Cam Chain Tensioner?

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Madderz
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My Bike: 1992 Kawasaki ZXR400
Location: Bournemouth

Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Madderz »

Hey guys,

New to the forum so urmmm HI!

Picked up my 92 ZXR400 the other day. Love it to bits. Arrived at work today and a couple of the guys said it sounded rough (rattly etc). I hadn't really noticed with it being my first bike but now i come to think of it, it is quite rattly. Soooooo did a bit of research on here and elsewhere and have learnt that most Kwaks especially zxrs suffer quite badly from clutch rattle. Mine definitely has that, noisy clutch but when clutch pulled goes nice and quiet. That doesn't bother me too much as it's quite common and it doesn't effect too much. Its the sort of thing i'll do when i get round to it. The other rattle is what is bother me its coming from sort of underneath the tank where the engine is. Its a very sort of chainy rattle and its causing a lot of vibration. I did a little reasearch and it seems to be the cam chain tensioner! Found a manual (on here) See> http://www.zxrworld.co.uk/Manuals/H%20M ... er%204.pdf which brilliantly shows me how to do the job. Basically undo it squeeze the springy bit make sure its stiff and not easy to push. if so replace, if not squeeze it, lock it and whack it back in. (Silly question, i take it i drain the oil?).

Can i find one to buy? Can i bugger! All the ones on ebay are from the US and they ar manual adjusters (are they better or worse or not applicable?), I rang a Kawasaki dealer and they practically laughed at me because it was a 92. I dont wanna ring a garage and get them to do it and get the part as they will sting me to pretty much just take the fairing off!!

Can anyone point me in the right direction as to where i can buy one? Is there anything to look out for doing this job? I don't wanna bust the engine!! Seems simple enough, right?
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CaNsA
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by CaNsA »

Contact the guys in my sig and ask for a zxr400 L cam chain tensioner.

All L model CCTs should fit.
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Madderz
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Madderz »

Contact the guys in my sig and ask for a zxr400 L cam chain tensioner.
Brilliant thank you! I have found one and a steal at £31!

I have quite a lot of knowledge when it comes to cars and can comfortably take an engine out and work on them! Whole new world with bikes, never touched them!

With a car the cam belt obviously isn't oiled so you can change the belt without draining the oil, is this the same case with a bike? The manual doesn't say to remove oil.... I just don't wanna take the cover off and dump all the oil out, more headache, more costs and tbh I'm broke after buying it!
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guitarcarrot
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by guitarcarrot »

just put it on the side stand and youll be fine, no need to drain the oil
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by guitarcarrot »

also when you are installing the new tensioner you need to secure the spring down using a piece of safety wire or a needle, its a bit fiddly but once youve done it once its easy. then install the CCT and then one it has been torqued up you can then take the cable out and the spring will release and extend to the correct length, if you dont secure it before installation, then you will put excess tension on the chain and cause wear.
Madderz
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Madderz »

guitarcarrot wrote:just put it on the side stand and youll be fine, no need to drain the oil
Brilliant, thank you for clearing that up. Means I can at least pull the old one out tomorrow and have a look at whats involved while I wait for it to be delivered.
also when you are installing the new tensioner you need to secure the spring down using a piece of safety wire or a needle, its a bit fiddly but once youve done it once its easy. then install the CCT and then one it has been torqued up you can then take the cable out and the spring will release and extend to the correct length, if you dont secure it before installation, then you will put excess tension on the chain and cause wear.
So squeeze down the tensioner and pop something in to hold it in place, tighten her up and pull it out. Gotcha.

I found a good video online of a guy showing the location and explaining that once you have the tensioner out if you can squeeze it closed with your fingers easily then it's knackered, if its hard to squeeze its fine. I kinda hope it is knackered else it looks like I have a noisy top end :/

Bank holiday objectives :

Get the fairing off for the first time without busting it :pmsl
Check CCT
Diagnose my hanging idle (look for an air leak)

I shall keep you updated and thank you very much for the info.
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banner001
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by banner001 »

guitarcarrot wrote:also when you are installing the new tensioner you need to secure the spring down using a piece of safety wire or a needle, its a bit fiddly but once youve done it once its easy. then install the CCT and then one it has been torqued up you can then take the cable out and the spring will release and extend to the correct length, if you dont secure it before installation, then you will put excess tension on the chain and cause wear.
not all L model cam chain tensioners are the same!

the L1 and L2 use the "old model" style like you describe, but L3 onwards use a different tensioner and a thicker chain guide...

to the OP - did you specifically ask for an L2 tensioner, or did you ask for an "l-model tensioner", i think a picture of the old and new tensioners would be handy at this point once yours arrives...dont want you to damage anything.
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
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Madderz
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My Bike: 1992 Kawasaki ZXR400
Location: Bournemouth

Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Madderz »

banner001 wrote:to the OP - did you specifically ask for an L2 tensioner, or did you ask for an "l-model tensioner", i think a picture of the old and new tensioners would be handy at this point once yours arrives...dont want you to damage anything.
I ordered this one - http://www.kawasakioriginalparts.com/ka ... 1992&ca=GB

On that exploded diagram its 12048. On the drop down list to select a bike (as it didn't pick up my reg) i chose 1992 ZXR 400 L2 (The only ZXR400 model on the list for 92) I assumed from the previous posts that all "L" models would be fine on mine?

