Cam chain tensioner mod.

[yelian103]

So I've heard of this a bunch of times but never had the need to fully research it until now. I've adjusted my valves and still have a faint tick. Has anyone tried pulling out the spring in the lifter and putting in a threaded stud to manually put tension on the chain. Is this a legit rig or should I just buy the OEM lifter? Feel free to chime in, any help would be greatly appreciated.

[Zakradu398]

So I've heard of this a bunch of times but never had the need to fully research it until now. I've adjusted my valves and still have a faint tick. Has anyone tried pulling out the spring in the lifter and putting in a threaded stud to manually put tension on the chain. Is this a legit rig or should I just buy the OEM lifter? Feel free to chime in, any help would be greatly appreciated.

I believe a company did use to make a manual chain tensioner. No use for it though really, just get stock, it's proven.

[DragonGunner]

I've seen them on ebay from time to time....some here have made their own. Nice thing about them is you don't have to worry about the stocker going out on you. I still running the stocker, but if it fails I'll be fabricating into a manually adjusted one....looks pretty easy to do.

[CJM]

Ran a stock one from 00 when I got the 400 back in 06 and ran it until i sold it 3 months ago. No issues.

[2001400exrida]

Ran a stock one from 00 when I got the 400 back in 06 and ran it until i sold it 3 months ago. No issues.

If you ride alot, like more than twice a year, they do tend to fail. I've had 4 400's over the past 5 years. My 2007 that i bought brand new in 2010 has not had an issue yet, but the other 2 that i rebuilt both had faulty tensioners and the guides were toasted.

I have seen threads where guys just cut the spring a bit and got it to work. CRU makes a manual tensioner for these motors. It's bullet proof and besides some minor adjusting about once a year, it doesn't require much. ebay item number 251158578108

I use APE tensioner on my street bike. Anybody that knows anything about the f4i's, they have an auto tensioner that goes bad routinely after around 3k miles. It just starts sounding like bb's in a can.

[Stickman400]

I'm just guessing but I'm fairly certain most of us on here ride more than 2 times a year.....

[2001400exrida]

haha, i would hope so! My point was that i've seen 2 of them go bad. One machine was a 2002, the other was a 2001. The springs in them fail, sometimes it can be fixed, but with a manual tensioner you will never have this problem.