I just purchased a 2001 Kawasaki Bayou 300 4X4. Some work was done to the ATV and some parts were off. The camshaft cover and flywheel were removed. In putting everything back together something was strange. Both the flywheel and the camshaft sprocket are at TDC and in alignment. The only strange thing is that instead of the camshaft sprocket using the LF300 mark it is using the KZ200 mark (basically flipped 180 degrees). These were already installed when I got the ATV. Compression is strong at 160lbs. Do I need to flip the camshaft gear and rotate 180 degrees? Won't the valves be closed and opened at the same time. I'm not sure what the difference is. I'm guessing the previous owner replaced the timing chain and cam gear and aligned everything but didn't look at the model marks (but the timing mark is aligned) I want to get other opinions before I take things apart. Note, it doesn't start yet as I am chasing a spark issue but again, compression is good.

 

Easy way to tell is remove the intake valve cover. Turn the engine over slowly by recoil if you have one or by the flywheel. Watch as the rocker arm goes down and starts to come back up. You can also have a straw in the plug hole to show the piston is moving upwards also. Look for the mark on the flywheel and cam sprocket and if it stills shows the same as the picture you're still at tdc.

 

Thanks for responding. With the cam gear where it is in picture the piston is at TDC. The flywheel is at TDC. If both are at TDC am I okay? The cam gear is basically 180 degrees and I'm not sure why there are markings on either side. Will the valves open incorrectly since that gear is flipped. Will the exhaust valve open when the intake valve should be opening? I don't think so but wondering the impact of that gear being basically flipped.

 

If the sprocket is keyed to the cam, shouldn't matter what's marked on the sprocket. Looking at the the intake valve and rocker arm only when it comes up,the exhaust valve will be closed also at tdc.That's where a straw can help also. Cheap substitute for a dial indicator as far as piston travel/ tdc. If the flywheel is at the tdc mark also then it should be ok. People worry too much about "strokes" when they can simply look at the intake valve/rocker arm movement in finding tdc.Even if you could flip the sprocket,if the mark is spaced the same as the other mark, it should line up with the head mark as well as having the flywheel at tdc.

 

Thanks for your quick replies. Yes, the cam gear is keyed and when I say "flipped" I mean rotate the cam gear 180 degrees so that the KLF300 mark is now at TDC as opposed to the KZ250 mark. I have not looked at the valves but the piston is at TDC verified with a straw and as you can see in the pics the top markings are aligned. I don't understand why there are markings on either side of the cam gear but perhaps the previous owner just didn't pay attention when they installed the gear/timing chain. I nothing should be reversed as a result (and the valves should open/close correctly).

 

Again just look at the intake valve and rocker arm movement.There should clearance between the rocker arm and valve stem and intake and exhaust lobes will be pointing down or away from the rocker arms. Plus at 160 psi,if you were 180 degrees out,don't think you'd get that plus in a lot of cases the valves would hit the piston. You'd notice that real quick. Plus this is on a Chevy 350,but same principle on finding tdc.

 

You are both overthinking things, turn the crank through 360 and the marks should line up correctly, which is how whoever last had the chain off, set it.

 

Not over thinking things as I mentioned the easiest way to find tdc on any machine is to use the intake valve movement as the main guide.When it fully closes on compression stroke tdc marks should line up on the cam sprocket and flywheel.Same as what the video shows. The simplest way to find tdc on any 4 stroke. Granted he could be on the exhaust stroke and hasn't looked at the valves.

 

Thank you both for your help and patience! I have wrenched on a few motors before but never basically gotten a motor and a box of parts and had to put it together. I think I might understand what I did wrong. I installed the flywheel and perhaps I installed it on the wrong part of the stroke (exhaust vs. compression) It sounds like I have to rotate the crank, making sure I am on the compression stroke, make sure that the top cam gear is aligned on TDC and then install the flywheel. If all is correct and the timing chain was installed properly the flywheel will go on and line up with its markings at TDC and all will be okay. Or am I overthinking it and if I rotate the crank 360 degrees all might look okay. Perhaps I looked at the upper markings at the wrong point in the crank cycle. This piecing together of parts has been a little challenging but I am getting there.

 

Just remove the intake valve cover and look at it only.. Rotate the engine and watch for the intake valve to go down and then start to com back up. Just a little more and the tdc mark should appear on the flywheel and the the can sprocket mark should align with the case pointer. This time it might be on the 300 mark. Check that you have a little play on the intake and exhaust rocket arms. This is tdc and the flywheel should be keyed to the crank shaft,same as the cam sprocket.