Topic: Cb550f 1977 cam chain wear limit

[PerMolJen]

Hello
I am currently tearing down my cb550f engine, my camchain tensioner is bad and need replacement.
Can i meassure the camchain wear, while the cam is still in the bottom end? does somebody have a link to link meassurement? I cannot find any topics related, while searching the forum.

The reason for the teardown, is beacause i found steel+aluminium chips, and plastic gunk in the engine sump. The tensioner has been grinding on the starter motor-clutch. I dont think that the clutch is bad, electric start works fine.

best regards
Per

[RAFster122s]

Always replace the chain when you change out the tensioner and guide

[bryanj]

If you have the correct tool you can use a CB 500 T soft link, if the tensioner was grinding it was not fitted correctly

[strynboen]

ja skift kæden altid..det vil give grundlag for en stille motor de næste 50,000 km..er du bange for at et løst samleled kan springe op..kan du sølvslaglodde..en mikro lodning...men det er ikke et problem,at de springer op..77 oh 78 har den nyere type låste vippetøj aksel...så der burde ikke være slitage i ventildækslet/topdækslet
hvis tensioneren ikke er placeret rigtigt i bunden...den skal stikkes ind i et støbning,,,hvor den fanges og styres...hvis ikke vil den slet ikke fungere...der er fine billeder og tråde som viser alle monterings fejl/muligheder..men tages bundkaret af..kan man tydelig se,,at den gnider mod startkoblingen,,,hvis den ikke er monteret i hakket..

sorry for my danish...but had to get it aut in a so presise vay as possibe..

[RAFster122s]

Your spacing and extra punctuation made it difficult to get a Translation of what you said. It kept ending the translation early.

[bryanj]

The grooves in the tensioner are normal

[HondaMan]

Chances are, the aluminum chips are coming from the Hy-Vo primary chin, worn enough to hit the engine cases during deceleration. It chips off tiny pieces of aluminum then. The black bits may be from the cam chain's slipper tensioner surfaces.

Normally, you can check the cam chain wear if you have the head off the cylinders: hold it up and move it sideways over the cylinder #2 or #3. If the middle of the chain is more than halfway across the piston, it needs to be changed. Otherwise, the only way to test how much it has stretched is to put the engine fully back together with new tensioner slippers, then set the tension, then check to see how far the tensioner rod has moved inward. If it is more than 3/4 (75%) extended, it is time for a new chain.

[PerMolJen]

Thanks for the great replies! I will split the cases to change both chains, and i want to make sure, that none of the chips has gone in to the bearings during removal of the engine. I removed the engine by laying the frame on its side, removed the bolts and lifted the frame upwards.

[RAFster122s]

If you motor has 30k miles or 50k km then your cam chain is at pr near end of normal life. Primary chain is inexpensive enough to change out while you have the motor torn down if you are splitting the cases. If you change the primary chain then do the damper rubbers on the gear. Given age of these bikes with unknown history in my book it isn't a bad idea to go ahead and change them unless the bike is low mileage.