Always service the chain tensioner with the bike ON THE CENTERSTAND. Don't make this mistake, as I once did.
HTH
"Sorry to be so late getting back on here with my reply, but a busy work schedule and slow Internet seem to have conspired against me. The main difference between adjusting the cam chain and installing the cam chain adjuster is that when adjusting the cam chain, the chain is held captive by the adjuster, and all you are doing is allowing the adjuster to move enough to take up the extra slack in the chain. However installing the adjuster is a lot more involved, because when you remove the adjuster you release the pressure on the cam chain and the slack is free to slip to the lowest point in it's loop, which is under the crank sprocket, where it hangs in a loop until you reinstall the adjuster. When you install the adjuster you have to recapture that whole loop or it will travel around it's normal route and cause engine damage as it equalizes it's self, That's why it is important to not mix the two procedures and the main difference is that when adjusting the cam chain the engine is completely assembled except for the ignition cover and when you install the adjuster you need to have the cam cover removed so you can not only see the chain and check the timing marks, but also make sure you remove all the slack. You do this by pre adjusting the adjuster about half way out and finger tightening the adjusting bolt, then grasping the chain between you thumb and forefinger and gently pull the chain up until the slack is at the top next to the front cam sprocket, making sure it's on the crank sprocket, then while holding it there, you slide the adjuster into place, releasing enough chain as necessary to allow the adjuster to be bolted in place and in contact with or at least aligned with the chain, then slowly release the pressure on the adjuster bolt allowing it to adjust the chain the rest of the way, keeping your fingers out of the way as you do. Now when reading trbig's first post there was no mention of bohn removing the cam cover and in John's post he said trbig removed the cover to check the timing, maybe it was removed by bohn, maybe it wasn't, but until corrected I'm going on the assumption that it was not removed. When you install the adjuster without removing the cam cover there is no guarantee you will get all the slack out of the chain or the chain on the bottom sprocket and here I agree with trbig ,but for a different reason, because of the small size of the crank sprocket and the chain is a short link chain, which tend to bunch, if you let the adjuster snap into position from full out you could cause the chain to try to snap into position so fast as to allow the loose chain loop hanging under the crank sprocket to grab a sprocket tooth on the on it's way up and leave the some of the slack trapped on the sprocket until it is turned and also giving the impression that the adjuster has removed all of the slack. It says in my book,that it only takes an 1/8th of a turn on the cams,to cause damage to the valves from contacting the pistons, so it stands to reason that a few links of slack suddenly appearing in the cam chain could cause this to happen. As I previously stated, right or wrong I came to this conclusion from the experience and training I have gathered over the years and from the information in this post, and in no way am I judging any one's mechanical ability or expertize. From reading the post on this site it appears adjusting the cam chain is causing a lot of problems and I think mostly it is because the repair manuals leave a lot of general information out, because they assume if you are doing you own maintenance you know it already. One very important bit they skipped over is when you adjust the cam chain you need to rotate the crank enough times,"at least 2 to 4 complete revolutions", to move all the slack to the front part of the chain, I know that I already said the slack travels around the chain, but not at the slow speed of hand turning the crank, only at running speed, if you want to test this theory pedal a single speed bicycle both fast and slow with the rear wheel off the ground and the chain a little slack. I know it seems like extra work, but it's also important to remove the spark plugs, it not only makes it easier to turn the crank, it also makes it possible, after making the adjustment, to feel, if the pistons contact the valves which could be mistaken for compression resistance with the plugs in place. This is my theory of what happened and how to prevent it. If you don't agree feel free to attack it, but don't attack me personally."
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Also, be sure you change out the bulbs in the tail light housing too. Otherwise, the 1157 LEDs in the trunk won't change brightness with the brakes.
Also, be sure you change out the bulbs in the tail light housing too. Otherwise, the 1157 LEDs in the trunk won't change brightness with the brakes.
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