cam noise

Nevermind, I think I just figured all the parts out. The question now is since the top idler sprocket is bad, what are the odds that the guide sprockets and tensioner sprocket are just as bad? Pretty friggen good, huh? So we're potentially talking about several hundred in parts, and the head has to come off to install some of them. More advice is welcome.

You're at a crossroad so to speak.....

One top idler vs a total tear down :S

I say total tear down because to do it all properly that's really what it takes.

Figure $1000 in parts and your own labor. Then add to that a proper valve job.

Result, a trouble free motor for a good long while if done correctly....

looks like you and I will be playing with the same snowball this winter.....starts out fixing an oil leak and ends up tearing it all apart for new bearings and seals, and carbs, and head work, and well you know:P

While I can idealogically appreciate a full teardown, I can't financially appreciate it. The engine has 10,000 miles on it. It's really just at the beginning of it's service life. It runs strong. Compression is good across the motor. The valves are all well within specs. It doesn't burn oil. But I'm willing to bet that the rest of the sprockets and guides are close to failure, mainly because the one that I can see has obvious problems, and they all more or less share the same construction.

After carefully studying the FSM, it appears as though it's at least theoretically possible to remove the head without having to drop the camchain, correct? And once the head is off the rest of the questionable components are readily accessible right? So I'm thinking this: The top idler and blocks have already been ordered, so they go in first. I'll plan on removing the head and installing the rest of the related equipment over the winter. Does this seem reasonable?