Belt Adjustment Questions Please....don't mean to be a pain

[darkattackdog]

Couple of questions until I get the DesmoTimes book: 

First Question:

It's my understanding that three things need to be lined up before belt removal and before installion:  1) The little dot on the vertical cylinder cam gear should line up with a nub on the cover mount; 2) The crank gear has a dot that should line up with a tick mark on the engine case, and 3)  the horizontal cam gear should align with a raised nub on the rubber cover mount.

So my first question is, what is the site window on the left side of the engine for (the one opposite the oil site window)?  Does that need to line up with something as well?

Second Question:

How in the hell do you free the hex bolts that adjust the belt tension without stripping them?
I cannot get them loose.  Who makes a good allen socket wrench?

Many thanks.

[Speeddog]

You're correct in all of the 'lining dots up', assuming you've got a 2-valver.

You don't need to worry about the left side sight window for belt work.

Allen sockets, in order of price and quality:
Craftsman
Proto
Snap-On

Honestly, the Craftsman stuff is up to the task.

I've got a set of the regular Craftsmans and a set of the long Protos.

[Mr Earl]

<snip>  Who makes a good allen socket wrench?

Many thanks.

If you're cheap like me, you could try the set available at Autozone.  They've worked well so far.  Besides, when I tried to buy the Craftsman set, the helpful CSR told me they were only available for online purchase 

[EEL]

Yes, you need the left side window..check the dot on the flywheel for top dead center alignment. If you havent done timing before you need to use it as well. One you have your belts off you need a double check to make sure you are correctly on TDC. Better safe than sorry.

[darkattackdog]

Okay, now I'm really in a pickle.  Someone on another board told me to ignore the left site window--that it didn't have anything to do with belt changing.  I was able to line up the vertical ticking mark with the nub on the case cooresponding to it and the horizontal ticking mark lined up with it's mark, but no matter how much I rotated the rear wheel counterclockwise the dot on the cam cog would always be off it's mark slightly.  I had read on another board that on 749's the factory crankcase marks and timing marks are meaningless--the bottom cog mark with casing mark will never cause the camshaft cog marks to line up.  So I figured maybe that was the case with mine.  Now I can't get anything to line up.  The bike won't even start now.  It just makes a "click" sound and sometimes the fuel light flashes (there's gas in the bike and the plugs are in).

What to do? 

[Speeddog]

Well, the marks don't line up *exactly*, they can be off a dot width or so.

As far as the non-running issue, have you loosened anything, and what have you taken off?

[darkattackdog]

Not sure why it's not running now.  When I first changed the belts and was putting them on and off, trying to get the dots lined up, it would run but didn't run or sound anything like it normally does.  So I did that over and over and then I thought I had it right.  The bike sounded close to normal.  So I rode it down the alley and back in first gear.  But after riding it I realized the timing still wasn't right.  So I took the belts off again, trying different positions.  Now it won't turn over.  Is it just that the timing is far off?

I haven't taken anything off but the seat.  And just raising the tank to get at everything.

[darkattackdog]

bump please

[Speeddog]

Turn the engine over until the drive pulley dot aligns with the hashmark on the cover.

The dots on the cam pulleys should be within a dot width or so of lining up with the dots on the belt covers.

[darkattackdog]

I got some misinformation on another board about how to put my bike in Top Dead Center.  And now, finding out how to accurately find TDC, I realize I did my belt change without being in TDC.  Could this be part of my problem sorting out the timing?  Also, can I damage my bike by running it to see if the timing is correct when it isn't?  I'm really having trouble sorting the lining up with everything and feel justifiably like an idiot. 

[Speeddog]

I'll be right back with pictures....

Rotate the engine so the drive pulley is like this:



Vertical cylinder should be like this:



Horizontal cylinder should be like this:





Your engine may not look *exactly* like these pics, but very close.

Running the engine with the cam timing wrong can damage things.

[EEL]

+ 1 on speed dogs pics. Just make sure the flywheel dot is aligned as well just to be safe..

Turn the motor with the back wheel in 6th gear see if it spins all the way through. DONT RUN THE MOTOR. If you hit resistance STOP. Make sure you remember to take out your spark plugs first as well..

[darkattackdog]

Something must be really wrong because I took the belts off again, lined everything up, backed the rear wheel up and didn't have any resistance.  So I figured I was good to go.  When I try to start the bike I get nothing but a click, and sometimes not even that.

Have I done some bad damage to the engine?

[Speeddog]

Something must be really wrong because I took the belts off again, lined everything up, backed the rear wheel up and didn't have any resistance.  So I figured I was good to go.  When I try to start the bike I get nothing but a click, and sometimes not even that.

Have I done some bad damage to the engine?

Sounds like your battery is dead.

[EEL]

Make sure your battery terminals are tighted. Loose battery connections can do this too..