cam chain tensioner question

[whiterabbitt]

so I noticed the other day that my cam chain tensioner is sticking, I can hear the chain slopping around and if i tap on the tensioner it stops for a moment and the engine smooths out, then it starts slopping again. being fully warmed up helped a little.

that being said it was about 30 degrees F. I was wondering if it is because of the cold, or if I need to rebuild the tensioner. 77 750B

[TheCafeKid]

so I noticed the other day that my cam chain tensioner is sticking, I can hear the chain slopping around and if i tap on the tensioner it stops for a moment and the engine smooths out, then it starts slopping again. being fully warmed up helped a little.

that being said it was about 30 degrees F. I was wondering if it is because of the cold, or if I need to rebuild the tensioner. 77 750B

Wouldnt hurt to rebuild it whether it will fix your problem or not. You can also, using your manual, measure the chain (with the tensioner in place) to see if the chain is worn beyond spec. Personally, I have measured a few, including one with well over 100K on it, and it still fell within spec. Never had one be out. But that doesnt mean it cant happen of course. I dont recall what the specific measurement is (and it may be different for each bike model) but you basically measure the distance between a certain number of pins in the chain with a caliper. If it falls beyond the widest allowable tollerance, you may need to replace it, which will require a complete disassembly and splitting the cases (DO NOT try to use a timing chain with any sort of master link, its simply not a good idea. While the chances of it failing may be slim, if it does fail, youre looking at utter disaster. The stock chains are "endless" and need to be replaced with same)

But, its not uncommon for the tensioners to get sticky. They get crud in them over years, and also, sometimes the springs just get tired, or ive even seen the plunger get a notch worn into the end and stick...

Theyre not that tough to rebuild, BassCliff has a nice tutorial BWringer did that explains it in great detail.

[sedelen]

Sounds like quite possibly your cam chain tensioner may need a little more "spring" tension.

Cold weather surely can and will affect the operation of your bike, O-rings and seals shrink, plastics, & rubber get hard and brittle. Tire air pressure drops. Oil, (unless it's synthetic) thickens. Until you get your engine up to a normal operating temperature, you won't know for sure, but I would have to consider it a strong possibility the cold weather could be the cause of your sticky problem.

If you want to know more about or want to service you cam chain tensioner, look here:

http://www.bwringer.com/gs/camchaintens.html