Cam chain tensioners - adjustment!

[Vard66]

How does one go about this?
My new cam chain has started to rattle a tad again, I'm presuming this merely means it's stretched a bit in wearing in.

I've been searching across the forum, but I can't seem to find anything detailing any of the steps of the process.

Can anyone give me a fairly concise guide?

[parby81]

they are automatic mate. All you can do is take the whole thing out, re-set them to the bottom and put them back in, then they automatically take up the slack in the cam-chain. If its not taking it all up or sounds like a machine gun you'll have to buy a new one.

[Vard66]

I was hoping noone was going to tell me that.

It's not a dire rattling, but it is definately rattling again, despite the new chain and full service.

It's hella disappointing after she was so smooth and sweet just after I got her back.

And when you say 'new one' I presume you mean the tensioners, rather than the chain?

[cargo]

Could it be that this new nosise is something else entirely?

In recent weeks I've dealt with two nosy camchains...............one sounds fine untill exactly 3000 revs and it was fine once you reved it past 3000.

The other only made a noise at exactly 6000 revs once again the noise vanished once you went past 6000............it really sounded bad if say you were riding along at 8000 revs and knocked off and droppd a gear to slow down as the revs dropped once again at 6000 it sounded really terrible.

In both cases it was the tensioner that was faulty along with a broken tensioner blade in one case

Did you fit a new chain on it's own ?

Did you do it right ?

Did you refit the tensioner properly ?

Did you replace the tensioner blade ?

Sorry to sound pedantic but this is definatly a pet topic of mine

[RedexRobB]

Sorry to sound pedantic but this is definatly a pet topic of mine

We dont call him 'Cargo the Cam Chain Guru' for nothing!

[parby81]

yeah i do mean a new tensioner, not chain. If you replaced the chain you might have well have replaced the tensioner as well. Do it and see if the noise gets sorted, if not start looking at other things as cargo says.

[zimm]

you can "kind of" adjust them.. but its more a temporary hack to help diagnose a slack chain..

just slacken both bolts off a few turns and let the tensioner drop 2mm and extend the rod a click or two, then nip up the bolts making the chain tighter than before.

if its gets quieter, it was a low tension/stretched chain causing the rattle, if not, its something else.

[cargo]

you can "kind of" adjust them.. but its more a temporary hack to help diagnose a slack chain..

just slacken both bolts off a few turns and let the tensioner drop 2mm and extend the rod a click or two, then nip up the bolts making the chain tighter than before.

if its gets quieter, it was a low tension/stretched chain causing the rattle, if not, its something else.

SMARTARSE

[parby81]

yeah, though as he says "temporary". Extending a tensioner beyond its usable range and it will eventually let go. Bye bye engine!!
Be okay just to see if that helps, but i wouldn't trust it for too long

[zimm]

it wont extend beyond its usable range, sometimes the spring gets tired and needs a hand to extend to the point that the chain is at the correct tension ..

if you go more than a couple of clicks you could over tension the chain though.. which has a nasty effect on the chain and cams.... and makes it sound like an NC30 .. lol.

you could always drill out the base of the tensioner, tap it and fit a bolt and locknut .. then do it manually..

[nitro_rhys]

recent weeks I've dealt with two nosy camchains...............one sounds fine untill exactly 3000 revs and it was fine once you reved it past 3000.

The other only made a noise at exactly 6000 revs once again the noise vanished once you went past 6000............it really sounded bad if say you were riding along at 8000 revs and knocked off and droppd a gear to slow down as the revs dropped once again at 6000 it sounded really terrible.

sounds like mine

How much would it cost to get the cam chain and tensioner replaced? and the head gasket too?]

thanks

[cargo]

recent weeks I've dealt with two nosy camchains...............one sounds fine untill exactly 3000 revs and it was fine once you reved it past 3000.

The other only made a noise at exactly 6000 revs once again the noise vanished once you went past 6000............it really sounded bad if say you were riding along at 8000 revs and knocked off and droppd a gear to slow down as the revs dropped once again at 6000 it sounded really terrible.

sounds like mine

How much would it cost to get the cam chain and tensioner replaced? and the head gasket too?]

thanks

Thats a days work to me............early start and late finish.

I'd recommend you have you valves lapped in and clearances set as well while the head is off...............dealers are charging £40 or more an hour................ I'd do it for much less