I do not know about the spring difference. But the force required to compress both springs is not great enough to prevent the CCT from backing up in the first place- that is the root cause of the cam chain start- up rattle.
As far as heavier springs, I think that is inherently a bad idea as it just puts more tension on the cam chain and accelerates wear of both the cam chain (by very little though) as well as the cam chain guides.
The CCT itself works fine but the design is poor in that the groove for the snap ring is far too wide. The snap ring IS the part that prevents the CCT from backing up beyond the clearance for the ring (which is too much IMO) and the length of the ratchet teeth.
That is what allows the plunger to back up enough to leave the cam chain loose enough in the first place.
A manual CCT eliminates all this because it takes the excess slop out of the system but applies absolutely no additional pressure.
Another alternative <may> be a ZX 11 CCT: these are purely mechanical, have a very fine ratchet, and have been used for years to replace other Kawasaki CCT designs that are problematic. And they are still and automatic CCT. I would not hesitate to use one on a C-14 but do not know if they actually fit or not.
Anyone tinkering around with this should be aware that there is an oil galley leading to the CCT on the C-14 and if it is not properly sealed, it will allow oil to drain from the galley and almost certainly lower the engine's oil pressure. So make sure any replacement CCT is a tight fit (easy boys!) in the cylinder block so that it will affect an oil path blockage. The APE manual CCT does this just fine by the way.
Brian
Thank you Brian!
Yes, now I remember looking at these photos. A couple of questions:
What is the functional difference between the piston extension spring and the piston body extension spring?
I wonder if stronger springs would help?
Where and how is the anti backup clip installed? (wondering if mine is not working)
