im replacing the HG on my 22r and i am at the point of removing the camshaft sprocket (i ziptied the chain to the sprocket to keep in mesh) now when i pull the sprocket off should i just let it drop down and let it rest on the chain guides or should i figure some way to keep vertical tension on it so the chain in mesh with the crank gear does not come off? im not taking the timing cover off or else i would drop the chain down to line it back up later. so what do u guys think?

 

keep it tight, it might let it skip a tooth if u dont and u could end up with problems.

 

have u done it before? got any ideas on a way to keep tension on it?

 

try and use a coat hanger to hold it up, try and mount down inside somewhere to hold taunt, i have not done this motor but have messed with other ones, and i just try and keep it so it wont slip or skip a tooth when u put it back together,

 

just let it set on the guides. It should be fine. That's the way i did it on all of the 22res i've worked on and that's how others have as well. Just let it rest on the guides you'll be fine.

 

It can skip as many teeth as it wants to when you don't have the cam gear installed. Make sure everything is lined up properly when you are installing the cam gear, and you won't have problems.

 

Word.

It's too much of a hassle to try to keep everything aligned when you're taking it apart. It honestly takes all of about 3 minutes to turn the crank until your timing mark is aligned at 0, turn the cam until the arrow on it ligns up with the bearing cap, and then put the sproket back on. My experience with TRYING to keep everything aligned is that it doesn't always work. It's not that hard to reset the timing when you're putting it back together, and then you KNOW it's good.