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I take it the tensioner is at the bottom does it look right ?

Yeah thats the tensioner ok and it doesn't look like it's at full extension

If the mounting bolts were removed and then replaced it is possible that your cam chain is over tensioned.

As a starting point I'd remove the tensioner and reset it.................see if that makes a difference

but would it cause a bad rattle ?

Hi,

The tensioner is that silver rod in the bottom left hand corner. Are you sure the cam chain has been changed? that's looks rather close to it's limit to me and looks like the cam chain could do with replacing soon. I bought a 9000 mile zx400 engine and when I swapped the tensioner over from the nasty crappy design 1 to the later L design, the rod hardly even moved! it pretty much sits right at the bottom. Surely if the cam chain was replaced the tensioner rod would be right at the bottom and not the top.

I would also take Cargos advice, reset the tensioner and put it back in. Over tightend or too loose tensioner rattle nicely. You have to get them just right.

Regards

Rich

how do you reset that then ? anyone got a cheap engine

Hi,

First thing you have to do is take out that bolt on the side of the tensioner, located near the bottom. (in your picture I can see it's on the very left of the tensioner) [Coloured Green] There's a little ratchet system on the tensioner itself. See on the tensioner the little tiny straight grooves on the rod? at the bottom there's a tiny lever/arm [Circled Red] Move that arm back and push the rod into the tensioner as far as it goes [Arrowed Blue] (it's pretty dam strong.) Then slot in a very small but strong pin into the hole where you took that bolt out at the start. Bolt the tensioner to the engine and then pull the pin out. put the bolt back in the side and job done.

Regards

Rich

Thanks, done that and its gone back to the same place as before after tunring engine over by hand

Surely if the tensioner is extending most of the way its because the tensioner blade is worn? Or am i wrong in my assumptions?

RedexRobB wrote:Surely if the tensioner is extending most of the way its because the tensioner blade is worn? Or am i wrong in my assumptions?

Hi,

To be quite honest I don't honestly know or what a blade looks like when it's worn or unworn (new), I took my blade out of the L2 engine which had done 44k km and transfered it over to my new zx400 engine and everything is working like a treat.

racc wrote:Thanks, done that and its gone back to the same place as before after tunring engine over by hand

Yeah that's fine, a couple of clicks on the tensioner too far can corse the engine to rattle. By resetting the tensioner, you now know that the tensioner is at it's right tension. Put everything back together then have a listen.

Regards

Rich

and just to add to my joy who ever put the bolts back in the tensioner has stripped the threads in the bolt hole . so only one bolt hold the tensioner in :smt013

racc wrote:and just to add to my joy who every put the bolts back in the tensioner has stripped the threads in the bolt hole . so only one bolt hold the tensioner in :smt013

Hi,

Oh dear, well that wont help at all. Looks like you'll be on the hunt for some heli coils mate.

Regards

Rich