[Mikie1]

Yeah! What HE said

[xman]

Well, like I said before, give the boys at Hot Cams a call. they were always very nice and will take all the time you need to answer any and all questions. I unfortunately do not have the answer you seek.

[[email protected]]

58psi is what the compression is on the X, seriously,it's checked per the manual with th throttle held wide open.
The 50 or so you'll get will cause your bike to crank and crank, and be very hard to start because it doesn't have enough compression ,and it will stay engaged a little longer than it should, which will give you all sorts of doggy bottom end power once it does start.
I'm not a cam expert, but I do know that if you go with the stock decompressor clearance you'll be sorry, but feel free.
I also know that that cam was one of the best mods I made, and was completely trouble free..after the decompressor was adjusted right. Doug

[Mikie1]

Uh Oh, I think I stepped on some toes.

I didn't mean to imply you're wrong, or to question the accuracy of what you said about checking the cranking compression. Quite the contrary, in fact.

I'm so thankful for your input-- and your experience probably saved me from making a mistake by going with the clearances shown in the HotCams instructions (they use the factory specs for recommended clearances). I'm sure I would've been frustrated and pissed off if the bike wouldn't start right, etc.

I just have this innate "need" to understand it.

Now that I think about it more, I think I know the answer: My bet is that it has to do with the timing of the valves opening and overlap. My guess is that, with the decompressor adjusted at stock specs, it just doesn't allow enough compression to build at cranking speeds. The exhaust valve is probably opening more and earlier, and by the time it closes there just isn't enough available fuel/air in the combustion chamber to get the compression up to 58 lbs.

Ahhhh SSsssooooo!! So really the only way to adjust it properly is with a compression check. Once that's done, then the clearance could be measured.

Did you guys with Stage II's write yours down? I imagine they should be pretty close.

[xman]

I didn't write them down, but I'm checking my spark plug this weekend after running the 48 pilot. I will pull off the valve cover and measure them out for you.

Don't worry, no toes stepped here.

[nowazzu]

58psi is what the compression is on the X, seriously,it's checked per the manual with th throttle held wide open.
The 50 or so you'll get will cause your bike to crank and crank, and be very hard to start because it doesn't have enough compression ,and it will stay engaged a little longer than it should, which will give you all sorts of doggy bottom end power once it does start.
I'm not a cam expert, but I do know that if you go with the stock decompressor clearance you'll be sorry, but feel free.
I also know that that cam was one of the best mods I made, and was completely trouble free..after the decompressor was adjusted right. Doug

[gprodick]

Uh Oh, I think I stepped on some toes.

I didn't mean to imply you're wrong, or to question the accuracy of what you said about checking the cranking compression. Quite the contrary, in fact.

I'm so thankful for your input-- and your experience probably saved me from making a mistake by going with the clearances shown in the HotCams instructions (they use the factory specs for recommended clearances). I'm sure I would've been frustrated and pissed off if the bike wouldn't start right, etc.

I just have this innate "need" to understand it.

Now that I think about it more, I think I know the answer: My bet is that it has to do with the timing of the valves opening and overlap. My guess is that, with the decompressor adjusted at stock specs, it just doesn't allow enough compression to build at cranking speeds. The exhaust valve is probably opening more and earlier, and by the time it closes there just isn't enough available fuel/air in the combustion chamber to get the compression up to 58 lbs.

Ahhhh SSsssooooo!! So really the only way to adjust it properly is with a compression check. Once that's done, then the clearance could be measured.

Did you guys with Stage II's write yours down? I imagine they should be pretty close.

Yeah! What HE said.

[gprodick]

I didn't write them down, but I'm checking my spark plug this weekend after running the 48 pilot. I will pull off the valve cover and measure them out for you.

Don't worry, no toes stepped here. 8)

You are the man!

[crf450xcellent]

A difference I have noted between my 450x and my XR400 which had the HRC power up kit (cam, piston,..) is that the shit_y slow, rocky uphills that are easy to stall on, I am stalling on more with 450x. That XR400 was a tractor and would almost idle up anything, but when I did stall it was a bit_h to get started.
I am thinking of a Rekluse, but wondering if one of these HotCams (not sure what stage) would help with that low RPM tractor effect.
I guess the mass of all that metal moving in the XR enging acted like a flywheel weight in keeping an engine moving.
So there are 3 things here:

The Rekluse
A Hotcam
A Flywheel weight

My concern with the Rekluse is that I ride some hilly areas and the engine brake is a must. Is it easy to keep the engine engaged going downhill?

