How to adjust APE cam chain tensioner

well on my 1982 j model that just rebuilt the top end on, which by the way stopped leaking oil after re-torque of head..when i started it i heard it rattling when i adjusted it by hand turning engine over slowly.. well tonight what i did was crack the nut that holds it in place just enough to turn it in i started the engine and turned it in till the chain noise went away..worked just fine for me...

carbs being out of sync or a cold engine will also cause some cam chain rattling also,so be carefull using that cam chain tensioner bolt to solve every little noise you hear coming from motor.

Thank you guys, especially tek9 for the in-depth procedure.

I will report back on Saturday with updates

Ok, tried to report back earlier, but broke the GD throttle cable after I got stuff back together.

Anyway, tensioner is on, and I rotated the engine with a socket and lighty finger tightened all the slack up. So I started it up and couldn't help resisting playing around.... I backed off the tension, began to hear the chain rattle, but what I thought was weird is my idle increased just a bit. I just finger tightened down the tensioner again as the engine was running. Chain noise went away and idle decreased a little bit.

My questions:
1. Would you expect my idle to increase with a more slack chain?
2. Is a sturdy finger tight too tight or ok for tension?
3. Should I want to be in that higher idle range instead of where I am now?

Thanks guys!

thats the pressure on cam chain loading the motor down
its kind of like a gear drive versus timing chain on a car motor,the manual tensioner does not allow any give on the chain if the motor pisses or pops at any time during normal operation there for the chain is taking all the abuse of any detonation from bad gas or any other condition that may occur.
the auto tensioner on the other hand being spring loaded allows a little bit of give to allow for minor issues rather than just stretching the chain

Are you serious about the pressure? If so, better cut back a bit huh? hehe.

Would a good spot be where the idle increases a bit?

id say thats a good point to start,then fine tune it from there.

The idle increased because you advanced your cam timing some...

You don't have to turn the motor over and over, just once then stop.

Turn in the tensioner bolt until you feel it stop against the tensioner pad.

Then turn the engine slightly in the direction of running and hold it there.

The slack will all be at the tensioner and it will tighten some more,

turn the bolt in until you feel it hit the tensioner.

lock the nut and you are done.


Turning the motor over contunuously will cause the chain to slack then tighten over and over again as the cams are going to move forward and back..

If you just rebuilt a motor and reached your hand inside the tensioner hole and felt what goes on in there you can call yourself nads.com and say you done good today.

And now to the garage to bolt the motor in the bike.

Girlfriend said quite often she hears me say I did'nt do this right, or that right.

She thinks I'm better than that.

Hmmmm... this is gonna mess me ... what's wrong with these people?

I'm not tellin them nothing from now on.

Yeah so I took the bike down the street and forgot to put the motor in it, big deal!

so what the motor is right there in my garage..

Then she tells me what color to paint it...

but doesn't want to be there when I start it.

Thank god.

She doesn't know I used her rest pad for a rag yet. he he.

I'll get plenty of pics for this bike but I have to paint it and get side covers this week.

Pics are no problem. Just a little more time, a little more money

:woohoo:

I have one on my GPz1150 and I like it. You are better off to have it a tiny bit looser than too tight. You might have some chain hiss if it is too loose but you will wipe out your chain guides if it is too tight or even stretch out your chain.

apbling wrote: Ok, tried to report back earlier, but broke the GD throttle cable after I got stuff back together.

Anyway, tensioner is on, and I rotated the engine with a socket and lighty finger tightened all the slack up. So I started it up and couldn't help resisting playing around.... I backed off the tension, began to hear the chain rattle, but what I thought was weird is my idle increased just a bit. I just finger tightened down the tensioner again as the engine was running. Chain noise went away and idle decreased a little bit.

My questions:
1. Would you expect my idle to increase with a more slack chain?
2. Is a sturdy finger tight too tight or ok for tension?
3. Should I want to be in that higher idle range instead of where I am now?

Thanks guys!

This is an interesting point that everyone here has really avoided to answer. When you put slack in the chain (up to a point) you actually increase the cam advance a bit. When the chain is fully tight it locks the cams in full retard. As your chain loosens again due to guide ware the cams are allowed to advance again and the power curve changes a bit again.

otakar wrote:

apbling wrote: Ok, tried to report back earlier, but broke the GD throttle cable after I got stuff back together.

Anyway, tensioner is on, and I rotated the engine with a socket and lighty finger tightened all the slack up. So I started it up and couldn't help resisting playing around.... I backed off the tension, began to hear the chain rattle, but what I thought was weird is my idle increased just a bit. I just finger tightened down the tensioner again as the engine was running. Chain noise went away and idle decreased a little bit.

My questions:
1. Would you expect my idle to increase with a more slack chain?
2. Is a sturdy finger tight too tight or ok for tension?
3. Should I want to be in that higher idle range instead of where I am now?

Thanks guys!

This is an interesting point that everyone here has really avoided to answer. When you put slack in the chain (up to a point) you actually increase the cam advance a bit. When the chain is fully tight it locks the cams in full retard. As your chain loosens again due to guide ware the cams are allowed to advance again and the power curve changes a bit again.

A loose chain will Retard if anything, a stretched chain WILL retard, and a tight chain will cause Drag/ friction, wearing the guides and stretching the chain. As the motor rotates the chain is taunt against the cam sprockets, pulling them, then as the cam lobe passes past full valve lift it can then change directions pulling up slack in the chain. You don't want that to be happening, the noise is then the chain slack slapping on the guides.
After experimenting with a manual tensioner myself, I went back to the wedge style tensioner, with new springs, $18 for springs. This holds the correct tension, as Kaw engineered, on both a cold and hot engine. The manual tensioner changes tension between hot and cold. I found the best manual adjustment was HOT as that's where it runs all of the time. Following the adjustment advice you already have been given, rotating the motor and turning in the tensioner adjuster with finger pressure, wear gloves, and then backing out 1/2 turn. It will make a bit of noise cold, till the temp comes back up.