" tensioner assert different tensions on the chain, otherwise the regular tensioner could be used for the job.

 

My line of thinking is to lock the cam shafts into place with the jig, by rotating the engine until the jig can be placed on them, than lock down the rear wheel in that exact position making sure that it and the engine cannot be accidentally moved while the surgery is in progress. This should in theory preserve the relationship between the main shaft that is not quite at TDC and the cam shafts of the left cylinder. 

 

Then it's just a "simple" matter of removing the tensioner, the cam sprockets and the cam assembly to hopefully find that unruly E-clip. Yes, I have checked everything in and around the bike multiple times, the clip was not located anywhere, so the only likely location is inside the cam chain tunnel. 

 

Once ready to reassemble everything, the sprockets, chain followers and tensioner would be installed, with rear wheel still locked, engine unmoved and cam shaft jig still in place. That, at least in my mind, assures that as long as nothing moves, the original relationship between main shaft and camshafts will be restored.

 

I do have the equivalent of the factory chain tensioner tool and the 15 mm sleeve that is used on the RHS (and on the waterheads), but sadly the LHS on the camhead uses the tool without the sleeve, so my analogue cannot be used even if the telelever arm was removed and room was made for it to be fitted and tensioned.

 

Over to you dirtrider and thank you for reading this and burning some brain power on it.

Afternoon Hati

 

First thing get your self a good mechanics magnet (I have slim one on a bendable rod that has saved my A$$ a number of times). In fact get a couple of different mechanics magnets (probably local auto parts store or Harbor Freight).

 

If you had the spark plug out then check in the cylinder (not sure that clip would fit but if there is a chance it would then check in there). If you were working on a lift then look in your shoe or boot, a couple of years ago I had spring get away from me & somehow it ended up in my boot. 

 

Or get a good attentive cat, I have a shop cat that doesn't miss a thing that gets away from me if he is awake & watching, I just need to get to it before he tries to eat it.  (this only works on things that leave the vehicle for the unknown)

 

On your cam chain deal, there is enough slop in the rear wheel to engine with trans in gear to possibly have it off a tooth. If you can't lock the engine then remove the front cover then put a nice narrow CLEAR mark on the front pulley & matching one on the belt. If you are careful the engine won't move but with that witness mark it can easily be checked.  

You probably should lock the rear wheel while breaking the sprocket bolt loose, you can probably get away with just removing one sprocket (or at least try that first). Once the sprocket bolt is loose then recheck all your index marks before removing the sprocket &  chain. 

 

You can probably use the cam tool  to lock it but I have used brake clean to clean the chain, sprockets, & cam carrier then marked both sprockets to chain & both sprockets to cam carrier. 

 

You can't over mark things, with multiple marks so you have a way of double checking things just to be sure. 

 

 

[Hati]

Hi DR, thank you, very helpful as usual.

 

I'll look around to a flexible magnet, I got a telescopic one but that is not usable without dismantling the head. Boots checked, no luck and the cat lives in the house only so that was not an option forme.

 

Good idea about locking/marking the pulley, I'll mark everything, especially chain and its surroundings.

 

I'll tackle this with a nice and calm mind to make sure no mistakes slip in. 

 

Update to follow.

[dirtrider]

11 minutes ago, Hati said:

Hi DR, thank you, very helpful as usual.

 

I'll look around to a flexible magnet, I got a telescopic one but that is not usable without dismantling the head. Boots checked, no luck and the cat lives in the house only so that was not an option forme.

 

Good idea about locking/marking the pulley, I'll mark everything, especially chain and its surroundings.

 

I'll tackle this with a nice and calm mind to make sure no mistakes slip in. 

 

Update to follow.

Evening Hati

 

Just one quick suggestion: LOTS & LOTS of light, make it bright in the work area & on the engine .  

[Hati]

8 hours ago, dirtrider said:

LOTS & LOTS of light, make it bright in the work area & on the engine .  

