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Engine Mechanical TopicsDiscussion for motor builds, cams, head work, stripped bolts and other engine related issues. The good and the bad. If it goes round and around or up and down, post it here.
The only unusual noise I could hear in the video is what sounds to me like gear whine, caused by a tight fitting mesh between the cam gear and pinion gear.
I guess that is starting to be the consensus. I am a little unsure how to correct the issue however. Perhaps a new cam, or new cam and matching pinion gear? Please excuse my ignorance, just trying to figure this out.
I really appreciate everyone's help on here. I realize I may be a bit over my head on some of this stuff and am just trying to learn as I go. I'm going to try to get back to the shop this afternoon to do the cam bearing install and check all the end play measurements. I will also post some pics of the gears (not sure how helpful that will be).
The noise doesn't sound like a cam gear noise. If a cam gear mesh is too tight it whines, too loose it clatters. That growling sounds like a main bearing. Check for crankshaft end play and also make sure that the compensator nut is torqued correctly.
That two texts I sent you is also spelled out briefly by Andrew's and why excess clearance is noisy because of cam load.
A new 7/64 SS drill has a slight back taper and mics 0.1082 to determine what you have.
I believe if they were tight, you would see evidence of that in teeth.
Bearing play has made them a little loose noisy. Tighten that needle bearing on the cam may help. If its a little loose, that's not going to hurt anything. Andrews says that too.
With that exhaust, I doubt you will even here it going down the road.
Last edited by Jackie Paper; Yesterday at 12:26 PM.
.108 is the wrong size to use on a shovel cam. Use .105. As Dan stated, see Andrews manual for details.
Jackie tries to be helpful, but his information is usually wrong, because it isn't based on real world experience. It's never good to give advice from something read on the internet or AI. If I give advice on the forum, it is based on something that I have had first hand experience with and not hearsay.
Yes, I'm an idiot. I bought the bike from someone I did business with before and trusted him that the engine was solid, but it had been sitting and needed a carb rebuild so it didn't run when I got it. Once I rebuilt the carb and got it running I noticed the noise. It has had a cam replaced for sure and possibly other work done. Any idea how I should go about investigating the gear mismatch possibility? Maybe I will need to change the cam? (the bike is a 1974)
I've never messed with these gears but have seen that the parts manual shows gear changes and I know that the cams can be used across early to late shovels so they can get mixed up.
I don't know if it is the issue but it does sound like excessive gear lash to me.. I'm not sure if the gears are incompatible but I'd make some sort camshaft extension with arm that is about as long as the radius of the cam gear. and fit the cam and cover. I'd then check to see if the cam rotates slightly while holding the crank. If feeling clearance, measure it with a dial indicator. You hope it's under 0.002"
I'd also pull the pinion and it and the cam side buy side to see if you can see anything in the tooth shape. Actually slide the cam in and see how the teeth mesh. Get a close up and magnify. You could pull the pinion and roll it against the cam gear. How does it feel?
The noise doesn't sound like a cam gear noise. If a cam gear mesh is too tight it whines, too loose it clatters. That growling sounds like a main bearing. Check for crankshaft end play and also make sure that the compensator nut is torqued correctly.
It does have a bit of a grinding sound to it.. Mismatched gear pitch? I saw somewhere that you can simply buy a gear set including the cam and pinion. That way there is no confustion.
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