This is a question/rant/thought process,

Do the suzuki boulevards have the same tensioner as the older models? If not what do they have instead?
And why would suzuki (considering the manufacture lifespan of these bikes) continue using a critical part like this which is very prone to failing, why not redesign or adapt like verslagen? Since mine has failed at 8000 i just cant help but think about it, also why has no company started manufacture, surely theres business........

Quote:


Any evidence that the change (I assume they made it lighter, right) did any good ?

Rembrandt wrote on 06/18/13 at 17:52:18:

you have to look

Rembrandt wrote on 06/18/13 at 19:04:17:


http://suzukisavage.com/cgi-bin/YaBB.pl?board=tech;action=display;num=1191167029

Link above shows how to do the check. If you cannot do the work yourself my advice would be to get a modified adjuster from verslagen1, pick a mileage to take a look - I did mine at 10,000 miles -put the modified adjuster in, and then you don't have to worry about it.

At 10,000 my adjuster was still OK. It was only out 16mm. I probably could have gone a while longer before doing anything, but I went ahead and put the verslavy in 'cause I didn't want to have to open it up again in a few thousand miles.

As far as when YOU need to look goes, that's a little tougher call. I think 10 or 12 thousand miles is probably safe but that's based on first hand knowledge of exactly one bike, plus what I've read on the forum about other folks experience. If you bought your bike new, and you're just getting to 5,000 miles I don't think you need to worry for a while. If you bought it used, and especially if you don't know its history, I might take a look sooner.

Don't forget to have a new gasket on hand, which will cost somewhere near $20 depending on source and shipping. Paper-type gaskets are not noted for coming off in one piece so you can reuse them.

It is the opinion of those knowledgable in these things....that the stretch of the cam chain is more related to heat cycles than it is to mileage.  If your riding is 5 miles to the store and back....you will get far less mileage from your cam chain than someone who rides 100 miles every time they start their bike.  That is why we can't give you a definite value on when you will need to do something about your sloppy chain and extended tensioner.

My 1998 got its first cam chain inspection this year. And has a couple clicks left before the tensioner piston falls out. Bike was never babied, even when it was just a back up bike, somebody was riding it. Me, stepson, wife, friends... and none are light with the throttle.

Checking it isn't that big a deal. As for the gasket, you can use "gray gunk"... also known as Tite-bond, Yama-bond, Honda-bond or its real name of Permatex Ultra Gray. About 6 or 7 dollars for a tube that will do a Savage side case seal 15 or 20 times over. And it works just fine, coat the outer case gasket area with a thin bead or wipe, let it start to skin over, and then put the side case on the engine. Go easy with the gray goop, or you WILL block a major oil passage and grenade your engine... If any oozes out more than paper thickness, pull the case off and try it again with less sealant.

Just did a second opening of a VN1500 Drifter engine, clutch mainspring failed after the new discs were put in and the bike ridden for a bit. Much higher oil pressure than a Savage sees, and the gray gunk we used as a gasket for it was flawless. If it is good enough for a 1500 Vulcan engine, it is more than sufficient for a Savage engine.