plunger and spring question???

[red400ryder]

ok i'm gonna ask one more time and hope for an answer..heres the deal..i got a brand new piston and rings..motor bored....valves got redone and clean all up...i have spark and gas and i know timing is spot on..won't get no better...and all it does is crank crank boom crank crank boom boom crank crank boom and thats it so i know it wants to start up but won't...but heres my question? on a stock cam..if your missing the plunger and spring from the head would that cause it not to want to start up cause mine are missing and its the last thing i could figure to be wrong with it..somebody please give me some knowledge..i'm ready to ride..later madmike

[Colby@C&DRacing]

With a good battery and the spring and plunger missing the bike should start better because it has higher compression at lower rpm. It sound like you need to check your valve settings. Let me know if you have any other questions. You call alway call C&D Racing for assistance.:)

[hondafox440]

I know theres a thing on the 400EXs that adjusts the exhuast valves at startup (this is probably what youre talking about). It's activated by a little pin. When we did the 440 we didn't pay any attention to this and forgot to reinstall. When I went to start it up it fired for a second (which caused the exhaust valves to open fully) and prevented it from starting.

[BSTURDIVANT]

Will not start without spring and plunger with a stock cam!!!

Is it possible that your cam is 180 degrees off? Could it be that your sparkplug is firing when the exhaust valves are open because your cam is upside down? I am getting ready to fire up my new 440 rebuild tomorrow. I hope it will fire. Remember the piston has to be at the top when the sub rockers are loose. All 4 of them. If you have the "T" lined up with the mark on your case and the exhaust valves are open and the piston is at the top of the stroke ( check with a screwdriver through the spark plug hole) then you are 180 degrees off.

[red400ryder]

thanks everybody..i'll check that out golfman and see if thats it..i hope so...but if not i'll just try and see if that plunger and spring works out..this thing should be in time though since i went by what people on here said to do..but i'll look at it and see if i am off 180 degrees..apppreciate it..later madmike

[cals400ex]

i thought the 400ex fired every 180 degrees. also, i thought that putting in the cam with the lobes facing up or down doesn't matter for this reason. however, it would be more difficult with the lobes facing up because you have to fight the rockers when putting the cover on. not sure though??

[red400ryder]

cals400ex, thats also what i thought from reading what everybody said on here but i guess it won't hurt to check it out and make sure

[cals400ex]

Originally posted by red400ryder
cals400ex, thats also what i thought from reading what everybody said on here but i guess it won't hurt to check it out and make sure


i always make sure it is lined up on the T and put the cam in with the lobes facing down anyways. also, make sure the lines on the cam sprocket line up with the head. remember that one line points up while 2 lines 180 degrees apart line up with the head.

[Doibugu2]

The cam fires every 180. That's why it doesn't matter when out put the cam in, which stroke you are on.

Just as long as the T is lined up you can put the cam in up or down. It's just easier to put it in down, because of the rockers.


Are you setting your valves on the right stroke? Because that does matter. What are you setting the lash at?