Help! VMax Autotensioner Leaking

[BigOates]

I picked up my first xs11 a week ago. Since then I've replaced the cam chain, cleaned the carbs (waiting on my color tune to come in the mail), and done a ton of other maintenance on it to get it ready to ride. The adjustment bolts on the stock adjuster were stripped so I decided to replace it with a vmax Autoadjuster I picked up off of eBay. It was off an 86 vmax if that matters. Anyways, after replacing the cam chain and buttoning everything up yesterday I started it up and noticed a steady stream of engine oil coming out of the bottom bolt hole of the cct. I did a search on here and found the bolts needed to be shortened due to the vmax tensioner being thinner than the stock unit. I placed a few washers on both bolts and it seemed to take it from a steady stream to a steady drip. I'm stumped at this point as to how to proceed. Anyone have any other ideas or been through this before?

[crazy steve]

The stock bolts are about 1/8" too long, so a 'few' washers may not be enough. I'd pull it, shorten the bolts and re-seal it...

[DGXSER]

I suppose this is linked to the V-Max and not the Venture tensioners. I have always used the same bolt as the stock unit and never had any problems.

Did you use a paper gasket for the seal? I have been using black RTV and it has not leaked a drop. It may be forgiving of that gap, but I would think an 1/8" would still be a lot of gap for it to seal.

[jetmechmarty]

Is it possible that you cranked down on those bolts until the casting broke? There are a lot of folks who think tighter is always better, and it's through inexperience. It's fine to shorten the bolts with washers.

[motoman]

Is it possible that you cranked down on those bolts until the casting broke? There are a lot of folks who think tighter is always better, and it's through inexperience. It's fine to shorten the bolts with washers.

Both the Venture and V-Max tensioners are the same and it does require shortening the bolts a bit. Those ARE 'bottom' holes. I used the allen bolts that came off the Venturer adjuster. Also, had one bike I had helped change, and it had a similar problem. Found the head casting had a burr around it keeping the adjuster base from pulling up tight, even though bolts seemed to pull up tight. Something you may wanna check, as I have seen this on two occassions now.

[BigOates]

Well I pulled it back off and made sure I had just over 1/8" worth of washers on each bolt then used some Hondabond gasket maker to seal it. I didn't see any burrs and the casting looked good from what I could tell. I'll test it out tomorrow and see how it does. The stripped out casting could be a possibility, especially since the original tensioner was leaking from the same area when I first got it from the po.

[BigOates]

Just wanted to say thanks for the help. The addition of enough washers to take up just over 1/8" solved the problem. Now as soon as my dynojet kit gets here I'll hopefully have her on the road.