I don't have the old one out yet (Fingers crossed i should have tomorrow) and until the new one arrives i can only go off that diagram.

You've put the shakers on me now lol! I was beginning to feel confident about this job. Surely as long as the replacement looks identical to mine it should be right? Unless the spring ratings are different?
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CaNsA
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by CaNsA »

Mate, you'll be fine.
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Flatowtornowt
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Flatowtornowt »

going off the purchase price i assume he has purchased the old style tensioner, pull the old one out and practise setting it with a pin or piece of wire dont forget you wont be able to push it in until you release the little ratchet mech on the side, oh and if you do practise on the old one when you push it in for the first time watch out as the thing will squirt you with oil
Madderz
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Madderz »

CaNsA wrote:Mate, you'll be fine.
Well that's settled then. :tease Lol
going off the purchase price i assume he has purchased the old style tensioner, pull the old one out and practise setting it with a pin or piece of wire dont forget you wont be able to push it in until you release the little ratchet mech on the side, oh and if you do practise on the old one when you push it in for the first time watch out as the thing will squirt you with oil
Ahaaaaaaa, good tip there thanks. That will avoid profuse swearing and sulking. :pmsl

I shall keep you all updated with pics and info as i do it. Thanks for the help and urmmm confidence boosts :D
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Madderz
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Madderz »

Quick update:

Got home from work and got itchy fingers so I decided to pull the fairing off and have a quick check over the bike before I get to popping out that CCT. This

To my horror I am greeted with this:
Image
Image
Image

Now I wasn't expecting a mirror finish in there but this to me looks like a monumental oil leak! I checked the filter and where all the main gaskets are but there doesn't seem to be an obvious leak, could this just be crud from the road? It's even all over the under tray/fairing or whatever it's called. I know the previous guy was OTT with chain oil but surely it wouldn't fling up there! This is my first bike so maybe I'm just worrying over general crud? Any opinions?

Also I was planning on cleaning and balancing the carbs, dunno if any eagle eyes out there spotted but that exhaust header is stainless/mild steel and seems to be a full micron system, now if this has been fitted and not dyno'd could this cause idle hang and the like? If I take apart the carbs how do I tell if it's a dyno jet kit and would I just balance them the same way as normal?

The more I dig the more I wish I got a bike with a little more history.

Good thing I suppose is that the rattle noise is definitely coming from under the cam cover so fingers crossed CCT solves that.
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Flatowtornowt
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Flatowtornowt »

wash the motor off with a good degreaser and an old paint brush the oil could come from a number of places, no1 the most popular is the holes around the exhaust these are little weep holes that leak a bit of oil when the o rings get worn from the flutes in the head that take the spark plugs. real easy job and cheap o rings.
could even be the o ring on the cam chain tensioner, unlikely to be a gasket.
dont loose heart mate the motors are a doddle to work on, and are a really straight forward uncomplicated engine.
Madderz
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Madderz »

Flatowtornowt wrote:wash the motor off with a good degreaser and an old paint brush the oil could come from a number of places, no1 the most popular is the holes around the exhaust these are little weep holes that leak a bit of oil when the o rings get worn from the flutes in the head that take the spark plugs. real easy job and cheap o rings.
could even be the o ring on the cam chain tensioner, unlikely to be a gasket.
dont loose heart mate the motors are a doddle to work on, and are a really straight forward uncomplicated engine.
Yeah I did start cleaning as much of it out with hot soapy water and a toothbrush and sponge but after going through like 3 sponges and 5 water refills I ended up just spreading oil round lol its interest you say the CCT may be leaking oil as a majority was around that area and even to the point where drops where forming on the bolts that hold it in. It just seems to be EVERYWHERE! No build up in one particular area! Yeah I was a little nervous about working on her but once I had the fairing off and could see a little more I started feeling Ok it's basically like an old car engine.running carbs. Will get a better look tomorrow when I pull all the fairing off and tank etc and get some brake cleaner in there.

Thanks for the kind words bud :)
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Flatowtornowt
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Re: Cam Chain Tensioner?

Post by Flatowtornowt »

get some rhino goo, citrusol or a motox cleaner or maybe a white spirit (unsure as to whether this would be ok if you wernt stripping the thing into component parts) and a stiff brush spray it on leave for a while agitate with said brush wash off and repeat as needed.
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