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cam chain noise

18K views 41 replies 12 participants last post by  Jammin'John 
#1 ·
I believe the CCT on my rear cylinder is going. I had the same issue on my 750 and bought the manual ones and they helped a great deal. I don't see any manual ones for the 1600 classic and its only my rear cylinder that has the knock. It is quite evident at the CCT itself, esp using a screwdriver stethoscope. Should I just replace it with a new one and how difficult a procedure is it. The vn750 was a snap, hopefully this will be something I can do. It's a deeper, harder knock sound than the 750 had so I believe the CCT is the culprit as it is worse right at it and not as loud in other areas.

Any thoughts...

PD
 
#2 ·
I took her to a local independent cycle shop and the main guy said that it sounds quieter than most and I should just ride. My main issue is the knock is on the rear and not the front. It seems like its the CCT but what else could it be
 
#3 ·
I was worried to death about this. Its a piece of cake. Get the extensioners from chucksterscustoms .com $35 anticipating the next question & put them on. Be carefull during removal OR just go ahead & get new gaskets too. I was able to get mine OFF with out damage. Go to Gadgets page for step by step instructions OR follow this link, their BOTH good info.
Utah Motorcyclist: How to Install Cam Chain Tensioner Extenders on a Kawasaki Vulcan Nomad
 
#7 · (Edited)
It is quite common for the chain to have that loose slapping sound in between the take up points of the tensioner. At times they can sound bad for weeks on end then one day it is quiet till the chain wears a bit more etc. Don't panic yet ! If you install the extenders too soon you can damage the chain runner seriously enough to create a catastrofic situation. The tensioners must be near bottom of stroke before needing them.
If your tensioners are at full extension, then you will be able to use the extenders, BUTT be aware that when the chains wear and get longer, the cam's are being retarded by an equal amount, and the only true fix is to put on new chains, which admittedly is an ordeal requiring top end and side covers removal.
Retarded cams are noticeable and a worn chain can put it back by approx 3 deg. If you check it out you will find that the specs for cams and timing are usually spec'd out to a few Minuit's of a degree !
 
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#10 ·
i did not dispute weather or not it was a cost effective solution... i just wanted to give the op PROPER information which is timing chain stretch does change the cam timing..
 
#11 ·
Kaw doesn't do the extenders, they were contrived by an astute mechanic, machinist, who didn't want to spend the money, time, and labor to redo the chains. Many people have used them to gain time, before the enevitable and or sold out to some shmuck without any warning. They work but as stated, the worn chain allows the cam's to retard with the wear. And worn chains wear faster as they wear ! The new Kaw chains are better than the old ones. Do as you want to.
 
#15 ·
Ok, something strange is going on in this thread on cam chain noise in the Vulcan 1600 folder. I just got a email for a new post made by 07vulc to this thread, then when I opened this thread to read the new post, I can't find that new post, then I started reading this thread from the beginning, and I see a reply to a previous post but that previous post is also missing, so that's the 2nd strange thing, also, I see that some here are giving misleading and false information about retarded cam timing. I don't know what's going on in this threat, but something strange. Also I recommend that persons who don't know what they're talking about please refrain from giving bad advice.
 
#16 ·
Hi Degreaser.I know what you mean about the missing post. and this is getting confusing on whether to do the extenders or change the chains.One says one way and one says the other. Both beveling that they are right. I don't Know what to do ??? What is your take.
 
#18 ·
I bought cam chain extenders from Chucksters web site, with them in hand and after reading gadgets web page on doing this job, I removed the rear cam chain tensioner body on my 2004 1500 at 33,000 miles, and carefully used a hacksaw to cut thru the stock extender, then used a screw driver in the cut to break off the remaining stock extender, I was careful not to damage the rod teeth on the tensioner rod, then I dabbed on some red locktite and installed Churksters extender, then hand held the rod with gloves and used a hammer to make sure the extender was on the rod securely then let it sit for half an hour for the locktite to harden, then I retracted the rod inside the tensioner body and installed it back on the rear cylinder, then used gadgets procedure to release the rod and it clicked into place against the cam chain. After doing the rear tensioner I went to the front cylinder and repeated the same procedure. The whole job is not all that hard to do accept for my personal paranoia of a falling off extender into the crankcase, but I am naturally paranoid anyways to begin with. My take on this is definitely go the Chucksters extenders route and bypass the new cam chain install idea, a new cam chain is not necessary because with extenders on your stock cam chain, that chain is only going to stretch so far and then no more, so putting on extenders will solve the issue.
 
