hot cams stage 1

[TYayo420]

i recently got hot cams stage 1, and i have a clymer manual, and i dont know much about working on engines, the manual will be here tuesday. is there anything i should know before doing thisZ? im basically a n00b on workin on a motor, and i dont wanna pay 100+ to get it done, will this be easy, and what is the process of doing this??

[CarGuy7a]

if you follow the removal and installation that the clymer manual describes you will be fine. just make sure you read EVERYTHING and don't skip anything.

also what i did when i put the cam gear on i put a little bit of blue loctite on the sprocket bolts and let it sit over night to let the loctite set up.

over all it's a pretty easy installation process. also make sure you put a new head cover gasket on it just to be safe.

you can get a top end gasket kit like i did from www.rockymountainatvmc.com for like 16 bucks or so. the dealership wanted like 20 or 30 i think for just the one gasket.

[TYayo420]

well i already ordered a gasket kit every gasket the ex needs, but do i need any special tools to do this job? i hope i dont mess it up, i never got this deep into a engine...

how hard is timing? i need some feed back so i dont get scared, i wanna go into it with some ideas from smart people.

[CarGuy7a]

na you don't need any special tools. i've never worked on an engine of this type before either and i did it myself with a clymer.

DON'T WORRY!!!!!! the book explains everything and has great pictures in it to show everything they're talking about.

[TYayo420]

i hope so, i guess what immost worried about, is timing it when its all done, and how much of the engine you gotta tear down? the head comes off, and piston out too or?

[Ace Sixx]

Originally posted by TYayo420
well i already ordered a gasket kit every gasket the ex needs, but do i need any special tools to do this job? i hope i dont mess it up, i never got this deep into a engine...

how hard is timing? i need some feed back so i dont get scared, i wanna go into it with some ideas from smart people.

A torque wrench would be a good idea.

[CarGuy7a]

just the top head cover. the cam sits right on top of the head so pretty much all you're taking off is the (what i call valve cover like on a car engine).

the head stays on. the rocker assembly and everything is bolted to the inside of the cover so pretty much nothing falls out when you take it off. i think it does have like 2 dow pin things that line the cover up that my fall out.

the timing is easy. get it on firing stroke with all the cam lobes down just like a valve adjustment job. then pull the cover. the sprocket has lines stamped into it. you take the sprocket bolts out, then take the cam out pop the new one in line the marks up bolt her down.

the only tools i had to buy (which you may already have) is metric allen head sockets for a 3/8 drive rachet for torqing the sprocket bolts.

[CarGuy7a]

Originally posted by Ace Sixx
A torque wrench would be a good idea.

yeah thanx for mentioning that i forgot about the torque wrench

[Sparky_20]

on the left side of the motor (shifter side) there are caps you can take out. Both with allens. One is for the crankshaft bolt and one is an inspection hole. Rotate the crank counterclockwise until you see the T mark on the flywheel that lines up with the notch on the case. Take the valve adjustment caps off the cam cover and make sure the rocker arms are loose. If they arent then rotate the engine over once more till the T lines up. If they are loose then your at top dead center, or TDC.

When you take the cam chain off make sure you keep upward tension on it to make sure it doesnt slip off the crankshaft and mess up your cam timing. Once you get the new cam in, put the chain back on the sprocket and make sure the 2 notches line up with the head and that the crankshaft timing mark is still on. Rotate the engine around a couple times and make sure the timing is spot on. That is the hardest part of the job, get that done and your on the home stretch.

[sc400ex_rider]

i believe there is a cam install guide in the articles or review section at the top of the page and on hotcams website :)

[400exrider707]

Hotcams website shows how to do it. Just some advice to make timing easy, once you take the tension off the cam chain, unbolt the cam and take it out, but leave the sprocket attached to the chain, I use wire ties or zip tys, this way it cant skip teeth, then bolt the new cam in with the lobes facing the same direction as the one you took out, makes it very simple and you dont ahve to worry one bit about timing it.;)

[TYayo420]

wow that is a easy way to do it, ima try it that way, thanks everyone.

[TYayo420]

ok i watched the video of the crf450, its all they had to watch thats close to a 400ex, and i dont also have a way t adjust my valves, thats one thing that needs to be done it says.

[JOEX]

I belive setting the valves on a 450r is different than the 400ex. I haven't worked on a 450r but the 400ex is pretty easy. The repair manual will explain it as well as this link...
http://www.atvriders.com/articles/valveadjustment400ex.html

Be careful when installing the valve cover bolts. The manual says to torque the 8mm bolt to 17 ft-lbs. There is only ONE 8mm bolt, it's the bigger one in the middle. There can be some confusion because the rest use an 8mm socket but they aren't 8mm bolts. Bolts are measured by the shaft size not the head size.

Also, be sure to remove the decompression spring and plunger, they wont be needed with the Hot Cams cam.

[TYayo420]

^^ well that bigger 8mm shaft size bolt in the middle your talking about is a S.O.B isnt it? i got all the smaller bolts out, but cant get this one out, i was going to tear her all down tonight cuz my manual comes tommorow, and i was going to put ti together then, but i need to figure something out to get the big last one in out.

also, those huge aluminum caps that cover the valves....where can i buy one? i took on off, put it back on and it snapped off some of the threads are in the valve cover and the big part with the hex head is on my garage floor...i called it a night after that...

