Just curious if anyone has access to Kawasaki's install instructions for the manual cct they make for the gen 5. I love the comment for the part "manually adjust cam-chain for increased reliability". I installed the APE pro tensioner in mine the other night and it's running great, just curious how the instructions for the Kawasaki part might differ since the design looks to be the same.
Kawasaki Manual CCT Gen 5
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It's no different, it's a manual CCT.
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You'd adjust it just like any other CCT as it's just another manual CCT.
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Just picked up an APE CCT for my gen5 the only instruction I have found are basically rotate the engine forward while turning the adjuster in until feeling it contact then back it off a 1/4 turn and lock it. Just wanted to feel everyone out and see if that’s how they set theirs. Thanks in advance
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You don't want alot of tension on the chain and you don't want any slack. The best way to set up a manual tensioner is to consider the growth of the engine from cold to hot.
To determine this you would remove the engine from the frame. Pull the value cover, run water at 180* through the engine and remove the slack out of the chain by rotating the crank shaft in the forward direction while applying slight tension on the adjuster shaft. ( it helps if the shaft is ultra fine thread and has a very smooth operation) once the slack is removed rotate the crank slightly in both directions to be sure that there is no slack.
Drain the water and let the engine cool to room temperature. Then remove the upper tensioner guild that mounts between the cam caps(on modles that have a removable tensioner bridge)Push on the cam chain to force slack in the chain between the cam sprockets. Use a straight edge or Steele ruler to make a bridge across the cam sprockets. Now with a selection of 1 mm through 3 mm Allen wrenches measure the slack.
It should be a little different from engine to engine. Most should be 2 to 3 mm less that 2 won't hurt but isn't optimum and more than 3 may have less control than optimum.
If you don't want to remove the engine the just rotate the crank as you apply pressure to shaft. After check for slack by rotating the crank in both directions
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To determine this you would remove the engine from the frame. Pull the value cover, run water at 180* through the engine and remove the slack out of the chain by rotating the crank shaft in the forward direction while applying slight tension on the adjuster shaft. ( it helps if the shaft is ultra fine thread and has a very smooth operation) once the slack is removed rotate the crank slightly in both directions to be sure that there is no slack.
Drain the water and let the engine cool to room temperature. Then remove the upper tensioner guild that mounts between the cam caps(on modles that have a removable tensioner bridge)Push on the cam chain to force slack in the chain between the cam sprockets. Use a straight edge or Steele ruler to make a bridge across the cam sprockets. Now with a selection of 1 mm through 3 mm Allen wrenches measure the slack.
It should be a little different from engine to engine. Most should be 2 to 3 mm less that 2 won't hurt but isn't optimum and more than 3 may have less control than optimum.
If you don't want to remove the engine the just rotate the crank as you apply pressure to shaft. After check for slack by rotating the crank in both directions
Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
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It starts when you remove the auto tensioner, turn the engine to TDC that's the point of least pressure on the cam chain, now if this is an older higher mileage engine i would remove the cam cover and zip tie the chain to the cam sprockets. Now remove the plunger and spring from the auto tensioner (so it doesn't extend when removing the tensioner) then remove the tensioner and adjust the manual tensioner to approx 1/2 to 1 mm short of the auto tensioner length. install the manual tensioner then remove the zip ties. Turn the engine forwards and turn the manual tensioner slowly inwards about a quarter turn then rotate engine back and forth if there is any play repeat forwards 1/4 more turn and so forth until you see no more and just no more slack. OK but you have just removed the minimum slack looking for optimum performance that means just a little wear on that chain and you'v lost optimum performance so its something on a road bike id check on every 3-4000 miles when changing oil certainly. Track bike well its something that needs doing far more regularly. The idea of just fitting and turning in until the noise goes away concerns me, whats that noise valves on pistons maybe! At best its the cam chain slapping against the guides! If you have a built motor those valves are damned close to the pistons. And what if when you remove the auto tensioner worn chain & guides thats front back and top guides all combine and the chain pops out the sprocket teeth so when you rotate engine forward whilst screwing in you retard one or both cams a tooth??? I am sure just pulling out the auto tensioner and throwing in the manual and screwing until all the noise stops will work most of the time certainly on newer lower mileage bikes.........But........ for a few hours more you can get it spot on with less of a gamble and no excessive wear and tear added. Thats just me though :wink2:
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