Ok so my bikes been making a rattle when accelerating..Its fitted with a manual cam chain adjuster.
I've now taken it to 2 mechanics who have both suggested the cam chain needs adjusting. The first mechanic said it would take him three hours to do because it would involve him taking the top off the engine et cetera the second mechanic thinks that it's a job that I can do myself. I'm thinking of giving it a go so I'm just wondering if anyone can give me any handy tips or pointers before starting for example what tools do I need how long does it take is there anything to avoid doing should I even be doing this myself? .
Maybe someone is already posted a thread on this topic if so could someone point me in the right direction many thanks :confused:
Some owners can strip an engine in the dark with one hand tied behind their back, others struggle to change a brake light bulb!
We don't know how competent or confident you are :dunno_black:
My suggestion........Buy a manual and read up on the procedure, if YOU think you have what it takes .......crack on. :thumb:
My attitude has always been.........I can stuff it up as good as anyone else. :)
Liam I'd go very carefully with this. - If you don't get it right you could end up with a ruined top end.
If the camchain is too worn and/or the tensioner isn't doing it's job the chain can skip a tooth or two with the result that a piston can hit a valve.
My advice: Get a new genuine Suzuki automatic camchain tensioner and a new camchain fitted.
Anything else is just not worth the risk.
You can do this with two wrenches without taking a single piece off the bike. Ok, you have to take off the rotor cover if you want to do it with the bike off.
I have done it with the bike running looking for the correct sound, but I had another GS500 there to compare it to, I don't really recommend that as I suppose you could go way too tight or loose, but just be prudent and only go a turn or two in any directions. Your bike currently runs so you know it's really close. Of course, the safest route is to go back to one of the multitude of Suzuki designed GS500 tensioners.
From APE's website:
INSTRUCTIONS
To set the tensioner adjustment, rotate the engine forward while screwing the tensioner bolt in. When you feel the engine tensioner parts (guide, rollers, etc.) make contact with the moving cam chain, back the tensioner bolt out 1/4 turn and tighten the jam nut. (For the finer pitch thread on the APE Pro Series tensioner it is advised to back the tensioner up 1/2 of a turn.)
DO NOT over-tighten the cam chain, as cam chain giude damage could occur. Be sure jam nut is tight against the tensioner body when complete.
Ive been reading up on my rattle when accelerating issue.. Am I right in thinking that if I'm having cam chain issues, then i should be hearing a rattle while the bike is idling, not just accelerating?.. If its not the cam chain rattling, then whats make this loud noise?.. On a side note, why did a previous owner fit a manual cam chain adjuster?
Some people fit a manual because if it needed to be replaced its cheaper than a genuine suzuki one.
Yeah that's what I thought.. I wonder why they had to replace the original?, I guess it broke or stopped working.. I wonder if when the adjuster broke something also happen to the chain which wasn't fixed, and this is what's causing the noise?. But then it doesn't rattle or vibrate when idling.
I've got the bike booked in again at the garage next Wednesday. The mechanic convince me that it's the cam chain that needs adjusting, he also suggested that it would be beneficial to replace the manual can chain adjuster with an original automatic one. So he has now ordered one of those for me and Plans to fit it on Wednesday.
Given everything I've read I'm really doubtful now that this is the cause of the rattle.
What areas of the bike should I ask the mechanic to be checking specifically?
More likely to be the guides that are worn than the chain itself.
Checking them involves a lot of dismantling, replacing them involves even more.
Parts #2 #3 #5 #8
(http://images.cmsnl.com/img/partslists/suzuki-gs500-1990-el-cam-chain_bigsue0048fig-11_5815.gif)