cam chain

[campy]

I have a 78 r80/7 that I am replacing the cam chain with one with a master link. My bike only has 42k on it and last summer the oil pick up cracked off inside the engine. I have welded it back and bought a cam chain with a master link and if I install it towards the block there is little to no clearance before it rubs a small groove in the block. Do I have to repull the crank and cam and install it like a chain with no master link? What is the consensus how have others put them in? If one has to pull the crank and cam why buy a chain with a mster link? Thanks, Campy

[Deleted User 72]

You can gain extra room to put on the master link clip by removing the flywheel and un-bolting the front main bearing carrier and the cam shaft carrier and pushing them both forward about 1/2 inch, being careful not to dislodge the thrust washers at the back of the crank. Don't let either the bearing carrier or the camshaft come all the way out of their bores.

I spent two days getting that clip in the master link once. Using the above method takes waaaaay less time even with the "extra" work.

[Duane Ausherman]

How does one avoid having the thrust washers fall off?

[hools100RS]

I'm reading you Duane!!! campy, avoid the crank move if you can avoid it.............all kinds of potential dramas await!!! You should be able to fit the link in place where the chain runs aver the recessed 'middle area' between your two sprockets. Pull the two ends of the chain together from the front with a joining link and use a pair of bent ended needle nose pliers to install the new link from the back. Looks difficult.....isn't!!! Happy cam chaining!!!!!

[Deleted User 72]

In my experience, the oil film tends to keep those washers in place. In this particular instance I had the block turned up on the flywheel end and so got a gravity assist. I guess I forgot to mention that I had the cylinders and rods off, so access to those washers was not a big deal.

But still, even with all this extra EXTRA assembly to do, If I ever have to mess with that clip again, I am going this route. TWO freekin days to put on one little clip is not part of my life plan!

[Sunbeem]

I remember having a bit of a fiddle with the link, but I used the recess too, and it wasn't too much bother.

If you have a spare pair of needle-nosed pliers, you may want to do as I did --
Heat the end inch to cherry red, then pop it in a fixed hole, and bend sideways bit by bit, to give you evenly curved jaws at concentric radii.
Cool them slowly to avoid making them brittle, and "dress" as necessary on a stone.
These will help you introduce the link from the back.

If you want to give them the best chance, heat to bright cherry and quench. Polish to a good shine, and heat again as evenly as possible through yellow brown and purple, to blue -- and quench. That should return something like the original temper.

Mine have now become a favourite means of grasping many small items.

Sunbeem.

[Garnet]

The last two chains I've done had 2 E clips rather than one big circlip. I installed them on the back of the chain with the help of a bit of grease to stick them in place whilst fumbling with tools.

They went on suprising esaily. I don't think I had to try for more than 15 min or so. One engine was on the bench the other in the bike. The one in the bike, I found that laying on my back on the ground looking up was by far the easiest aproach. The part that took the longest was figuring out where to turn the master link to, to get the best view and access.

Don't forget to plug the holes into the engine with some rags to avoied the clip flying off into an unwanted orifice.

[Duane Ausherman]

We did lots of them back in the day. The first one was a pain, but we did them while the engine was in the bike and they got easy.

Yep, plug up those holes or the clip will fly off and into one of them.