cam chain tensioners

Taps ...if tensioners are gone engine makes a racket ,chain would be loose and jumping around all over the place ....tapping noise relates to valve clearence ... they arrived today new cct

OUCH!!!

Edited by tapmyhed - 14 Dec 2011 at 12:31

Just use thicker oil or some banana's and sawdust ....It'l be fine and quiet.

He we go taps another route in I found somewhere .

Correct me or not the tensioners self prime on start up. When built in factory the engine oil is filled by dealer at point of sale.

Edited by joe 90 - 20 Dec 2011 at 20:53

Nice pics!

Has no one on here replaced the standard ones with aftermarket screw adjust type?

I recall a year or so back one of the guys on the 'zone I think he was an aussie, made some and also found a way to re do the big ends using Toyota shells in the same thread.

Also one of the yanks on AF1 is selling sets of mechanical with hydraulic assistance for cheaper than Rotax originals.

Aside from the strange practice of putting tensioners on the drive side of the cam chains I can't see anything but problems in store using a purely hydraulic tensioner.

Discuss............as our overseas friends say

I know how long they've been used and I know why as well,basically because it's a cheap,easy and automatic way of doing the job.

Anything that involves a mechanically inept gorilla (read average bike tec) swinging on a spanner is open to abuse,however hopefully we know enough here do things properly.

These aftermarket types have the ability to take out most of the lash from the chains by mechanical means and still provide hydraulic adjustment when pressured up.

The advantage being that they can't back off completely if the pressure drops or fluctuates,unlike the Rotax offerings which can back right off and leave the cam chain flapping in the breeze and the valves dancing on the pistons.

When mine need doing I know what type I'll be using as replacements.

Example of the type of thing I'm talking about

http://www.apriliaforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=127499


Ok, hyperlink doesn't work but cut and paste into browser will




Edited by IanG - 21 Dec 2011 at 18:25

I'll trust a mechanical tensioner unit that I've set up over a std hydraulic part anyday,especially when high revs are involved.

Plus if the concept is good enough for the 200mph Punisher on the Texas Mile I'm sure it will take whatever I throw at it.

I've never had any problems with a manual tensioner on any bikes I've owned,but I've heard of quite a few hydraulic ones failing.

Personal choice really,I'm sure you made the right decision for you.

But then those that can make things,tend to...............those that can't stick with OEM (to paraphrase)


I like nothing better than improving on compromise parts that come as standard and I never stop questioning ''how can I improve this''



Edited by IanG - 21 Dec 2011 at 19:53

i took out the new cam chain tensioner today , because I did not prime it, just as I thought it is self priming on start up .It was solid , so put it back. Tensioner has a valve , pressure builds up pushes valve in lets oil in ( this happens within seconds)