Manual cam chain tensioner

[Guest]

I was curious what your guy's thoughts were on these manual tensioners. I've got a leaky one on my wife's 83 450 and saw these around. Wonder if it would be worth it...or not.

http://m.ebay.com/itm/NEW-1980-1983-SUZUKI-GS450-MANUAL-CAM-CHAIN-TENSIONER-RED-GS-450-80-81-82-83-/141043102157

[rapidray]

Yes, they are worth it. If you are happy with black mine are 10 cheaper, shipped to you if you are in the 48 USA.
Ray.

[NvMessner]

Sell me on it Ray. What makes them better?

[Brendan W]

Kawasaki auto tensioners back in the early 80s had a bad reputation. The dealer modified my 650 by converting it to manual before I took it on the road. I have never heard anything bad about the Suzuki tensioners and $50 seems expensive to fix a leak and give yourself an extra thing to do at service time.

[tkent02]

I think the guys who race these engines like them, but I've never had a problem with the stock ones, except that after thirty years they tend to leak. Easy enough to fix. I have had a few that were locked up by someone messing with the setscrew, but other than that even on high mileage bikes they still seem to keep the chain adjusted. On the later bikes the big knob is plastic and it melts, and some guys have had wear on the end of the plunger that contacts the roller but that's easy to fix too... I have bought quite a few bikes with bad tensioners, Suzuki DRs, Kawasakis, whatever. Usually get them dirt cheap. Got my Connie for $600 because it sounded like a box of rocks, on that one I used the manual tensioner because I had one here that fit. It worked too, the problem is figuring out how tight to set it...

Up to you.

[Brendan W]

My first bike was set by bringing the crank to a position and then letting the plunger fly and locking back up. The Z was set by the dealer with the motor running. Anyone know anything about that ?

[NvMessner]

Yeah I've had it apart a couple times just curious if they tend to get faulty, but it doesn't sound like they do.

[John Park]

I think the guys who race these engines like them, but I've never had a problem with the stock ones, except that after thirty years they tend to leak. Easy enough to fix. I have had a few that were locked up by someone messing with the setscrew, but other than that even on high mileage bikes they still seem to keep the chain adjusted. On the later bikes the big knob is plastic and it melts, and some guys have had wear on the end of the plunger that contacts the roller but that's easy to fix too... I have bought quite a few bikes with bad tensioners, Suzuki DRs, Kawasakis, whatever. Usually get them dirt cheap. Got my Connie for $600 because it sounded like a box of rocks, on that one I used the manual tensioner because I had one here that fit. It worked too, the problem is figuring out how tight to set it...

Up to you.

The block and head expand faster than the steel chain, so if you set it tight and cold you are doing it wrong in my book. If you set it hot then it may rattle when cold, which is why the stock one is automatic; that's what it does automatically. There may be enough squish in the rubber guide to tolerate the chain being set cold, but the amazing longevity we get with GS cam chains may be partly due to the tensioner being sophisticated.

As I recall, the seal on the knob shaft is 16 OD, 10 ID and 4 wide. The only source I found was in England. Anybody have a handle on a stateside supply? I'm about to consider using a 5/8 X 3/8 o ring and seeing how it goes. 3/8 is actually about 9.5mm, but it's not like it ever moves more than a few degrees once a ride. Maybe have to glue it in with silicone but the worst that could happen is that it leaks. Of course this presupposes that a 5/8 X 3/8 o ring exists.

The original seal has no spring and the last one I took out had daylight around the shaft.

[tkent02]

Suzuki still carries all of the seals and o rings.
Last time I bought them from the local seal supply house, no problem there either.

It's a metric size so use metric seals.

[John Park]

Suzuki still carries all of the seals and o rings.
Last time I bought them from the local seal supply house, no problem there either.

It's a metric size so use metric seals.

My usual source in Canada didn't have them and said they were unavailable about a year ago. I'll check again as they may have restocked by now. That said, I don't recall the OEM ones having a very long life, or sealing all that well in the first place.

[madmikeracing]

Well my friend came over all his exhaust valves were bent, The stock suzuki tensioner didnt work properly (they get mighty dirty!) Lucky I had several good heads and hes back in business, I was suroprised never saw a stock engine have a cam chain issue? Mike PS we modified the stocker threaded rod through it with a Nut , Cheap and effective, especially cheap ha ha Mike

[tkent02]

The only problems I've seen with them on stock engines is when someone tightens the setscrew and leaves it tight, rendering the tensioner inoperative, or when the whole thing is completely worn out with 150,000 or more miles. Other than that all I've ever seen is leaks after 20 or 30 years. A few seconds paying attention to it once a year or so will ensure it's working fine, as will paying attention to the sound of the engine. If it sounds like a can of rocks in a paint shaker the tensioner might need a wee bit of attention.

The racers and guys with high performance engines seem to have more problems, or maybe they are just more likely to want to change things around.

[trippivot]

Well my friend came over all his exhaust valves were bent, The stock suzuki tensioner didnt work properly (they get mighty dirty!) Lucky I had several good heads and hes back in business, I was suroprised never saw a stock engine have a cam chain issue? Mike PS we modified the stocker threaded rod through it with a Nut , Cheap and effective, especially cheap ha ha Mike

did that mod too.
This is what happens - the lock bolt interface with the plunger wears and quits locking the spring and plunger with moderate to hard acceleration and decell -the thing slips once or twice -maybe some one reset it and made your engine a little quieter - for a while ,,, but gone unchecked, it will finally end up bouncing freely until SMACK! forget leaking, that noise that comes and goes -- hmm.. - you have to remove it and check how secure the set bolt is - I bet some of you think you have a good one BUT I bet you can move it if you try a little more force. that is why I have a box of them sitting out side of my garage.


There are different methods for CB/XJ/ and others but lets stick with GS
setting a manual tensioner on a GS can be done hot or cold. engine NOT RUNNING remember a little loose is better than too tight - if you have the cam cover off push the camchain down between the cams 4~6mm chain shake is good - camcover on? about 3~5 crank degrees rocking back and forth at the crank nut before the cams move

[gs11ezrydr]

I recommend a Billet APE manual tensioner ,problems solved and very little to be maintained. Just my idea. Had one for almost 18 yrs, Fail proof. Adjustment is a snap once you get the hang of it.