Cannondaleriders

i have a cannibal with a diamond racing 450 motor that i had done last summer. The motor runs excellent and i'm very satisfied. They other day I noticed that it was leaking coolant out the back of the motor where the head bolts on. I pulled the motor and put a new gasket in and re-siliconed it. I have a question about the timing however, I pulled the timing chain before locking the crank in TDC. Can't I just line all the dots up on the cams as pictured in the manual and and then lock the crank in TDC and install the timing chain? Also when I put it the motor back in, I stripped the slave cylinder on the hydraulic clutch but I have one ordered. I tried to start the motor with everything but the clutch hooked up and it turns over fine but does not start; is this because i don't have the slave cylinder on?

the slave cylinder bolts to the case right?????? a new cylinder wouldn't help. you need to install some helicoils in the case.

no, i stripped the part where the cable itself threads into.

You should be able to put it in nuetral and get it running. Then you just need to install the clutch to shift.

No you cant just line up the dots and then put the chain on.BEFORE you move the cams you must make sure the piston is down at least a little then you move the cams,line up the dots and only then should you put the crank at TDC.If you dont do it this way there is a good chance the valves will hit the piston as you are turning the cams over.

great to hear that cannondale27. that is exactly what i did, however it didn't seem to want to start when i tried with the clutch disconnected. I didn't look at it a whole lot because i had to go back to college, but it seemed to turn over too easy. I didn't know if this was because of the slave cylinder being disconnected or not. I will be home this weekend and hook up the clutch and see what happens. I sure do hope i don't have to pull the motor again. Anyways thanks, I'll let yall know what it is if I find out this weekend.