[bigring911]

First off, thanks for taking the time to read this and hopefully pass along some experience and advice . . .

Bike: '72 Honda CL350
Issue: trying to adjust the valves
Sources of information used: this site, Honda CL/CB factory manual, and this

Problem: I cannot get all of the rockers to loosen enough to get feeler gauges in to set the clearance. Followed directions to the letter but still not working. At best I can get the left and right exhaust valves adjusted. The intake valves/rockers are too tight to slip even the thinnest feeler gauge under. I positioned the alternator properly for both the left and right sides.

I have the cam chain tensioner off while doing this - as I understand it this should not affect anything as you set the chain tension afterwards. I also have the spark plugs out and have compression. I pulled the cam shaft and rockers out to have a look - some normal wear for a bike thats 45 years old - will try and post up some pics later.

Finally, when doing the right side of the engine I cannot get the alternator to line-up on TDC. Rotating it counter clockwise to the index point it wants to keep spinning past. This is normal? I did manage to prop up a block against the wrench to keep it from spinning past the TDC index. However, this did not help with setting the valves and nothing for getting the rockers loose so as to adjust. I recall reading somewhere (could be right or wrong) that letting it spin past a certain degree is okay and can set it from there?

Thanks fellas!

 

[Old Okie]

TDC will occur on compression and exhaust stroke, is it possible that you are trying to
adjust the valves with the cylinder on exhaust, when the exhaust valves are open??
Spinning past TDC is caused by valve spring pressure on the cam shaft. Just devise a way
to hold the the engine still. If you removed the cam are you sure the valve timing is correct???
Just my suggestions.

 

[bigring911]

TDC will occur on compression and exhaust stroke, is it possible that you are trying to
adjust the valves with the cylinder on exhaust, when the exhaust valves are open??
Spinning past TDC is caused by valve spring pressure on the cam shaft. Just devise a way
to hold the the engine still. If you removed the cam are you sure the valve timing is correct???
Just my suggestions.

Hey Okie, thanks for taking the time to respond. From the video and what I've read the rockers should be loose when you line up the alternator correctly and thus be on the proper stroke. When turning over the alternator and plugging the spark plug opening I feel both a suction and a push - compression and exhaust stroke? So it seems to me that everything is correct. I tried backing off the tension of the rockers/valves while even turning the alternator but cannot get enough slack to get any play in the rocker.

I thought the pressure causing the alternator to spin past tdc was because of the tension on the valve springs - thanks for clarifying that!

I was thinking that there is something wrong with the camshaft. That's why I took it out to inspect. But it appears okay - I'm not sure what you mean when you ask, "If you removed the cam are you sure the valve timing is correct?"

Can't figure this out.....
Much appreciated!

 

[Old Okie]

You can line up the alternator correctly but be on the wrong piston stroke.
On compression stroke all valves are closed on that cylinder. At that point you should be
able to adjust the valves. TDC occurs on compression and exhaust strokes, you must be
on the compression stroke to adjust the valves on that cylinder. If you had the cam shaft
out of the engine are you sure it was installed correctly, could the cam out of time with the crankshaft???
I have not worked on cam chains on vertical twins in several years but on my V twins the position
of the cam must coincide with the mark on the crankshaft and the cam must be in the right spot
in it's rotation. If you rotate the engine and feel compression on the cylinder you are adjusting
but the valves are are still tight at TDC the cam shaft may be out of time with the crankshaft.
I hope we are communicating and I hope I can help you with this.

 

[longdistancerider]

Are the "dimples" on the ends of the adjusters facing out or in? Out is correct.

 

[bigring911]

Thanks again Okie and thanks to you as well Longdistance - much appreciated!

Excellent suggestions and I think both of your points are bang on. I'm going to reassemble the cam, rockers,and re-do the timing. I think the PO must have had installed it incorrectly thus not being able to get it to turn over. Will tackle this this week and report back.

Thanks again fellas - very much appreciated!

 

[Mydlyfkryzis]

Are the "dimples" on the ends of the adjusters facing out or in? Out is correct.

CB/CL360 has no dimples. They are screw and locknut, unlike the 350.

 

[Yendor]

The original POST says '72 CL350.

I believe this is the view you are referencing.

 

[bigring911]

Hey thanks Yonder!
I couldn't get my head around everything until I saw that picture (found it Saturday night or Sunday morning) and it all made sense with what Long-distance and Okie were saying.
Going to reassemble the camshaft this week and have another go at it. Any tips on doing so?

Cheers fellas!

 

[Mydlyfkryzis]

The original POST says '72 CL350.

I believe this is the view you are referencing.

Darn posting from my phone can be annoying. Pic in post showed a cb360 valve. So assumed was 360.....
So I apologized if anyone was misinformed. I owned a 350 so I do know the difference...

Sent from my SM-T800 using Tapatalk

 

[bigring911]

Doh! My dog knocked my phone over into the swimming pool on the weekend so I've been unable to load up some pics of where I am at. The phone is sitting in a dry bag of oatmeal and rice in attempts to dry it out. No luck so far though.

Will report back this weekend with some work I'm going to do on Friday and Saturday while the wifey and kids are out of town - whaaaahooooo!

Cheers Fellas

 

[crazypj]

Yep, you managed to confuse everyone including yourself by trying to use a 360 adjustment on a 350
As pointed out, you have to rotate crank to get the cylinder your working on at TDCC. Easiest way to do it is watch intake valve go down then come up again. If previous owner had cam out then motor wouldn't turn over, you need to check valves didn't get bent. As long as it wasn't forced over you should be OK

 

[bigring911]

Yep, you managed to confuse everyone including yourself by trying to use a 360 adjustment on a 350
As pointed out, you have to rotate crank to get the cylinder your working on at TDCC. Easiest way to do it is watch intake valve go down then come up again. If previous owner had cam out then motor wouldn't turn over, you need to check valves didn't get bent. As long as it wasn't forced over you should be OK

Ha! I suppose I did! Doh!

I knew the difference, especially in the video, that it was a 360. But the principals are the same. Just missed those secondary indexing marks.

As far as having the crankshaft set up properly before putting the camshaft, sprocket, etc back together - any tips about that?

Thanks for posting Crazy!

Cheers Fellas

 

[Yendor]

The position of the Crankshaft is NOT critical UNTIL you connect it to the cam.

The pistons simply go up & down.

Which Stroke they are on is all the same UNTILL the Cam is connected and the VALVES come into play.

Do you have a FSM (Factory Service Manual) ?
I guessing that maybe not based on some of your questions.

Go to the Common Motor Collective Site and download one form their Manuals Page.
It has the answers to your questions.

 

[bigring911]

Oh, on the contrary!

Lots of good literature on the workbench, as well as on here, to guide me through it. Was just curious if anyone had any tips that they did. There's always little tips, suggestions, tricks, etc. that folks use to make things easier or whatever. Just wondering.

 

[bigring911]

Thanks Fellas - got the engine back into the bike this weekend and valves timed properly. It's funny how easy it was once I followed directions!