Topic: CB550 Fresh rebuild Cam Tensioner issues

[rollypoli]

I just rebuilt my blown 550 from ground up, The tensioner felt good off the bike and seemed to work perfectly fine with the occasional hitch when you mess with it a bunch. Now that I put it back in the engine and sealed it all up it feels wrong, it doesn't spring when you twist it, it feels like its rack and pinion is jammed, and I worry that this will cause issues in the next 6 months if I don't address it. I mostly worry because the thing blew up last time because a cam related issue.

[calj737]

Remove the valve cover (release the valve adjusters first) and peer down to see if the blade is sitting properly. With the cover off, you can slowly rotate the motor and observe the cam chain too. Pay attention to the bolts holding the sprocket on the cam. It's possible those have worked themselves loose too.

But address it now, else pay later.

[rollypoli]

Remove the valve cover (release the valve adjusters first) and peer down to see if the blade is sitting properly. With the cover off, you can slowly rotate the motor and observe the cam chain too. Pay attention to the bolts holding the sprocket on the cam. It's possible those have worked themselves loose too.

But address it now, else pay later.

Haha those working loose is what made the rebuild a requirement, and I hadn't taken it off to check because I had those annoying JIS screws(two were stuck and had to get dremeled into flat heads) made me put it off, now they are all allen key bolts so It is not as annoying to do.
Ill take it off and check if the tensioner is tensionering. Is there a spec in the book for how taught it should be or just kinda see if its pushing against the chain?

[bryanj]

If you put a new cam chain in it will hardly move

[Little_Phil]

it doesn't spring when you twist it,

When you twist what? You must not turn the screw (slotted head) that interacts with the internal gear. It is self adjusting and then locked off.

[Deltarider]

http://forums.sohc4.net/index.php/topic,185790.msg2152622.html#msg2152622

[bryanj]

Yup, it has been said a multitude of times DO NOT TURN THE SLOTTED SCREW WITH A SCREWDRIVER.
That leads to needing a new, very expensive, tensioner assembly.

Also you need to ensure that the bottom of the tensioner is in the cup in the crancase, this is better done before the cylinders are pushed all the way down

[Cruiser]

I just rebuilt my blown 550 from ground up, The tensioner felt good off the bike and seemed to work perfectly fine with the occasional hitch when you mess with it a bunch. Now that I put it back in the engine and sealed it all up it feels wrong, it doesn't spring when you twist it, it feels like its rack and pinion is jammed, and I worry that this will cause issues in the next 6 months if I don't address it. I mostly worry because the thing blew up last time because a cam related issue.

It seemed to work perfectly fine with the occasional hitch when you mess with it a bunch?

What does that mean? Was it fine, of did it jump around?

I had to replace mine since the teething inside the cam tensioner (where the little wheel goes over) where bad. 1 teeth was broken so the tensioner slipped back occasionally. Are you sure all the teeth in your tensioner where fine?