oil leak around cam chain tensioner

[jeffro1954]

I seem to remember a thread some months back that talked about a leak around the cam chaing tensioner that when the wind blows it back it looks like a head gasket leaking. Am I remembering correct? What's the fix? take off tensioner and put a new gasket on?

[bikerphil]

There are 3 places the tensioner can leak from.

1. Gasket surface behind tensioner
2. O-Ring behind side lock nut
3. Front plug.

Your leak might be as simple as the front plug. Clean the area and apply RTV over it. The side O-Ring can be replaced without removing the tensioner. For the base gasket, the tensioner must come out. Be careful when removing/adjusting the tensioner. Follow the service manual to avoid a situation such as a chain slipping and bending valves. Always have bike on the centerstand when removing the tensioner. Keeping the engine level is very important.

[natemoen]

And if you have to remove you could just as well look into a v-max, venture, or vision tensioner since they operate better and don't have that leaking problem.

[Lucien Harpress]

I had a quite vigorous leak around the plug on the end. Thankfully all I had to do was pick the plug out, clean the edges of the plug and the tensioner housing, then "glue" it back in with some high-temp silicone. Gave me a better seal than just covering the end in silicone, and looks quite a bit nicer, too.

If you're leaking from anywhere else, somebody else is going to have to help you. I don't plan on messing with the cam chain any more than I have to!

[James England]

It's an easy fix. The tensioner bolt has a small O ring on it which I got out of a set of zillions of O rings which I bought on eBay. You can make a gasket using the templates on the UK XS1100 website. The front plug can be popped out, cleaned and put back with silicone.

I took my tensioner off and did all of the above and it hasn't leaked since.

You need to set the timing mark (under left hand casing) to C before taking off the cam chain tensioner and, as others have said, have the bike on the centre stand. Ignition off and key out, of course....

[jeffro1954]

Perfect explanation thanks. And that is exactly where the leak is coming from now that I look closer. I rebuilt the carbs this winter just put them on yesterday and remembered the leak. Plans are to start the bike today to hear that sweet sound and then come back to fix the cam chain leak later.