Cam chain hell, or why is my brother in law still breathing

[Ken Talbot]

Just for a refresher, here is what Yukonman's chain looked like compared to a new one when we did his back at the start of July.
[IMG]/forum/images/tips/20030512-dsc02176.jpg[/IMG]

Now, if I could remember where I put the old chain, I could measure it to give a better idea of how much it had stretched..

[Huron52]

For an update on my problem. Marty thanks for the help!

I did as per manual as to how to adjust cam chain.... This time I took off the little cap on the end of the tensioner. Before I loosen off the screw I made note of the distance the shaft was out of the hole. Then I loosen off the screw. I heard the tensioner hit the cam chain. The shaft move in a big distance. I then tighten up the screw.... the word EASILY comes to mind.... not to tight.

I started up the bike. Noise still there! Shut off bike. Looked at the shaftend of the tensioner. It was back out. AHHHH I said to myself. The screw was not tight enough. Moved it back around to the C mark. Loosen off screw. Heard the tensioner hit the cam chain. Tighten up the screw. hmmmmmm It is not getting tighter! Pulled out the screw. It is stripped at the last couple of threads. I walked over to my parts bike. Pulled out the tensioner screw and put in the rider. Tightened up screw and fired up bike. My it sounds better. Shut down bike and look at the end of the shaft of the tensioner. It was still in.

All it was , was a stripped screw!

thanks again to all the gave some input!!!!!

[Ken Talbot]

Whew! At least a helicoil is all you need now to fix up the stripped tensioner. Then you'll have a spare on hand, or one you can take on the road as a spare when you travel. And it sounds like you caught it before the chain jumped and bent any valves. That is good.

[MartyA]

Hooray!

[justyn.smith]

Wish I'd read this a month ago!!!

I had the carbs off to replace the manifolds and figured might as well do the cam chain adjustment...and stripped the bolt doing it back up.

Unfortunatly I wasn't sure what this did (not sure about anything much really) and put the bike back together.

cranking....cranking....cranking....nothing.

So onto the trailer and to the bike shop we went....

check the fuel, check the electrics...

cranking....cranking..... 3 batteries later.... push start....nothing.

the mechanic asked me what I'd been doing besides the manifold install and I told him about the cam adjuster.... he went white!

cam chain had jumped and I'd bent valves.

Good news is I'm now getting a 1200 rebore, new pistons, rings (needed them anyway) new gaskets (really needed them anyway) and it's worth putting on the dyna to see what we can see...

I'm just glad the rest of you have the sense to replace/fix the adjuster with a 50c halicoil before you need a $3000 engine rebuild!