Fazer Thou Cam Chain Tensioner

[Wyberton John]

There's a bit of a rattle coming from my camchain area and a mechanic friend has advised I get it sorted ASAP.

Unfortunately, he is away for a while now, so I need to get it sorted myself.

I'd be grateful for any advice from Fazer owners - I have read the procedure for checking the auto-tensioner in the Haynes manual, seems simple enough, though I don't know where to get the necessary new crush washer and gasket from (except a - doubtless expensive - Yamaha dealer). I'll try my usual source, Wemoto, but in any case, as this is the first time I will be doing anything involving the camchain, I want to make sure I don't screw it up.

According to my mate, I need to get it sorted before I ride it again (except maybe to a dealer if I can't sort it - which is a good 45 minute's ride on A roads).

I've seen a quality manual tensioner for £41 and am seriously thinking about grabbing one - but many seem to say it's not worth it. Though many say it's a Godsend

Ideally, I'd like the chain checking, but I don't have the clean space to strip the top myself, nor do I have the cash for the relevant gaskets and carb rebalancing.

Might mention I'm getting on a bit, and have buggered fingers in the form of arthritis and a nasty skin disease that means I have open sores etc on them. Yes, I use gloves, of course, but some jobs require a more sensitive touch.

So, any useful help appreciated.
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[Wyberton John]

OK - found the gasket - genuine Yamaha parts at £1.32

If I need a new chain, prices range from £60 for a "DI" chain through £77 for a pattern one, £90-odd for DID and £142 for a genuine OEM one.

I'm thinking I'd be better off sorting the tension, then the cam chain should be sorted in the 48/50k service**, which will need doing in a year or two. Not sure of the exact mileage, but I'm close enough. That's just over £500 - but don't know if that includes a new chain or not.

Also saw a used adjuster on fleabay for £32 - but if I was looking at that, I reckon I'd be better off with the brand new manual adjuster at £41

Decisions, decisions...

**edit - services don't cover cam chains at all - so it'd be extra
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[Nobby the Bastard]

If you've not actually been taught how to do it, don't fuck about withe the cam chain.

Seriousky. It's not as simple as a drive chain.
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[Wyberton John]

I've no intention of doing that - just with the tensioner.
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[Shaft]

[Wyberton John]

Yeah, thanks, I tried there, but no-one was any the wiser - just got an email back from their Fazer Thou 'guru' telling me he has no idea, as he never had to deal with this issue.

Anyway, I decided to take the tensioner out according to the Haynes. If it doesn't operate as it should, I'll get a manual one - problem pretty much sorted.

If it operates properly, then the chain is shagged and I'll get the workshop to change it during it's next valve shim-check service.

It'll then not cost me too much extra, rather than having the jobs done separately. Just means I'll have to bring the servicing forward and try to find £700 for it (£550ish service + £142 cam chain)
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[davebike]

Just change the tensioner use the OEM one they never snap chains Manuel ones often do we seen 5 broken chains in the last few years all manual tensioners ! None with OEM tensioners!

Yes racer do use manual but they also have a skilled mechanic to reset it every few hundred miles !

Just done my FZ6 fro the second time at 118K miles
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Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[chickenstrip]

If you've found the Fazer Forum, not much I can add - lots of discussion on the subject in there, if you do a search.

What's the mileage on your bike?

An interesting post on the subject:

[chickenstrip]

[davebike]

Yes easy to do easy to not bother also easy to get wrong results are catastrophic often requiring a new engine !
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Dave
NC750Xdct + others at work !
davebike1@gmail.com

[chickenstrip]

[Bhud]

High mileage bike?

Hypothesis: CCT is advanced well beyond half its travel.
Test: Remove valve cover when bike is dead cold. Pull and tug at cam chain. It should be nice and tight. If it's loose, remove CCT and observe how far extended it is. IF CCT is more than half way extended and the cam chain is loose, suspect the CCT spring doesn't have enough power to advance another notch to tension up the chain.

IN THAT SITUATION:

Proper way: strip down engine, fit new endless Yamaha cam chain along with new cam gears if needed, and new cam chain guides. Then refit CCT. Big job, and you'd better get a garage to do it unless you're happy to have the bike off the road for a while and can afford to do without it.

Temporary way (requires moderate skills): source an open ended cam chain with master link. This will cost a little more than an endless OEM chain. Fit this chain without stripping engine (i.e. feed it through with hooks), and be sure to line up cam marks with engine at TDC before reinserting original CCT. Check again in 10K miles. Most likely, no further action needed.

