Cam Chain Guide Snapped - Advice Please

[Impman71]

Hi,
Last year I did my head gasket and have probably ridden about 500 miles since.
Before I did it the top end sounded a bit rough, but I couldn't see anything untoward.
Yesterday, whilst going for an MOT, it started making a horrendous noise!
I limped home, which luckily was only about half a mile.
Looking at it today the cam chain guide at the rear (attached to tensioner) has snapped close to its pivot point.
I have looked at the manual on here, but am struggling to see which way around the other tensioner goes against the chain as it does not look right to me and I wonder if I have it

cam chain guideb.JPG

the wrong way round.
Also, will I be able to remove the front guide without taking the head off again and is it possible to pivot the engine down to get enough clearance to work on if I remove the 2 front engine bolts and the top rear one?
Thanks for any advice.
Cheers,
Colin

[banner001]

the guide you have installed needs to be spun on its long axis 180 degrees, so that the notched bit in your pic is pointing downwards not upwards.

i removed the bolt that holds in the arm that the intake rockers sit on by pivoting the engine, cam chain tensioner blade will be the same. if in doubt, drop the engine. you need to remove the rocker cover only to work on the camcahin and the tensioner blades...it should be fairly easy as your camchain is in position...although now might be a good time to replace it and you will have 30,000+ hassle free miles. do your valve clearances at the same time, and check your rocker arms for wear...you-ve gotta remove the cams, so you can check the rockers then, and as you are tilting the engine you need to remove the LHS bolt for the rockers, and the RHS bolt for the tensioner blade.

once you have your "bits" of tensioner blade, lay them out and make sure that you have every last little piece - if not, and its a small piece, drain the oil. if it looks like a large bit, maybe think about droping the sump and seeing if its found its way into there...

[Impman71]

Thanks Banner001,
So am I right in saying that I have it upside down, that the piece in my pic should be at the top but still with the serrated edge against the chain?
From memory it is curved, so has to have the serrated edge against the chain?
It was a bit of a rush when I put it back together last year, but I do remember thinking the guide was very tight in the head - I should have paid more attention then!
Just hope it comes back out the top easily....
Will check the tappets when I'm in there.
I was lucky to get used guides and chain off Ebay for £19 with postage today
Will definitely make sure I have all the broken bits - it does look like it's a clean break hopefully from the long piece I have extracted.
Cheers.

[banner001]

it should look like this the guide: viewtopic.php?f=117&t=13874#p102661

it it worth putting a used camchain in your bike - to be honest, no.

a new camchain kawasaki OEM original is £30...fit that and you wont have to worry about it for years.

[Impman71]

That looks a bit different!

I will measure the chain when it arrives and check the sideways sag on it.

I know it is only £30, but at the moment that is another month off the road - the MOT ran out at the start of May

[ross46]

I have an old cam chain which is within spec if you want it, £10,measured it andits 27.6mm on the 20 links with 5kg weight attached, service limit is 28.9

[cargo]

The tensioner blade breaking or snapping is a common fault................the plastic gets brittle and it can delaminate from the steel bit. I've just replaced one myself

You have fitted the front cam chain guide the wrong way this wont have help matters and it could also be that if you didn't correctly reset the tensioner when you rebuilt it that would have contributed to the tensioner blade breaking.

I've used lots of second hand parts on my 400s but I'd not fit a second hand cam chain even if it was in spec.................I've got a box of them................only good for hanging on the wall as a trophy.

When you take something apart either take photos or refer to the manual..............that way you can put it back together the right way.................simples

[ross46]

Yeah, I agree but sometimes money is an object, if I had to at a push I would put a second hand one in and then put a new one in at a later date