Steamer needing new engine or repair

[engine22]

Hello everybody, I am very new to this community. Just purchased a 97 steamer not running with 47k miles for $650 US. It died on the guy one day and he jut wanted to unload it. I was hoping it would be something really simple, but that is not looking like the case. I pulled the valve head cover off and couldn't find anything obvious, so it looks like I'm going to have to pull the head gasket to see what is going on. When I turn the engine over by hand it is really tough to turn with it gets to TDC, so it could be shredded internally.

I am thinking of just doing an engine swap rather than spend a fortune rebuilding this. What other engines are compatible with a 97 tiger? I have seen some pretty attractively priced Sprint, Adventurer, and Daytona running engines on ebay and I am thinking this may be the way to go if it looks ugly when I pull the head. All the engines look very similar so I am assuming they may be interchangeable. Anyone know for sure?

Looking forward to getting a lot of great advice here.

Thanks.

[Mustang]

all the early t309't409 engines are the same

most have a different shift drum in them though which will make the gear pattern backwards compared to a steamer . easy enough though to swap the steamer shift drum into though .

The tbird legend and adventurer engines don't look right in a steamer though .

sprint motors make damn fine replacements for a steamer .
early speed triple motor works too but to fully utilize the hp you need to get the ecu/igniter and carbs that go with it.

[engine22]

Ok perfect. Going to pull the head tomorrow, and there are a couple sprint engines on ebay that I could go for if it doesn't look good. Sounds like that would be the way to go both for price and ease. 

[Bixxer Bob]

When you say difficult to turn over, is it difficult as in:

A.    Graunchy noises

B.    Dropped valve

C. Good compression

I wouldn't be too quick to yank it apart if it doesn't need it.  At the very least you'll have to re-seat and re-seal the liners. Which will be a pain you find nothing wrong.

[engine22]

I figured out that the difficulty turning over was only due to a valve being open as the inlet cam was not timed correctly as the cam chain skipped. When I took the camshafts off and reset the timing marks, it turned just like it should. However, after I reset the camshafts and lined the timing marks up, the bike turned over by hand perfectly the first few times. Then, on the fourth or fifth revolution, I watched the cam chain skip on the exhaust cam and become loose. Then the timing marks  were no longer lined up and the bike was all out of whack again. If I kept rotating the engine, the chain would tension up again, then skip again after a couple turns. I can't figure out what would be causing the chain to just skip like that. The cam chain tensioner does not appear to be failing, as I don't see the guide moving at all.

What would be causing the chain to do that? Is it just a worn out chain? I don't understand why it turns over so well the first few revolutions then skips...

When I first pulled the valve head cover off several weeks ago, I was turning the engine with the electric starter and the cam chain just came right off. I'm figuring it died on the PO because the chain skipped and the timing went out of whack.

any advice I could get would be very helpful... I am stumped!

[Mustang]

the front chain blade is probably worn out , as well as chain

you need a new chain ,new blade tensioners as well as probably the top pc. that goes between the two sprockets

[engine22]

the top piece you are talking about is the chain guide, correct? Is there any other thing that could cause the chain to slip like that? I just don't understand why the tension would hold so well for a few revolutions, then just skip after a few turns..

Where can I get these parts? Where do you find new parts for a bike this old?

[Mustang]

any triumph dealer can order the parts you need .
or you can go to http://www.bikebandit.com

more specifically here http://www.bikebandit.com/1997-triumph-tiger-885/o/m147367#sch561451

you need item's 6,7,8,9 and 15

will sit you back about 250 bucks with shipping , plan on 2 weeks for delivery

[Sin_Tiger]

I'd be tempted to replace the cam sprockets while you're at it. In my experience once they have jumped they are prone to doing it again. The tips of sprockets don't get the same degree of hardening as the lead bearing surfaces, I've seen this in factory production processes.

This is one of the reasons why final drive sprockets go "off" very quickly once the chain stretches beyond design tolerances and you should always replace as a drive assembly set.

[engine22]

You are probably right about replacing the sprockets as well. I am just a bit nervous of shelling out all that money for these parts when the first time the cam chain skipped while the PO was driving the bike there may have been some internal damage. I have no way of knowing this without pulling the head, but I don't want to pull the head if I don't have to. I am looking at over 300 bucks in parts if I replace the sprockets as well, and I could potentially get a running engine with less miles on ebay for about 500...see my predicament?

Thank you for all the advice, and thanks for directing me to the parts website Mustang

[Sin_Tiger]

Maybe this isn't a good time to add the caveat about buying an engine with an unknown history but my conscience ain't allow that 

[engine22]

That is very true. Unfortunately, I bought this bike not running with 47k miles so I guess I don't really know the history of this one either!

[Mustang]

there wont be any damage from the chain jumping and changing valve timing
these are not interference fit motors .
the valves can only come  in contact with piston in a catastrophic failure like the crank broke or the rod snapped.

[engine22]

That is very good to know. So I am now looking at changing camchain guides, camchain, and possibly cam sprockets. Do you have to pull the head to change the front camchain guide? I am afraid doing this is almost not worthwhile and I might just go for a new (used) motor..

[Mustang]

That is very good to know. So I am now looking at changing camchain guides, camchain, and possibly cam sprockets. Do you have to pull the head to change the front camchain guide? I am afraid doing this is almost not worthwhile and I might just go for a new (used) motor..

yep , had a look in the triumph bible and the front chain rub strip is held in by the cylinder head .

it's a head off job for certain !