what year are your bikes

 

They are both 2000 models

 

one other thing is that my chain is in the middle of the camshaft/crankshaft. i just talked to one of the survice techs at a big bike shop near me and he said that the only way to replace my timing chain is to split the crank case. that the timing chain is one piece. so it looks like i have to pull the motor this winter and take the motor most of the way apart. if anyone knows anything about the ZR7S-H3 motor please let me know cause if i dont have to split the crankcase, then i would feel a whole lot better

 

Unless you can find a cam chain with a masterlink or the ability to install a press fit link set up you're in for a full engine teardown. The only way to put on a continous cam chain is to tear down the engine. How many miles does the bike have on it and did the cam chain tensioner change quiet it down for any length of time?

I ask because if you measure the links per the method to measure for excessive stretch and it's in spec, you still have tensioner problems. This isn't unusual for the Kaw tensioners. I've had two tensioners go bad within about 5000 miles each. I also had one in my Zephyr that wasn't functioning. I put manual cam chain tensioners in both and actually made it into a minor cottage industry for myself. When making my Zephyr tensioner I started making more of them to sell to others in the same boat I was in. That was about 40 tensioners for a variety of Kaws spread over 13 states and 4 continents ago.

The Kaw tensioners can kick back if the ratchet tooth isn't seated completely enough, which will round off the edge of the pawl and the tooth. Eventually the force will kick it back over three or four teeth, allowing the cam chain to slap around. The manual unit can not kick back and even if it is slightly loose it will only have that minimal amount of play, versus the huge amount of play when the stock unit goes south. That's why a lot of Kaw riders have gone to the manual unit. I've got 27,000 miles on the KLX with only 4 adjustments amounting to less than 1/4". Compare that to 15,000 miles, two tensioners, and an engine teardown to replace worn out cam chains. I'll take a manual unit any day.

Feel free to contact me for more information.

 

well would i be able to just put a manual one in and ride that out or would you recommend replacing the chain?

 

Ah, air cooled motors. Hey klx, how involed is the install of the manual adjuster on ther motor?

 

no more involved then putting a automatic one in. the only difference is that you have to adjust the tension yourself until the ticking of the chain goes away

 

Yeah, check your chain and cam sprockets for excessive wear but generally it is the tensioner giving you fits. A 2003 bike should not be having a bad chain and cam and crank sprockets this early in the game.

 

Yes, but does it require an engine tear down is my question.

 

Going to a manual tensioner does not require any tear down. Just do no spin the crank, chain, cams while the tensioner is out. About an hr install and $85 for the manual tensioner.