cam chain tensioner

[shrike]

Reading a few posts I saw there might be a problem with camchain tensioners and they should be checked when doing valve adjustments.
How is it checked? Any linkies? Couldn't find the info

I just adjusted my valves for the 12000 km service and did not have yet the knowledge that it should be checked, so i didn't. Should I open it again and check it or should I wait until about 24000 km or next valve check? The engine does not seem to make any strange noises. The valves seem to be noisy but I adjusted them at the outer specs.

I also don't recall my owner's manual maintenance schedule requiring to check the camchain tensioner.

[pmackie]

Hey Shrike

The cam chain tensioner is automatic, so doesn't really need to be checked, per se...

But, it your hearing a lot of engine noise, even after setting the valves to within specs, and it sound more like a chain "slapping" rather than the valves "clattering", there is a chance that the cam chain tensioner CAN stick, and not take up the slack in the cam chain.

For your purposes, don't worry about it too much. My bike is a 2002, with 48,000 kms, and no problems so far...

[shrike]

No it does not make any chain slapping sound yet. My valves are noisy because I set them at the higher limit, hopefully when the gap changes it will change to less not more.
I was asking just because I heard there were a few motors who were suffering from a defective chain tensioner. 
Is it easy to check when adjusting valves?

[Red01]

If you don't have any cam chain slapping noises, you don't have a problem. 

While there are a few posts of folks with tensioner trouble, this isn't a high failure item, so I wouldn't worry about it.  If you ever experience tensioner trouble, or plan on building a high output race-spec motor, that's when you'd want to consider a manual tensioner from someone like APE Racing.

[shrike]

I don't think I would want to build a high ouput race motor. The bike has enough power for me! I really don't need more. What I would need is more travel on the forks because of the bad streets here. I got progressive springs but I still bottom out sometimes

[China Greg]

Personally, I didn't like the manual camchain adjuster for this bike.

I tried one on my previous B12 for a while, and found that setting the proper tension can be a little tricky. I remember somehow "realizing" at one point that I'd probably had the thing set too tightly, which scared me... and I went back to the old stock tensioner.. which I added a shim or something to to create a little more preload on the spring.

I have two first Gen. B12's.... both of them make high-speed clattering noises when cold. The valves are adjusted within spec... it sounds like a high-speed cam / valve / cam chain clattering.. not enough that I'm worried about anything serious.. (I just returned from a 3000-mile trip south on my black B12).

As these engines get miles on them I do believe they get sort of buzzy and rattly. It may be clutch components... or I might even need a carb-synch, (which I think is out on mine currently), which sometimes can cause weird rattling noises.

Still a mystery to me. But, as my old mechanic says anytime he hears a customer say "It makes a noise":
"JUST TURN THE RADIO UP LOUDER"