Kawasaki GPZ750 cam tensioner

Hi guys,

i am currently considering fitting an oem style manual cam tensioner instead of the automatic one on my GPZ750.

The automatic one is of the round end style, and the oem manual one I have on hand is from a kz650 of the square end style. 

My question is can the manual oem style one be used when it is with the square end?

Thanks! 

Why do you want a manual cam chain adjuster?  

Reliability, as the auto can get stuck sometimes, but that dose not answer my question?

thanks! 

These are only my thoughts, and if not appropriate, just ignore me.

In my personal opinion, the KZ650 tensioner is not really a manual, but more like semi-automatic.    It has spring, and the bolt only controls the extension of the plunger and locks it.   You do that by hand.     In the fully automatic, the cross wedge to that, no "manual assist", and it is very reliable indeed.      Actually, if you removed the stop little bolt on the GPZ750 stock cross wedge, and screw a longer one, it would do the same as the 650.

In a fully manual one (after market), you also have to do the job of the spring, and is a simple as it gets. (I use one of these, because makes top end maintenance/jobs a breeze)

Consider:

The reason for the shape of the plunger, and length, is the type of pressing guide on the chain.   The KZ650 had a type of roller tensioner guide,..and sprockets all around,  whereas the KZ750-4 uses strictly sliding composite guides, for tensioning and fixed....with very different shapes.

I can not answer directly your question, and probably nobody has done this because it looks like a step backward(to me).   If reliability is your concern, then a fully manual would be a better safe direction, as you wouldn't have to worry about the differences on the cam chain guiding system which dictates the shape and length of the plunger......and setting it up manually, is actually fun.
 

I can't answer your question, but you do know that for just the price of the gasket, you CAN overhaul/clean the chain tensioner, right?

Although my riding was done some millennium ago (back in the 80's), never had one go bad or got stuck. If you hear something in the engine, probably the slider is bad and tensioner can't adjust because it's beyond the adjusting range. Remember, if the motor that has wedge type tensioner, they have three sliders. One in front, one on the valve cover and one at the tensioner.

IF by any chance you need to get the manual one, why not go with aftermarket that is made for your bike? If not, buy a used one that fits your bike and keep them as spare? If something goes wrong with the one have on the engine, you can just swap them out. Chain tensioner is not something you want to take a chance with. Not on a bike, but I did have friends car that jumped a tooth due to wormed out belt. It wasn't fun fixing it (guess who did all the fixing with just a case of beer?) .

I think the 'unreliability' of the stock wedge-type tensioner is overstated, most of these engines are still using their original tensioners. I think the only real downside of the auto tensioner is that it needs to be slacked off to take the rocker cover off, and I suspect people forgetting or not knowing this may be related to their reputation. I've never heard of the auto one getting 'stuck' - I can't see how it could unless installed wrong, or its operation is misunderstood. If you take the rocker cover off, the tensioner will take up the slack and 'stick' open - but that's by design. It's essentially a one-way tensioner, it will increase tension but it is not designed to back-off.

I've heard that auto tensioners can back-out under high load on very worked engines with old tensioners (the spring loses its tension). But switching to manual is cheap insurance, and if you're working the engine it may be beneficial.

Personally I'd replace the spring in the original, inspect for wear, and keep running it. If you do want to go manual, best to go for an aftermarket tensioner, or modify the original. The auto tensioners can also be converted to manual, keeping the look original (though not many people are looking there to be fair).
 

I do not want to start anything, but do think that the first couple of versions of the auto tensioner on the 650s did have issues. Why did they make changes to them if there were not issues.  I think they made changes/revisions at least 3 times. As I understand it the latest version did work better/last longer than early ones did.

just grab a billet tensioner for Z1 900 / KZ1000 1973/1980 and be done with it , just follow directions to the T !