85 Vf500 engine noise-Valves adjusted-No throttle response-compression seems good-very little carb s

invisible cities

Good deal on sourcing these NLA parts! If I could ask, what Honda dealer did you work with?

I started with Cyclepartsnation.com and ordered online. I received a call from them that the parts were NLA and They gave me Western Hills Honda Yamaha 513-662-7759 and Cyclenations thought they might have one. I called and they had both front and rear tensioners. The price was suggested retail But, I at least found them. I made a Google search and found others that might have been available for a little discount.

I looked closer at my old rear tensioner and I noticed a small rub ware mark on the rod But, I didn't fell a groove. I still plan on taking pictures and posting them.

The spring in the new tensioners is super tight. I can hardly get the tensioner to move with the pin in it. I don't dare pull the holding pin until the tensioner is in the motorcycle way too tight. My old tensioner spring was lots easier to move.

 

tinkerinWstuff

There is ignition timing and you have valve timing. Timing light will tell you that you have ignition timing correct but I don't think you can change it if you wanted to.

Having the valve timing off by a tooth on the chain can mess up your vacuum and have the bike run like hell but you won't see it on a timing light.

TinkerinWstuff:
Correct on the two different timings. I was hoping to verify with the new tensioners installed if I still had a timing issue to verify if it was cams or ignition. I still wonder if bad tensioners would cause a cam timing issue?

 

It would if the chain was too loose and jumped a tooth on the sprockets.

 

Could this happen on an engine with only 10k on the clock? This said, valve timing sounds like the culprit. Perhaps a previous owner had the cams out and they were not re-installed correctly..?

 

I've changed the head gaskets on two different vf500's both with 20k plus miles and even with the tentioners in their locked position the chain was still pretty tight. It was loose enough to make some noise but no where near loose enough for the timing to jump. I'm not saying this cant happen it just seems very unlikely to me that it would.

The very first time I changed the head gaskets I used a clymer and my bike ran like Bakers bike is running. It seems very possible that the cam/valve timing is off. I will admit that my experience is limited, but, with that being said; I have never heard about or read about the ignition timing being screwed up other than the starter clutch being installed incorrectly.

If I were baker 500 i'd take the cams out and use the Honda service manual to make sure everything got put back together right. If the bike still runs like shit then i'd check the starter clutch. If none of that solved anything then i'd sell it and move on

 

Pcohen-I don't think the chains were loose enough to jump a sprocket. I'm not sure what the starter clutch problem is about? I have the Honda service manual from 1984 where would I look? I would think the way the cams, rockers, top of the valves look the bike should be fine. The top end looked real nice. Keep in mind I only removed the rear cams to date.I checked the sprocket and cam line up before removing the cams and everything looked good. I want to verify the cams are not 180 degrees off.

 

Here are a few pictures of the tensioners.

 

Thanks for the post.

Looks like, from the photos, that the rods are in good shape.

I'm curious to see what you find after you check the valve timing.

 

Well I would suggest you pull the motor and take the cams/chain tensioners out since you were needing to do that anyways. Look in the Cylinder Head/Valve section of your service manual for re-installation. Putting it back together correctly will rule out cam/valve timing as a problem completely. As far as the starter clutch goes.. i dont have any personal experience but I have read that if it is installed incorrectly the ignition timing will be off.

Once you get the heads put back together (correctly) and reset the valve clearance you can start it and see if there is improvement. If it is running much better then you will need to sync the carbs. If there is no change then you can rule out cam/valve timing and move on to the next possible problem.

 

I have a question on the TDC of cylinder #1. I have the Honda service manual to reinstall the cams Page 9-20-22. Is there a way to determine if #1 is at the top dead center of the compression stroke. The manual only states TR timing mark. It seems I would need the compression stroke and not the exhaust stroke? I put my finger over the spark plug hole of #1 and felt for compression or pressure and determined it was the compression stroke before removing the rear cams. I would like to verify the #1 cylinder is at compression stroke before I put the cams back in? What if the cams were 180 degrees off? Would I still feel pressure at the correct compression stroke?

 

For reference I've added the FSM cam install instructions.

The VF500F has a 360 degree crank. The 1 & 3 cylinders will be TDC at the same time. If you set the 1|3 and 2|4 (AKA rear and front cams), at the same time, following the FSM you should be good to go.

 

O.K. That is great information. I will setup both cams at the same time.

 

Good luck with the install! Have fun and let us know how you make out.

 

Make sure you stick with the factory manual for this. As mentioned by a post above, it is easy to mess up with the Clymer because there are a couple of errors. I got by with it, but I carefully identified the error and ignored it.

Good luck!

 

Just to clarify: you need to set all four cams at the sme time. Trying to do just one head is a certain recipe for disaster. Trust me, I speak from experience! Once again laziness doesn't pay off.

 

O.K. Thanks Jamie, Both sets or all four cams at the same time.

 

If I could place a request, if you have a chance to take few photos along the way this would be a great library source for other VF500F owners when working on the cam installation for these bikes.

Also, on a side note, you will need to synchronize your carburetors after completing the install.

Good luck and let us know how you make out!

 

Invisible, Great idea. I will try to remember my camera. The motorcycle is at my dad's in a heated building.