Really? Can't touch the tensioner knob?

[Guest]

'79 GS 850. I've rebuilt my cam chain tensioner and everything seems fine. But I have messed with the spring loaded knob a few times.

Does that mean I have to take it apart and re-set it again? Its no big deal to do that...but is that true....once its set don't touch it or you have to take it apart?

[chef1366]

No, it's cool. Just don't play with your knob when it's running.

[satchmo]

Good thing I only play with my knob when lying down.

:-)

[marvinsc]

Good thing I only play with my knob when lying down.

:-)

LMAO But TOO MUCH INFORMATION!:shock:

[earlfor]

Mark, the spring loaded knob on the cam chain tensioner winds and unwinds/rotates with spring tension to the pushrod that presses on the camchain. Turning the knob does nothing but excercise the spring. there is no direct connection between the spring loaded knob and the cam chain tensioning pushrod. To install the cam chain tensioner, the pushrod should be pressed all the way into the tensioner body and the shaft locked in place retracted using the jamb nut on the side of the tensioner. After installing the tensioner body to the engine, the jamb nut is loosened, allowing the spring to move the pushrod into contact with the cam chain. Once contact has been made, the jamb nut is tightened. This locks the shaft in position with the correct tension to the camchain. All you can accomplish with turning the spring loaded knob is to distort the tensioner spring so that it cannot set the correct tension.

Earl

'79 GS 850. I've rebuilt my cam chain tensioner and everything seems fine. But I have messed with the spring loaded knob a few times.

Does that mean I have to take it apart and re-set it again? Its no big deal to do that...but is that true....once its set don't touch it or you have to take it apart?

[mark]

Thanks for the help. I'll try not to play with my knob so often.

[dpep]

It is good to check it occasionally to make sure it isn't stuck. They get that way. You should be able to turn it with your hand. When it happens you will probably start hearing a new rattle from the engine until you break it loose again.

[bwringer]

Just to clarify the above, you DO NOT want to lock the pushrod in place. It MUST be free to move. Once the tensioner is installed, you loosen the setscrew no more than half a turn to release the pushrod. You then hold the setscrew in place and tighten the jam nut WITHOUT tightening the setscrew.

The setscrew should NOT be in contact with the pushrod unless you are in the process of installing or removing the tensioner.

Hope that's a little more clear. It's pretty common for people to mistakenly think that the setscrew must be tightened, which turns your nice automatic cam chain tensioner into a manual one that cannot compensate for wear. Pretty soon, they're wondering why their engine sounds like a coffee can full of nails...

[Hoomgar]

Just to clarify the above, you DO NOT want to lock the pushrod in place. It MUST be free to move. Once the tensioner is installed, you loosen the setscrew no more than half a turn to release the pushrod. You then hold the setscrew in place and tighten the jam nut WITHOUT tightening the setscrew.

The setscrew should NOT be in contact with the pushrod unless you are in the process of installing or removing the tensioner.

Hope that's a little more clear. It's pretty common for people to mistakenly think that the setscrew must be tightened, which turns your nice automatic cam chain tensioner into a manual one that cannot compensate for wear. Pretty soon, they're wondering why their engine sounds like a coffee can full of nails...

I just did this very job last night using instructions I found on the internet located here --> http://bwringer.com/gs/camchaintens.html

I only needed steps 1, 2, 3 and 13 as I wasn't rebuilding the unit, only resetting it.

Worked like a charm!

Kudos to whoever wrote that web page

[Billy Ricks]

The main reason you don't want to play with the tension knob is because if for some reason the tensioner is malfunctioning you can do major damage. With enough slack in the cam chain valve timing can be altered enough to wreck the top end. Advanced home mechanics know what to listen for. Novices though could find themselves in big trouble. If for some reason the pushrod doesn't plunge back toward the chain after fiddling with the knob you've got a problem.