grind marks on valve cover

[gser425]

while doing my first valve adjustment i found grind marks on the cover where the cam chain has rubbed. two questions... 1 the po had used rtv instead of a gasket could this allow the cover to come down too low and rub? and 2 my cam chain tensioner was seized and has been cleaned and reinstalled could both of these contribute to this ?

[Larry D]

Yep.....did you get the proper gasket ? Did you put in new gaskets in the cam chain tensioner ?

You should consult your manual and make sure the cam chain is still within spec too.

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

[Suzuki_Don]

Yes, both issues would cause this problem. As you have stated using RTV allows the cover to come closer to contact the revolving cam chain and a faulty tensioner would allow the cam chain to slap around a bit with extra slack and mark the inside of the cam cover. Fit a new gasket (not the ones that compress up a lot) and everything should be OK.

[Spyderman]

but the big question is are the cams still timed correctly with a ceased tensioner how loose did it get and did it skip a tooth or 2 that should be checked before the bike is run

[spyug]

+1 on Mr. Spyderman's suggestion. Check Mr. BCliff's site for the appropriate valve adjustment tutorial which will also show the cam alignment marks and chain link count.

Taking a chance and firing up could be a recipe for bent valves and or cracked piston tops.

As they say, "To look is to know".

Good luck and let us know how you make out.

Cheers,
Spyug

[gser425]

thanks guys. Yes, I've ordered an oem gasket for both covers. I haven't done the valve adjustment yet I've got to go get a feeler that is thin enough and i think I'm going to be the newest member of the shim club. prices of shims in my area would turn this project into a little to much considering i'm also doing new chain and sprockets so stay tuned I'm sure you'll see my name again soon. Oh and I will check the cam conditions. Although I don't say much on here I lurk almost everyday, and learn so much just from other members threads so thanks to every one again.