This article is one of a series that describes how to disassemble, work on, and reassemble the Road Star engine. This particular document ” tells how to reassemble cams and lifters, including several time saving and verification tips. See the Complete Engine Tear Down, Orientation article in this website for details.

Be sure you refer to the service manual through all phases of this project.

Note: In this section, camshaft cover, refers to the item shown in the photo.

The cam drive gear rotates on the end of the engine's crankshaft. As it rotates, it meshes with the cam driven gear which rotates on the end of the rear cam. The drive/driven gears are those two gears that are exposed when you remove the chrome, cam, gear cover (aka the decompression cover).

The rear cam, in turn, drives the front cam via the integrated cam pinion-gears, which are located inside the camshaft cover.

• Cam Tip 1: I strongly recommend you install new lifters (aka tappets) and pushrods if cams are being replaced. According to Nemesis Racing and Crane Cams (designer of SpeedStar roller cams): Each lifter will break-in to properly fit and rotate on its cam-lobe, and with its pushrod. Once broken in together, they will not match any other lobe or pushrod. If this microscopic surface fitment is disturbed, some component(s) may fail prematurely.
• Cam Tip 2: Used cams can be successfully paired with new lifters.
• Cam Tip 3: If you are reusing your cams, lifters, and pushrods, be completely sure of which lifter and pushrod goes where--or replace them.
• Cam Tip 4: If you have not removed your cams (perhaps because you were only working on the transmission, or crank-shaft, or connecting rods, and such) you do not need to remove them in order to reassemble the engine. As long as the inner cam cover has not been removed (which removes the cams), the cams will remain in perfect alignment with each other. You are golden.

Take picts.

Clean and oil O-rings for the lifter-blocks. Then, for each lifter-block, install:

• One large and thicker O-ring
• One large and normal thickness O-ring
• One tiny O-ring, to be laid in the top of the lifter-block base. See photo below. Tip: I use silicone grease on this little guy, to keep it in place during installation.

Install the lifter-blocks by firmly pressing them down into the lifter-block bases. Be sure to test fit, prior to pressing down, as each block is designed to fit only one hole, and only in one orientation.

If you have removed them, re-install the 'sight screws' in the lifter-block bases using a copper washer under each. These are the three little, button-head screws--one for the front lifter-base, and two for the rear. See photo below. Tip: Do this now, before installing the camshaft cover.

Next, use a marker pen to mark the cams as follows:

• Locate the alignment dimple on each cam. Then mark the tooth or gap on the reverse side of the gear, associated with the dimple. See photo above.
• Locate the alignment dimple on the rear cam. Then mark the first shaft-shoulder, as shown in the photo below.
• Locate the alignment dimple on the rear cam again. Then mark the shaft-shoulder near the threads. See photo below.

These marks on the rear cam, together with the circle-hole in the end of the front cam, enabled me to easily verify that the cams remained aligned even after the camshaft cover was installed (and covered the gear alignment dimples).

Insert two camshaft case alignment dowels into the engine case. These are the little solid dowels. Then put on a new camshaft cover gasket.

Apply a film of assembly lube on the following:

• The bearing surfaces of both cams
• Both cam bearings of the camshaft cover
• Both cam bearings in the engine case

Now, insert the cams into the camshaft cover (not the engine case), aligning the dots on the cam gears.

Tip: don't worry that you can't easily rotate the cams together yet. The rear cam employs a spring-loaded split-gear to maintain zero lash. This makes rotation by hand difficult.

Take picts.

Liberally coat the lobe surfaces of both cams with assembly lube.

Now, install the camshaft cover (with cams mounted) into the engine case.

Tip: Be careful that the front cam does not come loose from the cover as you install it. I know that the service manual recommends installing the front cam retaining washer to prevent this, but it isn’t difficult. And with the washer off, you can verify cam alignment afterwards.

If you feel uneasy about this, feel free to put on the front cam retaining washer to hold the cams in place. Then take it back off after cam cover installation.

After the cover is installed, check that the cams are still aligned by sighting the marks previously made on the rear cam shaft with the circle-hole on the front cam. See photo above.

Now, stuff rags or rubber gloves into the engine case holes at the bottom of the cam area. This will stop small parts--especially the tiny keys and alignment dowels--from flipping into the crankcase.

