DirtyToes

13k miles, and it need to be changed.

$400!

i can live with the horrible ******* rattling sound it makes, but is it gonna affect performance at all? is it gonna do more damage if i don't change it?

p.s. how hard is it to do myself? do i need any "special" tools?

joe98

really arent they like 60 bucks and take like thirty mins to install i didnt need anything special just wrenches and sockets

old man roger

yep buy an ape adjustable cam chain tensioner for like 40 bucks and install it your self.......

take the old one off and install the new one with the adjustable bolt backed all the way out then when you have it installed turn the adjustable bolt in by hand till you feel a little bit of tension [just a little] then warm up the bike to running tempeture and back the adjuster out til the bike makes a clicking noise then tighten the adjustable bolt till the clicking noise stops and go 1/4 to 1/2 turn more and lock it down be sure to hold the adjustable bolt in place while tightening the lock nut.......

i like to cut a slot in the top of the adjustable bolt so i can use a screw driver to adjust it ,it's easier then using a wrench because you will also have to use a wrench on the lock nut and it also works as a referance point to make sure it doesn't move when tightening the lock nut

havok

they are in a shitty spot on the f4i....i farking hate doing them,,,and ihave to do my new bike....

SliverR6

You need some really small ******* hands and an allen wrench.

NYstunter636

mine sounds kinda rough when it's running...i alwaysh thought 636's were kinda rough sounding to begin with tho...i should look into that too then i guess? it's got 12k on it too........

old man roger

any honda or kawi i buy the first thing i do is replace the stock tensioner

NYstunter636

what does it accually do for the non mechanical people out their?

old man roger

it keeps tension on the timming chain so it doesn't slap around inside the motor and it keeps the chain from jumping a tooth and messing up your valve timing ..a loose timming chain makes your valve timming change as you get on and off the gas and if the chain skips a tooth your valve could hit your piston and ruin your motor and also the chain being too loose slaps the inside of your motor and can cause you to have metal bits in your oil and that can cause your bearings to fail ...

f4ibry

id invest in a swivle head adapter for your allen sockets....made the job that much easier...

u dont have to take the throttle bodies or nething off either just do it with the tank n airbox off...

its pretty easy concept just a bitch to get the ****** thing out, then in again!

NYstunter636

thats all bad stuff...thats what i figured....i thought some have a automatic tensioner....or did i just make that up?

old man roger

they do come with automatic tensioners but they break and let the chain rattle so thats why i get ape manual ones

NYstunter636

alright sounds good....def a good idea

DirtyToes

thx for all the input fellas

so i'm gonna need:
ape cam tensioner
allen sockets
swivle head adapter

but here is where i'm confused, i THOUGHT that the cam chain tensioner was on the right side engine cover? (the same thing u open to change the clutch) am i right? or is it done from under the airbox?

old man roger

it's on the back of the cylinder on the right side of the motor and yes you will need to take off the tank and airbox to get to it, however you can see it from the right side of the bike if you look just under the frame but above the clutch cover ..

it has two mounting bolts and sticks out the back of the cylinder ......

old man roger

this is what the adjustable ones look like



and the factory one will look like this



these may be gsxr parts but they all look pretty much the same

DirtyToes

lol, so i don't have to open the right side of the engine?! thats ****** great! :YEAH...it was weird that you said, start the bike and then adjust it, cause i thought wouldn't that just shoot all the oil out the right side of the engine.. lol

i've taken the tank/airbox off sooooooo many times its super easy/quick now.

weird that i've never noticed that ^^ before. i'll find that sucker tomorrow in daylight.

where do i get the ape cam tenioner? i couldn't find their official website and ebay doesn't have any for f4is.

old man roger

any motorcycle shop can get them for you if they don't stock them and you have to order it then get it from warped toys or hai

jstuntlocke

I found a ebay store that carries them in all dif. colors and I think it's like $51. buy it now with shipping and everything. If you want I'll try and find out the seller's name and post it up... I haven't used them before tho, I just saw this thread and it was an issue relevant to me so I thought I'd share my findings...

I need to do my gix up with one of these too. Went bad after a nasty tank wheelie wreck and my bike has like 3 thousand miles! hahaha
I dropped it off the trailer last night tho like an idiot.... rear tire pushed my ramp off totally and I just pushed the bike right off and threw it away from me instead of on me, And anyways, it quit sounding like **** again... MIne goes from cool, to sounding like something is rattleing in the motor, to cool again and then back....weird.


Sounds like it's an easy enough task tho. I thought you'd have to at least pull the valve cover and put a zip tie or somin around the chain and sprocket so it doesn't get too loose and fall off when you take the old one out... is that true?

old man roger

no, just don't start the bike with no tension on the chain and you will be fine.....