Cam Chain Wear

[jetmechmarty]

I replaced my CCT today with one of the auto units. When I pulled the old one, it was extended to 43 mm. Full extension is 45 mm. Of coarse, the new CCT will extend much further. How will I know when the chain is unserviceable?

[crazy steve]

Marty, the FSM doesn't have much to say about that. All they say is if it stretches to where it won't hold an adjustment, then replace it. I guess if you run out of adjustment, that would be the same thing. They also caution that a worn chain can cause 'excessive' wear on the dampers, but don't give you any kind of 'spec' as to what that is; I guess you have to have a new one to compare to...

[XS1100_OEM4ME]

Rattle

A loud rattle noise followed by a clunk, then lock up No really, if you are down to 2mm, I would think you would want to go ahead and replace the chain on your next major maintencnce,, valve adv. etc. My understanding is the auto cct will go deaper then the OEM, letting you use the chain even beyound its usefull life, not something I would want to hope was OK just IMHO

I replaced my CCT today with one of the auto units. When I pulled the old one, it was extended to 43 mm. Full extension is 45 mm. Of coarse, the new CCT will extend much further. How will I know when the chain is unserviceable?

[bikerphil]

Got 60K on mine, still running strong <knock> with an auto CCT.

[mack]

Cam chain

I remember reading sometime ago that a tell tale sign is when the alignment dot on the exhaust cam is not in line but the intake side is, when at top dead center. Can't remember what thread that was in but it could have been a post by 3 phase or motoman.

[petejw]

hi marty,

if u remove the valve cover, check for any slop
between the chain and the cogs on the cam
there shouldnt be any, same way u would check
a chain on a chain driven bike.

[3Phase]

Marty, if there's only a couple of millimeters of adjustment left on the stock adjuster that cam chain has done its duty and should be given a place of honor in the old cam chain home.

Mack, if the valve cover has never been off since you got the bike then you should check a little further to know why the timing dots are off before buying a new chain and breaking out the safety goggles and the angle grinder. I know, I know, angle grinders are fun!

Yeah, it could be a worn timing chain but it could be someone pulled the cams to change the valve shims and goobered the timing or adjusted the tensioner with the engine running and the chain skipped a tooth.

[BA80]

Yeah, it could be a worn timing chain but it could be someone pulled the cams to change the valve shims and goobered the timing or adjusted the tensioner with the engine running and the chain skipped a tooth.

+1 It would have to be worn A LOT. I would be checking to make sure the gears were installed correctly.

[jetmechmarty]

There's no slop between the cogs, and the dots are all lined up nicely. I have to go back to work tomorrow and that means three weeks away. Maybe I'll do it now, or maybe wait until after the fall rally. This is running into a serious lot of stuff to do and precious little time to do it.

This all started when I learned I hadn't properly drilled my damper rods for the emulators. This has led to new brakes and lines, wheel bearings, checked valve clearance, steering head bearings, new throttle cable, carburetor float repair, tach replacement, derusted and painted inside headlight and clock buckets, and stuff I forgot. See what ADD can do! If I keep taking stuff apart, it will be next November before I get it back together.

[Lonerider62]

too little too late

At 56,000 miles I also discovered my tensioner had plunged all it could to take up the slack in the cam chain. The chains, by themselves are not very expensive and because I already had my cams out for the re-shiming I was doing, I figured I might as well do the chain. It didn't take very long, probably no more than an additional 1/2 hour. When you do the chain, you will need to grind off the head of the pins on the so-called "master link" and you will have to be able to peen the ends of the new cam cain master link. I just used the original chain as a "pull rope" to pull the new one into place.
The way I look at it, the reason most of these bikes are in the shape they are is because they got little to no regular maintenance. Every mechanical device on the planet has an expected life cycle and when it hasn't been taken care of that life span is shortened significantly. The cam chain is no different and when it has stretched to it's limit it's time to change it. Or, anyone can take the route of leave it for tomorrow (which really means next winter or next summer) it eventually snaps or gets enough slack to cause real problems and the lack of a new $40 chain kills an otherwise good engine. Take the road less traveled and save the real hassle of a new engine.

[jetmechmarty]

I pulled this from a different thread.

I was just reading your cam chain post Marty. Before you go ordering a new chain, check and make sure all the sliders are OK. As in not XSively worn or broken. JAT

How do I check the sliders? If they are bad, the cam chain damper is NLA. Has anyone here come up with a trick to repair it? Does the engine have to be disassembled to remove and replace it? Will my engine be making a lot of noise if the plastic material is go

[BA80]

The sliders are a PITA to change. The head and cylinders need to come off to R&R the assembly.

Sorry man. I didn't mean to panic you. I was just sayin' there are other components that need inspection. A chain might be all you need.

To answer your questions, broken would be fairly obvious, worn would be more difficult to detect. Unless it's worn through to the metal.

Actually, a couple of MM left in the adjuster ain't too bad. Anyone know where it should be to start?

[mack]

Alignment dots

Scott: I can assure you my covers have been off plenty of times. What I didn't articulate properly was that if you have been in there monitoring your shims and checking your chain from time to time , and notice that your alignment dots are creeping away from each other, then it's time for a new chain.

[80mdnt11]

Hi guys,
Was planning tc replacement soon. Thinking nessesary to remove head, guess not? But however can u replace sliders with head removal only? (not cylinders)
Thanks in advance,
Jim

[DAVINCI]

Jim,

Timing Chain replacement does not require Cylinder Head removal. Timing Chain Dampers (sliders) replacement requires both Cylinder Head and Cylinders removal.