Topic: Cam chain tensioner

[scottly]

User forums are, some would say, simply microcosms of powersports ownership community.  That they are essentially egalitarian, democratic, even grass-roots in nature.  This seems an intelligent, comfortably reasonable, powerfully simple defense, but it is actually a very simplistic one and very wrong.

Powersports forums are essentially incestuous. They are destroying the industry through the misinformation that ensures that new powersports consumers are ignorant.  If a large number of people believe a thing, it must be true.  Yet rallying around a falsehood, celebrating it, codifying it, repeating it incessantly, in no way adds value to it.  Opinion unmoored in objective, qualified fact has an echo, but no substance.  Forums are completely silent on literally hundreds of issues vital to powersports consumers, while at the same time their leaders think their discoveries and observations exhaustive, definitive, despite their actually being very limited.  It's like someone reading a book on the subject of war and from then on lashing out at the decorated military veteran whose real experience questions their superficially informed view.  And the more authoritative the questioner, the more vitriolic and confrontational the attack. This should constitute a resounding alarm for any thinking person.

What the #$%* are you talking about??? We show you what the Honda documents say, and you respond with this crap??
My apologies Clay, but I couldn't restrain myself..

[seanbarney41]

User forums are, some would say, simply microcosms of powersports ownership community.  That they are essentially egalitarian, democratic, even grass-roots in nature.  This seems an intelligent, comfortably reasonable, powerfully simple defense, but it is actually a very simplistic one and very wrong.

Powersports forums are essentially incestuous. They are destroying the industry through the misinformation that ensures that new powersports consumers are ignorant.  If a large number of people believe a thing, it must be true.  Yet rallying around a falsehood, celebrating it, codifying it, repeating it incessantly, in no way adds value to it.  Opinion unmoored in objective, qualified fact has an echo, but no substance.  Forums are completely silent on literally hundreds of issues vital to powersports consumers, while at the same time their leaders think their discoveries and observations exhaustive, definitive, despite their actually being very limited.  It's like someone reading a book on the subject of war and from then on lashing out at the decorated military veteran whose real experience questions their superficially informed view.  And the more authoritative the questioner, the more vitriolic and confrontational the attack. This should constitute a resounding alarm for any thinking person.

What the #$%* are you talking about??? We show you what the Honda documents say, and you respond with this crap??
My apologies Clay, but I couldn't restrain myself..

apparently, he would rather not share any more of his precious knowledge, thus perpetrating exactly what he just said

[Deltarider]

Before CB500/550 owners begin the camchain adjustment procedure, I advise them to have a look at this video, shot by René van Maanen of Honda4.nl. It gives you an idea of how the tensioner works and why you will not see the bolt turn when you loosen the locknut to let it adjust. It will move but just a fraction. Also do not expect a wonderful humming engine after adjustment is made. On these models you will always hear the camchain.
Mind you, the vid does NOT show HOW to do the adjustment, it only demonstrates what goes on.
Back then Honda - and not only Honda - had difficulties developping a reliable camchain tensioner as also CB350/400F owners can testify. The design is maybe not bad, but the gear is a bit too light. Yes, I know it, do it by the book, but from experience I know the tensioner is easily damaged, too easily.
I certainly do NOT recommend to do it with the engine running like Honda's Owner's Manual CB500K3-CB550K3 suggests. What is described there, is probably an error in copy and paste from some other bike. However, it can also be that Honda, aware of the problems, decided it was best to have the tensioner touched as little as possible by those who do the maintenance themselves. No doubt dealers will have been informed: I cannot speak for other countries but back then in Holland, dealers and their mecs were yearly invited to Honda The Netherlands to receive information and/or have demonstrated the ins and outs of typicalities of the various models. Honda never thought it necessary to improve the design. It would be interesting to know how much better the repro is, that DS offers.

Courtesy Renë van Maanen - Honda4.nl

[bryanj]

Its anexact copy of an original so no better and no worse

[clayherget]

I finally got the lock nut off.  The slotted screw didn't really spring back into place but after reassembling everything it does seem like the rattle that I had has gone away.  Of course it sounds like there may be something else going on.  I am going to check the valve spacing next, then the ignition timing and finally I am going to try to sync the carbs.  Are there any other tune ups that I should try before I get into taking the head off to inspect the chain tensioner?

[flatlander]

once you did all that, post a sound clip or video here.
of course there could be something else but these engines are a bit more noisy than you might be used to so having a "second pair of ears" may clarify if there's something to worry about.

[bryanj]

Dont run it without a locknut, if by a miracle the tensioner is not fubar it will bounce about all over the place