Cam Chain Tensioner Adjusters

Reply Subscribe

Thread Tools

Search this Thread

07-21-2004, 01:15 PM

rodger322

Guest

Posts: n/a

Cam Chain Tensioner Adjusters

As a subscriber and lurker on multiple superhawk sites I'm well aware of the many reports of major engine damage when the adjusters suddenly fail. From what I've read it seems the Honda (and Suzuki) automatic adjusters fail with some regularity, and some times the failures are catastrophic and without warning. A few weeks ago my '98 hawk started rattling very loudly, sounding like a cold diesel at idle and rapping as if in dire need of major tappet adjustment. Oddly, the noise would develop while riding and then sometimes it would go away on its own or when next starting the engine. I suspected a bad adjuster and did some research on OEM and aftermarket replacements. The only aftermarket I found was APE. My mechanic friend of 33 years at the local Honda dealer recommended going with the APE units rather than the OEM Honda units because of his experience with failures of the self-adjusting Honda adjusters. As I understand it, the stock unit is a spring loaded plunger which is free to ride in and out of its case as tension on the chain varies in use. Sometimes the spring breaks and the plunger loses its pressure against the tensioner, other times the plunger will "hang up" in its case and fail to apply sufficient pressure. In either event the cam chain starts whipping around and may even jump off a sprocket tooth. The APE units are manually adjusted and then locked in place; the plunger can not move. However, the labor to install is much more complex because the cylinder head covers and chain guides must be removed so that chain slack between the two cam sprockets can be measured as the tensioner is adjusted. The OEM units are just bolt-on and then self adjust (tank and airbox removal required for the front). It is important, though, to confirm that crank and cam timing are still correct even when swapping out for new OEM units. I now have the APE units and no more rapping diesel noises. This all happened at about 4,000 miles since new.

Rodger

10-16-2004, 02:43 AM

tony.wilde1

Junior Member

Squid

Join Date: Oct 2004

Location: sussex ,united kingdom

Posts: 28

Re: Cam Chain Tensioner Adjusters

hi there..im in uk and have designed a camchain tensioner from the standard honda one..this allows you to adjust the tension using the honda spring and then lock the position ..only requiring one adjustment every 2000 miles ..which is as simple as undoing a nut and doing it back up!!i have a rough drawing of this design..also a video of how they work..its all quite simple and very very cheap!!im not selling the idea...maybe a donation

email me for details.cheers..

12-09-2004, 08:52 AM

superbling

Moderator

MotoGP

Join Date: Dec 2004

Location: South Texas

Posts: 2,553

Re: Cam Chain Tensioner Adjusters

I'm curious, did anyone take Tony up on his offer?

01-16-2005, 06:42 AM

Rollingalong

Senior Member

Back Marker

Join Date: Oct 2004

Posts: 205

Re: Cam Chain Tensioner Adjusters

Tony is a good guy , I've spoke with him over on the U.K Firestorm site but for the money it's tough to beat the APE's .

This APE design is nothing new . All old KZ's , some Hondas and more used positive lock tensioners . Setting the tension down occasionly was just part of the program and that was with those old roller chains .

These new link belt chains should only need adjustment once every blue moon seeing the material and design is so much better.

Make your own gaskets though or at least I did .