zenbiker
Zenbiker
Jeez...I'm glad Carpenter put in a manual cam chain tensioner. Release the lock nut and turn the bolt in hand tight at idle and re-tighten the lock nut.
Couldn't be easier.
Couldn't be easier.
Cam chain tensioner check
- Thread starter Ridefree
- Start date
Rocket Scientist
Grand Exulted Poobah
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- Sep 27, 2009
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- 6,742
- Location
- Spring Lake, Michigan
- Ride
- Black 05' Rocket III standard
The Warp 9.9 auto-adjusting anti-kickback tensioner is even easier yet, and costs about a dollar to make.
Idaho Red Rocket 3
Living Legend
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2008
- Messages
- 5,757
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- Nampa, Idaho USA
- Ride
- 2006 RIII Standard Bagger w/Fairing
Got pictures Fred ?
scot in exile
Living Legend
Fred has pictures but he is so ugly you do not want to see them.
Ridefree
Supercharged
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
- Messages
- 352
- Location
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Ride
- 2013 R3T .... 2003 Harley softail
Hi all,
First I want to say thank you to everyone that replied to this thread with advice and help. My wife and I returned from our bike trip a few days ago and work has been crazy and this is my first chance to post. So here is an update on cam chain rattle.
Just before we left I put in the spacer for the tensioner spring. Unfortunately it didn't make any difference when I started the bike. That night I also installed the TORS mufflers and had the TORS tune downloaded at the dealer the next morning, But that is not relevant to the topic of this thread. We left on the trip thinking that with some road time and a few hundred miles the tensioner might adjust but that didn't happen. Now, Once the engine is warmed up it's quiet but I think the problem has gotten a little worse. Before the trip, when the engine was cold, the cam chain was quiet at idle and I would have to rev it to 1200 - 1300 rpms to get it rattle. But as we got into our trip (and I first started it in the mornings) I began to notice a slight random "tink" "tink" "tink" at idle, and the of course as I reved it to 1200 rpms it would go to the full rattle.
The history on this noise started back at about 8500 miles on the clock. It was very slight and would go away within 30 seconds after starting it cold ( just the slightest engine warmth and it was gone).By the time it got to 10'000 miles the noise was more pronounced and would last longer. At the 10'000 mile service I told the service manager about it and asked if he could have the mechanic take a look down in the chain chest to see if all looked well since he had the top off to check the valves. When I picked the bike up he told me that the valves were OK and the mechanic took the tensioner out and blew out the oil passages, cleaned it up, and made sure it was good (RED FLAG). We debated the fact that the Rocket didn't have a hydrolic tensioner, that is was spring loaded ratchet, he assured me I was wrong and that was a hydrolic tensioner(whatever, I knew better). I could tell that they did indeed remove the tensioner because there was new fluf around the new gasket. Anyway, the chain noise was gone, engine sounded beautiful at cold start up. This lasted about 1200 miles and it was back, now worse than it ever was when cold. But, as I said before, once it warms up engine sounds great.
Sorry for the long winded post but i thought all the history might help.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this, Ridefree
First I want to say thank you to everyone that replied to this thread with advice and help. My wife and I returned from our bike trip a few days ago and work has been crazy and this is my first chance to post. So here is an update on cam chain rattle.
Just before we left I put in the spacer for the tensioner spring. Unfortunately it didn't make any difference when I started the bike. That night I also installed the TORS mufflers and had the TORS tune downloaded at the dealer the next morning, But that is not relevant to the topic of this thread. We left on the trip thinking that with some road time and a few hundred miles the tensioner might adjust but that didn't happen. Now, Once the engine is warmed up it's quiet but I think the problem has gotten a little worse. Before the trip, when the engine was cold, the cam chain was quiet at idle and I would have to rev it to 1200 - 1300 rpms to get it rattle. But as we got into our trip (and I first started it in the mornings) I began to notice a slight random "tink" "tink" "tink" at idle, and the of course as I reved it to 1200 rpms it would go to the full rattle.
