SuzukiSavage.com - cam chain tensioner

Lazy Old Rider Junior Member Offline SuzukiSavage.com Rocks! Posts: 73	cam chain tensioner 02/03/08 at 04:21:32 In a previous post:- has a major problem with the cam chain tensioner falling out before the chain reaches service limit, and has typically dubious Suzuki quality issues on surface finish. I have heard this mentioned else where, but no one seems to say "When" this should be checked/replaced any opinions on mileage?
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drharveys - FSO Serious Thumper Offline Greetings from San Luis del Norte! Posts: 1776 St Louis MO Gender:	Re: cam chain tensioner Reply #1 - 02/03/08 at 05:59:50 My impression from reading the posts is that at around 10,000 miles of normal riding replacing the stock cam tensioner with a verschlaggy is probably a good idea. Or, shortly after the bike comes off warantee.
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Reelthing

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Re: cam chain tensioner
Reply #2 - 02/03/08 at 08:11:06

Likely depends on how the bike is maintained - if you started with a new engine and kept the correct amount of clean syn oil in it liable to go much longer than one where the engine has been ran low on oil that would cause rapid wear of most things the cam chain included - I have >25k on a '95 with the original chain - but do not intend to run it much more until the tensioner and chain are replaced

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verslagen1 YaBB Moderator ModSquad Online Where there's a will, I want to be in it. Posts: 28761 L.A. California Gender:	Re: cam chain tensioner Reply #3 - 02/03/08 at 08:37:02 This is a subject that's been talked about at length. Here's some links to lot's of reading for you. http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1192027390 http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1191167029 http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?num=1176999168 Have fun
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eanon Full Member Offline Thump-Thump-Thu mp Posts: 219 Austin, Texas Gender:	Re: cam chain tensioner Reply #4 - 02/03/08 at 10:18:41 When your tensioner is about to go, you will here a loud, annoying "tick" that increases and decreases in speed with the engine. Granted, there are a few other things on this bike that "tick", the valves, the headlight, the speedo, etc, etc, etc, but you should notice this particular tick. I did.
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Paladin. Serious Thumper Offline Hamster Posts: 4929 Sunny Southern California Gender:	Re: cam chain tensioner Reply #5 - 02/03/08 at 12:15:16 eanon wrote on 02/03/08 at 10:18:41: When your tensioner is about to go, you will here a loud, annoying "tick" that increases and decreases in speed with the engine. ... Y2K, 23000+ miles, no annoying "tick" yet. But as I plan on riding Thumper into the ground, I got me a chain for when and if I do need it.
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eanon Full Member Offline Thump-Thump-Thu mp Posts: 219 Austin, Texas Gender:	Re: cam chain tensioner Reply #6 - 02/04/08 at 14:25:37 I'm not even at 14K and just had to have a friend weld the extension on the plunger to buy me some time. The previous owner beat the hell out of the poor girl....
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justin_o_guy2 Serious Thumper Offline What happened? Posts: 55279 East Texas, 1/2 dallas/la.	Re: cam chain tensioner Reply #7 - 02/04/08 at 23:45:50 The tensioner was at 18,, with 15,000 on the clock. Time for a chain. I did ride the everlovin snot outta that thing, too, but oil changes were very regular & at 3,000,,, dino
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Savage_Rob

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Re: cam chain tensioner
Reply #8 - 02/05/08 at 07:21:26

I think there's probably a design/materials issue too. Mine is a 98 that I bought in the summer of 2004. At that time it had less than 2K miles on it - at least according to the odometer. While that could be entirely wrong, the condition of the rest of the bike at the time supported it. I mean, the tires were OE with nearly complete treads and still had chicken strips. I had to replace 'em because of age/dry-rot though. When it comes to the maintenance, it's always hard to know what happened prior to my ownership but the oil I drained out of her immediately after buying her wasn't too bad. Her valve adjustment was still good too. However, at less than 10K miles I looked at the cam chain tensioner/adjuster and decided it was a good time to install the VerSlavy mod. I think she'd have made somewhere between 14K and 15K before catastrophiv separation but I caught it before anything had become misshapen... which probably would have occurred by about 12K-13K miles. Just my guestimates, but that's all I can offer from mine. For me, the VerSlavy mod is peace of mind.

