TOPIC:

Hello All: I have a 81 kz750. I am going to change the valve cover gasket due to a leak that I can't deal with. I have been reading the Clymer manual. I don't understand the locking of the cam chain tensioner. How much pressure do I use when tightening the bolt down to lock the tensioner or will it tell me when I get there? It looks like the lock bolt is already in place, meaning that the short one mentioned in the manual is no longer there and a longer one with a lock nut is in place. When tightening the bolt what does it actually do? Is tightening the bolt and then loosening after re-install of the cover all I haft to do?

Get or download a factory manual. Climer will walk you into disaster.
Steve

You have used the Clymer and it didn't turn out well? THE OTHER MANUALS SAY THE SAME

There should be a short 6mm bolt on the side of the tensioner. This bolt is basically just a plug. To lock the tensioner from moving, simply remove the short bolt and replace with a longer bolt that when tightened contacts the tensioner rod inside. No real specs to any of this, get a 2 or 3 inch long 6mm bolt. The amount you tighten doesn't matter, all that matters is it is tightened to hold the tensioner from moving, this takes no real torque, just the bolt contacting the rod. When done simply remove the bolt and put the short bolt back in as a plug.

Thanks: I went ahead and went for the gasket change. tightened the bolt down, removed the valve cover and will replace the gasket in the AM. I just wasn't sure about it. It didn't look like anything moved when I removed the cover. I checked and the cover will go back on as removed without anything stopping it. The cam chain is tight I guess that is the way it is suppose to be. I did not move anything or try and rotate the engine. I will seal it all backup tomorrow.