cam chain adjuster

[bigb9582]

i tryied to adjust the cam chain today. it seemed to go well but when i started the bike it sounded worse.
how tight should the adjuster bolt be? if i tightin it very snug the chain rattles, but it i losen it a little it stops rattling.
i dont know how tight to make it. will it hurt anything if its a little loose as long as the lock nut it tight?
i mean its tight but i could turn it a extra 1/8th of a turn but then the chain rattles again.

[Ken Talbot]

Whoa, bigb - time to step back from the bike and read the proper procedure for adjusting the cam chain slack adjuster. What you're doing has the potential of jumping a tooth ot two on the chain, which will result instantly in one or more bent valves. Start with this tech article.

[bigb9582]

yeah i did that.
the bike wasnt running it when i adjusted it, i adjust it then start it. i just dont understand why it makes the chain rattle when the adjuster bolt is tight.

[skids]

If you stripped the stopper bolt, do not run the bike until you re-thread it with a helicoil. If the chain is loud (loose), do not run the bike or you could slip the chain and ruin the valves. BAD!

Originally posted by bigb9582
yeah i did that.
the bike wasnt running it when i adjusted it, i adjust it then start it. i just dont understand why it makes the chain rattle when the adjuster bolt is tight.

[Ken Talbot]

Originally posted by bigb9582
i just dont understand why it makes the chain rattle when the adjuster bolt is tight.

The thing you need to understand is that the bolt does not adjust the cam chain tension. The tension is controlled by a spring in the body of the cam chain tensioner housing. The bolt only holds the shaft of the tensioning piece in its correct place once the spring has applied the required tension to the chain. This is all contingent on doing the procedure exactly as specified,

Have alook at the microfiche page for this part to hget a better idea of how it works .

[TADracer]

Start from scratch!

Like stated above, if you skip one tooth on the cam sproket you have changed your valve timing by over 11 degrees. Piston/valve collision will occur, probably on an exhaust valve. The tensioner is an important but very delicate part and it is almost impossible to use a torque wrench on the fasteners. Use a light hand on your wrenches. If you are not sure what this part is doing, I would remove it to see how it works since it is only two allen capscrews.

Take the spark plugs out and the left side timing cover off. Rotate the motor a couple of turns in the running direction until the 'C' lines up on the pointer. Then remove the tensioner from the front of the cylinders. Make yourself a new gasket from some gasket material. Loosen the locknut and the stopper bolt and push the plunger in all the way and snug the stopper bolt. Clean everything up and then reinstall the tensioner. Tighten the two capscrews to 7.5 ft. pounds (this is just snug with a allen wrench) loosen the stopper bolt until you hear a click when the plunger springs in. Tighten the stopper bolt to just snug (4.5 ft. pounds) and the locknut to about 7 ft. pounds. Thats all there is to it.

[xschop]

spring time

I just polished out my spare cam tensioner (stock plug hole in perfect shape)and was wondering if there is a "relaxed" spring length minimum and if this needs to be replaced. this tensioner that I put in had more spring compression than the old one I took off.....any ideas?

[TADracer]

Re: spring time

Originally posted by xschop
I just polished out my spare cam tensioner (stock plug hole in perfect shape)and was wondering if there is a "relaxed" spring length minimum and if this needs to be replaced. this tensioner that I put in had more spring compression than the old one I took off.....any ideas?

The spring just pushes the plunger against the chain guides and then it is locked there. Rotating the crank to the 'C' mark places the chain in the most relaxed position because of the valve locations at that mark and nothing more. I am not sure the spring tension has a whole lot to do with it.

I know some friends that dragrace use manual tensioners. They just screw it in until it makes contact with the chain guides and then lock it off there.

[bigb9582]

alright thanx guys. i do understand how the whole thing works.
i figured out what i was doin wrong. i was skipping the aligning the "C" part. i thought u could adjust it no matter were the cam was positioned. i guess i was catching it on the wrong side of the cam causing it to be loose once i started it. but i aligned the C and now it sounds alot better.
thanx for all ur input!!