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Savage_Greg Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Don't go around your ass to reach your elbow... Posts: 7844 SW Washington State Gender:	Re: cam chain tensioner Reply #9 - 02/05/08 at 08:11:53 And let's not forget Stinger's bike...even though he hasn't posted in a couple months His '02 had over 30K on the clock and the tensioner was only extended 19 MM with a few more miles to go yet. Last that I heard, he was at 32K.
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T Mack 1 - FSO Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline sold 2001 LS650 for a 1986 XLH1100 Posts: 2919 Emmaus,Pa Gender:	Re: cam chain tensioner Reply #10 - 02/05/08 at 10:13:19 Had engine apart at 10,460 (bought it in pieces). The cam chain measured very close to factroy new chain I bought. Probably could have gone another 10K to 20K miles.....
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Savage_Greg

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Re: cam chain tensioner
Reply #11 - 02/05/08 at 11:11:09

T Mack 1 - FSO wrote on 02/05/08 at 10:13:19:

Had engine apart at 10,460 (bought it in pieces). The cam chain measured very close to factroy new chain I bought.

Probably could have gone another 10K to 20K miles.....

The factory spec on the chain stretch is a little misleading. You only measure a short section, but overall the chain stretch is greater than you think. But to make it even worse, your tensioner will have come apart before you ever get to the max limit, anyway. That's the reason for the Verslagy mod...it extends the useful life of the chain.

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Savage_Rob

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Re: cam chain tensioner
Reply #12 - 02/05/08 at 11:43:16

Savage_Greg wrote on 02/05/08 at 08:11:53:

And let's not forget Stinger's bike...even though he hasn't posted in a couple months Tongue

at
His '02 had over 30K on the clock and the tensioner was only extended 19 MM with a few more miles to go yet. Last that I heard, he was at 32K.

Yup. The sometimes widely varying lifespans could be an indication of inconsistency in parts quality but, as Reelthing said, could also be maintenance and riding habits. In Stinger's case, and correct me if I'm misremembering, he basically says he rides the crap out of it. Whether that simply means a lot of use or is intended to indicate a generally hard thrashing, I don't know. In either case, I'd take it to mean he doesn't baby the bike at all. That leans toward the parts quality theory in my mind. Mine would never have made 20K and I don't thrash it, though I'm quite sure Texas summers place some stress on the air-cooled single that may not be present in other cases.

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Reelthing Serious Thumper Alliance Member Offline Fish or ride that is the question Posts: 5397 Houston,Tx Gender:	Re: cam chain tensioner Reply #13 - 02/05/08 at 11:49:22 so how many miles have you put on it with new tensioner?
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verslagen1

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Re: cam chain tensioner
Reply #14 - 02/05/08 at 12:00:42

On stinkers riding...

stinger wrote on 12/15/07 at 02:17:07:

2002 bought it new
Supertrapp, running 8 discs, K@N air filter and Greg rejetted it with a 155 main jet.
Not one repair needed on my bike so far, except front brake pads.
Only use 50 weight auto oil, change maybe every 1 or 2 thousand miles. Maybe $6 for 3 qts. Cheap enough it allows me to change more often if Im interstating it at high speeds on long trips and after a few days.

34, 500 miles on original cam chain and tensioner. Greg opened it up and said it didnt need changing as of yet and we closed it back up til this winter.

Making a circle of the US this spring leaving from Portland Or, across Canada and back into the states somewhere on the east coast. Not sure if the original cam chain would hold up, but bike still running strong and has given no indication its going out so far. Be interesting to see if the cam chain would make the trip. Plan on having 50,000 miles by end of summer. It only had 14,500 on it when I rode across America a year and a half ago.

I ride fast but not hard. I like interstates. I like to ride at 65 to 75. Its where my bike runs the smoothest and I feel the most comfortable.

I've replaced my tensioner with a Verslavy and put it on the second hole at 22k. I'm now at 27k. I recommend dropping the clutch cover every 5k, so I'm due for an inspection. Grin

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