I followed Dave's howto check the cam chain tensioner and with some delight found that the tensioner arm had at least 4 to 5 mm of adjustment left, suggesting that the cam chain is still good!! This is great news for me because i'm a complete newbie with bikes and if i had to change the cam chain i would probably have to give up the fizzer <!-- s:cry: --><img src="{SMILIES_PATH}/icon_cry.gif" alt=":cry:" title="Crying or Very sad" /><!-- s:cry: --> However me and my cousin two weeks ago had removed and put the tensioner back in (without checking the adjustment) in the hope that it was just stuck. This seemed to be the case as the ticking seemed to dissapear after we did this. However it reappeared two weeks later hence why i checked the adjustment this time on my own (quite the achievement for me!!!) and came to this new discovery of a cam chain with plenty of adjustment So my question is, do i need a new cam chain tensioner? (Most logical conclusion to me) If so, how do i tell a good one from a bad one when i go the wreckers? And finally, how much is a reasonable price for one? Cheers
The only reason you'd need to replace a cam chain tensioner is if it is no longer extending under it's own spring preload. If it's extending properly then there' no problem. That said, 4-5mm worth of extension remaining on the tensioner sounds to me like the chain is almost at the end of it's life.
ok...I suspect I'm in the same boat on my bike but have not checked the chain or tensioner out yet, although the engine noise sounds about right for a sloppy chain. Given this and that I will replace the chain (and shim up the tappets at the same time) do I have to buy the OEM chain or will any chain of the same pitch and specs do?
The only reason you need to replace the cam chain tensioner is if you loose it. It an fzr.. they are meant to sound like a suspicious package dropped at a railway buy a person of arabic appearance. "tick tick tick"
LOL. Well yeah, they're never going to have as smooth a valve train as a CBR, but there's a difference between normal cam chain noise and a clapped & slapped out chain. That said, i'd imagine most 250's wouldnt wear out their cam chains in their effective lives.
