hitmanninja

Hey anybody know how much does it cost approximately to have the cam chain replaced on a 2005 zx6r ?

mikeurtno

If you take it to a shop my guess would be upwards of 400-500 hundred dollars would be my guess. Why do you need to replace the cam chain?

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Steel

^ They do eventually stretch enough that they need replacing just like the rear chain, at least from what I've heard. Hitman, have you tried switching to a manual cam chain tensioner first?

And yeah, I'd definitely expect it to be over 500 at a decent shop, it requires head disassembly and then removal, and while it might not be 100% necessary, most places (and myself as well) would remove the engine from the bike.

rundog

You may want to consider replacing the cam chain at around 60k miles, not before. Unlike the drive chain they operate in a clean environment and are constantly lubricated. Why do you feel the need to replace it?

mikeurtno

If its because of the infamous kawi tick the actual can chain is not the problem. The kawi tick comes from the less than effective factory automatic can chain tensioner. Hence the reason a lot of people just replace it with an ape manual tensioner and be done with the pos factory one.

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BlackDog

is your timing off/out

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rundog

You could buy a manual tensioner, Mike. Or you could do this and spend that money elsewhere....

Engine cold!

1) Bump your starter a couple of times without starting the motor, just a short bump.

2 Loosen the two bolts at the top and the bottom of the cam chain tensioner from a quarter of a turn to a third of a turn. Do not go further or else you will have to remove and reset the tensioner.

3) Lightly tap on the bolt in the center a wrench or hammer

4) Retighten the two end bolts.

Start your motor. The noise should be completely and immediately gone.

WildCard

I would spend a few bucks and get an actual manual tensioner rather than trying to homie rig the auto tensioner via some janky method possbily overtightening the chain and causing alot more problems down the road.

If the chain isn't worn enough for the pawl on the rachet mechanism on the CCT to jump to the next tooth i wouldn't try and force it.

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2009 KLX331
2002 ZX-6R

av8r-92

Somebody on here posted that their bike sputtered and died on the street because they fucked with their cam chain like that. It's easy to over-tighten.

Mine makes the tick. Most Kawi's make the tick. Leave it alone.

-Will

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rundog

An automatic cam chain tensioner has 4 moving parts. The plunger which presses against the cam guide, a locking mechanism, a metal rod which supports the spring, and the spring itself. The plunger has a series of stops, about 2mm apart. As the plunger moves toward the chain guide, these stops are sequentially engaged by the locking mechanism.

The spring does not always provide enough force to move the plunger from one stop to the next. By following the procedure I wrote, the pressure is removed from the spring, allowing the plunger to move ONE AND ONLY ONE 'step' to the next stop.

When I started riding thirty years ago, all bikes had manual tensioners. I was there when the automatics came out. The design hasn't changed very much, and they have
ALWAYS had this problem, and this is how you deal with it.

I've done it on several KZ-series motors.

I had an 85 Ninja that I did this procedure on - sold at 87k miles with no engine problems.

I had a 90 ZX11 that I did this procedure on - sold at 107k miles with no cam chain issues.

I had a 2000 ZX12 that I did this procedure on - sold at 75k with no engine issues.

I have a wrecked 2000 ZX12 with 45k miles - No engine issues.

Are you seeing the pattern?

This is my current bike, which I've also done this procedure on.



Now if you think that at this point in my career that I would perform a procedure on that bike that would potentially destroy the engine....

Some people never keep a bike long enough to gain this type of experience. I've always gotten one bike, maintained it properly, and kept it for years.


So my endorsement of this procedure is based on 30 years and more than 200,000 miles of experience. I've seen what others critical of this procedure base their opinions on. You decide.