Cam adjuster/chain question

dsrtrat · 03-03-2020, 08:00 AM

Last spring bike (1500 nomad) started making the typical cam chain noise. No biggie. Bought extenders and installed them. Front one has me concerned. I did not do the top dead centre trick but just installed them where engine stopped. Front one had a lot of pressure on it which i have had before. What concerns me is the chain guide was right tight against the hole. I have not seen that in the past. I was able to force it back in and reinstall the tensioner. Everything seemed to work fine. Then by end of summer i started to get a rattle in there again. I just fired the bike up the other day and it seemed to have either a rattle or a ticking sound. Whatever it was was rythmic and was metal tapping metal. I shut bike off and we did some work on it. I started it again later and it was gone. One thing i remembered from last fall was the sound i felt might be the chain didnt happen everytime i rode. It almost sounds like there is slack somehow and depending on where the pistons were on shutdown, it may sound different.

I'm wondering if this is even possible? Anyone ever have the chain guide that close to the tensioner hole? Could it be broken and out of position? Could the sound i am hearing be something else?

redjay · 03-03-2020, 02:03 PM

You rode it from Spring until Summer and everything was fine. How long was the bike sat before you started it up the other day ? If the sound goes away after riding 10 minutes or so my thoughts are it could be the hydraulic lifters. Nothing to worry about if it is.

dsrtrat · 03-03-2020, 10:37 PM

I hope it stays away. Bike had been sitting since end of oct.

Have you ever seen the guide right tight to the extenser hole? That was new for me

redjay · 03-04-2020, 09:23 AM

When I did the cam chain extenders about 10 years ago I had no issues installing the tensioners but that could be just luck at where the crank position was. I did not position the crank at TDC because when I did it the possibility of the chain jumping a cog was not a known issue. That information came later.

01Nomad1500 · 03-05-2020, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redjay

When I did the cam chain extenders about 10 years ago I had no issues installing the tensioners but that could be just luck at where the crank position was. I did not position the crank at TDC because when I did it the possibility of the chain jumping a cog was not a known issue. That information came later.

What is the chain jumping a cog issue? Is this when changing the tensioners? I’ve not heard of it.

redjay · 03-05-2020, 10:26 PM

"Is this when changing the tensioners" ?

Correct.

dsrtrat · 03-06-2020, 01:50 PM

The chain jumping a cog issue is exactly that. Kawasaki manual basically says do the tensioner. But one unfortunate individual in here had the chain jump while doing it. He therefore had to pull the engine and reset the timing. A buttload of work. Even tho thousands have been done successfully by just doing the tensuoners where the engine stopped, you reduce the odds of it by bringing the cylinder to TDC. Bit more work but less than resetting the timing. Ive done three as per the manual. I think its rare but if u have that kind of luck, take the extra time to set TDC on each jug.

01Nomad1500 · 03-06-2020, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dsrtrat

The chain jumping a cog issue is exactly that. Kawasaki manual basically says do the tensioner. But one unfortunate individual in here had the chain jump while doing it. He therefore had to pull the engine and reset the timing. A buttload of work. Even tho thousands have been done successfully by just doing the tensuoners where the engine stopped, you reduce the odds of it by bringing the cylinder to TDC. Bit more work but less than resetting the timing. Ive done three as per the manual. I think its rare but if u have that kind of luck, take the extra time to set TDC on each jug.

Interesting. Thank you for the additional info. Makes you wonder if he accidentally turned it while the tensioner was removed.

03-03-2020, 08:00 AM	#1
dsrtrat Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 221	Cam adjuster/chain question Last spring bike (1500 nomad) started making the typical cam chain noise. No biggie. Bought extenders and installed them. Front one has me concerned. I did not do the top dead centre trick but just installed them where engine stopped. Front one had a lot of pressure on it which i have had before. What concerns me is the chain guide was right tight against the hole. I have not seen that in the past. I was able to force it back in and reinstall the tensioner. Everything seemed to work fine. Then by end of summer i started to get a rattle in there again. I just fired the bike up the other day and it seemed to have either a rattle or a ticking sound. Whatever it was was rythmic and was metal tapping metal. I shut bike off and we did some work on it. I started it again later and it was gone. One thing i remembered from last fall was the sound i felt might be the chain didnt happen everytime i rode. It almost sounds like there is slack somehow and depending on where the pistons were on shutdown, it may sound different. I'm wondering if this is even possible? Anyone ever have the chain guide that close to the tensioner hole? Could it be broken and out of position? Could the sound i am hearing be something else? Login or Register to Remove Ads
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03-03-2020, 02:03 PM	#2
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,926	You rode it from Spring until Summer and everything was fine. How long was the bike sat before you started it up the other day ? If the sound goes away after riding 10 minutes or so my thoughts are it could be the hydraulic lifters. Nothing to worry about if it is.
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03-03-2020, 10:37 PM	#3
dsrtrat Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 221	I hope it stays away. Bike had been sitting since end of oct. Have you ever seen the guide right tight to the extenser hole? That was new for me
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03-04-2020, 09:23 AM	#4
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,926	When I did the cam chain extenders about 10 years ago I had no issues installing the tensioners but that could be just luck at where the crank position was. I did not position the crank at TDC because when I did it the possibility of the chain jumping a cog was not a known issue. That information came later.
	0

03-05-2020, 10:26 PM	#6
redjay Top Contributor Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Ontario Posts: 6,926	"Is this when changing the tensioners" ? Correct.
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03-06-2020, 01:50 PM	#7
dsrtrat Member Join Date: May 2018 Posts: 221	The chain jumping a cog issue is exactly that. Kawasaki manual basically says do the tensioner. But one unfortunate individual in here had the chain jump while doing it. He therefore had to pull the engine and reset the timing. A buttload of work. Even tho thousands have been done successfully by just doing the tensuoners where the engine stopped, you reduce the odds of it by bringing the cylinder to TDC. Bit more work but less than resetting the timing. Ive done three as per the manual. I think its rare but if u have that kind of luck, take the extra time to set TDC on each jug.
	0