Yamaha Techies? Cam Chain Tensioner

I'm going to have to go into the top end of my X soon. When my son was in town over the holidays, I let him use the X as his transportation for a week or so and I noticed that there was oil leaking from the head gasket and the base gasket. Seems that the head bolts have lost their torque.

The bike has been sitting since I discovered this a couple of months ago. I've been putting off working on it, mostly because I dread setting the cam timing again. What a pain in the ass.

What I'd really like to know is if there is an easy way to compress the cam chain tensioner. When I did the Athena install, it took me 3 tries to get the cams lined up properly and each time I had to remove the tensioner and wrestle with it to get it compressed again. There's got to be an easier way.

Suggestions?

The biggest thing to make sure of is that you get the chain good and tight, leaving all the slack in front of the tensioner. If you leave any slack in other areas the tensioner will spin a gear and fubar the timing.

I haven't done a bike chain yet but have done numerous car timing belts. I usually start at the crank and rotate the cams/gears back just slightly when putting the belt on so when I move it into position it's in the right spot with zero slack. That leaves all the slack where it should be and the tensioner sucks it right up.

Arkmage wrote:

The biggest thing to make sure of is that you get the chain good and tight, leaving all the slack in front of the tensioner. If you leave any slack in other areas the tensioner will spin a gear and fubar the timing.

I haven't done a bike chain yet but have done numerous car timing belts. I usually start at the crank and rotate the cams/gears back just slightly when putting the belt on so when I move it into position it's in the right spot with zero slack. That leaves all the slack where it should be and the tensioner sucks it right up.

Agreed. Still, I'd like to know the trick in compressing the the tensioner.

I read the trick in a post on here or on ADVrider (the mega thread), in the last 2-4 months. I'll look for it with google and post up.


Here you are.

Teaser
Near the bottom and the top of the next page.

Final word, half way down:
Cam chain tensioner trick

It was further back than I remembered


Also, have a look here:
mega thread
post # 22542

ramz wrote:

I read the trick in a post on here or on ADVrider (the mega thread), in the last 2-4 months. I'll look for it with google and post up.


Here you are.

Teaser
Near the bottom and the top of the next page.

Final word, half way down:
Cam chain tensioner trick

It was further back than I remembered


Also, have a look here:
mega thread
post # 22542

Helpful information. Thank you!

I used a C-clamp to compress mine. It was super easy. I just squeezed a few turns and then turned the piston clockwise, then squeeze some more so on and so forth. Takes me 30 seconds tops. My problem was getting it to unload after reinstall. I would reinstall it and turn the timing counter clockwise as indicated but when the intake cam it the valve the chain would jump on the intake cam and the tensioner would not pop out. Havn't figured it out yet.

Easy cheeses way to compress the tensioner for this old dog is to place the tensioner piston part up on top of a paper towel or cloth on the work bench and press down with the heel of your hand while twisting the body. Once the piston is compressed keep rotating until the lock ring is facing you so you can pinch it into the groove.

To release the tensioner I turn the crank clockwise while putting some resistance on the exhaust cam to keep the chain under tension between the two cams.

I discovered that apparently I was squeezing the lock ring too tight and it wasn't able to release.  Did it again lightly and no problems of any kind.