Loud clacking noise coming from the top right side of the engine

Sounds like the bolt won't tighten enough to hold the plunger in position against the slider, so it just moves back and forth against the spring without holding against anything? Or maybe some internal part is missing, such as the spring?

If it isn't feasible to correct the existing assembly, here's one option --

Ape Cam Chain Adjuster from Z1E

Good Luck!

the housing is actually broken. I took it off to get a better look. I still dont see how this bolt tightens and loosens the cam chain.

Can you post some pics of what you have found?That would help.

And until you get that tensioner fixed or replaced...DO NOT TURN THAT ENGINE OVER!!!


Without proper tension on the chain,you are risking a chain jump,and you can do some pretty serious damage.
Valves kissing each other,or a valve kissing a piston.

Pics...

XL777 wrote:

the housing is actually broken. I took it off to get a better look. I still dont see how this bolt tightens and loosens the cam chain.

The bolt itself doesn't.

Loosening the bolt #23 allows the spring #24 to push the plunger #17 at the correct pressure against the slider (roller #16) pushing on the chain to take up slack. Then tightening the bolt is supposed to hold the plunger in its new correct position. When the bolt is tightened, the spring isn't serving any purpose (and just waits there until called upon next time to push and move the plunger when the lock bolt against the plunger is loosened).

The nut #22 serves only to hold the lock bolt in place against the plunger.

Good Luck!

Here are some pics
I did turn the bike over and ran it for a sec I pray to the motorcycle GODS I didn't frak something up!!! This was when I thought it was tightened !!!

another

another

Loosening the bolt #23 allows the spring #24 to push the plunger #17 at the correct pressure against the slider (roller #16) pushing on the chain to take up slack. Then tightening the bolt is supposed to hold the plunger in its new correct position. When the bolt is tightened, the spring isn't serving any purpose (and just waits there until called upon next time to push and move the plunger when the lock bolt against the plunger is loosened).

The nut #22 serves only to hold the lock bolt in place against the plunger.

so how do you know at what level the plunger is to be set?

The spring will keep pressure on that rod,and in turn,the block on the END of that rod will keep tension on the chain.

While you have that tensioner off,remove that bolt entirely,and remove that rod.Don't worry,it will all go back together easily enough.
Take that rod,and make SURE there aren't big gouges from where the BOLT was tightened into it,so that it slides smoothly back and forth in the housing.
If there ARE gouges,just tidy it up with a file,but do it nicely,leaving no OTHER gouges.

So the threads for the lock-bolt are stripped?
Or the threads for the lock-NUT,that threads onto the bolt?

Sorry if you don't understand that tensioner(I just reread your question).

When the tensioner is bolted to the engine,you simply loosen the BOLT(locknut first) on the side of the tensioner,and if there IS any slack,the spring will automatically push that plunger ahead,as SOON as you DO loosen off that bolt.

Like I said,take that lockbolt right out,and remove that plunger,and you'll get a better idea of how it works.

I have a lot of experience working with these old factory adjusters, in fact I broke three of them before going APE and getting the manual adjuster from APE which has been some of the best money I have spent on the bike. You simply set and forget and don't have to worry about whether the tensioner bolt (the one that is stripped) released off the plunger and is pushing on the cam chain.

Remember that these adjusters are cast aluminum and are very fragile. If you are not comfortable enlarging the stripped threads then take the part to a machine shop and have them drill and tap a larger bolt hole opening. Make sure that they also give you a bolt and locknut that will fit the larger opening.

If you don't want to get the APE manual tensioner then follow these instructions.

Remove the cam chain adjuster by loosening the top and bottom mounting bolts. From memory, I believe they are 10 mm.

Carefully remove he adjuster taking care to try to save the gasket that sits between the adjuster's flat surface that mates with the back of the cylinders.

When you remove the tensioner and gasket you will notice that there is a long plunger that has a rectangular face plate on the end that goes inside the cylinders and pushed against the cam chain to take up the slack when the engine isn't spinning. There should also be a spring that the plunger rod slides through inside the body of the tensioner.

Take the plunger out and as Sandy said, inspect the shaft for any gouges or nicks in the metal paying particular attention to the flat part of the round rod.

The way this works is that the plunger should be depressed inwards and locked by the bolt (the stripped one on your bike) against the flat side of the plunger rod. When the rod is depressed inwards and the tensioner and gasket re-mounted you then back out the bolt very slightly. You will hear the plunger extend and pop against the chain meaning the tension is set. Then you simply tighten the locknut on the release bolt securing the bolt into place.

A couple of other points here: I would lube the plunger shaft with a dab of grease and carefully inspect the spring. If needed, you can pull the spring apart, slightly lengthening it and in theory add more pushing power to the spring.

If it were my bike I would pull off the coils and valve cover to re-check that the cam chain didn't jump a tooth on the cam sprockets. This is a two hour job at best and would give you a chance to double-check that everything is happy. Turning the engine over without the cam chain adjuster pushing on the slack is a sure-fire recipe for throwing off the cam/valve timing and bending a valve.

Take your time and do the job properly.

Cheers-Colin Firth-Ontario Canada

1977 Kz650 Custom - 810 Wiseco, WG mikuni 29 Smoothbores, Gpz 750 cams, intake valves, Kz900 drag bike springs, 650 head milled, ported and polished. Dyna ignition and coils, MAC pipe, Velocity stacks, Barnett Clutch. Not much more I can do to make this old girl go faster.
1982 Ferrari 308 GTSi, Rossa Corsa Red, tan interior, 3.0 litre V8, 5 Speed, 51K miles.

2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser

Thanks for the posts. Yes, the housing is shot so I will have to find a new one. As well there are gouge marks all the way up the plunger post where it has been moving freely. I know some guys at the local Kawasaki shop that are KZ riders who might have some old parts. When I take off the valve cover what else should I be looking for while I am in there? With the ape adjuster, how to you set it up? it doesn't look like it has a spring system