KZ750H cam chain rattle

  • timuralp
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KZ750H cam chain rattle

30 Dec 2020 00:38
#840820
I have a 1980 KZ750H1 with a manual APE cam chain tensioner. It's at ~33k miles. I recently adjusted the tensioner by hand with the engine cold, turning the tensioner screw in as I was rotating the engine, and then backing out ~1/4 turn. The ride afterward was uneventful -- the bike sounded better and I didn't notice any issues.

A few days later, I took the bike out for a second ride and wanted to check/adjust the tensioner with the engine warm. I noticed a rattle noise turning the engine by hand every time I put tension on the crankshaft -- it would disappear during the rotation and when the bike was actually running. Here is an example: video . I adjusted the tensioner slightly and then double checked with the engine running, leaving it with a slight tick at idle, trying to avoid over-tightening. While running, aside from the tick, I didn't hear any other strange sounds.

Is the rattle in the video a concern or a normal sound of the chain hitting a guide when it's under tension?
Thanks for any insight! Let me know if I can add any other details.

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  • blipco
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Re: KZ750H cam chain rattle

31 Dec 2020 06:23
#840903
That doesn't sound normal to me. It's almost as if the tensioner is hitting the chain directly. Did you check for worn guides?
"Swim against the current, even a dead fish can go with the flow"-somebody (I forget Who)

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