Thanks
-Dennis

[[email protected]]

Hey,welcome Dennis !
I can't believe I didn't write that clearance down, I would've been kicking myself in the butt if I found myself needing it again.Duh. I kick myself anyway because it could have saved other people a lot of work,
I'm glad SIV will be checking it out for us.
There's nothing as tractor like as those old XR's, but what are you running for jetting Dennis ? Do ou have a smog pump, or any intake mods ?
Most of us with Rekluses have no problems with stalling ever, even up nasty hills,we do have a few guys that still do. Once my X had the jetting squared away I never had any problems with stalling even before the Rekluse though.
I just installed the same Rekluse on my R that I had on my X along with a spacer I needed to make the X to R switch,and it's been perfect also. Doug

[WillCRF]

Back out the decompressor adjustment screw an 8th turn at a time until the starter won't turn over the motor, instead you wil here a "clank".
Then turn the screw in an 8th at a time until the starter will turn over the motor, and you're done.

Remember the issue Doug had installing the Stage 2 has probably kept me on the sidelines with installing the new cam. Also slowing me down is the Stage 1 vs. 2 decision since I ride in various areas. Stage 2 would probably be a better fit being mostly woods riding.

Doug, on your decompressor adjustment technique, I assume you are hitting the starter button finding that point where the starter won't turn the motor. If you keep backing it out an 1/8th until it won't turn, should it be dialed in by turning the decompressor back in an 1/8th one time or did you find yourself making a couple turns. SIV suggestion to check the piston compression would confirm you are good to go. SIV mentioned he will be posting his clearance which will be a help. It would sure be nice if the boys at HotCams would address this accurately in their installation instructions.

Will

[[email protected]]

You're exactly right Will,and I did slowly turn it in until the starter motor would turn it.
SIV's idea of checking the compression to be sure is great.
Of course when we know his clearance this'll make it a lot easier still !
When we do we should send it to HotCams and they can spare future customers gnashing of teeth and rending of garments.
Seriously the install is really easy, and once it's in and set you're done fiddling with it.
I never even had to change my jetting, and after installing that PowerBomb to go along with it it was a Holy expletive improvement ,top to bottom. Doug

[[email protected]]

Is it easy to keep the engine engaged going downhill?

VERY easy. In my case with the Rekluse I wound up with the idle set just a little faster than without it, and I don't even have to think about it going down.
Later, I adopted rOb's plilosophy of kamikaze dives down hills if there's any semi-smooth line at all going down hills, and it's a lot of fun.
I was doing this at a Hare Scramble and it kept a couple guys faster than me behind me an extra couple laps, much to their annoyance.
Okay, maybe it made the difference betwwen 7th and 8th in class , but hey ! At 49 (for 8 more days) I accept all small victories .
PS- I still can't make the R stall . Believe me before I come out west next October this thing will be SO dialed. I can imagine DD,RR, snickering and giggling while they watch me kicking and sweating. Before I allow that I will rent a dyno and duplicate Socals average temp and humidity the last week of October to double check my jetting !
Or, call Chris or another R rider and see what they're running. Doug

[gprodick]

I emailed Hot Cams regarding the compressor arm clearance issue. This is what they wrote back.

"The decompression arm clearance is the same as stock. You are going to set the clearance the same way you would if you were setting with the stock cam. I can also tell you how to do this if you need. The only thing you may need to install this cam, is shims."

[xman]

I emailed Hot Cams regarding the compressor arm clearance issue. This is what they wrote back.

"The decompression arm clearance is the same as stock. You are going to set the clearance the same way you would if you were setting with the stock cam. I can also tell you how to do this if you need. The only thing you may need to install this cam, is shims."

Well, all I can say to that is I have installed 3 of these cams, all on 450X's and every one I had to tweek the decompressor adjustment. But hey, install it and see if you are the lucky one....who knows, for all you know, me and Doug are full of crap. After all, this is the internet.