I purchased Rhinewest's Cam Gear & Software set back in July (through Pirates Lair) for installation on my '97 BMW K1200RS. I'd planned to install it in the off-season, in conjunction with other preventive maintenance such as valve clearance checks, and finally got around to it the other day.
While the chip install went easily enough, it seems the cam gear installation may not be. I've included a couple of pictures to help explain the dilemna that's cropped up.
With the crankshaft and the camshafts (using the BMW alignment tool) at the TDC position, I get good tension (no slack) in the chain between the crank sprocket & original intake cam gear in place. This is consistent with the installation instructions in both the BMW and Clymer repair manuals.
When I try to install the Rhinewest intake cam gear however, for similar tension in the chain I cannot get the dowel pin to line up with the locating guide on the cam flange (see pics RW5 & RW6). The only way I'm able to get the cam gear to align and seat in the locating guide is by moving it by one tooth clockwise, which then results in a significant bit of slack in the chain (see pics RW7 & RW8).
Am I missing something or is it possible I received a bum intake gear? Comparing the original and the Rhinewest gears (by pin location), it appears there's about a half tooth-pitch overlap. Is this correct?
Do the gears alter advance (in addition, perhaps, to valve overlap) in which case trying to get the dowel to align with the crankshaft at TDC position is not possible? If this is the case, is the slack in the chain then explainable - but would have to be taken up (by rotating the crank counterclockwise sufficiently) before the exhaust cam gear is installed?
Anyone encountered this?
While the chip install went easily enough, it seems the cam gear installation may not be. I've included a couple of pictures to help explain the dilemna that's cropped up.
With the crankshaft and the camshafts (using the BMW alignment tool) at the TDC position, I get good tension (no slack) in the chain between the crank sprocket & original intake cam gear in place. This is consistent with the installation instructions in both the BMW and Clymer repair manuals.
When I try to install the Rhinewest intake cam gear however, for similar tension in the chain I cannot get the dowel pin to line up with the locating guide on the cam flange (see pics RW5 & RW6). The only way I'm able to get the cam gear to align and seat in the locating guide is by moving it by one tooth clockwise, which then results in a significant bit of slack in the chain (see pics RW7 & RW8).
Am I missing something or is it possible I received a bum intake gear? Comparing the original and the Rhinewest gears (by pin location), it appears there's about a half tooth-pitch overlap. Is this correct?
Do the gears alter advance (in addition, perhaps, to valve overlap) in which case trying to get the dowel to align with the crankshaft at TDC position is not possible? If this is the case, is the slack in the chain then explainable - but would have to be taken up (by rotating the crank counterclockwise sufficiently) before the exhaust cam gear is installed?
Anyone encountered this?