Cam Chain tensioner adjust

[Duane]

Good day. How would I adjust the CAM chain Tensioner. I read here on the fourm 20 second fix, adjusted one click, etc... How do I do that? It sounds easy, I looked in the manual and it tells me to remove the camshaft cover, etc... Is this the only way or is there an eaiser way?

Any help appreciated.

Duane

 

[HellFire]

It adjusts? lol

 

[buddha]

buddHA

hi DUANE
IF HELLFIRE ANSWER HELPS COULD EXPLAIN IT TO ME

 

[budman]

..my 06 developed the infamous paint can rattle.....then it went away on it's own....wtf?....the service manager explained to me that the tensioner is a spring loaded/self adjusting tpe of mechanism..that was about 2 years ago and I haven't had any problems with it since...knock on wood...but there is a newer tensioner I believe that is supposed to be better than the older style.....warp 9 knows about it...hopefully he'll come along and explain it better than I can...I should probably replace mine..

 

[Power-Tripp]

The stock tensioner is a ratcheting unit that is spring loaded and are self-adjusting, as the cam chain stretches.

The latest stock tensioners from Triumph have deeper notches in the ratcheting mechanism, that should help to reduce the failures that have occurred on the R3 and 1050 engines that these are used on.

The after-market manual tensioners require periodic adjusting.

I hope this helps.

 

[Pig9r]

Yes, self adjusting. Whatever you do, do not remove the tensioner it unless the front cover is off. Removing the tensioner will loosen the chain and allow the cams to rotate due to the valve spring pressure.

 

[Duane]

Thanks for the input all.
I will pick up a new one. I have a 2005 and it sounds like there is some ticking comming from the engine.

 

[Gothlander]

Not sure if this works but worth a try............ stop on an incline (or is it a decline? try both), turn engine off, place in first gear then allow bike to roll back a bit. This may reduce the tension on the chain enough to allow it to click over to the next notch.

 

[warp9.9]

I bought a new tensioner after I heard they were different. I have found out there is no difference in the new ones at all the teeth are the same size as all the others. That being said they are self adjusting and need a anti kick back mechanism in them to insure they do not loose their tension and jump timing. This plus they are hard on the back of the guide and if the back of the guide goes you will have problem with having the right tension. Of course the deformation and softening of the rubber from engine temps. on the back of the guide can be attributed to the guide not the tensioner. Together they can create a problem. APE has a manual tensioner and the same if not amplified problem occurs when using one of them. APE is redesigning their tensioner to hopefully eliminate the problem.
When you think your tensioner is in need of one more click on the ratchet mechanism Goth is right park a slight downward hill and rock the bike to remove the slack on the left side of the chain this will put it on the right side and eliminate pressure on the tensioner so it can adjust. IMOP you can do this on flat ground and just rock the bike forwards and backwards to relax the pressure on the cam chain tensioner guide and tensioner itself.

Below is extreme deformation of the guide



Below is results of loosing the tension and what the chain can do to the guide as it whips the slack around.



Note the round depression in the one that is not broken this is from a stock bike no horse power mods and the center depression is not on a new one.

And this is a extreme failure not a minor one. There are not a lot of these failures out there so no need for people to freak out

I have modified my tensioner and guide system so I do not have this problem as I still prefer the aut tensioning mechanisim verses a manual one. Reason being I would hate to forget the adjust the manual until it was to late and I just don't trust myself as I am not getting any younger and my memory is not like it was when I was younger

 

[Loanstar]

What exactly does it sound like when this tensioner needs adjusting? I started hearing a squeaky rattle today when the bike was hot, mostly while gearing down and decelerating, but only while in gear. It sure sounds like a paint can rattle but the bike was definitely warmed up and from what I've read here, the "paint can rattle" seems to be present in a cold bike.

I should mention, I have an 09 standard with 35000k. Service is all up to date.