Manual Cct

So I'm thinking about putting a manual cam chain tensioner into my Ninja cause folks say it cures Gawd Awful Motor Noise Syndrome, which I have.
What's the best install?  Just pull out the old one and stick the new one in there?  I thought I read somewhere about having the motor at TDC or some other specific mark.  Does this matter?
What's the process for proper adjustment?  From what I understand it is as simple as start it up and tighten the tensioner bolt until it gets quieter.  Whirring noise means it's too tight.

On a stock honda manual tensioner all that is needed is to set engine at TDC and loosen the lock nut. Turn the screw out and the spring does the job of setting tension.

Sorry, not much help, but thats all I know.

I replaced the CCTs on the VTR1000 with  manual APE ones. It did indeed involve getting each cylinder at TDC then replacing the CCT. This is because at TDC there's no valves open, so no chance of the valve spring tension causing the engine to rotate slightly.

As for tightening them, there's a couple of ways you can go: take the heads etc off and measure camchain freeplay, or do it by sound, or do it by feel. I was lazy so disassembly was out, and the engine was too noisy to do it by sound, so the method I used involved tightening the CCT bolt up using fingers only, as this is about as tight as the spring on the automatic CCT gets the tensioner. I figured it didn't much matter if it was slightly loose, as with a fully manual CCT there's no chance of a spring breaking and the CCT rod backing out, so no chance of the camchain jumping the cam sprocket (which is what happened to the PO of my VTR1000, and his engine lunched two valves).

[image: View Post]enzed_viffer, on Mar 3 2008, 02:39 PM, said:

I replaced the CCTs on the VTR1000 with  manual APE ones. It did indeed involve getting each cylinder at TDC then replacing the CCT. This is because at TDC there's no valves open, so no chance of the valve spring tension causing the engine to rotate slightly.

As for tightening them, there's a couple of ways you can go: take the heads etc off and measure camchain freeplay, or do it by sound, or do it by feel. I was lazy so disassembly was out, and the engine was too noisy to do it by sound, so the method I used involved tightening the CCT bolt up using fingers only, as this is about as tight as the spring on the automatic CCT gets the tensioner. I figured it didn't much matter if it was slightly loose, as with a fully manual CCT there's no chance of a spring breaking and the CCT rod backing out, so no chance of the camchain jumping the cam sprocket (which is what happened to the PO of my VTR1000, and his engine lunched two valves).
Hmmm.  Not sure if this helps me at all.  Doing this for my 636 Ninja, which is of course an inline 4.  Is there a crank position that all valves are closed?  Since there are 4 cylinders, the cams won't rotate due to valve spring pressure?  Am I making this all too difficult, and I should just do it without worry?
No VFR content in this post you say?  Here ya go:
[image: Posted Image]

Evidently I'm the only one here with an Inline 4 sportbike that has wanted to install a cam chain tensioner. :beer:
Just in case that's not true, or maybe one of you gets a trackbike here is some advice I picked up from Marietta Motorsports on installing the manual CCT.
Set it to TDC on cyl 1, 4.  On the Kawi spring tensioner you remove the center bolt holding the spring and plunger.  That keeps it from extending when you pull out the cct.  Then you have an approximate length to preset the manual cct before installation, just to get you in the ballpark.  Can be helpfull in some applications to cut a crosshatch into the top of the adjuster in order to get a screwdriver onto the bolt instead of trying to wrench it inside the frame.

[image: View Post]KPerham, on Mar 9 2008, 11:21 AM, said:

Evidently I'm the only one here with an Inline 4 sportbike that has wanted to install a cam chain tensioner. :beer: Yes you are, this is a VFR forum!!!   :unsure:

Sorry Kev, haven't done one on the GSXR yet. Did them on the VTR though and just ended up doing them at the same time I adjusted the valves. I ended up running a zip tie through the cam gear holding the cam chain in place so the chain couldn't slip teeth if there was any slack or spring pressure. I then removed the old adjuster, put in the manual one and tightened until the chain tension was close. After I got it up and running, I adjusted the tensioners by ear. If I backed them out, I could definitely hear a clatter. I just screwed them in until it went away and snugged up the lock nut.

[image: View Post]KPerham, on Mar 9 2008, 11:21 AM, said:

Evidently I'm the only one here with an Inline 4 sportbike that has wanted to install a cam chain tensioner. :beer:

I know that there have been endless discussions about CCT problems on the Concours Owners Group list.

It seems unlikely that you are the only one having this problem.

Isn't there a forum or two for the ZX folks?

[image: View Post]Motor_Ref, on Mar 9 2008, 04:12 PM, said:

[image: View Post]KPerham, on Mar 9 2008, 11:21 AM, said:

Evidently I'm the only one here with an Inline 4 sportbike that has wanted to install a cam chain tensioner. :unsure:

I know that there have been endless discussions about CCT problems on the Concours Owners Group list.

It seems unlikely that you are the only one having this problem.

Isn't there a forum or two for the ZX folks?
They're all 20something bling'd out wheelie folks there! :goofy:    And yes I did ask two forums three including this one.  Figured the riders here were more experienced wrenchers and riders with multiple types of bikes.

I had one for my F4i, but never put it in. There's a way to fix the stock Honda units, you can check out the tutorial at cbrworld.net, in the Tutorials forum. They're not a bad bunch over there.

Just make sure you don't over tighten the thing either!