[Proteus]

I've been following the threads on the Gen 4 Cam Chain Tensioner failures and was wondering what exactly is failing on the tensioner unit? It looks like a pretty simple and fool proof design and has been around for years but it sounds like the spring is weak. Is the unit actually failing or is it just slow to advance to the next notch and eliminate the chain slap? Have there been any reported engine failures from this, e.g. a loose cam chain jumping a tooth and causing a piston to contact a valve? Mine has been noisy for some time now and has not reset. I tried putting the bike in 6th gear and rolling backward and dropping the clutch but this had no effect. I removed the spring cap on the unit and tried manually advancing the unit to the next notch and that didn't work either. If it doesn't reset soon, I plan on getting either a new CCT or a manual unit like the APE.

 

[Lanister]

Just get an APE unit and never look back. Even the Kawasaki Race Kit manual suggests replacing it with a manual one. I don't trust the stock one for the very reason you're having a problem with it. It should work but it doesn't always.

 

[scout]

idk...but I just place cam observation into the whiner bag that also contains the loose triples problem, the front click problem, the terrible shock problem and the rotten front brake problem. I've had several different supers and each one have its own category of complaints. I never had a problem with any of them, either.

 

[Geezer]

the gen 5 one is no better I'm had my one replaced twice already under warranty

 

[Proteus]

the gen 5 one is no better I'm had my one replaced twice already under warranty

Unbelievable that Kawasaki has failed to address this known issue. What did your service adviser at Kawasaki tell you was the reason for failure? It's a simple spring loaded ratchet assembly that is bathed in oil, I'm trying to wrap my head around how one of these can fail.

 

[SkyDork]

Known issue? What's a "known issue about it? That the chain stretches? This is a non-issue as far as I'm concerned. There really isn't anything that can fail. It's pretty fool-proof. And it's not "bathed in oil". There's no oil supply going to it other than what is flung off the cam chain and gets behind the chain guide. It sits and pushes on the chain guide which is plastic.

Once the chain has initially stretched or gets hot and expands, It's supposed to push and catch another notch in the ratchet to take up some slack. Sometimes it does, other times it doesn't. The tension on the spring decreases the farther out the plunger goes (the tighter the compression on the spring, the more force it has). It can be adjusted manually pretty easily. Take the spring out, and use a small push rod with your hand to extend the plunger and take up any slack. Done. The problem is if you try to do this with the cams in a position that the valve springs are fighting the adjustment, you're not going to get enough force on the plunger to extend it. It helps to tension the cam chain first by removing the timing cover and using a wrench on the crank. The manually adjustable ones are OK, but can be easily over-torqued with a heavy hand and require more frequent adjusting.

I really should have taken a video of adjusting mine this past weekend after my motor rebuild. I may still do that since everyone is perceiving that this thing is a POS. It's not. And it's not some magical device that will just fail for no reason.