Cam Chain adjusters not pumping up for assembly - how do you make them work??.

[Tarzan]

I am assembling my engine and have installed the chains and tensioners. With timing set correctly. When turning the crank by hand the tensioners back off and the chains slip. So it jumps time. I ordered new chains and tensioners and the new tensioners are soft just like the originals. I’m not sure if I can dunk them in oil and pump them up. And will they stay pumped up long enough to get it running to build oil pressure. It doesn’t make sense. How are you supposed to make them work? I’ve never seen a set up like this. All the engines I have built have tensioners that hold pressure.
Any help is appreciated. TIA

Rick

[Mikey]

When you're rolling it over are you rolling it in the direction it would normally go? The reason I ask is that with my snowmobiles if I manually roll my engine at the clutch, I've been told that if I do it backwards that that same thing that you're having can happen. My engine has the hydraulic tensioners also. Just a shot in the dark!

[Tarzan]

According to the manual you set the timing up on the rear cylinder first, which I did. Then turn the crank 300 CCW then install the crank locking pin, which I’ve done. Then set up the front cylinder. The trouble comes when I try and turn the crank over to verify everything is ok. So I turn it CCW and the cams jump time. Maybe I Read the manual wrong? I am turning the crank on the clutch side. So CCW will be from looking at it in that view. Maybe I need to be turning it CCW on the stator side of the engine? I’ll go back and reread the manual. The manual is not the easiest to interpret in my opinion. It leaves a few things to the imagination when trying to navigate it.

[oldgoat]

I seem to remember turning my engine from the stator side by removing the plug with a hex key then putting the correct sized wrench in and turning CCW

[Tarzan]

I just installed the new chains and tensioners. The manual says to lock the crank at TDC for rear cylinder and align all indicated timing marks and install chains and tensioner. I did that. Then it specifically states that on the clutch side turn the crank 300 CCW, and it shows a arrow indicating direction also. So I did that and installed the locking pin for the front cylinder. Then installed the front chain and tensioner. In the morning I will rotate the engine to ensure everything rotates ok . Hopefully that goes well.

[Mikey]

Let us know how you make out!! Good luck