The history on this noise started back at about 8500 miles on the clock. It was very slight and would go away within 30 seconds after starting it cold ( just the slightest engine warmth and it was gone).By the time it got to 10'000 miles the noise was more pronounced and would last longer. At the 10'000 mile service I told the service manager about it and asked if he could have the mechanic take a look down in the chain chest to see if all looked well since he had the top off to check the valves. When I picked the bike up he told me that the valves were OK and the mechanic took the tensioner out and blew out the oil passages, cleaned it up, and made sure it was good (RED FLAG). We debated the fact that the Rocket didn't have a hydrolic tensioner, that is was spring loaded ratchet, he assured me I was wrong and that was a hydrolic tensioner(whatever, I knew better). I could tell that they did indeed remove the tensioner because there was new fluf around the new gasket. Anyway, the chain noise was gone, engine sounded beautiful at cold start up. This lasted about 1200 miles and it was back, now worse than it ever was when cold. But, as I said before, once it warms up engine sounds great.
Sorry for the long winded post but i thought all the history might help.
Thanks in advance for any thoughts on this, Ridefree
Ridefree
Supercharged
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
- Messages
- 352
- Location
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Ride
- 2013 R3T .... 2003 Harley softail
So, I was thinking about taking the crankshaft plug out of the front cover to see if I could look in at the chain, Maybe push on a little with a long screw driver to see if there is any slack.
Ridefree
Ridefree
Ridefree
Supercharged
- Joined
- Jul 11, 2012
- Messages
- 352
- Location
- St. Petersburg, Florida
- Ride
- 2013 R3T .... 2003 Harley softail
Well tonight after work I took the crankshaft plug out of the front cover and took a look at the chain and crank sprocket. The chain seemed snug and no noticeable wear on the chain and sprocket that I could see and no metal s shavings.after I put the plug back in I realized I should have tried wiggling the crank sprocket.what do you guys think so far.I'll try wiggling the crank sprocket in the morning. If that's tight, what else could be making the noise?
Pedro
Turbocharged
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2007
- Messages
- 613
- Location
- Rockingham , Western Australia
- Ride
- 05 TTS , Lush Rocket standard
Some of the early Rockets had what they called the paint can rattle.it was caused by the crank sprocket key not being harded correctly. if it is this it needs looking at now .one could have pistons and valves metting in the middle if the crank sprocket was to fail.have not heard of this in newer models . Oil pump chain can rattle on some engines as well .Bothe these parts are behind the clutch cover.
Mark Dunn
.060 Over
Hi all,
Just a word to the wise...
I have a 2009 R3 standard with 37,000 miles and no engine mods aside from running Wayne Tripp's tune (which is bloody brilliant by the way). Just for ****s and giggles I checked the drop of the plunger in the cam chain tensioner using warp9.9's method and found it to be 18.5mm, - so more than the 16mm recommended. Two points arise from this:
Regards,
Mark
Just a word to the wise...
I have a 2009 R3 standard with 37,000 miles and no engine mods aside from running Wayne Tripp's tune (which is bloody brilliant by the way). Just for ****s and giggles I checked the drop of the plunger in the cam chain tensioner using warp9.9's method and found it to be 18.5mm, - so more than the 16mm recommended. Two points arise from this:
1. An important part of the engine that could lead to major issues if it fails, is out of specification after only 37,000 miles. That's pretty ugly.
2. I would encourage you to check the drop on your ride and if necessary fit the Triumph spacer, - part number T1140188, - as I have now done.
Thanks go to warp9.9 for bringing this to our attention.2. I would encourage you to check the drop on your ride and if necessary fit the Triumph spacer, - part number T1140188, - as I have now done.
Regards,
Mark
Rocket65
Supercharged
Since it is a '13, I wouldn't mess with it. Just have the dealer fix it under warranty.
