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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Cam chain ticking timebomb???
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Message started by PaulB on 08/11/10 at 05:44:24

Title: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by PaulB on 08/11/10 at 05:44:24

I must admit to being confused. I read here over and over about cam chain issues starting at around the 20,000 mile mark. Well, I put 6000 - 9000 miles a year on my bike (07 bought new in 09), and I do NOT do my own wrenching other than oil and filter changes, so am I doomed to have top end work done every 2-3 yeas for as long as I have this bike???? If so, seems like poor engineering on the part of Suzuki, and that after 25 years of production they could/should have a fix. Or...are the posts I read the small minority of all Savage/LS650's out there, and with any luck I will not have any issues ?

thanks,

paul

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by bill67 on 08/11/10 at 06:51:50

Some have went 50,000 miles no trouble,I thing over revving a big single is the worst thing you can do to it.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by stinger on 08/11/10 at 10:29:28

I have 43,000 miles on my savage and am on my second cam change. I did not really need to change the first one at 33,000 miles but I did anyway. I agree with Bill, just don't over rev the bike and wind it out to the max in each gear and it won't be a problem.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by babyhog on 08/11/10 at 12:58:21

I thought it was the cam chain tensioner that is mostly the problem, not the cam chain itself? Where's Verslagen when we need him...

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by BurnPgh on 08/11/10 at 13:05:55

combination of a weak chain and poor tensioner design. Verslagen solved the tensioner design issue but the chain still sucks. if you're concerned about your chain check it immediately to find out where you stand. Letting it go can wreck your engine. The problem starts getting serious anywhere between 10 and 30k mi. Changing the chain is relatively easy but you have to be willing to do it. If you're not willing you're going to overly baby the bike and/or pay way too much for someone else to do it.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by verslagen1 on 08/11/10 at 13:54:24

7073727F7D671E0 wrote:

I thought it was the cam chain tensioner that is mostly the problem, not the cam chain itself? Where's Verslagen when we need him...

It's a misconception that it's the tensioner that causes the problem. When the chain (and guides) wear enough, the tensioner falls apart. When it falls apart great damage can be done.

BTW, according to the SSM, you should have your head bolts retorqued every 5k miles. While they are in there for that, they should check cam chain wear. Of course no one does that. And changing out the chain at that point is another 3 bolts.

Also note that stinger is one of the high mileage champs with the cam chain. And also note that when bill says not to over rev the engine, he means 70% of max rpm, shouldn't go over 66 mph. Stinger does most of his travels at 70 and higher. Stinger says he uses straight 50 wt. oil.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by bill67 on 08/11/10 at 14:08:27

Above 66 mph you can here the chain bouncing up and down.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by verslagen1 on 08/11/10 at 14:24:32

565D58580203340 wrote:

Above 66 mph you can here the chain bouncing up and down.

lmfao ;D

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by bill67 on 08/11/10 at 17:37:24

I new you would like that one ;D

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by Jay on 08/11/10 at 19:03:49

If you can change your own oil and filter, you can install a verslavy and get the max life out of your cam chain. I'm no mechanic, and I think it took me all of 30 minutes to do the job. There is a very easy to follow how to in the Tech section. I plan to check it again at 25,000 (coming up soon), and see what the extension on the tensioner is at. When the time comes to replace the cam chain, I hope Lancer has some.
I never did anything more than change oil and filter, put air in the tires, and gas in the tank before I got my Savage. I've learned a great deal from this bike and this forum.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by spacepirates on 08/11/10 at 21:01:02

well, it took me a lot longer than 30 minutes to put in mine, but i also changed the front brakes, and had more than a few beers while i was putting in my verslavy (might explain why i forgot to put the right foot-peg heat shield back on...).

still did it, easy enough, once i man-handled the darn circle clip on the tensioner. slipperly little bugger...

BTW, checked my cam chain at 17.5K and it was 21mm out.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by Bubba on 08/12/10 at 14:13:09

So if I replace the cam chain with one of Lancer's would it still be a good idea to verslavy it?

OR...verslavy first, ride it until I need to move to the new hole on the vers and then replace the chain???

OR... verslavy it ride till it goes into the second hole, ride till it starts to rattle, THEN get a new chain from Lancer?

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by spacepirates on 08/12/10 at 14:37:55

192E39393A6A6B63685B0 wrote:

the route i'm taking is the last. I just switched out for the verslavy and set it to the second hole. now i'm waiting for lancer to get some super chains at which point i'll buy one and wait for the rattle to switch it out.

no sense dumping something that still has use left in it, in my mind, anyways.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by Charon on 08/12/10 at 17:37:51

Getting those last miles of wear from the cam chain sounds like a good idea. But there may be a cost. A short while back Cycle World magazine had a piece on cam chains. I don't have the magazine, so I have to try to remember what they said. As the cam chain wears, it becomes longer (it doesn't stretch - it wears). As it becomes longer, the cam lags behind its optimum timing. I believe they mentioned about 4 degrees of lag, depending on cam chain length, at the service limit. This amount of cam timing retard is said to produce a deterioration in performance, which cannot be corrected by any means other than replacing the chain. Just something else to think about.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by verslagen1 on 08/12/10 at 17:44:07

absolutely right charon, I mentioned this in one of the early cam chain discussions. I beleave at factory limit, we can have up to 7° lag.

Title: Re: Cam chain ticking timebomb???
Post by bill67 on 08/12/10 at 18:47:58

Being the cam chain wears it pays to use a overkill oil.