Hello,

I have an '82 305 CSR. I am looking for a write up on how to convert the timing chain tensioner to a manual tensioner. My bike started having the typical timing chain noises about 5 years ago. I stopped riding it and would now like to get it going. I haven't been able to find info on this anywhere. I have mechanical knowledge but not much motorcycle knowledge. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,

 

I have an easier way for you to do the job. For $40.90 I make tensioners for nearly all Kawasakis. I have a huge reputation among the Kawasaki KLX250/300 riders for my part in this forum among others in the world. Check the work out at www.clems-garage.com/KCCT From what I see on the parts illustrations on line making the original body manual would be difficult if not impossible. So starting from scratch requires the materials, tools, and the layout skills. Toughest part - tapping the hole perpendicular to the body. I had a failure rate of about 2 in ten when doing all the work by hand.

I started out with my own bikes when I couldn't get the product on the market. When I made one I made five and they went near instantly in the Zephyr Zone and the KLX650 group at Yahoo. I will tell you the headache of making them by hand was why I originally went to buy one from APE, I had done one and the cost of getting the hardware and cutting the body - well suffice it to say I wouldn't be making them if I still had to hand cut them. I engineered a basic part with no overkill in design with the plan to price low enough so most riders wouldn't hesitate or have a problem to buy it. The other goal, to help riders to keep their older bikes on the road. To date I've sent around 7000 literally around the world in around 50 countries, every state and province in the US, Canada, and Australia.

I'm on ebay, but charge an additional $4 to cover fees. I prefer direct contact and prefer PayPal for payment since it is quick and easy, also giving buyer protection should something happen at my end -heaven forbid. I am a teacher doing this as a sideline for fun, so I'm not big enough to do credit cards.

I have not fitted one to a 305/440 yet and would like to try. If you want to work with me I will do the part for $28.90 including shipping. Odds are great that I have the right body size, around that time Kawasaki developed a design that they've used for decades. Still fails, but they use them.

I need four dimensions:

• distance of the mount holes center to center
• width across the body
• depth the plunger reaches into the cylinder from the gasket surface.

If interested, PM me here or email me from the site.