Valve shim removal tool problems

[screene]

Originally Posted by Major Kong

The notch in the bucket is to prise out the shim. The notch in the head is to orient the tool.

Makes sense... however I now have the inlet cam out. The shims were tricky to get out, even after taking the bucket out, I had to be pretty firm with the dental pick. Measured all four at 2.71mm, off to the dealer today to get 2.65mm to replace them with.


Haynes says to replace the gasket on the crank case cover. My bike didn't have one, and I couldn't see any signs of sealant yet it didn't appear to leak!

[MotT3]

There must be a rubber gasket on there....it also has three round gaskets that seal the spark plug holes...???? It also has the black half moon infills that seal up the cam ends in the cam cover..

[MotT3]

Oh and no need to replace it just clean off the old sealant and apply fresh.

[screene]

Mot - I've got the rubber gasket that goes on the cam shaft cover - it's the one that goes on the right hand crank cover that was missing. Just picked up a new one from Fowlers.

[Major Kong]

The crank end cover should have a paper gasket. Mine was so old that is took some persuasion to get it all off.

Kong

[screene]

Originally Posted by Major Kong

The crank end cover should have a paper gasket. Mine was so old that is took some persuasion to get it all off.

Kong

Yes you're right - I just didn't look carefully enough when I removed the cover. The bike's coming back together now, but just a thought that occurred to me as I was refititing the cam chain. The whole thing seems a bit fragile... do cam chains ever need replacing? I found myself thinking that having a chain driving the cams in an engine must represent the weakest part of it. Does anyone know whether cam chain problems or related parts (eg tensioner) are the most common things to cause the engine to fail?

Also, as I tried to reassemble the tensioner before fitting it as described in Haynes, I found it impossible. The washer was too thick to get the reverse thread on the bolt to catch, so I just assembled it straight onto the bike, which is what the Triumph manual says to do (also as described in Haynes as 'method B'). What is the point in pre-assembling it anyway?

I was ultra-wary about getting this right, fearing future cam chain disasters if the tensioner wasn't put back properly.

[MotT3]

I just bung the cam chain tensioner assembly back is, then when everything is back together rotate the engine a few times, the if it hasn't already it will take up the slack, you can then double check before the lid goes back on...

Cam chains do sometimes let go...but there is no real rythm or reason to it ??? if the tensioner blade is worn too much I would replace chain as well, also if the chain or cam sprockets look worn you could do the same. My S3 has recorded a cam chain change at 17K why I don't know ??

Generally though the whole lot holds together for big miles.