After market cam chain tensioner

I recently bought a 78' 1000. It has a 1075 kitin it with 29 smooths. The guy I bought the bike from didnt do the work, but did install an manual chain tensioner. After riding it afew times I noticed a rattle noise at idle. I had this same type of noise with 98' gsxr 600 and it turned out to be the tensioner. My main consern is if the guy put it in properly. Can anybody tell me where to find info an how to do this on the older Kaw's? I replaced the one on the Suz but with detailed instuctions from the manifacture.
Any help in this matter would be GREATLY appreciated.

Scott67 wrote:

I recently bought a 78' 1000. It has a 1075 kitin it with 29 smooths. The guy I bought the bike from didnt do the work, but did install an manual chain tensioner. After riding it afew times I noticed a rattle noise at idle. I had this same type of noise with 98' gsxr 600 and it turned out to be the tensioner. My main consern is if the guy put it in properly. Can anybody tell me where to find info an how to do this on the older Kaw's? I replaced the one on the Suz but with detailed instuctions from the manifacture.
Any help in this matter would be GREATLY appreciated.

APE makes the most popular (BEST ) manual one. If memory serves: 1) turn the motor over by hand one or two revolutions (puts any slack in the rear run of the chain) 2) loosen the lock nut and turn in the adjuster until resistnace is felt and then back it off about 1/4 turn. 3) Tighten the lock nut. 4) turn the motor over by hand to ensure it still rolls freely.

As I'm not a mechanic: I could have this wrong, so check and see if its an APE then drop them a line and they'll help you do it right. My kawi has Liska cam chain gears, these make a little more noise, yours might have these too.

Sam

Thanks Sam.
I checked and it is an APE. I e-mailed them and asked about instructions on how to install and adjust, and they sent me a link to a GSXR forum and said they are all pretty much the same on adjustment???

Does this sound right to you guys???:S

The actual adjustments are pretty much the same. The guy on gizzer.com took the time to write a very through story on installing our tensioner on a '96 750. We send many people to that link to read what that guy wrote.

Our inst sheet says to tuen the motor over forward and screw the adjuster in until you feel the guide or sprocket make contact with the chain, then back out 1/4 turn and lock the jam nut.

Foe people who want more indepth info, we send them to the gixxer.com link

Thanks Jay. I will give it a shot. I used the forum use spoke of when I put an APE adjuster on my 98 gsxr 600. It worked out fine, but there is a little more to the newer Suz than the Kaw so I wanted to make sure I wasn't gonna make things worse!! Not a mechanic and didnt want to take it to one and have to tell them I messed it up:blush: