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General Category >> Rubber Side Down! >> Cam chain slack adjuster
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Message started by 652cafe on 08/18/15 at 04:56:32

Title: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by 652cafe on 08/18/15 at 04:56:32

I recently bought a 2007 S40 that had been (very nicely) given the Ryca CS-1 treatment. I have put a little over 800 miles on it so far with no problems. I keep reading about the issue with the cam chain tensioner however...my bike is at about 15,000 miles right now. Is this something I should get taken care of right now ? It surprizes me that these bikes would have a single component so widely known to possibly grenade the motor at such a low mileage and yet Suzuki has not addressed it and come up with a fix in almost 30 years of production.

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by Dave on 08/18/15 at 05:24:22

The consensus here is that you should check the adjuster somewhere between 10,000 and 20,000 miles. A lot depends on how far you ride when you get on the bike. If you take lots of short trips you should be checking it closer to 10,000 miles......if you go for hundreds of miles on each ride....then more might be OK. Several new members recently have just caught their tensioner in the nick of time and avoided expensive damage.

Here is a link for the most information....and where you can buy the modified tensioner from Verslagen.

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1180206459

Here is another link to recent discussions:

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1438534586

http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1438008459

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 08/18/15 at 05:58:26

And, better safe than sorry,,,

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by Ed L. on 08/18/15 at 06:56:03

If you are worried about it then check it, you have enough miles on your bike for it to become an issue.
My '02 was out 16mm at 10k which was just under the service limit. Put a modified tensioner in and I'm good to go except for loosing the neutral safety light on the tank. :(

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by 652cafe on 08/18/15 at 16:34:38

Thanks for all the info guys, really appreciate it ! The task seems a little more than I would want to tackle myself though. Will probably order the Verslavy and get a local shop to swap it out...I'm in San Diego.

Would I be hearing a lot of noise if it were close to going out, or is it something that goes with no warning ?

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by Kris01 on 08/18/15 at 20:25:11

Press your heels against the side of the engine. If you can feel an uneven vibration between each side then the tensioner needs to be at least inspected. It should give you plenty of warning before it dies completely. It'll rattle loudly.

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by old_rider on 08/18/15 at 20:28:07

16151243414645200 wrote:

Versy lives in lower cali I believe..... might want to message him and see what he can do for ya. :)

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by agha javed on 08/18/15 at 12:03:12

the solution of chain tensioner problem is not bad. but i would slightly disagree with it.
when you extend the bolt side of plunger by welding an extra piece, you are safe as far as that thing drop will drop down and damage is concerned. but you see there is a slight problem with that and i might be wrong and please correct me if i am. the thing is that the whole chain is stretched a bit, ok? the adjustment is only on one side of the chain, in the photos we can see the chain glide pushes from the left side of the chain, ok? now the problem is the whole adjustment is on one side and that itself alone throws the timing off a little. if the adjustment was on both sides, left and right equally than the timing would be fine. but pushing the timing chain way to long only on one side will definitely effect the overall timing of the engine. therefore i personally would prefer to replace the timing chain rather than pushing it twice as far as it would by modifying the plunger and extending it. in my opinion the better solution would be to make a much better quality timing chain available for the bike. otherwise replace it with the new one already available. again i would say correct me if i am wrong. i also have suzuki boulevard s40 2009 and i will post my pictures too cuz mine too needs fixing

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by verslagen1 on 08/18/15 at 13:47:11

Been there, done that...
I've calculated valve timing is affected by 1° for every .010" stretch (as I recall)
This will not affect the performance of the average savage. (although boulevards will carp out and die) 8-)

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by MikeCanCU812 on 08/18/15 at 18:15:13

I'm new on here and need one of your adjusters. Is your deal for the two for one still on?

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by verslagen1 on 08/18/15 at 18:32:25

5A7E7C7254767954422F2625170 wrote:

I'm new on here and need one of your adjusters. Is your deal for the two for one still on?

yes, sending mail.

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by agha javed on 08/19/15 at 07:26:20

ok. then it means that this modification is not suitable for boulevard s40. i actually noticed a very obvious drop in performance along with a ticking noice and i suspected the timing chain and when i opened the side cover my plunger was out to its limits although the bike has only done 10000 miles. i will also post pictures
392A3D3C232E282A217E4F0 wrote:

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by verslagen1 on 08/19/15 at 07:33:51

5E59425154380 wrote:

I was kidding about boulevards, there's no difference.
I've seen plungers about to drop out as low as 6000 miles.
If the PO did mostly 5 miles runs then the mileage on the chain will always be short.

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by Dave on 08/19/15 at 09:27:35

You know what is really weird about this? The chain will still be within the factory wear limits when the unmodified tensioner plunger pops out!

So...if the cam chain is in spec, and the cam timing is within reasonable limits, and the bike still runs fine....shouldn't the tensioner be able to go the full distance of the chain wear?

Seems to me that Suzuki should have made a tensioner that has about twice the travel of the stock tensioner...and one that is a bit less aggressive about tightening the chain.

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by agha javed on 08/20/15 at 02:06:44

here it is what i found when i opened my boulevard 2009 at only 10000 miles

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by agha javed on 08/20/15 at 02:23:08

in my opinion this engine needs is thicker timing chain if that is possible but i think that would be difficult or not possible. but if this can be done the engine will become much more trouble free.

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by agha javed on 08/20/15 at 10:34:31

that what i found when i opened the side cover after 10000 miles on my 2009 s40

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by agha javed on 08/20/15 at 10:37:32

and here is the total distance the plunger has travelled

Title: Re: Verslavy Tensioner Assy
Post by FerousBastard on 08/20/15 at 11:41:11

7D464B5C4D415A5C474F425D2E0 wrote:

Seems to me that Suzuki should have made a tensioner that has about twice the travel of the stock tensioner...and one that is a bit less aggressive about tightening the chain.

The ironi is that Suzuki's engineers most likely had a solution up their sleeves, but it was deemed too costly or otherwise for an entry level motorcycle like the S40.

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by 652cafe on 09/09/15 at 15:29:51

Got my Verslavy in the mail today...very nice work, looks like it could have left the factory this way !

So I will be spinning some wrenches tomorrow. A little out of my comfort zone to be honest, but it does not look too complicated. I picked up Shell Advance Ultra 4T 10w-40 when I picked up my gaskets...is this a good choice, should I get some STP additive with ZDDP to put with this ?

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by verslagen1 on 09/09/15 at 16:32:18

65666130323536530 wrote:

no, not good for wet clutches.

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by 652cafe on 09/09/15 at 16:56:57

Oh crap...what is the best choice oil ?

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by verslagen1 on 09/09/15 at 17:05:24

7E7D7A2B292E2D480 wrote:

Oh crap...what is the best choice oil ?

I highlighted the "STP" which we know is not good.
The Oil? IDK
try looking thru...
http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1344471565

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by Dave on 09/10/15 at 03:51:22

The Shell Advance Ultra 4T 10w-40 is rated JASO MA-2 - which means that it is a modern oil approved for use in motorcycles with catalytic converters and oxygen sensors. As such.....it will have a lower ZDDP content. I searched and could not find any listing of the actual amount of ZDDP in the oil.

Most "modern" motorcycles have some form of roller on the rocker arm that contacts the cam.....the Savage does not. Our opinion on this forum is that you need an oil with 1,200 - 1,400 ppm of ZDDP to protect the cam and rocker from premature wear.

Go get some Rotella T or Rotella T-6......it is everything that your engine needs for long term survival. If you want to be extra careful....add 2 oz. of Redline ZDDP additive to each gallon of Rotella before you put it in the engine (1 oz. per 2 qt. oil change).

Don't ever add oil treatments like STP or Lucas....it will make your clutch slip.

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by Mark P on 09/10/15 at 18:10:31

Verslagen1, can you contact me with a price for your cam chain tensioner/adjuster?
Also, is the ebay clutch cover gasket recommended or is there a better source of a good quality gasket?
Son's 2005 S40 has only 4,100 miles, so is it overkill to change out the
tensioner/adjuster?
Thanks,
Mark

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by justin_o_guy2 on 09/10/15 at 18:16:40

Way too soon to worry about the cam chain, and call around the local shops, not just Suzuki has the gasket. Keep the local people alive, go get a few oil filters, have them around, o rings for the filter cover and filter, maybe a crush washer for the plug. Then when it's tire time, they'll know your face.

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by verslagen1 on 09/10/15 at 22:06:29

564B1B0 wrote:

Verslagen1, can you contact me with a price for your cam chain tensioner/adjuster?
Also, is the ebay clutch cover gasket recommended or is there a better source of a good quality gasket?

You are contacted.

Any oem online store has them.

Title: Re: Cam chain slack adjuster
Post by 652cafe on 09/11/15 at 00:55:21

Verslavy installed...wasn't too difficult. Hardest part (apart from thinking about it for 2 weeks...lol) was actually removing the circlip at the housing end of the adjuster !! The external snap ring pliers I purchased were too big. I had to file down the end points to make them small enough to fit, and also file the insides of the mechanism to allow it to close enough to fit inside the circlip.
Original adjuster was extended 14mm. I considered installing verslavy in second hole, but it meant that the tension on the chain was already pretty strong with the plastic retainer still holding the plunger back. I did not like the idea of keeping the spring compressed so much. I reckon I will go back in and move to second hole in about 4,000 miles.
Pics...before and after.