85 gs 450 timing chain tensioner

[blakened13]

i'm new to the gs series but i just bought this 85 with 13k original miles on it. after getting the carbs runnin i took it up the block to see what it had, and it preformed perfect. when i got back into the driveway i noticed a slapping noise in the the head. so when i pulled the cover off the head there was a lot of slack in the timing chain. does anyone have any suggestions as to what happened and how i can fix it, i'm not sure where the tensioner is and if it is broke or not. any info on this would be much appreciated! please!

[rapidray]

If you are going to be working on your bike, buy a SHOP manual for it! It will have all the info you need in it. Ray.

[ryonker]

I am pretty sure most of the GS cam chain tensioners are just below the carbs. That is what your parts fiche indicates as well. There is a knob with a spring and a metal retainer and a bolt that holds it in. This is the part that sticks out of the block under the carbs. If the bolt came loose and is off, it might explain this.

Rick

[ryonker]

OK, that was a crappy picture.

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

And please, do what ray says before you go any further. GET A MANUAL or go to Basscliffs site and see if yours is there.

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/bikecliff/

Good luck!

Rick

[bwringer]

I agree that you should get a manual ASAP, but the manuals are very unclear about the cam chain tensioner.

Hopefully my web page linked above will help you understand how it works and reset or reassemble yours. Your cam chain tensioner looks a little different, but it works the same.

I've found several that were mistakenly set with the pushrod locked into place -- someone tightened the setscrew all the way instead of leaving it half a turn out so the pushrod can move. Perhaps this has happened to yours.

[blakened13]

thank you so much! i have a manual on order, but after seeing and hearing fom everyone here i am much releaved that it might not be as bad as i thought! so once again thank you everyone