[Sparky_20]

whoa, those dont need to be that tight! Try servicehonda.com or your local dealer. You will also need an o-ring. Make sure you get all of those metal shavings out of there and check to make sure the valve cover isnt broken.

[JOEX]

Originally posted by TYayo420
^^ well that bigger 8mm shaft size bolt in the middle your talking about is a S.O.B isnt it? i got all the smaller bolts out, but cant get this one out, i was going to tear her all down tonight cuz my manual comes tommorow, and i was going to put ti together then, but i need to figure something out to get the big last one in out.

also, those huge aluminum caps that cover the valves....where can i buy one? i took on off, put it back on and it snapped off some of the threads are in the valve cover and the big part with the hex head is on my garage floor...i called it a night after that...
That bolt shouldn't be too difficult to remove, may need to use a 1/2" drive ratchet.

Good idea to call it a night when things start breaking;) As for replacement part try C&D Racing. ServiceHonda.com has some good prices but they have a $9.00 minimum shipping & handling charge so one part can get very expensive.

Once you get the valve cover off you should be able to work out the threads that are in there. Don't try to get them out until the cover is off, you don't what the shavings falling into the motor.

[TYayo420]

yeah when it broke i was like oh f... i have till Saturday to get it done, so im hoping my local dealer has that part in stock...if not i can go to the next city over and hope they have it, what exactly is this piece called?

i wonder why the bolt in the middle is so tight to begin with? i believe it was a 12mm head and all i have is a 3/8 ratchet size 12mm socket until tomorrow, then i will get a 1/2 inch one, if i round that one off, then im screwed, i hope the rest of this isn't so hard, and i hope i can get it apart tomorrow after work and the new one in.

thanks for all the help so far.

[JOEX]

A piece of pipe on the 3/8" drive ratchet may work. Do you have a torque wrench?

If you're using decent quality and the correct size sockets there should be a worry of rounding off the heads. Make sure the socket is sitting on the bolt head properly too.

[JOEX]

And the part is called 'valve adjustment cap' just take one with you when you go.

[TYayo420]

unfortunetly i do not have a torque wrench yet, i was planning on buying one when i put this back together, but for a tear down wasnt thinking i needed one, i might just try to rent one if i can.

[CarGuy7a]

just make sure to set the valve clearance to what the cam card says.

[TYayo420]

i baught the cam used of a member on here, so i do not know what the cam clearance should be, they need to be adjusted already cuz i can hear them tick a little bit, ill find out from someone when i go to work on it after work.

[TYayo420]

got the clymer in today...still have one problem tho, can someone explain exactly how i can ubtain TDC easily? the manual doesnt, just tells me to get it to tdc lol

also, i got the one bolt in the middle off, i took a 11mm socket, pounded in onto the head and it came right off, ill have to replace that bolt but i got it off easily.

just one bolt on the cam tewnsioner wont budge, so im thinkin ima take a 7.5mm socket pound it on the head and it should come out, since that head size was 8.

[JOEX]

Originally posted by TYayo420
i baught the cam used of a member on here, so i do not know what the cam clearance should be, they need to be adjusted already cuz i can hear them tick a little bit, ill find out from someone when i go to work on it after work.
Intake: .13mm
Exhaust: .15mm

Hot Cams are known to have more noise than stock.

[TYayo420]

well going from not ever taking a motor apart, to putting hot cams in in 24 hours i came along wayw ith the help of you guys mostly, and a tad of the clymer manual. its in, just gotta get a different size allen wrench and a torque wrench tomorow to finish the job. just timing it is left, and i have a good idea how to do that, so my next post should be saying if it runs or not.

it wont start up if timing is off right? this way ill know if its timed right if it starts or not.

[TYayo420]

also, this decompression mechanism, what if i don't remove it? i haven't seen it in there that i recognize yet.

[Sparky_20]

if you look on page one, i told you exactly how to get it on TDC :D

As far as the decompression mechanism, when you take the old cam out, on the gear side in the head you will see a little plunger type thing, remove that. There is also a very small spring below that in the head that can be removed with a pick or paper clip.

As far as checking the timing, once you have the new cam in and the chain back on the sprocket, just simply check your timing marks, they dont lie.

It will run like crap if the timing is off and if its far enough off then you can bend valves.

[TYayo420]

ok gotcha, thanks, i re read the whole thread, ill have a update tomorrow after i get it running again.

thanks everyone for helping.

[TYayo420]

so far, it runs in my garage, when i wake up iys the test ride, but my valves are knockin, so i guess i will find and buy a feeler gauge somehow, and learn to adjust those now too.

[Sparky_20]

you should have set the valve adjustment before start up. And you really shouldnt let it idle until you do a proper break in.

[CarGuy7a]

this is the breakin procedure straight from www.hotcamsinc.com

Upon initial start up it is very important you DO NOT let the engine idle. The engine must run for at least 20 minutes at 3000 rpm or better, constantly changing the rpm level (a nice light test ride is best to keep the engine cool). Only light engine loads are to be used. No excessive rpm or lugging. Let the engine cool completely. Restart and continue riding for an additional 40 minutes using the same criteria. Let the engine cool completely. Check your valve clearances, reset if necessary.
You are now free to explore the new limits your machine has in store for you, enjoy your new Hot Cams High Performance Camshaft.

also valve clearences again are

Intake .005 inch
Exhaust .006 inch

[gpd005]

Hey TYayo420, how about you stop trying to get you quad running right and get some refunds sent out to the people you are trying screw out of their money?????????????