Seriously, WTF?

[96flhpi]

Went into my cam chest today - just to poke around mostly, see if I can find out what cam I have (bike new to me) and replace cam bearing (cheap insurance).  Pic is how timing marks lined up when I found it.  I was real careful not to pull cam when pulling cover, might have slipped a tooth, but this is like 180 degrees out (put black marker on cam to make it easier to see) .  Can bike really run and not have noticable performance problems like this.  It would explain why I couldn't static time to advance when converting to points - points cam would already open points with plate fully retarded.  Chalked it up to my inexperience w/ points. 

BTW, compared cam to an Andrews I have - it's not just that gear was pressed on by a putz.  Both gears in similar positions in relation to lobes.  Is it possible to put pinion on wrong - it has a key, no?

More importantly, how do I make sure I'm not gonna wreck any valves when I put it back together.  I watched lifters in relation to piston with cam in both correct (I think) timing and the way I found it.  Seemed about the same.  Don't remember intake but exhaust lifter was on it's way down but still slightly open (maybe 10%) as piston hit TDC in both cases.

Oh, only mark on cam was an H on innermost (to case) lobe.  Assume it's stock but can anyone confirm?


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[gryphon]

If you continue to rotate the motor till the cam timing mark comes around you should be able to align it with the other two.

[96flhpi]

Thanks, but my point is they should be aligned already.  In pic pinion gear mark is at 12:00, lined up with tooth on cam gear and cam marks are up by lifters.  Like I said, cam didn't rotate when I pulled cam cover - was careful cause I was worried I wouldn't be able to see pinion gear mark.   I know I can pull cam and rotate it until marks align, but fact that bike was running ok makes me wonder if somethings up with pinion gear position.

[FSG]

It's a 4 stroke engine

2 crank rotations = 1 cam rotation 

[gryphon]

Just leave the cam in place and continue to rotate the motor. They will align. The pinion and breather gears will make one complete turn and the cam will make a half turn and they will align.

[CraigArizona85248]

These guys are all correct.  It's fine the way it is.  Rotate the pinion one revolution and everything will be aligned.

-Craig

[96flhpi]

All right, I feel really stupid now .  All you guys are right.  I was thinking one crank turn = one cam turn.  Obviously I didn't do to well in geometry.  At least my face is red with embarrasment instead of anger.  Thanks for calming the panic, boys.

Anyway, anyone know about the H on the cam?  Is it stock?

Thanks again.

[IBARider]

Ditto everyone else.  Then make sure your breather mark is aligned with the one currently at 2 o'clock

[gryphon]

Been a while but I think that the H designate a stock FLH cam.

[76shuvlinoff]

All right, I feel really stupid now

Seriously... I've done a lot worse   

[FSG]

All right, I feel really stupid now

Seriously... I've done a lot worse   

oh haven't we all at one time or another 

[gryphon]

Ha-ha. You guys ain't not smart like I is.

[96flhpi]

All right, I feel really stupid now

Seriously... I've done a lot worse   

oh haven't we all at one time or another 

Yeah, to be honest I've done stupider things myself.

Found out H is stock shovel cam.

Thanks again guys.