What Cam Chain Tensioner is This?

[Tirpitz]

My engine is getting noisy from the right hand side and I think it's the camchain. I suspect it is the usual tired camchain tensioner issue so am going to replace it. But having set to work I find that my tensioner looks nothing like the one in the manual -

001.JPG

There is no lock bolt and there is a large bolt in the middle of the lower side of it. This looks like the sort of tensioner I'm familiar with from a Suzuki GSXR750 Slingshot. The way these are installed is that the ratchet is reset, the tensioner fitted, then the spring installed and the large bolt which secures it is installed - that latter action sets the tensioner. Quite unlike the procedure on a ZXR.

My tensioner was replaced at 6000 miles in 1996 by a dealer after it failed. Has the correct tensioner been fitted? Is this a later, modified one?

Confused

[Tirpitz]

Actually, hang on a minute.

So, yes, this is a later tensioner. Not sure if the L4 came with these from the factory but I do know that when mine failed they replaced the camchain and guides, so obviously it has the later spec on.

Have also seen the pics showing a worn out camchain and fully extended tensioner (mine is no way fully extended) and nor can I push the tensioner rod in against the ratchet, so it does not appear to be broken. I'm just wondering if it has got a bit sticky and needs to move up a click. Can anyone advise what the procedure is to reset these ones, please. I would like to remove the captive nut which holds in the spring, reset it and reinstall. What is the torque setting of this nut? The manual doesn't cover this version.

I may be getting a bit paranoid about the noise, it isn't an excessive rattle but it is rather noisier than it used to be. It's fine when cold but noisier when warm.

[Tirpitz]

I'm pretty sure that the bike came with 2nd generation kit. And the blade on it now seems to fit your description as 2nd generation.

IIRC when I had the problem almost 20 years ago, a dealer mechanic said he thought the camchain was noisy. Bear in mind the bike was only 6000 miles / 2 years old so I wasn't really convinced. I decided to have a looksee myself (in the days when I was far less mechanically competent) and I do recall that the tensioner threw me then as it didn't match the manual. The ugly truth is that I then removed it and refitted it without properly resetting it, which 5 miles down the road caused 'a problem' .

I've had a good investigate and I don't think either blade is broken, delaminated, nor scored. The chain appears to be under good tension. I gave the tensioner plunger a few light taps which I think would have released it if it were stuck - nothing happened. And pushing the blade and chain doesn't cause the ratchet to click up any (not that the chain / blade moves more than a few mm anyway, it's already under a fair tension).

I think maybe I'm being a bit windy. I've had a listen to a fair few Youtube clips of rattling camchains and it's no way anything like as bad as those. I'd describe it more as a rustle, there's no loose rattling. It's like you can hear the chain rustling in the tunnel. I suspect what I'm hearing is entirely normal and the engine is getting a bit noisier as it gets older.

I'll keep an eye on it. If it grenades we can have a rebuild thread .

I'll give the carbs a careful balance. I have done it not that long ago but tickover is still a little rough, I may not have got it spot on. It could be a bit of lash that's making it noisy.

[banner001]

Tirpitz - i know its sorted now, but the L manual shows the 2nd gen camchain tensioner on page 4-3, states for L3-L5.

is it definitely a bottom end or right hand sound, no chance it could be valve clearances?

how many miles has the current chain done, and how far extended is the tensioner plunger?

[Tirpitz]

Ah right, thanks. I was working off my own L Supplement hard copy, which is dated 1991, First Edition. They must have reprinted it for later models as per the download on the site.

No, definitely not bottom end and I did the valves myself at 12000 miles (now done 15200). I would expect it to go quieter with age as my valves have always tightened up.

Current chain has done about 9000 miles. Tensioner is extended with about 8mm of the plunger visible, loads of travel left.

There is no noise when it is cold, it is noisier when hot and it smooths out at about 7000 rpm. It's more of a lumpy tickover engine noise. I really do suspect the carbs so I'll balance those and see what it is like then.

[Tirpitz]

It was the carbs, they were slightly out of balance. A very small tweak quietened things down considerably.