Yet another stupid question I’m afraid. I’ve been reading up on the cam chain tensioner issue in the forum, and I’ll probably be looking at replacing mine next spring.  In the meantime, I’m bothered by one persisting thought.  If the tensioner should fall out while I’m scooting down the highway, will this “hand grenade in the engine” event that I’ve read about lock the rear wheel? If so, I can only assume that the bike and I will go down and my sorry ass will be belt-sanded by the asphalt. As you can imagine, I'd really like to avoid this. Grateful for your thoughts as always.

The flywheel, crankshaft and rotor have enough kinetic energy to break anything that happens to bind up if the cam chain tensioner lets go.

It is gonna break a lot of engine stuff and make a lot of noise for a brief period....but I imagine you can coast to a very silent stop.

Dave

There are multiple modes of failure so it's hard to tell.

But most likely you will hear a noise, fer goods sake!!! pull in the clutch! and let her quit.  Coast to the side of the road and check her out... not that you can put your eyeball anywhere and say 'cam chain' with any certainty.

1st, plunger will separate from the housing and start to grind.
2nd, the chain will get loose and rub on the case.
3rd, the plunger spring will slip out and start bouncing around (yep quite dangerously) if ye auld spring gets caught in any of the gears... a sudden stop ye will come to hopefully with knees securely gripping the tank least you learn how to fly and why gravity is cruel.

I believe it was JOG that said dam spring or spring bits as the case may be can lodge somewhere and prevent the clutch from operating.

So, if you've been trained by the FN stock petcock to put it prime and hope for a restart in a second or two... lemme dissuade you from further following the practice.

Have a nice ride    

Get the Versy,get a gasket,drain the oil,pop the side off. Measure the tensioner,install the Versy on whichever hole makes sense. Ship old tensioner to Verslagen. Ride. Right now you're worried about it. I would be,too.I can't ride and be happy and worry. I'd Hafta Do something about that worrying thing.

It still amazes me that Suzuki doesn't see this as a problem.

I have a 13 too, had 10 on the clock as well. Here was what mine looked like......
I didn't measure it, as I was replacing it anyway as it made a whole bunch of sense to, cheap insurance, peace of mind, for its my daily ferry rider to get off the island to and fro work.
I could however see it was cocked, not true anymore, and that didn't seem a good thing....



Here is what it looked like after a new one imstalled:



I also noticed I still have my old one I need to returm, oh my, so sorry Versy