 

Roger that. I started to need that anyway but the more the marrier, indeed.

 

24" flexible magnetic pickup tool on the way, arriving Friday. My club finally came up blank for the tensioning tool. Had my hopes up on that one :(

[jdub53]

One trick I was taught many years ago while maintaining aircraft for finding something small that got away was to lower the ambient light level as much as possible, and then use a bright pencil beam flashlight. Searching each area within just the flashlight's slowly moving beam will make the contrast between differing items much better and easier to find. I've located hard to find items that got away using this method many times over the years, including things that ended up on my garage floor after turning out the overhead lights and slowly doing a focused search.  

 

Good luck!

[Hati]

10 hours ago, jdub53 said:

lower the ambient light level as much as possible, and then use a bright pencil beam flashlight

 

Thank you, done that and it is a great option.

[Hati]

So I got extremely lucky, after getting quite unlucky.

 

Amazon notified me that the magnetic pickup has been shipped. Yay... And told me that it will be 10 (TEN) extra days to ship. Damn it... I contacted support and moaned about the extra shipping time (they sent it with a courier mob that does not have proper presence where I live), so they refunded the cost of the tool. 

 

Given this delay, went out to the bike for another look, just in case, right? I got a seal pick with one end bent in 90 degrees. Used that to poke around where the clip could have landed. Lo and behold after two seconds of scraping the clip drops out. The relief I felt was unbelievable... Suddenly the delay of the magnetic tool doesn't matter any more.

 

Got around to measure all the shims now and bought 7 new shims (my luck ran out with finding the clip :D) so I am about to go and fit them. This is a good day to be alive :D

 

Thanks for the tips and assistance. I will put those away for another time now.

[dirtrider]

3 hours ago, Hati said:

So I got extremely lucky, after getting quite unlucky.

 

Amazon notified me that the magnetic pickup has been shipped. Yay... And told me that it will be 10 (TEN) extra days to ship. Damn it... I contacted support and moaned about the extra shipping time (they sent it with a courier mob that does not have proper presence where I live), so they refunded the cost of the tool. 

 

Given this delay, went out to the bike for another look, just in case, right? I got a seal pick with one end bent in 90 degrees. Used that to poke around where the clip could have landed. Lo and behold after two seconds of scraping the clip drops out. The relief I felt was unbelievable... Suddenly the delay of the magnetic tool doesn't matter any more.

 

Got around to measure all the shims now and bought 7 new shims (my luck ran out with finding the clip :D) so I am about to go and fit them. This is a good day to be alive :D

 

Thanks for the tips and assistance. I will put those away for another time now.

Morning  Hati

 

Excellent, your luck is good, you need to go right out & buy a lottery ticket. 

[Hati]

9 hours ago, dirtrider said:

you need to go right out & buy a lottery ticket. 

 

Yes, Mrs Hati has done that already. ;)

[bruce2000ltc]

On 11/30/2023 at 2:09 AM, Hati said:

So I got extremely lucky, after getting quite unlucky.

 

Amazon notified me that the magnetic pickup has been shipped. Yay... And told me that it will be 10 (TEN) extra days to ship. Damn it... I contacted support and moaned about the extra shipping time (they sent it with a courier mob that does not have proper presence where I live), so they refunded the cost of the tool. 

 

Given this delay, went out to the bike for another look, just in case, right? I got a seal pick with one end bent in 90 degrees. Used that to poke around where the clip could have landed. Lo and behold after two seconds of scraping the clip drops out. The relief I felt was unbelievable... Suddenly the delay of the magnetic tool doesn't matter any more.

 

Got around to measure all the shims now and bought 7 new shims (my luck ran out with finding the clip :D) so I am about to go and fit them. This is a good day to be alive :D

 

Thanks for the tips and assistance. I will put those away for another time now.

You used up a lot of your luck with that find...be careful the rest of this year!