cam chain tensioner and guide replacement

[Afzzr12]

I pulled the head off today since I had th carbs and what not out of the way to check the valves.  I noticed the camcahin was REALLY loose.  So I pulled the CCT out to look at it and saw it had two big grooves worn in it from where the cam chain was riding on the metal end of the tensioner instead of the plastic guide that should sti in front of it.  This SUCKS!! have read about splitting the blocks to get to all of this and I am dreading it.  The bike has 19500 miles on it and I'm doing all this.  Along with fork seals, tires, carbs, chain, sprockets man I got hosed when i bought this one.  I need to get a better eye for sighting deals on vehicles. rant off now.  Has anyone ever done this. I guess I need to replace the cam chain, CCT, and front and rear guides. 

I have heard about just removing the engine from the frame taking off the side covers and the oil pan and being able to gain access to this stuf with the engine upside down.  Is this possible?  I might try this first compared to pulling everything apart.  I just want this bike for a trainer for my girlfriend.  I didn't think I would have to do this much to it.

[Chris_B]

The book says the chain is continuous, and you have to split the cases, pull the crank, to change it. I thought usually there was a pin you could just peen on the replacement chain? Mabye you can get an aftermarket one like that, instead of OEM? I'm not so sure..

[dgyver]

The book says the chain is continuous, and you have to split the cases, pull the crank, to change it. I thought usually there was a pin you could just peen on the replacement chain? Mabye you can get an aftermarket one like that, instead of OEM? I'm not so sure..

All cam chains are continous. If they had a removable link and it failed....major engine damage.

The base of the back chain guide is sandwiched between the cases, so they will have to be split to replace it.
The front guide is the easy one since it drops in through the top of the head.

[vsboxerboy]

Yes, the cam chain is continuous which means that it goes from the top of the head all the way down and wraps around the crankshaft.  I just got through doing a teardown of my engine, although these are pretty generic comments they are things that I wish I had done better:

1.  Make sure you have a clean workplace with plenty of space to hold alllll of the little bittles that will come off.
2.  Keep ziplock bags and a sharpie around to hold all the bits and pieces seperate from eachother and clean
3.  Make sure you have to tools you need, when clymers tells you to remove screws with an impact screwdriver because its very likely your gonna strip the screw and you say, hey I'm gonna try it with a regular screwdriver and then you strip the screw and you curse, then have to go extract the screw and then go get the tools that you should have just gotten to begin with.................not that I've done that or anything
4.  Label important bolts and take notes (pictures are great too) of what goes where (ie. the 10+ bolts that secure the two halves of the case together are all specific and different)

Anyway I have an extra CCT and front guide you can have if you need it, just PM me

[Afzzr12]

Is it worth it to replace bearings and everything while I have it apart.  I don't really want to invest a crap load in this motor.  It will not see much more use than say 3000 miles in a year for teaching some friends to ride so they don't drop their newer bikes first.  Just helping some others out.

[vsboxerboy]

To be honest, by the time I got my motor apart I saw so many things that could go wrong in reassembly and the cost of doing so:
  -metal in the engine was already present in the engine from a damaged bearing
  -MORE metal in the engine when I extracted the screw I stripped
  -I would need to buy new gaskets, things like piston ring compressors, etc. etc.

The amount of money I would be spending and the time it would take seemed a bit excessive for me.  I just shelled out the money for a new (well used) engine to replace mine, which is why I have things like the CCT to spare.  I don't consider it a complete loss by any means though.  The things you learn from doing a teardown are extremely valuable...I just needed to get my bike up and running as soon as possible beacuse it is my main form of transportation.

As far as being able to remove/install the cam chain, I don't thing there is any way around being able to install a new chain without removing the crankshaft seeing as the chaing goes between the pistons and all.

[sledge]

Tensioners are one of the major weakspots in OHC engines and often wear out before the major components. To work properly they must make contact with the chain, so wear is inevitable. Some cam-chains can be split, replaced and re-riveted in the same way drive chains can. However you need special tooling and its a job best left to the experts. In this case the engine must be dismantled to replace the tensioner anyway.

[Afzzr12]

that is what I have concluded.  i just don't think this is worth my time.  It was weird though. When I pulled out the CCT it was almost like it was snagged on something and I had to fight to get it out.  Once it was out of the engine I could see the guide.  i looked closer after reading a few posts and realized the guide is not broken or worn or anything.  But, for some reason got pushed to the side of the tensioner and allowed the tensioner to push onto the chain without the guide being between them. Sorry if I am unclear.  upon reinstallation of the CCT I got the flashlight and mirrors and poked around at the guide and chain.  I couldn't get either to move from side to side.  I pulled the CCT back out and tried to move the guide without tension on it and it wouldn't budge.  I find this really odd.  I don't know what to do.  I think I'm just going to go against my perfectionist judgement and put it back in.  Keep an ear out foro odd noises and when one comes about inspect it al again.  However, I am still looking for a cheap CCT if anyone has one.  The end on mine is a little chewed up.