HOW TO FIX A RATTLY SPADA

If you own a Spada you are probably familiar with a top end rattle
that develops over time in these engines.
My bike has been super rattly for the last 20-30,000k and I have fixed
the problem completely WITHOUT replacing the 65,000k old camchains.

This procedure only applies to the 'hydraulic' camchain tensioner
variant in action on Honda Australia delivered models (not sure about
the grey imports).
The camchain tensioners on my bike work using a heavily damped spring
system.
However oil supply to the damper is decidedly sketchy- the
spring/damper sits in a little bucket, fed by a tiny hole in a tube
branching off from the camshaft oil pass pipe.
The bucket has no drain hole in it and so grit and sludge builds up in
the bottom of the bucket, being heavier, and causes the damper piston
to stop working correctly.

I took the following steps to go from a bike that sounds like a
helicopter to one that sounds more like an electric motor:

1. Remove rocker covers
2. Remove camshaft holders and camshafts
3. Remove camchain tensioners

4. Soak both tensioner units and oil pass pipes in kerosene for
several days, then blast the grit and shit out with a WD40 or similar
can until the action of the cylinder is smooth and no more gunk is
flowing out.

5. When you're satisfied that the dampers are free of shite, pour
clean engine oil into the 'bucket' and pump it until the kero has
flowed out and been replaced by engine oil and it becomes very
difficult to move the tensioner's position.

6. Reassemble. Take care to use plenty of assembly grease and oil, use
the correct torque values and tightening sequence and take care timing
the engine:

Intake valve opens: 5 BTDC
Intake valve closes: 35 ABDC
Exhaust valve opens: 35 BBDC
Exhaust valve closes: 5 ATDC

(NOTE NOT ABSOLUTE- ALL AT 1MM LIFT). However you'll be able to work
it out using the timing marks:

Rear cylinder:
Align T1 mark (RHS of crankshaft); both camshaft sprocket marks
parallel to the top of cylinder head.

NOTE: IGN TIMING: FRONT - 232DEG - REAR - 488DEG - FRONT.
IE: Time the cylinders with respect to eachother such that TDC on the
compression stroke (for example), rear cylinder, occurs ~450deg before
TDC on the comp stroke, FRONT cylinder.

You should be able to work it out from that- make sure you carefully
turn the engine over by hand to make sure that valve events make sense
and mr piston doesn't dust with mr. valve before starting.

7. Check valve clearances and adjust if necessary.

With any luck your spada should then sound like mine: " " ; devoid of
rattles.

By the way at 65,000k my original (I assume) chains are still fine-
there's enough adjustment in the tensioners to last me a while yet.


If you any questions, just ask.

Chris

 

<snip>

Big got his ran over then fixed the Ducati.

 

Yeah, but I just got a replacement Spada too

big

 

Good on you!
What a good, cheap runabout bike.
I was going to sell mine but I've decided to keep it, if nothing else
as a cheap reliable backup/picking up the kids from soccer bike. (not
quite).

 

So you've "upgraded" eh? What did you get?

big

 

Nothing yet- I was offered 3500 cash for it and I was considering
taking the cash and getting lifts to work until I could get a M900,
900 hornet or similar but I figure I'd be pretty sad, nay, distressed,
bikeless for 6 months. I can borrow bikes from the boss but the last
one blew up (KLX650) so I'll leave that alone. So I was thinking of
getting something with less k's on it to tide me thru and to keep as a
commuter but to be honest I can't find another P's legal bike that
really appeals to me and isn't a M620 or a big traillie. The monster
is just too expensive, the other kind of impractical for everyday,
100ks a day commuting.

So I'll keep it!

 

Big traillies are actually great commuters, but I'm not going
to _force_ you to buy one!

-----sharks