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Replace the Chain Tensioner on the Front of the Engine


Dave Faria

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Dave Faria

Has anyone done this and why. I'm one of the lucky ones with cam chain chatter at idle in both cylinders when the engine is hot. I was thinking since it is common to both cylinders it might be play in the front tensioner. Both cylinder chains have new tensioners.

 

Thanks List

2004 R1150RT w/78k miles

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Dave, I replaced the left cylinder chain tensioner in my '99 R1100S on Sunday. Took about 2 hours just taking my time. Rubber Chicken Racing was the source for the part but I understand the upgrade can also be purchased from several other places. The start up death rattle is now gone.

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I don't want to hijack your thread... but my 1100RT has a chain chatter on cold startup, and even when the engine is hot, at idle...

 

The bike now has 48k km, it's a '95. Should I be worried? I intend to make the upgrade on the L/H tensioner soon.

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We’re getting our chains and tensioners mixed up in the terminology here...

 

From the internal intermediate shaft to each head there is a chain that turns the camshaft in each head. The tensioners on these chains are the ones most people are most familiar with and are commonly replaced. Especially the left side due to start up rattle.

 

But there is also a crankshaft to intermediate shaft internal timing chain with its own tensioner. This is the one I believe Dave is referring to, as he said “...both cylinders have new tensioners.”

 

But to the original question – failure of that internal tensioner on the timing chain is exceedingly rare, but I suppose anything is possible.

 

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  • 1 year later...

Year & 1/2 time-warp bump....

Soo...has anybody done this?

 

I'm chasing a ratchety-buzzy annoying sound that's not cam-chain tensioners etc. Definitely coming from the front of the engine.

 

Found ~$150 on the street (brown paper bag) so I've got a new timing chain, tensioner & guide, piston, spring, shaft seal & alternator belt I'm just DYING to install...;)

 

Any tips?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Either on the Adventure Rider or MOA there are pictures of the change out on an 1100 engine. And I didn't replace mine. In the last three months I've found and measured a loose rear main bearing which probaby lowered oil pressure at idle so the tensioners were not able to quiet down the engine. My rear bearing is one of those that knocks with the clutch lever pulled in.

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I got L chain tensioner from Rubber Chicken racing. $85.

less than 2 hrs to install.

No noise at all now and no death rattle.

Sure enough oem tens had groove on piston that leaked oil out after shutdown.

Rubber chicken version seals up nicely.

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Either on the Adventure Rider or MOA there are pictures of the change out on an 1100 engine. And I didn't replace mine. In the last three months I've found and measured a loose rear main bearing which probaby lowered oil pressure at idle so the tensioners were not able to quiet down the engine. My rear bearing is one of those that knocks with the clutch lever pulled in.

Thanx Dave...

A link for anyone wanting to read....

http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=616187&highlight=timing+chain&page=4

 

I've had this link bookmarked for over a year.

My 'problem' is a buzzy-ratchety rpm-linked noise that has been a real annoyance for the last 20k miles, esp when hot & running in the first 3 gears.

Just finished buttoning up the front cover & about to install new seal. What a PITA to do this w/o a lift....

I took some pics of the old parts, & found the chain may have stretched a mm or 2 & the wear on the tensioner & guide look just like the Adv link above.

OTOH the tensioner spring had collapsed a full 1/4". Probably all I 'needed' to replace.

I'm anxious to see if all this work was worth anything...the Roadsta ran great! in all other respects.

 

 

 

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