Hey!
So...i own a D-tracker 1999 with KLX 300 cylinder & piston.
The thing is that i heard some noise from the tensioner (automatic, i know it sucks, i have to buy the manual one soon).
Till then i tried to push the automatic tensioner a little like in this video (is this legit?)

You Tube

but i think that it's worse now. I didn't push it too much so i don't know why.
Is the camchain still loose or did i push it too much.
Both my mechanics are on vacation!
May i try it again or what?
Thanks guys!!!
Sound on!

You Tube

 

No this is not an answer. Would you ever tighten your drive chain too tight? So why would you risk tightening your cam drive too tight. Take the risk it works, but I certainly wouldn't do it. That is my advice having a mechanical engineering degree with some knowledge of materials, along with dealing with three Kawasakis that had tensioner failures. Also gotten a lot of feedback from riders using the manual tensioner as well. The method in the video is a lacking in thought process of how a cam drive should work, only that someone figured out how to make it quiet with a hack move. Like making a cough go away by duct taping your mouth shut. Might work, but it's not properly dealing with the main problem..

Think - tension on chain. Chain is steel, there is no give in steel. So do you want to pull your cams down against the head and possibly seize them in the head damaging the journals. If I remember right, each tooth is 1mm change. Remember one other thing too. This is not about getting rid of noise, it is what causes the noise. Too loose causes valve timing variation, too loose can allow a chain to jump. Too tight can pull on the cams hard enough to have metal to metal contact in the cam journals. This is a really bad solution since you are totally guessing without any sort of guidance. Wit the manual tensioner you can adjust within around .15mm (.006"). That's a darn site more accurate than the experimental 1mm tooth pitch. Plus if the chain is too tight you don't know it. You only know the engine is now quiet. With the manual tensioner adjustment you know it isn't too tight if you follow the instructions on how to do the adjustment.

By the way when you start to hear the rattling you have time before any sort of catastrophic failure, maybe 5000 miles or more for sure. So you get the manual tensioner without any rush. I often tell riders if the noise is not overly loud and just noticed they have plenty of time to deal with the problem. I had tensioner failure at around 5000 miles on my KLX650 and again with a new OEM tensioner at 14,000 miles so figure 5000 as a safe figure. But the sooner done the more confidence you will have that it is right.

So your call. Let it click a bit longer and get a manual tensioner that will do the job correctly or take a chance overtightening the cam drive, maybe or maybe not damaging your cams and head. Look up the cost of a head before deciding.

I think from what I heard, his engine still had the clatter of the loose cam drive, just bit quieter.

 

Ok!!
Thanks for the detailed answer!
The only problem with getting the tensioner is that I live in Greece so it’s very expensive to ship a tensioner from USA where it is available.
I found some tensioners from China (0 shipping cost) but I don’t know if I should trust it.
Maybe I’ll get a Kawasaki tensioner for the time being and change it later to a manual.

 

From what I see, the Chinese tensioners don't fit. If they list any other bike than the KLX250 and KLX300 they are the wrong part. The tensioners only fit the KLX250/300. The Chinese tensioners are for a KLR250 and some others. They just added the KLX thinking it would work. I know mine is right because I have one in my own 2009 KLX250.

You could see if you can get some other riders with a KLX250/300, CRF250/300, or WR250 that needs or wants a tensioner you could have as many as five tensioers packed in the one box for the same shipping price. Check in your area and see if you can set up a group buy. The shipping is around $40, so if you had two people it's $20 per part, four makes it $10 per part.

I have a lot of different Kawasaki/Yamaha/Honda/Suzuki kits so if someone is interested to go in with you but you're not sure if I do the kit you can email and I can tell you.

Cheers,
Mark Krieger

 

The thing is that we also have a lot of import charges from USA but the main problem is that these models are very uncommon here
Thanks anyway i'll see if i can find someone.
Cheers!

PS Do you have a website or something so i can look up?

 

Yes, Krieger Cam Chain Tensioners

The thing is I do send parts to Greece and that I do have multiple models available and that if you were able to get a group together the shipping cost for five is the same as for one. You would have an increase in VAT or whatever fee, but still split over more than just one person. I got in on a deal on a C-Racer seat/tail for my XSR through a larger purchase by a shop, they held the order until they had a big enough order to spread the shipping cost over a wider base. I did another with the same shop, but a group buy from Gilles for various XSR parts for customers. Might be a thought for you. It isn't just KLX tensioner kits, I have kits that suit dozens of models. If it helps in the future, great.

 

Ok, nice!
Many thanks!

 

Hello again!
I rode my bike after a week due to weather conditions.
It seems that the noise is much worse, also I think that it’s worse performance wise.
At this point I’m afraid that it may be a piston slap.
I will go to the mechanic on Monday, but any thoughts till then??
Thank you!
Sound on: https://files.fm/u/udwy6yt6j