adjusting the ape?

well guys i said i would report back on the ape cam chain tensioner and heres where i am at.adjusting back and forth loosening the tightening.i am hoping for someone who knows about kz1000p bikes to shed some light here!i have adjusted as laid out on the instructions with the ape tensioner but have tightened a little further to try and get rid of a noise i am getting around 2500 to 3000 rpm before i change gears it sounds like a rattle or cam chain vibration or may be transmission growl i do not know.i do not hear the noise at lower rpms around 2000 to 2500.is this normal?my transmission sometimes will get stuck out of gear between gears (not in neutral)is that normal?i am adjusting my tensioner hoping to find a sweet spot and its not happening.ant advise will be great,thanks

Your shifting problems would have nothing to do with the cam chain tension. They are not interconnected in any way. You might have some tranny problems. I just installed a tensioner just this weekend also on my GPz1150, which is the same engine as yours. I adjusted it EXACTLY how it was recommended on the package. I too get a bit of noise, but that is at the beginning and I believe it might be because of bad gas.

the noise i hear may be normal,but i hear it when its time to change gears around 2800 rpm.i guess when it starts to wind up a bit.it sounds like the cam chain,so i have been playing with the tension ,then i finnally will go ahead and loosen it up and hand tighten with engine running so i can hear when the clicking stops and then i tighten a little more maybe about a half turn in and possibly 3/4 turn more in.let me know if you have to tighten up yours a little more than the instructions.

Do you realy shift at 2800 rpm ? That sounds way too low!

When you look at the picture in my post, dose your adjuster bolt stick out about as much? If it sticks out less, your rear guide may be too warn out, or your chain may be stretched out too much. The guide on mine is about at its limit. I don't know how many miles are on the engine since the last rebuild, but you may have a detonation problem. That might be what you are hearing. If the noise comes at that RPM that is about when the advancer is kicking in on your ignition. Try to clean out your combustion chambers or using better gas and see what happens. Also you can try to put about 1.5oz of Lucas fuel treatment into the gas and see what happens. I also agree that 2800rpm sounds a bit low to shift. I think around 4500 is more like it, and when you are getting on it around 7500rpm. I am also wondering when the last time the bike had the clearances checked on the valves. They may not be set right????

When I installed mine I turned it in with my fingers until it contacted the chain guide then turned the engine over with the starter while turning the adjuster at the same time until it no longer turner freely. I then backed it off according to the instructions and locKed it down. That seems to be the ticket in my situation.

I am just afraid of overtightening it and wearing out the guides or worse. I would rather live with a little of chain noise. I just turned it by hand until it seated while turning the crank by hand than backed off a 1/4 turn.

if you over tighten the cam chain tensioner you will cause all kinds of problems like kinking of the cam chain increased wear of the crank and cam sprockets and increaased wear on sliders and idlers do it like ape say's get the motor to tdc on no.1 then spin the tensioner in until you make contact then back off a 1/4 turnand lock down if its a fresh motor or cam chain you will have to readjust fairly soon,don't attempt this while it is running.do it like ape says and your motor will live along time do it any other way and you will be replacing a lot of very expensive componets in a very short time,.

timebomb33 wrote:

if you over tighten the cam chain tensioner you will cause all kinds of problems like kinking of the cam chain increased wear of the crank and cam sprockets and increaased wear on sliders and idlers do it like ape say's get the motor to tdc on no.1 then spin the tensioner in until you make contact then back off a 1/4 turnand lock down if its a fresh motor or cam chain you will have to readjust fairly soon,don't attempt this while it is running.do it like ape says and your motor will live along time do it any other way and you will be replacing a lot of very expensive componets in a very short time,.

ABSOFRIGGENLOUTELY!

Overtightening to get rid of a sound is perposterous. If your bike is getting stuck between gears, its because your not making a smooth hard shift, or things are just worn down.
You should be shifting at greater than max advance = 4000 +

Take the valve cover off and check all your valve clearances and chain for wear.

GL!

thanks guys,i get the picture and i do have a little bit of a idle problem until it warms up and when i get it up to 5500to 6500 rpm i hear what sounds like predetonation,but not bad.this police bike probably sat for several months and i am trying to run some cleaner through it now.i have not touched the carbs but i have done a valve adjustment and my specs are good!i have not tryed syncing the carbs and do not have a tool yet!any suggestions?also at cruising speeds i shift at about 3500 i think and thats when i hear the extra growl and i shift to a lower rpm it goes away

my bolt looks real close to the same length as yours