[Perfecte99]

Hi guys... i finished my motor swap project... it runs!!!! Well!!!! However the new engine has 35xxx miles... and has a slightly ticky timing chain, clean on accel... but idling and when decelling... for this reason i was assuming it wasnt the valves...

The one that came out... with a blown cylinder had only 20xxx....

So the question is... can i just get a manual cam chain tensioner? Retension the stock one?
Or should i just go and do a whole new chain... pulling the motor again would suck but its easy enough..

Also- if i pull out the chain from the 20xxx blown engine and it doesnt look ruined from the metal everywhere else in engine... can i slap that in? Would probably be best to just get a new one... ?

Also if it helps i can video the noise

Thanks in advance for any help or advice given...

I will eventually do a whole write up on the engine swap....

 

[KZScott]

check valves, get a new chain and use the oem tensioner not a manual.

 

[Perfecte99]

just curious... why u dont like a manual tensioner.... ? And u think it could be the valves even though its not a constant engine speed related noise? Or just sayin check em for good measure?


And one more question.... would it be easier to pin down the cause of the noise... valves/timing chain...

By just pulling out the tensioner... clicking it out one extra stop... thus tightening on the cam chain... like a manual tensioner... stick her back in... it only seems to be halfway out... strange because the one on my 20xxx mile blown motor is at least three stops further out...if the noise is improved or gone then i know its the cam chain and can replace it or tensioner....

Also i forgot to mention but this bike is a project for resale... so again it doesnt have to work forever....

Just quiet it down so i can say this engine is perfect. Lol i know im turrible.

 

[KZScott]

just curious... why u dont like a manual tensioner.... ? And u think it could be the valves even though its not a constant engine speed related noise? Or just sayin check em for good measure?


And one more question.... would it be easier to pin down the cause of the noise... valves/timing chain...

By just pulling out the tensioner... clicking it out one extra stop... thus tightening on the cam chain... like a manual tensioner... stick her back in... it only seems to be halfway out... strange because the one on my 20xxx mile blown motor is at least three stops further out...if the noise is improved or gone then i know its the cam chain and can replace it or tensioner....

Also i forgot to mention but this bike is a project for resale... so again it doesnt have to work forever....

Just quiet it down so i can say this engine is perfect. Lol i know im turrible.

do it right or dont do it:angry:

 

[Perfecte99]

Its a question on if my theory is sound. Many ppl use manual tensioners.... and they do queit down the chain... why r u against them? Stress chain can snap or what?

 

[rundog]

Before you spend any money, try this -

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.

I've done this on a '85 Ninja, a '90 ZX11, and two ZX12s. Simple and effective.

 

[maxumis]

check valves, get a new chain and use the oem tensioner not a manual.

+1 or try the old tensioner from the original engine to see if it fixes the problem .
Depending on the "new" motors oil change history it could have a sticky tensioner .. just swap the tensioners would be my first approach . If still noisy check the chain guides for wear and get a New chain .

 

[Perfecte99]

So rundog ur advice is just what i already said. Remove tensioner click out one extra click put back... Only ur way u do not remove tensioner...

And maxumis thanks i will def try swapping....

Obviousely if it where my "keeper" 12 i would treat her to new everything... Since this is a project for resale, temporary fix is ok and the next owner can deal with it after a few thousand miles of falling in love with the bike.

I am regretting not tearing open the motor before slapping it in... I was so worried it was garbage i just wanted to see if it would even start... Course now an hour checking the chain and guides would have saved countless hours if i must remove engine again... Doh!

 

[rundog]

......
Obviousely if it where my "keeper" 12 i would treat her to new everything... Since this is a project for resale, temporary fix is ok and the next owner can deal with it after a few thousand miles of falling in love with the bike.

....

Not a 'temporary' fix. I put 87k miles on that 900 Ninja, 107k miles on that zx11, 75k on 12 #1, and I'm at 32k on 12 #3. I may have repeated the procedure twice on one of those bikes, but once was enough for the others.
Good luck with it. :zxred:

 

[maxumis]

I am regretting not tearing open the motor before slapping it in... I was so worried it was garbage i just wanted to see if it would even start... Course now an hour checking the chain and guides would have saved countless hours if i must remove engine again... Doh!

Don't worry mate , lesson learnt .:thumbup:
I have done a lot of things in my time , I far from know everything with anything But its always good to learn . Experience is a great learning curve and that you have done with the 12R ! .

 

[NUCLEON ST]

Fit a new,left and top,chain cam tensioners and you're done.

 

[Warp12]

More cam chains are ruined from improperly adjusted manuals, than by automatics, from what I have seen. Carpenter even uses a modified 12R tensioner on the 275 hp 1630cc 14R package, and my 250 hp 1534 uses the same modified tensioner as well.

But use what you want, it's your motor! :thumbup:

 

[my12r]

Rundogs solution works great. I did it on mine when she was rattling a bit...

Follow his instructions to the letter!

Do NOT remove the tensioner. Just a 1/4 turn back from tight. Too loose and you are resetting the tensioner. You CANNOT remove the auto tensioner and "click it out one more click" and put it back in. If you pull it out, you will need to completely reset it and replace it into the engine and let it push out for whatever needed to take up the slack. Just do as rundog said and you will get that one click you seek without the hassle. It works.

 

[KZScott]

sure you can, pull the center out first. but i stand by my statement.

 

[color me gone]

Before you tear into it, start it and put a long screw driver on the head and case, tensioner. Put your ear on the end of the screw driver. You will hear where the noise is coming from. Stethoscope works too.

cmg

 

[Perfecte99]

Luckily ive been around enough bikes... the green twelve bing number 45... its cam chain.... ty all for the advic and the opinions... will tell how it works out...

 

[Perfecte99]

The engine had been sitting since 2010...

Pulled out the timing chain tensioner lubed reset and let it do its thing...

Bike now is quiet and t chain rattle is non existant.

Seems it was just stuck...

 

[ninjayorkie]

Yes it's something I do every time I check the shims. Bits of dirt in the oil can stop them self adjusting, a good working with plenty of fresh engine oil by hand often brings them back to life.

 

[IWasBlitz]

Also i forgot to mention but this bike is a project for resale... so again it doesnt have to work forever....

Just quiet it down so i can say this engine is perfect. Lol i know im turrible.

You do realize how fucked up that sounds right?

So it's okay if it's quiet when that 23 year old kid comes to buy it and hey, if it happens to snap a timing chain at 100 MPH and send the kid into the tree's it's just collateral damage right?

Sorry, but that rubs me the wrong way. If you are going to flip bikes either 1) Fix it right or 2) Sell them as is and disclose that there may be a problem that needs to be fixed right.

Otherwise Karma will hunt you down and Karma is a bitch.

 

[hagrid]

I was thinking it, you said it.



I owe you a drink.