Installing Cam Chain Tensioner

As martin states, don't remove the top roller. It will be hard to count 28 pins with it in because you cannot seem them right at the roller but count a couple of times to make sure you are accurate. Good pics btw. Your bike will have arrows that will be pointing at and level with the front and rear cam cover

Good point martin_csr. Mine idler tower is off because its a aftermarket tower and I put the motor in the frame earlier and I didn't want it to hit while trying to install the motor. A easy way to count the pins is count all the pins visible. Then mark the two pins that start and finish the tower. Then roll the motor enough till you can count the pins between the marks.

Ok thanks for all the help guys!! I have yet to tear into as I was still looking for a manual, with no luck... I should be getting my gaskets with in the next day or 2 and plan on tearing into it. I think they are calling for rain this weekend so it will be a good time to work out in the garage on the bike. When I go to start I will throw some pics up so that maybe you guys can assist me in making sure I get this right the first time. Also was going to ask if it would be a waste of money to buy the clymer manual? I can find all kinds of them online. Thanks again guys!!!

don't waste your money on a Clymer or Haynes manual, get a Kawasaki service/workshop manual, specific to your year & model bike ...Pete

So my gaskets just arrived so I will be diving in here so. Will this manual help me at all in doing this? www.kawiworld.com/images/stories/KZ1100man.pdf I cant find one just yet. I think though I may be ok with your guys photos and information you have shared thus far. But was wondering if I could use this as a reference in a pinch? Going to go get the stuf to clean my tank up today and start with that and tear into the bike tomorrow. I messed up and forgot to order my cam end plugs so I have plenty of time to get this done ha ha.

Started diving in to it today replace a few of the gaskets and hopefully re installed the cam chain tension-er properly. I am about to pull the crank cover and valve cover and get some pics on here and hopefully with the info you all have share and the pics I throw up here , I can get this lined out!

Ok guys I got the Valve cover off and I got the Timing advancer exposed. Here is where they are sitting. So I am stopping for tonight to see what you guys have to say. Will my next step be to rotate the crank to get tdc?

I would slowly try to rotate to tdc for 1&4. Just go slow and if it starts to get tight stop and back it up a little. But since its already been turned over with the tensior out. I would think that if there gonna hit, it woulda done it last time. Unless it just skipped at the very end. But just go slow. It hard to tell from the angles of the pictures. But it appears they could be close to being it time. Youll just have to turn it to tdc to find out.

outstanding thank you. I got a few things to do today but here alter I will be working on it and then throw up some more pics.

So I got a bit of time and went and turned it with no problems and no resistance. Do I need to take off the guide to get an accurate count of the pins?

went back and looked at the info you guys already shared and turned the crank one more full ration to get the lobes point inward at each other. then counted the right side pins to 15 marked it counted the left side to 8 and marked it rolled it forward to count the pins under the roller and got 5 that makes 28 right? so if i am not mistaken my timing should be fine.

As long as your at tdc on the crank then yes. Its still in time. I would recommend checking valve clearances while you have the valve cover off.