CAM Tensioner

[dragolith]

hey,

Well I got my bike back from Service, £500 lighter. Got new tyres etc also.

They said there is a blow in the exhaust that needs looking at, and also needs a new CAM Tensioner.

Is this ok to ride still, or will this need doing ASAP?

Thanks.

[Stu]

Depends how bad it is if it rattles really bad then get it sorted sooner rather then later they aren't expensive its just the labour cost but very easy to do

Drop Fozzie a pm he has done one I think and I'm sure he can tell you how to do it

[dragolith]

I am not sure, I never noticed a noise before, I will check it out tonight.

Any advice on the exhaust blow? The downpipes seem quite flaky etc. Should I get it welded or get new pipes and exhaust?

[Tango]

Check eBay for new downpipes.......you may be able to get it welded, but if it has rotted through there may no be enough good metal to weld.......

[mealexme]

Depends how bad it is if it rattles really bad then get it sorted sooner rather then later they aren't expensive its just the labour cost but very easy to do

Drop Fozzie a pm he has done one I think and I'm sure he can tell you how to do it

check out LazyDaysRider on youtube, he had a cam chain problem and had the "it needs fixing, but its not urgant" attitude. In his most recent video he shows the damage it has done... He had to scrap the bike earlier this week

Also probably not his last video, but the one before, you can here what it sounds like so you can compare it to your own bike. He was riding it for a month or so after the noise started. You knew exactly when he past work, I didn't even have to look out the window to know he was coming lol

[dragolith]

Now you are making me worried

Honda said it just requires Cam Chain Tensioner £120 fitted inc VAT. And Requires Exhaust Blow Investigate (Remove and check if can Weld).

I am lost now. Do I take it straight back and get the work done?

Im going to take some photo's and upload them of the downpipes etc.

[Ingah]

Now you are making me worried

Honda said it just requires Cam Chain Tensioner £120 fitted inc VAT. And Requires Exhaust Blow Investigate (Remove and check if can Weld).

I am lost now. Do I take it straight back and get the work done?

Im going to take some photo's and upload them of the downpipes etc.

If your camchain tensioner needs doing (2nd opinion?) then get it done. Prices will vary, you don't have to take it back to the same garage (or an official Honda garage) to get the camchain tensioner replaced. You can also of course, consider doing it yourself.

[dragolith]

All these thoughts are on my mind now. I will be calling a guy who I used to get smaller jobs done by to see what he can do, but he is a bit further away.

I'm more dissapointed than anything, as I wanted her all ready to ride without these thoughts running through my head.

They went and replaced the battery without telling me as well, when I have a brand new one sat at home ready to fit

[eastanglianbiker]

i would get the tensioner changed asap and then worry about the exhaust at a later stage because if you dont get the tensioner sorted out you might not need to worry about the exhaust

[dragolith]

So do I ride tomorrow or not?

[hammer5]

So do I ride tomorrow or not?

 

Wouldnt make it unrideable, just noisy, and could cause you some severe problems if you just leave it! If its getting worse so quickly then id say you need to check the extension in the tensioner piston by taking off the timing casing on the RHS of the motor, behind the coolant bottle. Thats usually a good way of confirming it id say!

* I googled to try & help, I'm unsure personally, sorry mate.

[dragolith]

Well I'm too drunk too try looking now, which means I'm gonna have to get up rREALLY early tomorrow

[Pete]

I have a spare cam chain tensioner off a blackbird you can have if it'll fit? PM me for details if interested. I changed mine when I got the bike thinking it needed doing, turns out it was fine! It's a very easy job as well so my advice wold be to get your toolkit out (what few tools you'll need) and get to it.

As for the blowing exhaust - have you located the leak? Could just be something as simple as a loose jubilee clip (I've had that before!). If its more serious (ie an actual hole) then bandaging it up will only be a temporary fix and you're better off getting the offending part replaced.

[hammer5]

Well I'm too drunk too try looking now, which means I'm gonna have to get up rREALLY early tomorrow

 

Drunk? Night before a Rideout? Seriously?

[dragolith]

Thanks Pete, will let you know if I need it! Might give it a go myself during the week.

Lions, few cans of wifebeater before a ride out is like ritual

[Fozzie]

My W reg CBR600F and my 2007 one both have gone through cam chain tensioners!

It is usually a rapid ticking/rattle at 5000-6000rpm, most distinctly heard when you let the throttle go and the bikes revs drop gradually. You can get it when you rev up the range too.

Though the 2007 one had it when it was at 3000rpm, ive since done 4000 miles and theres a rapid ticking again at 5000rpm. It does not make the bike unrideable in any sense of the word

Some of them develop the ticking and thats it. It never gets worse and they keep on going with it like that.

The tick you are hearing is just the cam chain having a little too much slack, it doesnt damage it and its no where near enough to jump a tooth on the sprocket.

Though if it fails which they can it becomes a horrible rattle across a large amount of the rev range. If its a tick or a slight rattle I wouldnt worry too much! Keep going and when it gets worse and starts to progressively get bad then change it

Also its a pig but do it yourself, lift the tank, take off the airbox and move the throttle bodies out of the way. Takes a few hours but it saves you £70.

[dragolith]

Thanks for the advice, made me feel less worried!

Not sure about doing it myself, will have to work up the courage!