Check the threaded nut cover on the mirrors (if stock). Mine like to get loose and cause noise from time to time.

 

Sorry its sideways haha

 

It's hard for me to tell, but do you think it sounds like mine?

If so... I have same question on what that higher pitched whirring noise is, and if it's normal.

I'm wondering what a stretched/out of spec cam chain sounds like.

Previous owner didn't have the manual cam chain tensioner so it had the much louder coffee can clatter originally.

klx678 offered to help me via phone but I only have one hour in his window I can talk and I keep forgetting, or can't step away from work early

 

I do have some other times possible, but this week the morning is taken by testing and I may have to monitor testing. If you can call between 12:06-12:40 I could talk a bit then. Next week I can be contacted between 8:00-9:15 am.

If you want to be sure the tensioner isn't ticking take a mechanic's stethoscope or a long handle screwdriver with the handle to your ear. Put the tip at the tensioner and you will hear tapping if it is loose, swishing is normal, but heavy swishing may indicate a bit tight. If you place the tip around the engine you will find where the sound is coming from. It will be loudest at the source of the noise.

I set my tensioner cold. tighten in as tight as possible with finger tightening, either snick in gear and roll against the engine or turn the engine over with a socket to pull the front run of the chain tight while trying to tighten, again finger tight, to make sure slack is out. Then back off about 1/8-1/4 turn to allow some play for thermal expansion, then lput a 6mm allen in the allen nut to hold the bolt at the adjusted position and tighten the locking nut good and tight.

 

Thanks for reminding me about the long handle screwdriver tip. You've mentioned that before but I forgot to try that.

I'll retry cold adjustment tonight and try the listening thing tomorrow.

Do you think loctite is necessary?

 

Not on the locking nut or body. The goal is to lock the nut tight against the body to hold the bolt in place, not to lock the nut on the bolt.

Make sure the locking nut is seriously tight, that is the key. Put a 6mm allen in the allen nut to keep the adjuster bolt from moving, then tighten the flange locking nut down good and tight against the body. The M8-1.25 grade 8 can go 18 ft-lb or 200 in-lb if you use a torque wrench. I cranked mine down good and tight. I tried to pull threads or break a bolt once and it would take more than I could do with a normal wrench. Threads won't pull, the bolt would have to snap.

Side note: If I want to guarantee the adjuster will stay put the allen nut could be drilled for safety wire and wired to the exhaust to keep it from turning, or maybe drill the body and wire the allen nut to the body. Either way it is to keep the bolt from backing out of the body to the point of causing the cam chain to get too loose. That would take several turns of the bolt. You'd probably notice the bolt backing out in normal riding though, it would get really noisy.

 

Mark, I messaged you back with my address regarding the O-rings.

Thanks!

 

Not gotten any message yet.

 

Installed my Krieger CCA today. My bike has 5000 miles on it, and the chain noise was very noticeable with the OEM adjuster. Inspection of the OEM adjuster revealed no stripped or worn ridges, but I was ready to chunk it anyway.

Installation of the Krieger part was a little more involved. Ended up removing the exhaust header to get the inner 4mm allen bolt tightened down. I used Yamabond sealant on both metal surfaces with the included gasket between of course.

Bike sounded much quieter at idle and on the road.

 

Glad to hear that. Since you are a definite gear head here is the mechanical lowdown.

On inspection the wear may not be apparent unless the teeth are magnified. Then it is easier to see the shiny edge indicating rounding. The edges are slightly rounded and get worse over time. I is usually one tooth that gets hammered on the edge and is the most shiny. The rest are just where the rack flies back and then ratchets out again. That leaves the wear pattern.

The clearly visible part is the wear pattern, which would not strike you as anything significant. It is the light wear where the tensioner ratchets forward after being kicked back. It shows on any tensioner that has gotten to the point of allowing the clicking. Usually it is over 4-5 teeth and is just a visible pattern. No "stripping" per se.

It is like bad transmission shifter dogs. The dogs are still there, both male and female , but the raking of the dogs rounds the edges of both, which will make the bike miss gears when engagement isn't deep enough or even pop out of gear. Tensioner is similar, just on a lot smaller less visible level.