cam chain tenioner

[hmf400]

i have a 99 400ex pretty much stock, it just started to develop a knocking sound in the top end of the motor, it has a new cam chain in it so i took the tensioner out to look at it and it was fully compressed(not extened) does anybody know if that is the problem. thanks

[alf44]

Did you check the oil?

[hmf400]

lol yea it's good as always

[pigpin]

a knock or tick?? i would check the valves....the way i understood you saying the chain tensioner is that it was not extended putting pressure on the chain, this could cause it to jump time and hit the valves on the piston. i just had this problem, my chain stretched and it hammered the exhuast valves on the piston!!!

[pigpin]

i tried to post a pic of the piston... but its not working, i dont see an upload beside the attach section, oh well.

[pigpin]

also, if the tensioner is not out like it should be, its broke, u can manualy turn the little flathead screw inside the cap and extend it, but it probly want hold proper tension, id replace it and check the vlaves, depending on what the "knock" was, it was likely to be a valve if the tensioner isnt working letting the timing be off.

[alf44]

The reason i asked about the oil is i had the same problem and wasted my head. We thought that when i was racing up steep hills i was starving it for oil,but after reading what pigpen said i think it might be more like what he explained.:ermm:

[hmf400]

it's a ticking sound, and yea the tensioner wasn't extened like it should've been. i had my valves adjusted about 7 months ago, and havent rode much since. thanks