Babelfish

Yesterday I just heard about 2 engines blown to pices because manual tensioners were ignored and not adjusted. Both were SS race engines so wear is probably higher but anyway, don't neglect it. I won't for sure.

lazn

When were the CCT's updated? I have a 2000 SH and it has 50K miles on it.. I am not the original owner, so I don't know if they have been replaced yet or not. Should I go ahead and replace them? I don't hear any rattle from the engine, but it does have a loudish whine.

Motohead

With 50k, I'd say either your bike was built with them or the previous owner updated them. I went through 3 CCTs on the rear (all warrantied/ dealer installed as the first went within the first 12 mos) before giving up on the dealer and installing the APEs - all within the first 12k miles on my 2000. I now have almost 19k and no more problems (except the whine).

I never knew about the updated Honda CCTs until after I installed the APEs (before I found this place), but I would have done it anyway. +1 on Killer's post.

killer5280

A different story altogether. Of course they shouldn't be neglected, but there are so many other factors involved in race engines that it's an apples to oranges comparison. I have heard of engines being ruined by overpressurized hydraulic tensioners as well.

I bet neither engine was a Super Hawk.

Hawkrider

I've had the APEs on my bike for about 5 years and 20000 miles. I've yet to adjust them, however I have the rear leaking past the o-ring. To replace the o-ring I believe you have to remove the tensioner and I'm not looking forward to that....so I've ignored it and wiped up the occasional drop. Keeps the shock linkage lubed anyway. So that's something else to consider over the long-term.

Alan

Ive got automatic cct's (i have had the rear fail before now so i'm real paronoid) but mine are slightly different.

A mate of mine has come up with these





You take an m4 bolt (the same size as the one thats in your cct drill the centre out tap it to take the longer bolt with the 2 lock nuts on.

The long bolt you grind the end to a flat edge abit like a flat head screw driver.

FITTING

All you do is take the little bolt out your cct (no need to remove cct)

then the m4 thats drilled along with the (flat head bolt shall we say) push the flat head bolt into the housing of the cct into the little slot inside,hold the flat head bolt with a spanner and then botl in the m4 bolt making sure the flat head long bolt does not turn.

Once the m4 bolt is bolted down into the cct then tighten the 2 locknuts up as shown in picture.

N.B remember the cct in pic is only removed for illustration.

The purpose of the long flat head bolt is it goes into the slot or housing in the cct, the m4 bolts up then, 2 lock nuts bolt down, if the cct spring breaks the cct can not back off because of the the long flat head bolt which means no expensive engine damage.

The rear one is the longer bolt in pic and the small the front.

The rear cct needs some gasket sealer on the threads to stop the oil leeking out and the fronts no problem as its vertical and hardly gets oil anyway.

My mate has these fitted to both his vtr's yeah he has 2 one for summer one for winter and both have done extensive mileage without any problems.

When i store mine for winter i usually take the bolt out the front cct and drop oil down anyway as a precaution.

Also it might be worth taking the modded bolts out once a year say or sevice intervals to see if the tensioner has moved any so you can adjust the bolts accordingly.

My mate who made em is a mechanic with a very clever idea far too clever for me to come up with but i can tell you this my paranoia has gone now regarding cct failure.

Alan

Dave Wicks

I replaced the stock CCT's with APE's as a precaution. Noticed another difference. While I was turning engine over with wrench as per manual to get top dead centers for both cylinders...Motor felt stiff and tight..had spark plugs out. After installing APE's noticed engine spun over much easier. Motor had about 4500 miles on it at the time. Makes me think the stock CCT's were really tight..too tight perhaps..creating friction on the cam chain...Picked up 20 hp...kidding of course but it did seem snappier when fired up...

Safe engine...a little bling.. and a free spinning engine..all good

Dave

Randman

Is there a blow by blow instruction on this mod??? IE with pictures, as some of us, well ok me, are not the sharpest tools in the shed when it comes to replacing parts like this....

lazn

@Alan,

How do you know how far down to put in the smaller bolt that you filed to a "screwdriver"?

Alan

It will only go as far as the housing will allow,just into the slot.

If you take the bolt out your cct you will be able to see the slot,
the filed bolt just sits in there, then you hold with a spanner, then tighten the m4 bolt in place of your original bolt, then tighten the 2 lock nuts down.

If the cct spring breaks which is what causes cct failure, the housing cannot back off because of the filed bolt holding it down coupled with the 2 locknuts.

There is also another mod you could do which is abit more difficult which i know someone has done but you need to remove the cct with this version and dismantle it.

ps ive fitted these on mine i'll take some pics and post up picture later

99Hawk

Alan,
Thanks for that detailed post - that belongs in our 'Knowledge base' area also.

Yep - the only way to be safe is to somehow manually lock the chain tensioning plunger in place as with your mod or a set of APE replacements. Gambling the life of your engine on those two whimpy breakable springs isn't common sense.
As I remember we have a forum member (cafineracer) who mentioned he went about 50K miles without adjusting his APEs.

steener

Can somebody provide a drawing of what the stock CCT's look like inside or explain how they work exactly? I like the idea of just adding a fixed stop to the stock CCT's as Alan described and provided pictures of. If one goes this route, do the cylinders have to be at TDC before removing the stock bolt to keep the cam chain from jumping???

wyldryce