Advice needed on cam chain

[seantopbloke]

Ok.
No doubt discussed before but search did not yield enough spiele. i need some info.
Mine is noisy from start up but gets a little quieter as she warms. The noise doesn't completely go away & it rattles more when revved up.
Haynes doesn't really tell me much about the job. I am a proficient home mechanic on cars & bikes but i really cant be bothered doing this.

I am assuming the chain will need replacing along with the tensioner ?
How much should i expect to pay in a garage & should i stop riding until its done ?

Any info on doing the job myself & the cost for having it done will be greatly received

[markaboot]

you tried rolling it backwards in gear with the plugs out?


ride it up a hill somewhere, i use the back alley. take the plugs out or put it in 5th and let it roll backwards.
taking plugs out is the preferred method but im lazy and dont have the time to mess about with plugs.


make sure around the plugs is cleaned before taking them out!

[darrsi]

From reading on here and personal experience they tend to start constantly rattling around the 30,000 mile mark, give or take.
You're looking at 2hrs+ using a proper bike mechanic, and you change the worn chain. They will hook up the new chain to the old one and feed it through whilst pulling out the old one, then rivet the chain.
 
It's not a job i would personally ever attempt myself, especially as it seems someone found a small chain one day, then decided to build a Fazer around it by adding bits. 

The other option is an endless chain and split the engine, which should just about pay for the mechanics summer holiday.

If it's a mild rattle then i'd say there's no immediate urgency, i got mine done 'cos i've got sensitive hearing and it was like torture to me.
Once it was done the bike sounded so much better though, it'll still give a slight rattle when cold as standard but once the oil warms it'll totally go away.


http://fazerowners.yuku.com/topic/31978#.UXuylrVwrSg
 

[Hobgoblin]

Hi, mines rattly when cold but it gets better when it warms up.
Markaboot, I'm no expert in these things so could you explain to me what rolling it backwards with the plugs out in 5th does please?!
If it's some possible magical cure I'll try it, but I thought it was bad to rotate the engine in anything other than its usual forward rotation?
Many thanks, Keith.

[Gnasher]

Ok.
No doubt discussed before but search did not yield enough spiele. i need some info.
Mine is noisy from start up but gets a little quieter as she warms. The noise doesn't completely go away & it rattles more when revved up.
Haynes doesn't really tell me much about the job. I am a proficient home mechanic on cars & bikes but i really cant be bothered doing this.

I am assuming the chain will need replacing along with the tensioner ?
How much should i expect to pay in a garage & should i stop riding until its done ?

Any info on doing the job myself & the cost for having it done will be greatly received

The engine is designed to be revved most owners don't and the tensioner gets stuck between teeth if left this will wear the cam chain and blades prematurely.

Take the tensioner out and reset it, once the engine is warm and running as normal providing the bike got no other issues take it out and give it a good few handfuls in the lower gears right to the red line holding it there for a a few seconds each time and prov.   

Don't blame me if it snaps but it shouldn't and providing it not too worn the noise should go

[packie]

It's worth a mention that taking the tensioner off, means that the carbs will have to come off too to access it which makes it a fair amount of work.

[Gnasher]

It's worth a mention that taking the tensioner off, means that the carbs will have to come off too to access it which makes it a fair amount of work.

You Dont have to remove the carbs it's tight with a bit of flexing but it can be done.


You can also try the plugs out, in gear push the bike backwards it work but if there is wear or a broken part within the tensioner it will just not work or not for long.  I've had many an owner come to me after a month or so after having their cam chains replaced by a stealer only to find their tensioner had failed!     

[Raymy]

I've had 2 fazers, both done it. It gets to the point you don't even hear it cos yer so used to it

[simonm]

If the bike has done 38k would you reset the tensioner or do the cam chain ?

t doing the cam chains seems more than a little risky as wouldn't it practically destroy the engine if it failed ?

 this a better safe than sorry deal ?

[darrsi]

If the bike has done 38k would you reset the tensioner or do the cam chain ?

t doing the cam chains seems more than a little risky as wouldn't it practically destroy the engine if it failed ?

 this a better safe than sorry deal ?

If it still sounds like a loud sewing machine when the engine is properly warmed up then personally i would get the chain changed, for peace of mind, and ears! 

