My cam chain tensioner is leaking. I would like to replace the seal but I know NOTHING of how the timing works, the chain etc. When/If I take the tensioner off will it be easy to put back on? I'm asking this because I don't know what will actually happen when I take it off and if there are any special procedures I need to do to put it back on. Ideas?

Its easy. The timing wont change unless you spin the motor.
The best precaution is to leave the spark plugs in and upon refitting it, preload the cam chain. Like as you fit it back put it in 6th gear and load the wheel forward. Do not turn it, though that wont hurt when the tensioner is in. Anyway make sure the front section of the chain is loaded when you refit. Then release the plunger slowly by letting the screw driver turn in your hand but not like whip out of your hand. The loaded rear wheel should help not get any slop in the front side and hence help it go on right.
Cool.
Buddha.

If you just have a leak at the little plug on the back of the tensioner, and have no reason to suspect that the tensioner itself is bad, do not disassemble it. 

I had a small leak there.  I cleaned the engine well with engine cleaner and let it dry thoroughly.  Then I pulled the plug and cleaned it very well.  I put a little black RTV silicone around the plug and put it back in.  After it dried, my leak was solved. 

I already had the silicone, so it cost me nothing. Don't overdo the silicone, because you don't want little ribbons of silicone rubber in the oil pan, potentially clogging the pickup.

Quote from: trumpetguy on February 09, 2009, 11:31:59 AM
Don't overdo the silicone.

Cos you dont want the GS to look like the pneumatic blondie Bom-ela Anderson. 
Cool.
Buddha.

It does have two big jugs...

Ya see, I was GOING to make a joke about there's only one situation in which overdoing the silicone would look good, but NO, I took the high road.  And look what happened... 

Soooooo...I'm still not clear. Can I just take off the two screws holding it in, replace the seal then put the two screws back in?

Quote from: The Buddha on February 09, 2009, 10:58:15 AM
Its easy. The timing wont change unless you spin the motor.
The best precaution is to leave the spark plugs in and upon refitting it, preload the cam chain. Like as you fit it back put it in 6th gear and load the wheel forward. Do not turn it, though that wont hurt when the tensioner is in. Anyway make sure the front section of the chain is loaded when you refit. Then release the plunger slowly by letting the screw driver turn in your hand but not like whip out of your hand. The loaded rear wheel should help not get any slop in the front side and hence help it go on right.
Cool.
Buddha.

So let me get this straight. Put bike on center stand, place in 6th gear, remove gas tank and valve cover, remove tensioner. Chain will go slack. Replace seal. Rotate rear wheel (as if the bike were moving forward) JUST until the chain gets taught. DO NOT turn over engine.  Then while holding the tire in place so chain remains taught reinstall tensioner?

You will need 2 hands to install the tensioner. Now while doing that with your third hand you should preload the rear wheel.
Or ... you install the tensioner, then while you are still holding the center screwdriver turn the wheel and preload it and let the spring uncoil itself slowly. After that uncoiling is complete you can keep the preload on the wheel a bit till it truly gets the thing into place.
However you can acomplish this without removing much of anything really. Hey, wiggling your hands under the carbs is always fun.
Valve cover is unneccesary, so is anythign else, but the carbs. I do em on one guy's bike that has a mechanical threaded tensioner. Nothing is taken off, I have a rathcet with a crank in the handle. That will get this off and on without any fuss. Especially if you have a helper or a T shaped screw retainer cut from a appropriate piece of steel.
Cool.
Buddha.

Ok well.....I still don't have a full understanding of how this device works and I fear if I mess with it I may end up worse off than just an oil leak.

Update. I didn't realize there were steps in the Haynes manual for replacing the cam chain tensioner. Not as scary as Buddha made it out to be. I unscrewed the device, cleaned the mating surface, and added a new gasket. Putting the device back on really requires two people. Remove the black plug on the back of the tensioner. Try not to destroy it like I did. Use a small flathead screw driver and turn it clockwise until the tensioner is retracted. Holding the screw driver in place reinstall the tensioner. Once it's all bolted up slowly unscrew the screwdriver and let the tensioner unwind. Check for cam chain for slack.

Dont need 2 people, Need 1 person with 3 hands.
Preferably the third hand should have opposable thumbs on both sides so it works like a left and a right.
That's what my nissan is designed for.
Its not like the other cheap ass nissans that dont have cup holders. Like the crappyo 240SX's.
My luxury model nissan sentra has cup holders, but to get the cup out, you need to bend around the stick shift unless you're in 2 or 4, and hold the holder down a little and remove the cup. Its got no power steering so there you go, It occupies all 5 of your hands.
Now you can say that my cup is too big, and it was designed for a smaller cup, like we americans have now become so fat ... however a smaller cup will need more manuvering cos it will be under the gear stick so you have to really wiggle to get it out.
So, nowadays I drink out of a bucket sized cup. It sits on passenger seat. Easier. Much easier.
Cool.
Buddha.