Insert the cam oil delivery pipe as shown in the photo above. Be sure both its O-rings are seated before installing the pipe.

Next, bolt and torque the camshaft cover, using 7.2 ft-lbs (86.4 in-lbs). See photo above.

Put on the front cam retaining washer using two little, 5mm bolts. See photo above. Use blue thread-lock to bolt and torque the bolts.

Note: The service manual doesn’t specify the torque (at least, not my manual). Since the cams are hardened steel, I used 7.2 ft-lbs, which is 86.4 In-lbs.

Rotate the cam driveshaft (aka crankshaft) counter-clockwise so that its keyway is pointed toward the rear camshaft (at about the 11 'O-clock position). This makes it easier to install the key, and also to line up more timing dots. You can perform this rotation in either of two ways:

• By using a socket wrench on the left side of the crank (via the timing cover access, if the clutch cover is on)--turning it clockwise
• By temporarily screwing in the cam drive-gear bolt, and using a wrench on this bolt to turn the crankshaft counter-clockwise

Next, rotate the cams so that the keyway of the rear camshaft is pointed toward the crankshaft (aka cam driveshaft).

Tip: To do this, just use your fingers (or other tool) on the front-cam's, two, little, retaining-washer bolts, and rotate both cams. Alternatively, you can temporarily screw on the cam driven-gear nut, and using a wrench on this nut, turn the cams in either direction.

Now install the cam drive gear--the smaller gear shown in the photo above--using the shorter of the two keys. To do this, apply a little assembly-lube on the key (to make it sticky), then place it in the gear's keyway. Be sure to install the key, with the wide side down. See the photo above.

Next, slide the gear onto the cam drive shaft (aka crankshaft), aligning the key in the gear to the keyway of the shaft.

Tip: Use your finger to prevent the key from sliding too far out.

Once you check that the key is in position, insert and hand-tighten the cam drive gear bolt (and washer).

Slip the cam driven gear--the larger gear--part way on to the rear camshaft using the same key alignment technique as for the cam drive gear.

As you slide the gear part way on to the rear camshaft (aligning the keyways), do not go on so far as to engage the cam drive gear--the little gear. Now rotate the big gear--and its shaft--so that the timing marks on both gears align. Then, push the big gear in, to begin meshing the teeth of both gears.

Tip: As you align the gear timing dots described above, be sure to use a finger to prevent the key from sliding out of the keyway.

Now insert a cross-headed (phillips) screwdriver or a punch into a hole on the larger gear, and lever its spring-loaded, twin-gears so that you can slide it (the driven gear) the remaining way on to its shaft. See photo below.

Note: I had to try all three holes before I found one that would align the twin-gears just right.

Bolt and torque both cam gears on, with their washers. Use 37 Ft-lbs for the nut, and 22 Ft-lbs for the bolt.

Next, slide in the decompression pins. The long one goes to the rear cam.

Take picts.

Recommendation: Do not bolt on the outer, chrome, cam cover or the solenoid cover until you finish with valve and pushrod adjustment.

Bolt on the decompression solenoid. Be sure to install the two, brown, plastic, dielectric washers between the solenoid mount and the solenoid. Use 7.2 ft-lbs of torque. See photo below.

Important Convenience Tip: Do the following before installing the Transfer Case.

Run the solenoid wires through the ribbed, wiring harness tube with the stator wires. Then route the harness and wires back along the frame, then up to their connector mates, at the frame's seat tube area. Plug the connectors together.

Take picts.

Next, install the solenoid cover using 7.2 ft-lbs of torque on the two bolts.

To access related articles, refer back to the Complete Engine Tear Down, Orientation article in this series to see which additional articles best address your situation.

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DISCLAIMER: This information and procedure is provided as a courtesy and is for informational purposes only.  Neither the publishers nor the authors accept any responsibility for the accuracy, applicability, or suitability of this procedure.  You assume all risks associated with the use of this information.  NEITHER THE PUBLISHERs NOR THE AUTHORs SHALL IN ANY EVENT BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OF ANY NATURE ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR MISUSE OF THIS INFORMATION OR LACK OF INFORMATION.  Any type of modification or service work on your motorcycle should always be performed by a professional mechanic. If performed incorrectly, this procedure may endanger the safety of you and others on your motorcycle and possibly invalidate your manufacturer’s warranty.

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