Z1000 J Camchain Tensioner Question ?

[Foxfix]

I read somewhere on a USA Z Forum that once the Cam Cover has been removed and refitted to the J Motor, that the standard auto camchain tensioner must be reset.
I cannot find referecne to this anywhere in the K Workshop Manual and have not came across other bikes that this is applicable to ?

Can anyone confirm this as true or false ?

Thanks

[zed1015]

Yes! On the J/GPZ engines with HYVO chain the tensioner MUST be removed before fitting the cam cover and then re-installed and tensioned afterwards.

[Foxfix]

Thank you for confirmation.

I am assuming my KZ1000CSR (81) is the same as the J (motor anyway) ?

Thanks

[zed1015]

Thank you for confirmation.

I am assuming my KZ1000CSR (81) is the same as the J (motor anyway) ?

Thanks

Yes! All 80 onwards non kickstart 998cc - 1089cc are J based engines with HYVO chain.

[Foxfix]

Just following on from this.................

Does this mean the WHOLE tensioner body has to be removed, or is it just the Cross Piece that needs removing and refitting ??

Thanks

[Al]

Manual cam chain tensioners as replacements are probably very good, i cant comment, i modified the auto one because i am cheap.
Two things; manual tensioners do not take account of chain stretch when hot and cold like the spring loaded originals do and setting for one will make it wrong for the other. With reference to youre question; no you shouldnt take the whole tensioner out if only removing and replacing the cam cover. The chain will jump the sprockets and keeping the spring loaded body will go a long way to stopping this but its no guarantee. Just remove the 17mm headed sleeve, spring and locking cross slide. With mine the modification is only concerned with stopping the locking cross slide backing off. It does not prevent the spring loaded main plunger activating to take up any slack.
On that; it might be time to replace the 40 year old main plunger spring. Again, being cheap, i preferred to put two narrow annulus washers behind it in front of the body
AL

[Foxfix]

So once the cam cover has been removed and the shims adjusted, is the procedure then to
refit the cam cover and torque all the bolts down THEN release the cam chain tensioner
cross piece from the side of the tension body...........then just refit it ?

The reason I ask is I cannot find referecne to this procedure in the K or Clymer
workshop manuals.

Thanks

[zed1015]

So once the cam cover has been removed and the shims adjusted, is the procedure then to
refit the cam cover and torque all the bolts down THEN release the cam chain tensioner
cross piece from the side of the tension body...........then just refit it ?

The reason I ask is I cannot find referecne to this procedure in the K or Clymer
workshop manuals.

Thanks

YES! The slipper block that sits in the top of the cam cover pushes down on the cam chain and takes up some chain slack between the cam sprockets when the cover is bolted down .
This action maintains the correct alignment of the cam timing.
If the tensioner is fitted before the cover then the chain will be taut between the cams and when the cover is fitted it will then put excess tension on the chain which can lead to damage to the tensioner , the slipper block and possibly cause cam chain failure.

[Foxfix]

Thank you.
Makes perfect sense !
Cannot think why K dont mention this in the manual.

Regards

[Foxfix]

Thanks for help with this so far, but I still have some questions I would be grateful to get answers to ?

I now have a Clymer Workshop Manual which covers this procedure in better detail than the Kawasaki one does.

The procedure in this manual states that when removing the Cam Cover, you MUST also remove the Tensioner Cross Piece FIRST then loosen all the bolts to remove the cover.

The reason for removing the Cam Cover is to check the valve clearances........so this obviously means having to turn the crank to check all 8 valves.

QUESTION ?
At this stage, the Tensioner Cross Piece is removed, so the tensioner is not tensioned against the cam chain.
Is it now still safe to turn the crank with no cam chain tension without the risk of the chain slipping on the cam and crank sprockets and upsetting the valve timing ?

Please confirm ?

[Al]

The chain cant jump the sprocket on the crank because there is a bolt there to stop it. However, it can jacknife and jam. Possible but very unlikely.

If you are taking the cam cover off to check and adjust 'shim on top' then all you need to do is remove the locking cross slide.
Leave the spring loaded tensioner in place and this will go a long way to helping the cam chain not jump a tooth on the exhaust cam sprocket.
It is no guarantee though and if you are turning the crank with a spanner with one hand the other should be holding the chain down on top of the sprocket on the exhaust cam at the 12 O'clock high position to make it simple.

The spring loaded plunger will help considerably but its as each lobe passes by the highest lift point that they can be inclined to snap forward to relieve valve spring pressure upward on them. If this happens the cam will rotate, chain will go slack and its entirely likely that the chain will rotate round the exhaust sprocket by one tooth if you are lucky.
Since it actually doesnt fit through that gap (it will though) and you are un-lucky, it will jam between sprocket and head casting at the front and crack the head.

On several occassions when the chain has jumped a tooth on mine i have found it impossible to get it back into the correct position without some dis-assembly. That said: i am now 'shim under' so it all has to come out anyway.

At this stage, the Tensioner Cross Piece is removed, so the tensioner is not tensioned against the cam chain.

The tensioner is tensioned against the cam chain it is just that it is not locked and can back off.
I think a 'locking' tensioner of some sort is absolutely essential as a common thing i used to find on the road was that when pulling away and the revs fell low and it bagan to stall it would ping the tensioner cross slide away and allow the chain enough slack to jump the sprockets. Engine had very different drive characteristics for the second part of the journey compared to the first part when that happened.
AL

[Foxfix]

Thank you for explaining.

I still find it very hard to accept that Kawasaki do not confirm this very important procedure step by step in their Workshop Manual !!