Storm - camchain tentioners! Please help if poss!

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mattesden
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Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2019 1:30 pm

Storm - camchain tentioners! Please help if poss!

Post by mattesden »

Hi,
I'm looking for some advise on my Storm I've owned for 17 years. Due to family commitments and relationship breakdowns its been off the road since 2013. I mechanically minded but have limited time to spending sorting the issues its developed being sat around neglected and unloved! This year I have decided to get back on the road as a few of my mates are back into riding and I'm feeling the love again. It has 7000 miles on the clock and is in cracking condition. I've just spent 1100 quid getting the carbs sorted from leaving sh1t fuel in it. I know big mistake, but never planned on leaving idle so long!! its also been serviced and was running and sounding like a dream as they do!. However riding out for a bike meet 4 weeks ago, it started making a sound from the front cylinder at 70mph like a ball bearing in a saucepan!!. Yeah I now know that cam-chain tentioners on these along with the rectifiers are a massive problem. Rectifier now sorted! engine now fooked?? possibly not!! Its runs on tick-over no probs without throttle (with bad noise) obviously not continued running it until I sort it for fear of doing more damage.

I've stripped it down removed plugs and cranked by hand and makes loud clicking from the front when rotating the engine anti-clockwise. I know I need to remove the cam cover at the front to check cams are off valves before I remove the tentioner, but getting to the top bolts does not look easy to expose cams.

Make question is: When the tentenioner fails does it normally smash valves etc or is the noise just from the damaged tentioner? Do I refit stock tentioner or aftermarket manual tentioner. If this is the case which ones should I buy. If worst case scenario front cylinder / head is damaged, is it worth repairing as the bikes only worth £2300 looking on selling sites. Are second-hand parts available to repair at a sensible cost??

Any help / advise would be greatly appricated. I love the bike and it looks fantastic in black red graphics and of course sounds the nuts with the scorpions on it. I want this bike back on the road, but I do need to draw the line at throwing loads of money at a bike that may not be worth the outlay following serious engine damage, because of these bloody cam-chain tentioners. If I had known I would have sorted before this happened!!

I live in Leighton Buzzard, Beds if anyone one is local (ish). I do have a top MB shop to take bike, but at 55 quid an hour the costs escalate very quickly.

King regards
Matt E - 07961-030950
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sirch345
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Location: The West Country.

Re: Storm - camchain tentioners! Please help if poss!

Post by sirch345 »

Matt, It sounds like the front CCT has failed (which would make sense seeing as the bike had been left untouched for all that time) and possibly bent some valves. You really need to take the front cam cover off to check the clearances as you have already mentioned. You've done the right thing by not running the engine until this issue has been resolved. The best way IMHO is to remove the fuel tank (take photo's as you go, especially fuel hoses on tap, throttle cables at carbs and carb shied panels), air box and carbs to gain access to the front cylinder. You also need to remove the shield under the carbs. You can (with patients) just remove the throttle cables and swivel the carbs around once removed from the inlet manifolds to give you enough clearance to remove that shield. (I repeat take photo's as you go). You will also need to unbolt the oil cooler and mounting bracket so the cooler can move forward, no need to remove completely. You need to set your engine up in the right position for the front cylinder as described in the following link (it needs to be set at top dead centre on the compression stroke):- http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 31&t=28583

If the valves are bent removing them yourself and replacing the valves would be your cheapest option.

Before you remove the front cam cover, with access to the front CCT you can remove the end bolt. Using a flat blade screwdriver placed in the end of the CCT see if there is any resistance from turning the worm/screw clock-wise. Turn it quarter to half of one turn and see if it tries to spring back. My guess is it won't, in which case the spring in the CCT has failed. If it does spring back check the rear cylinder CCT. Remember to set up the engine at top dead centre for the rear cylinder like you did for the front before doing this test on the rear CCT.

Chris.
mattesden
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Jun 29, 2019 1:30 pm

Re: Storm - camchain tentioners! Please help if poss!

Post by mattesden »

Thanks Chris for the prompt response. Do you think I should fit manual tentioners or new stock tentioners?

Thanks Chris
Matt
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sirch345
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Joined: Mon Aug 25, 2003 10:35 pm
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Re: Storm - camchain tentioners! Please help if poss!

Post by sirch345 »

Most will probably say fit manual tensioners. If you fit standard OEM tensioners do the "stopper mod" at the very least:- viewtopic.php?f=31&t=19416

Chris.
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alanfjones1411
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Joined: Thu May 21, 2015 3:33 pm
Location: watford

Re: Storm - camchain tentioners! Please help if poss!

Post by alanfjones1411 »

IMHO fit manuals and apart from the very occasional adjustment (which most on here have never had to do) it's job done for good.
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parkergb6
Posts: 186
Joined: Sun Jul 11, 2010 9:34 pm
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: Storm - camchain tentioners! Please help if poss!

Post by parkergb6 »

Having done a front cam chain failure repair myself, its defo best to do it yourself. Its not too tricky and lots of help on here. I ended up with replacing two bent valves. I would go manual tensioners. Not to far away in Borehamwood if you get stuck.
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