#19 ·
>I see that some here are giving misleading and false information about retarded cam timing.<
Degreaser, How can you say this ? Lets hear you prove me wrong !
As to the strange things There are two active threads going on with slightly different titles but same subject.
 
#20 ·
well degreasser i dont think anyone said that the extenders dont work (meaning they will take up more slack in the chain and stop them from rubbing the spark plug tubes) but a fact is a fact as the chain stretches the cam timing does change!!!!
 
#21 ·
Big Worm, ur dead right that when the chain stretches that IT WILL change the cam timing.
When the chain stretches, the links are just that little bit further apart. Now if you measure the distance of the timing teeth from the crank to the cam, u will find that it's (x)"/mm apart, when the chain stretches it will be that +a slightly extra because THE WHOLE chain has stretched.
So the fact is, the timing will be changed a few degrees but not a whole lot that it will badly effect the running of the engine.
 
#22 ·
As for those missing post, I think you'll find either the person posting it has edited it out or if its possible the author has deleted it!!!!
 
#23 ·
The scare mongers are trying to say that the chain stretching will change cam timing and then very bad things will happen to your motor. That's just nonsense. The cam chain tensioner is designed to take up any slack in the cam chain, and with Chucksters extenders installed, the tensioner takes up all extra slack. Cam timing is not affected and your motor will be just fine.
 
#28 ·
Since the tensioner is on the slack side of the drive, All it does is kill chain slap and nothing more. The drive side is still getting longer, the cam still retards, and a few degrees of performance is lost.
I discovered that the amount of chain wear was enough to make re timing the engine at assembly extremely difficult and after three efforts failed, I replaced the chains. I did not have extenders and my tensions were at or near their end of service. It was more than a few degrees !
Maybe your the one that should leave the mechanical work to the mechanics and stick to just degreasing for the mechanics !
 
#24 ·
degreaser you just dont get it do you ..... no one is trying to say anything maybe you should go to a trade school and take a course in basic mechanics and someone can explain to you how a timing chain works then maybe you will understand ... or maybe you will do just as you do on here and argue with the instructor and get kicked out ... just like happened to you here once already.....no one said the extenders dont work and no one said bad thing will happen to his engine but facts are facts as a timing chain stretches it will change cam timing and will change engine performance to what degree may be somewhat debatable but it will retard the cam timing and will reduce the power that the engine produces! now if you need some kind of proof then go to a dyno facility with a small block v-8 with a known worn out timing chain and do a dyno run with it then take that exact same engine and replace the timing set with a new one then do another dyno run and then note the difference in hp and torque... maybe that will clarify it for you ... but as for myself and others who already have a grasp of how a timing chain works and the effect of chain stretch on timing we dont need that kind of proof we get it!!!!
 
#26 · (Edited by Moderator)
fyi degreaser i have never planted a potato and being a jouneyman mechanic i know what i am talking about and you quite clearly do not!!!! i will not deabte this with you any further as you are quite clueless as to basic mechanical principals... i am not making this personal but you seem to want to go in that direction....!! but since you think you know it all fill us in on your credentials and your theory on how timing chain stretch does not affect cam timing.... post #21 puts it in simple terms how timing chain stretch effect cam timing.
 
#27 ·
and as a side note i may live in PEI i am not from there....
 
#29 ·
good post don.... that combined with post#21 makes it pretty clear....and i am sure you agree that the extenders do work to take up more slack than the OEM ones and will allow many more miles of running with a slight but to most a tolerable loss in performance
 
#35 ·
Agreed, they do work as intended ! IF !
 
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