Timing chain tensioner leaking oil?

[jesrec1100]

Hi everyone, I was just wondering if anyone has had a problem with their timing chain tensioner leaking oil. Mine is and no matter how I try to get to stop it keeps on leaking. I tried RTV and some plugs and stuff with RTV around it. It seems like it is blowing it out like it is under pressure. Is that the case because I was thinking of welding a plate on the outside of it where the cap used to be. Any info would be great. Thanks.

[bikerphil]

There are 3 places it can leak, the base gasket, the O ring on the adjuster screw, and from the front. If excessive pressure keeps pushing the plug/rtv out, check your crankcase breather and make sure it isn't plugged/pinched. If you do remove the tensioner, be very careful following the proper installation instructions, or valves/pistons can get crunched. HTH

[Bigfoot]

Alot of them do leak a little but are usually cured by a little RTV. Is the crankcase breather tube clogged? There really shouldn't be any pressure.

[Ken Talbot]

There is normally not enough pressure inside the crankcase that would cause the rubber plug to leak. What usually happens is the adjuster bolt is a bit loose, which allows the spring loaded plunger to go in and out as the chain tension changes, which turns the plunger shaft into a mini oil pump. No amount of RTV dabbed on is going to stop that leak. The dangerous part is when the plunger is loose like that, there is a high risk of getting up enough slack to alow the chain to jump a couple of teeth, which will bend valves!

Check out the adjustment procedure and follow it absolutely to the letter as far as which way to turn, which way NOT to turn, which alignment mark to use, and how much torque to apply to the bolt and lock nut. If it is in fact loose enough to alllow this movement, there is a good chance the adjusting bolt has steipped in the soft aluminum housing. And that is another tech tip on how to fix with a small helicoil.