You've got a valid point.For sure.In my case anyway...I know what cam chain noise sounds like.I always listen to my bike warm up before I take off.Just to be sure there aren't any odd sounds.That sound is IMO very clear....clacking.Metallic.
I'd say if you're worried you might not get it right,you can take a pencil,or chopstick,or something along those lines.Remove the factory tensioner(ONLY IF YOU'RE COMMITTED TO INSTALLING THE APE!!!!!)gently slide it in till you feel it contact the shoe(THIS can be kinda tricky unless you push a few times and get the feel for when the dowel(pencil,whatever) is actually contacting the shoe...it does move inward.I think you may be able to get a flashlight and actually see when the dowel is touching the shoe if you're not sure about how far in it is.You can look in there without the dowel and see approximately where it is,and how far.Mark the pencil or whatever at the flush point of the engine side of the mount area.Take your manual tensioner.Make sure you have the o-ring on it.Adjust the adjuster bolt inward until you have the same length as your pencil(dowel)mark.You now use the 'mark' to measure the 'engine side' of the tensioner mounting plate.That will preset the tensioner so the chain won't be slapping around in there when you first start your bike.Snug down the mounting plate.With your right hand,get ready to start your bike.With your left hand,hold the adjuster bolt and get ready to turn.Bike in neutral.Start engine.IMMEDIATELY listen for clacking.IF it's clacking,turn adjuster clockwise.ONLY till it stops.IF you have NO CLACKING at first start,turn adjuster counterclockwise until you get a SMALL amount of noise.You'll hear it.NOW....begin to turn clockwise again until the sound stops.JUST TILL IT STOPS...no further.Turn your baby off.Now...back on.Any noise?If not,you can turn the adjuster back out slightly.NOT MUCH.Restart.No NOISE?....that's it.IF you hear any noise after backing the bolt out a teensy bit(at startup or running)....adjust slightly back in...till it stops.Yer done.Tighten the lock nut,do not allow the adjuster bolt to turn with the locknut!Tighten down the mount bolts.That's it.Check for oil seepage at the mount plate.There should be NO OIL anywhere.Wipe down and recheck after running some.It should be fine.I would NOT recommend using any type of threadlocker on the adjuster bolt...or the locknut.
I know there's been mucho technical discussions here about cam chain position,where this is at,where that's at....how this needs to be this way or whatever.S'all good...each to his own.My opinion is....you have slack somewhere along that chain.It may or may not change positions with the rotation of the cam gears.The factory designed the stock tensioner to be placed right where it is.So apparently,they know that tensioning that part of the chain...regardless of WHERE the slack actually may be along the run..is the best way to stop cam chain slap.The manual tensioner is ONLY 'tightening' the chain as it begins to get slack in it .It is not pushing on an unslacked shoe.Unlike the factory tensioner...which is always applying pressure to the shoe.Anyway...I can't envision ANY chain damage or shoe damage if you adjust the manual one correctly.I took the factory one out....felt the spring tension in it.There wasn't very much tension in that piston.So IMO it's only lightly putting pressure on the shoe as the slack comes around that part of the run,or whenever it gets slack.Which is exactly what the manual one does...without the continuous pressure on the shoe.There's only a specific amount of travel in the chain to be able to hit and slap in there.The manual tensioner just keeps that amount from happening.Anything under that amount...it doesn't affect.Which IMO is exactly why it doesn't ever need to be adjusted once set.Mine never has...and I've got 50,000 miles on her.
Here's a question for anyone here....does anyone KNOW where the chain is hitting...and WHAT it's hitting when it clacks?The noise is NOT coming from the chain hitting and pushing on the shoes in there.Does anyone think it MAY be possible that the engine failures we've seen in a couple of cases MIGHT be related to a chain hitting a part of the engine internal wall and creating a weak spot?Just wondering.Isn't that #3 'bearing' right about where the cam chain is positioned...inside the case or whatever?In line with that bearing?If you look at the 'failure' pics...the FRONT portion of the motor...at the right hand side there...that's where the 'holes' seem to be at.Anyone look to see WHERE that front shoe is located in the motor?There have been several instances of 'flakes' in people's oil.After the initial break-in.WAY after the initial break-in.I don't think you should be seeing metal flakes after your motor has been run in.I don't get any.And I wonder IF the guys seeing metal flakes have the factory tensioner in there?Co incidence?IDK.
* Last updated by: blue07 on 9/18/2011 @ 11:52 AM *