Temporary way (requires no skills): remove CCT and bin it. Fit an aftermarket manual cam chain tensioner. Tension the chain appropriately, check that the marks on cams still line up with engine at TDC, and continue on your way. Check again in 5K miles, tensioning at the right times. Might need further action, might not.

Bodge (don't do this but it would probably work if you did): artificially bring the CCT out another notch, by undoing the top and bottom retaining bolts very little at a time until you hear a 'click', then tightening them back up again. This isn't the proper way, you shouldn't do this, but just saying, if you did, you would probably be fine.

[Fizzer Thou]

Luckily the camchain is situated on the right side of the engine and is easy to access.The frame is more open than the R1 from which the engine is derived and so is much easier to work on.

https://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w384/Rhencullen5/R1%20Engine%20Rebuild/Picture020.jpg~original
https://i1073.photobucket.com/albums/w384/Rhencullen5/R1%20Engine%20Rebuild/Picture027.jpg~original


The standard CCT has a ramped sprung loaded plunger and once spring pressure has actuated to the next step,it cannot go back,unlike CCTs that require oil pressure.

Sounds like the bike shop are rubbing their hands together with glee at the thought of doing the work.... It is not that difficult with the correct tools and time.
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[Wyberton John]

Thanks for the reference, chickenstrip - I'd already found and read that post about the Yamaha techs and what they'd said. I also found a few other useful posts at FOC-U.

I've had a good look over the last few days, on several forums, watched videos and listened to several theories and explanations and the end result is that I will be pulling out the tensioner in the next couple of days and will be replacing it with a manual one.

LINKY

I've seen a good vid on correct fitting and adjusting and have no issue doing that once a year (I rarely do much more than 1,000 miles year and often less than 500 depending on health) - as well as several bad videos that don't show much at all.

Baseline is, I've stopped worrying about the chain itself and will sort the tensioner as described. I have no concerns about dabbling with this - used to do a lot of mechanicing in the '80's when I was racing cars. Everything from engine changes to blown head gaskets.

Stuff like this is really fun:

https://www.bikechatforums.com/viewtopic.php?t=327133

...but I just have to be careful I don't overdo it, as I'm a lot older and more fragile these days

Thanks for the replies and input



**davebike - I think Fazer 1000 owners tend to be more mature and (fairly-)responsible types. Well, as far as looking after the bike is concerned, anyway!
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[Wyberton John]

After all that, I didn't post a link to the one sensible video I'd found (it's for a later R1 - but apart from slight difference in removal procedure, it's a good reference:

https://youtu.be/rBL39IvfUpk

I'm thinking of recording as I do mine, though my YT channel isn't usually for biking.
I have recently started recording all the stuff I do on the bike when I take it to bits, just so I know exactly what went where. Won't apply for this - but if I do and upload it, it'll at least be another reference for people looking for info, as I was.
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[Wyberton John]

Update:

I took the auto-tensioner out, and though it sticks when it's wound all the way in, once rotated a tiny amount, it springs out and works as it should.

I reinstalled it as per Haynes and ran up the bike. Initial clackety soon disappeared and sounded nice and quiet. Tomorrow I'll take it to a workshop and see if they can hear anything untoward - if not, I'll forget about it. I'll keep hold of the new manual adjuster, though - just in case.
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[chickenstrip]

[Wyberton John]

Wouldn't be cheap, though

https://i.postimg.cc/15ypw7zY/camchain.jpg
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Fazer Thou Gen 1

[chickenstrip]

[Fizzer Thou]

And the cam chain is only £36.46

https://www.fowlersparts.co.uk/parts/5539004/yzfr1-2000-yzf-r1---5jj1-europe-deep-purplish-blue-metallic-c/camshaft-chain
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Just talk bikes.What else is there?

Always have a 'Plan B'

[Wyberton John]

Okay, started her up this morning - heard a short rattle which disappeared again straight away, seemed fine then.

Took it to local mechanic, both he and his mate said the engine sounded "perfect". I then put the matter out of my mind and went for about 100 mile round trip, stopping at Webb's in Peterbog to ogle the new Triumphs and Yamaha's and book a test ride on the Trumpet Scrambler

Bike was great, as it should be - weather was shite, as it always is when I get on the bike!
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Fazer Thou Gen 1