Cam Chain Adjustment

Hey guys. Anyone had to have dealings with their cam chain yet. I know HONDA CBR 900 has to have a chain replacement at 40,000. The Suzuki manual doesn't give a lot of info other than checking the tensioner

Yeah mate, i`ve got 132000km`s on mine and have done it twice. The first time i did it was at 45000, the second one was done at 110000. At my first chain change it was making a bit of noise,and the second change not so bad but did it as a safety thing, Now in saying that, i`ve got another engine i`m building and it will be done by Allan Herriman who is a highly regarded performance engine builder,and after talking with him about this situation (in my case being oiled cooled not water cooled,and don`t know what has advanced between the two models) says its usally the tensioner spring that fails way before the cam chain is due to be changed.He said he`s had chains last 90000, and bike shops take advantage upon this and make you change it way before they really need to be done,meaning alot out of your pocket.Trust me its not cheap having done it.
He said you can either get a manual tensioner, or just simply stretch the spring. Now thats up to you what you want to do when that time comes, but i will take his word over any bikeshop. I bet a bike shop will say he`s full of shit and it should be done by 50000,they would,they`re in the business of making money. But like i say,Allan is a highly regarded Suzuki expert.

So why carnt you replace your own cam . chain ?

You can. In the past i didn`t,in the future i will,but some out there might not want to tackle it.

gus wrote:So why carnt you replace your own cam . chain ?

There are a couple of ways to replace a cam chain. Keeping it whole and basically stripping down the engine to fit it. Or breaking the chain, threading it down, up, around and rejoining it. The later being the way that most bike shops will do it. You need experience and the right tools to do this. Plus if you get it wrong....... not good. I fitted a new one whilst doing a MAJOR rebuild, including big bore kit with Arai pistons, porting, shaving, you name it. Mind you, I was very lucky that my best friend at the time was a top notch bike mechanic and I had the use of his workshop and expertise. Leave it to the experts.

Thats correct Hammy, and i`m doing what you have done in terms on what is being done to the engine i have, but is also easier having the engine on a stand being built and not in the bike. I will definately be putting a manual cam tensioner in it though.

I did the cut the chain method and had no problems at all .At long as you keep tension on the chain its quite easy .