Cam chain tensioner repair

First question - the spring is a very high tech, precision piece with lots of coils and the ends are bent very precisely. The spring unwinds rotating a part, it is not used to push or pull. I wanted the proper tension. I got mental over it and figured too much pressure against the chain guides would wear my chain quicker. Too little and it would rattle. In truth it may not need to be so exact, but I even wound mine the exact amount it had unwound from new.

Second question - I am old (51 and my Birthday is next week) and forgot, CW I think. The direction you would go to add spring tension. Then lock the installation key in the nearest groove holding the plunger until you can push it back in and engage the circlip. This is important and I left it out. Something else I left out is you are starting this process with the installation key out and the plunger fully extended. Remove circlip and ease plunger and plate out just enough to disengage the plate that prevents plunger rotation. Then wind spring tighter.

If you have a spare it helps to practice. I screwed around with the thing for a while to get it right before I did it on my current tensioner. I actually could have repaired the old one but was too lazy back then and it lasted 7500 miles. Before attempting my repair, I disassembled the first one to see why it wasn't functioning and it took me a long time (at least six brews) to figure out how to get it back together....it is deceptively simple for its function but its a Chinese puzzle. I still do not understand how the "ratchet" locks against retracting rotation, its basically just a long helical gear. I just gave up and decided what needed to be done, crossed my fingers and figured I would be buying a manual tensioner after my repair work failed.

I even was lucky enough to not damage the gasket much and just reinstalled using the old one. I really didn't expect it to work and the dealer had no gasket it stock thus a delay.

I have ridden it around home 20 miles or so and no oil leak. It has been cold started several times now. Absolutely no rattle at start up...I am very pleased.

I am glad to answer more questions or if anybody needs more help they could call me and I will get my spare and walk you through it by phone...just PM me for my number. I am usually only on forum on weekends now.

Along the same line, the tensioner can be diagnosed as your issue without removal. Just remove the access bolt on the end and insert key or screw driver. Start machine cold and immediately engage the key or screw driver and turn it ccw slightly adding tensioner pressure, if rattle goes away, you have the issue. Be ready to burn your hands...I did.

And just buying a new stock one you will have low spring pressure again as the thing will unwind out to match your cam chain wear. Its a design flaw in the tensioner (or assembly flaw when the part is made with too little spring winding) in my opinion or Honda thinks at longer extension of the tensioner your timing chain is toast. I respectfully disagree with this and will not change my chain and guides until the tensioner fully extends or for some other reason I need to look inside the engine. At 7500 miles my tensioner was 2.5 revolutions extended as I checked it. Now its at 11300 miles and 3 revolutions (remember previously I said it only has 4 revs total). Based on that wear rate, I figure I will go about another 8000 miles before I need a timing chain...knock on wood. By then the original battery...yep still in the machine, might need replacing also.

Another forum member here has been PMing me over this issue. His tensioner was broken upon removal or it got broken during trying to test the plunger. Pay close attention to the aluminum around the circlip groove. If any cracking is noted I would buy a new tensioner, even if you plan on tightening the spring in it. Loose parts in the bottom end of the engine could be catastrophic.

When testing tensioner operation with the unit out of bike and in your hands, do not let the plunger release and snap out to full travel. You should retract plunger first and then hold it in with your finger. Remove screwdriver or installation key and slowly let off some finger pressure and let plunger come out a small amount. Try to push plunger back in, it should be locked in place. Let out some more plunger travel and push with finger again. At any point in plunger travel it should be extending under spring pressure and locking against pressure trying to push it back in. This is how it automatically takes up chain slack. The plunger actually pushes on one of the chain guides....not on the chain itself.

BTW, my Rincon is around 12,500 miles now and the cam chain is still nice and quiet at start up.

Thanks for republishing this thread of yours Corndog. As you know, I have been fighting a rattle type noise in my low 242 mile / 42hour 2013 Rincon. I posted my video of the noise in another thread, but haven't received much feedback from people as to what it might be. As stated earlier, the rattling noise (lower engine area) is only during cold start up which would go away after about 5 minutes. Today however it seemed to last for about 20+ minutes of riding. Changed oil and filter last weekend, but it made no difference. Today, I decided to check valve clearance and it was spot on at 0.15mm for intake and 0.33 for exhaust. So, I guess that isn't the source of the noise either.


Can't imagine that the tensioner has failed at such low miles and hours, but I suppose it is possible. Last night I decided to order a new chain tensioner anyway just to have on hand before I pull the original one out. Think I'll try your method of adjusting the original tensioner first and see what happens. At least I'll have a new one on hand if I damage it.


If the tensioner doesn't fix it, I will be at a complete loss. At that point, I might just keep riding it until something breaks. Then I'll know for sure what it was...


I will keep you guys posted. Thanks

Thanks for the info guys. Well, I decided to go ahead and put in the new tensioner just a few minutes ago. Didn't see anything wrong with the original one that came out. Replaced it anyway with the new one and unfortunately no such luck. Still the same %$*&%$# noise.


So far I have changed the oil and filter, checked valve clearance, and replaced the tensioner. No luck at all. On cold start up, it still rattles pretty good like there's marbles rolling around in the engine or something. I didn't even bother running it for a while tonight. As soon as I heard the rattle noise again, I shut it off and called it a night in the garage. It kind of pissed me off.


Getting close to throwing in the towel and considering going riding and beating the crap out of it to see if I can get it to break for good. I'll probably come to my senses tomorrow though and before I make things worse, I'll load it up in the truck and run it over to Honda so they can have a listen and see if they have any ideas because I've run out of them!


Sorry for the rant. Just wanted to give you all an update...