Has Anyone Ever Tried This?

I need the interior part of the cam chain tensioner for a kz650. It is no longer available, and I can't find one anywhere. I do have one from a kz900. The part number is different, and they are not exactly the same. They are very similar and I am planning on trying it to see if it works. The lengths are the same but the 650 part seems to be a little wider (front to back, not side to side) at the wheel that pushes on the chain. I think it can be made up with the exterior tensioner (APE manual tensioner). I can't compare the wheels becuase the 650 wheel has been worn down to almost nothing. Has anybody ever made this switch before? Does anyone besides me think this will work? I am not attaching any pics because I don't think you could even see the difference with them, that's how close they are. Anyway, if there are any opinions, pro or con I would like to hear them. I am taking my son to basketball and will check for replies when I get back. I am hoping to get this done between today and tomorrow, so please let me know what you think.

We discussed this before, here´s a thread that might interest you: CLICK

Another option is the Liska tensioner (pic below) that uses a sprocket in place of the rubber roller, Jeff at Z1E carries them (or can get them at least).

If you look at the thread I linked to above and scroll down to the middle you can see how I made my own "Liska style" tensioner by replacing the rubber roller on a stock 650 tensioner with a cam chain idler sprocket - note that you can´t do this with a 900/1000 cam chain guide, the bracket is too small for the sprocket. Also note that the 650/900/1000 cam chain idler sprockets are the same, even if they have different part numbers, some more info on that here.

Btw, have to admit that I didn´t run the homemade tensioner yet, but I did install it in a 650 engine I´m working on along with an APE manual tensioner and and I´m sure it´ll work just fine.





Post edited by: OnkelB, at: 2008/03/08 10:30

Thanks a lot for your help. It looks like a go. I am headed out to the garage to get started. Actually, right after lunch.

Well, I had my lunch and now it's pouring out and I'm not even going to walk out to the garage. I guess I'll do it tomorrow.

Is this the one you need?

Tensioner

Nice find Ed, they don´t show up often.

Yes, that is exactly what I need. I already put everything back together with th 900 tensioner, but I'll try for this one anyway. If I get it I'll just swap it out.