[Dead Eye]

If the bike has done 38k would you reset the tensioner or do the cam chain ?

t doing the cam chains seems more than a little risky as wouldn't it practically destroy the engine if it failed ?

 this a better safe than sorry deal ?

Best bet is to check the tensioner and see how far along it is - that will determine if you need to replace the cam chain or not.

If memory serves me, there are 12 teeth on the tensioner. My red bike began to tick a little at about 25k miles and since I had the carbs off I checked it out. Ended up that the tensioner was at about 7 teeth - so still some adjusting left on it and figured I'd leave the cam chain for a bit

[Lawrence]

If the bike has done 38k would you reset the tensioner or do the cam chain ?

t doing the cam chains seems more than a little risky as wouldn't it practically destroy the engine if it failed ?

 this a better safe than sorry deal ?

Mine was rattling at about 30k.  I reset the tensioner but it had no effect, after a few more miles (no idea how many, up to 1000) it stopped on it's own.  I guess I could've just wedged something down the tensioner before screwing the spring back in and popped it out another notch but I didn't fancy doing that.

[simonm]

You Dont have to remove the carbs it's tight with a bit of flexing but it can be done.

I just had a look at the bike to see what wriggle room there is.  You must be talented to get that booger out without removing the tank & carbs....

[markaboot]

i believe the trick with rolling it backwards is to provide enough slack on the tensioner side for it to jump another click.

having had it out for the third time this week it doesn't take that long when you know how.

• tank off
• battery out
• airbox side covers off
• release the bracket across the frame
• ht leads off the plugs then fold the lot back over towards the seat
• release the bracket holding the tank drain
• undo the two side nuts holding the air box
• release the clamps on the intake side of the carbs
• slide the air box back into battery space and then tighten the two side nuts to hold it in place.
• undo the clamps engine side of the carbs and then lift the carbs up
• secure them up in place

you should then have enough space to remove the tensioner without disconnecting everything

[Lawrence]

You Dont have to remove the carbs it's tight with a bit of flexing but it can be done.

I just had a look at the bike to see what wriggle room there is.  You must be talented to get that booger out without removing the tank & carbs....

There's not much room but if you get them back/up you can do the tensioner without completely removing the carbs.

[Gnasher]

You Dont have to remove the carbs it's tight with a bit of flexing but it can be done.

I just had a look at the bike to see what wriggle room there is.  You must be talented to get that booger out without removing the tank & carbs....

There's not much room but if you get them back/up you can do the tensioner without completely removing the carbs.

 

[scottyboy2203]

if you get the cam chain replaced do you really need to have a new tensioner?? surely it's just reset and reused unless it is broken...

[Ebme Geek]

I used the original when I did mine recently, all is running fine 

[Dead Eye]

if you get the cam chain replaced do you really need to have a new tensioner?? surely it's just reset and reused unless it is broken...

This would be nice to know definitively - in my opinion I can't see any reason for not using the existing tensioner as its just a ratchet system which should be taking extremely little wear, but I could be wrong

[simonm]

if you get the cam chain replaced do you really need to have a new tensioner?? surely it's just reset and reused unless it is broken...

This would be nice to know definitively - in my opinion I can't see any reason for not using the existing tensioner as its just a ratchet system which should be taking extremely little wear, but I could be wrong

I wonder if the constant tension on the cct at full extension could cause rattle in itself.  I'd have thought this would be an unpleasant sound but not a requirement.

I agree, if the cct operates correctly without sticking there shouldn't be any reason not to reuse it.

All guess work tho.

[Ebme Geek]

I would have more liked to have replaced the chain guides rather than the tensioner, but as I changed the chain by cutting and joining I did not have the engine in enough bits to be able to replace the rear guide that actually keeps the tension and probably takes the worst wear, nothing looked too bad and I was happy the tensioner was mid range not almost at it's end as it had been before changing the chain.
 
http://foc-u.co.uk/index.php/topic,6858.0.html
 
Putting together a couple of the above posts, I would slide the carbs back attached to airbox, remove the centre bolt & spring on the tensioner, carefully remove tensioner and see how many clicks it has left and decide from there 
 
Tip: smear the inlet rubbers with silicon grease to help ease the carbs back in, helps a lot.