Topic: cb550 cam chain tensioner help

[bwaller]

Just don't rev the thing too high. If the tensioner... isn't ...the chain may be very loose. If so it'll rattle in the top end and you'll know.

[Duanob]

I found that the Honda instructions for the adjuster nut on old corroded dirty threads aren't good enough. Honda says the nut will self adjust on it's own but I find I get a tighter adjustment with a bit of tension on the adjuster screw. Get yourself a 90 degree flat blade screw driver and a 10mm box wrench. It takes a bit of fiddling but put the box wrench on the nut where you can tighten it and loosen it without removing it. Then loosen the nut and with the screw diver put some pressure on the adjuster, counter clockwise and tighten the nut. Don't crank it just put pressure on it. The nut will turn with the adjuster a bit but the tensioner will be as tight as you can get it. Start the bike up and see how quiet it runs ( relatively, 550s aren't the quietest valve trains).

[Mitchell]

Thanks guys i really do appreciate it! Well i i twisted and turnd pb blastered and lots of cuss words and could not get it right so pulled the topend and jonda500 hit the nail on the head the teeth were all bent up

[Mitchell]

Here it is after a little love. I was also glad to see a very clean motor on the inside with very little carbon build up.

[strynboen]

nice to see a real life tensioner.. .
.most just guess how it Work..i vill like to have a real handel at the end..to finger adjust..to help the spring...but the idea of the spring system is to leave it to the spring.
.and instead place the cam,,,so it balance aut any slock..before the kontra sckrev are turned inn..

[flatlander]

great that you found and fixed the problem!
now when you put it back in, make sure the bottom end of the tensioner properly sits in its place, before you tighten down the head.

[Mitchell]

Flatlander thanks for the tip, that would have probably been my next mistake.

[alacrity]

Flatlander thanks for the tip, that would have probably been my next mistake.

yeah what Flatlander said. It's REALLY easy to shove it down into the receiver in the case and... well look at the end of the tensioner -- see those two little spring-off "arms" at the sides? These provide a bit of side-side movement control as natural spring levers. BUT if you shove the tensioner it at a tiny bit of an angle and just think, "Oh well the slot is a snug fit, so I'll add a couple lbs. of muscle," what can happen is one of those little arms can snag on the top lip of the slot, and bend outward... and if its the side where the primary chain whirls right by about 1/4" to the side of it, well, you can imagine what ensues....
To ensure this doesn't happen, drop the drain pan, position the adjuster properly since you can now see it slide into place