Cam chain adjustment!

I have a manual chain adjuster on my KZ1000, like the ones sold on KZZONE.COM

I think I have a little bit of chain slap, but how do I know how far to adjust it? Do I losten the locknut and turn the adjuster with my fingers untill I feel pressure or what?

The APE type cam chain adjusted is essentially a threaded bolt that your turn out to put pressure on the cam chain. With this type, if you have no feel for it (as you probably won't at this point), take off your valve cover and observed the chain around the cam chain tower... turn your crank via the 17mm bolt on the end of your crank under the points cover and turn it back and forth a bit to see if there is any play in the chain... it will bunch some if you have play. Tighten the chain till there isn't any play... Maybe somebody with one of these can add something. I like the regular manual adjusters that you just load and shoot!

I found the following info on a website some time ago regarding adjusting a manual cam chain tensioner (like the model from APE racing).

Put the cam chain tensioner in and adjust it so that it just touches the guide with very little tension. then start the engine up and it'll be making all sorts of noise, you slowly screw it in slowly until it just starts making no noise, back it out 1/8 turn then you stop and lock it down.

If you keep screwing it in, it'll continue to make no noise, but then you're putting a lot of stress on everything and will at the least destroy your guides....the worse it much worse.

Post edited by: Murphyau, at: 2005/11/11 17:44

I have one of those APE cam chain tensioners on mine. Loosen the locknut, screw in the bolt by hand until you feel resistance and then back it out about 1 flat of the screw head which would be about 1/8 of a turn and tighten the locknut.

If you back it out to much trust me - you'll notice the chain noise
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Woodstock ON Canada
1980 kz750 E1, 4 into 1, K&N Pods

Post edited by: jr, at: 2005/11/11 17:55

Great. Thanks for the help!