Cam chain and tensioner replacement ?

[garfield1974]

Good Day, folks.

I hope that I managed to translate this parts names correctly to english

Question is, did you change cam chain and tensioner as per manual (on about 70000 km / 43500 miles )?
I am pushing now almost 100,000 km / 62000 miles and I was advised by service tech that he is strongly suggest that I change this.
What are yours experience (thoughts) on this ?

Thanks

Gordan 

[p07r0457]

Where in the manual are you seeing replacement required for cam chain and tensioner???  I don't recall seeing the manual specifying replacement of either of those parts as preventive maintenance.

[Tree]

 

I'm approaching 60K.  It would be nice to know if this is a required service move.  I haven't heard any chatter about it on the forums tho.

[maxtog]

Yeah, I have never seen anything that mentions replacing the chain nor tensioner.  People HAVE replaced the chain tensioner with a manual one, only because they wanted to minimize chain slapping and have more control, but not because the factory one was failing or failed.  I suspect unless there was some major failure, the chain should last several hundred thousand miles.... way more than any reasonable life of a C14.

[Justcliff]

I have no idea if it's a required service. I have replaced mine twice with OEM. I don't care to fool with a manual. Chain had started taking way to long to quite down. First time was about a 100,000 miles best I can remember. Second time was just recently at 194,000 miles.

No problems, just excessive noise & rattle.

[maxtog]

I have no idea if it's a required service. I have replaced mine twice with OEM. I don't care to fool with a manual. Chain had started taking way to long to quite down. First time was about a 100,000 miles best I can remember. Second time was just recently at 194,000 miles.

No problems, just excessive noise & rattle.

The factory "auto" adjuster is not all that great- once the chain is stretched a tad, it takes a few seconds for it to perform the tension, leading to that noise/rattle.  It seems the prevailing view is that it is just annoying, but not harmful and not an indication of any type of failure or excessive wear.  And THAT is the reason some people replace it with a manual tensioner- no more few seconds of noise as the oil pressure builds.  If you replace the chain, it will just start making noise again once it is broken in some and the "auto" adjuster does its little startup period.  Of course, you know that   If you let it go long enough, the "auto" adjuster should eventually "click" to the next permanent ratchet position and the noise will go away again... not to return until the chain stretches more.  The stretch period between those clicks was allowed to be a little too much, so the design is not ideal- some say 40 to 60K miles.

BTW- Kudos to you with almost 200K miles!!  Very impressive.  At my rate, I could be dead by then.

http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=3497
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=22700
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=10489
http://www.zggtr.org/index.php?topic=8103

[garfield1974]

Cool, thanks for advises.

I have no idea about required service interval, I was advised by Kawasaki service tech on that.

There is still no "noise" on my bike. I was just thinking to change this well in advance to prevent major failure on the engine.

What I understand is: no noise - no problem 


Thank you

Gordan

[maxtog]

I have no idea about required service interval, I was advised by Kawasaki service tech on that.

If you had over 2 or 3 hundred thousand miles, I might think about it a little.

There is still no "noise" on my bike. I was just thinking to change this well in advance to prevent major failure on the engine.

There has never been a single mention on this forum of either a chain failure or an adjuster failure.

What I understand is: no noise - no problem 

My conclusion from the information is that chain noise means nothing.  There just is no problem- go and ride

[garfield1974]

 

[maxtog]

?

[VirginiaJim]

Mine has always made noise for a few seconds.

[garfield1974]

?

Cheers 

[maxtog]

Cheers 

Oh!  I thought your broken signature graphic was actually part of the content of the message.  Sorry.  Really, you should fix that

[B.D.F.]

There is no service interval on a cam chain but when I think of this I am always reminded of the story of the K1300 that was idling on a lift, being inspected by a mechanic for the prospective buyer, when the cam chain failed and the engine 'ate' several valves. Needless to say, the sale did not go through :-(

Cam chains are really quite robust but still, if I had the side cover off an engine that had six- digits of mileage on it and planned on continuing to use it, I would not think it excessive to replace the cam chain, cam chain guides and cam chain tensioner. I do not believe it would be necessary but on the other side of the coin, it is cheap insurance that that critical part of the engine is not stretched / worn to an excessive amount.

Again, not a requirement or perhaps even needed, just my own personal opinion.

Brian

Cool, thanks for advises.

I have no idea about required service interval, I was advised by Kawasaki service tech on that.

There is still no "noise" on my bike. I was just thinking to change this well in advance to prevent major failure on the engine.

What I understand is: no noise - no problem 


Thank you

Gordan

[lather]

The cause of the destruction of some exhaust valves on my 09 with only about 30,000 miles remains unknown but personally
a failed or defective tensioner is high on my short list. Also, my first 08 which was totaled by impact from a car still had its original tensioner and chain at 170,000 + miles. Yes, it was noisy.