Manual Cam Chain Tensioner Installation Guide (MCCT's)

[Watty]

A big thanks for the time and effort you've put into this. I've fitted mine today and couldn't of done it without this thread and Watty being kind enough to loan me his printed copy of it.

Good man Bertie, glad it all went well mate

[99mpower]

Need some help. Fitting new manual CCTs, and screwed up. I rotated the motor over to the FT mark and forgot to check what stroke it was on, and removed the CCT. Removed the cover for the chain, and noticed it was tight. Checked the cam lobes, figured I was on the wrong stroke and forgot to install a tensioner before rotating motor over.

I now need to time the rear cam properly before going any further, as it jumped a couple teeth. Any help on how to adjust the cam without completely stripping down the bike. Any help would be GREATLY appreciated

[VTRDark]

OK first thing take your time (no pun intended) and don't rush things. This is how mistakes happen.

So let me get this right, you where on the rear cylinder and rotated the crank onto the front but have messed the timing as it has jumped from removing the tensioner on the wrong stroke as well as turning with the tensioner removed. But there is still an issue with the rear.

You need to deal with one cylinder at a time it's no good going back to the rear if the front is not correct and has jumped. By the sounds of it rotating the crank any direction may meet resistance ie valves hitting the piston. Have you tried rotating the crank around more Slowley onto FT with both cam lobes pointing up and out? If you meet resistance you will have to loosen both cam caps so the valves remain closed. Undo these in a diagonal pattern a bit at a time.

Actually as both cylinders are possibly not correct it may be worth you loosening the cam caps for both cams on each cylinder and starting from scratch/the beginning. You have no worries about any valves meeting cylinders then. You just need to be careful to hold the cam chains taught and feed them around at the same time. A helping hand could be useful here as it's tricky to turn the crank and hold the chains at the same time. Or leave them wrapped around the cams which should spin easily with the caps loosened.

Start with the rear cylinder following the procedure in the guide. RT at the crank and then place the cams so the lobes point up and in with the RI and RE marks aligned at the cam sprockets. Start with the cam on the opposite side of the tensioner so Inlet cam, pull the chain taught and hook it over the sprocket. Then move onto the exhaust cam on the tensioner side. It may take a few attempts getting both cams aligned correctly with the chain hooked over them both. Once both cam are aligned correctly with the chain over them both tighten the cam caps back down to the required torque in a diagonal pattern a bit at a time. You may want to leave the two bolts off for now which the chain guide fits under. Go steady and don't overtighten them as they can snap Then tighten the tensioner up.

Once the rear cylinder is done you can them move onto the front. Pay particular attention to the amount of turns on the crank. You want to turn the crank 1 1/4 turns anti-clockise until you land on the FT mark for the second time it comes around to the inspection hole. If you loose count or sight of where your at then just go back to the Rear RT with cam lobes pointing up and in and start again, it's crucial you get this right. Then run through the same procedure on the front cylinder accept for having the cam lobes pointing up and out and markings being FI and FE. Start with the exhaust cam this time as it's furthest away from the tensioner. The front is a little more tricky to align the cam marks as the frame gets in the way for the inlet cam. Once you have them aligned, yet again tighten the cam caps down to the required torque in a diagonal pattern a bit at a time and then tighten the tensioner.

If something does not make sense then ask first before moving on.

(:-})

[99mpower]

thanks for the great explanation.

The rear was done correctly, with zero issues. So the rear cylinder is/was/still GOOD TO GO.

Front was the issue.

I was able to fix it though. I ended up removing the intake cam sprocket allowing me to remove the timing chain on the front. Was able to move the cam around to retime and reinstall the cam sprocket at the right spot on the chain. Took 2-3 tries on the cam sprocket/chain alignment with the tensioner tight again to get FE (front cam) and FI (rear cam) to align properly along the top of the cylinder head, but it's good to go now. Triple checked all your pictures and had my buddy, "sanity check" my work/instructions.

I've rotated the motor over multiple times now, and zero issues, and free/smooth.

I've dealt with a LOT of BMW timing with the vanos and intake/exhaust cam timing chain and used that experience where you have to have the chain on the sprockets BEFORE you put it back on the cam, and that gave me the free play in the chain to fix it.

Thanks for the long response. Just had to slow down, and gether my thoughts. I thought I was about to be tearing down the motor.

[99mpower]

Any tricks for installing front cylinder head cover with a new gasket on it? I used RTV to "spot mark" it, and try to hold it together, but its such a tight fit, that it doesnt want to stay on the cover.

Thinking about removing the radiators/oil cooler to make it easy. Thoughts???

[VTRDark]

Yep loosen both rad bolts and the brackets that attach them to the engine, then remove the two 8mm bolts from the top of the oil cooler bracket and they will all lower down out the way. No need to go removing hoses or anything. That will give you access then.

As for the rubber gasket yes spot it with some heat resistant silicone or use a liquid gasket seal to hold the rubber gasket in place, otherwise you going to have fun and games fiddling with it. It's sometimes easier to put the gasket on the head first rather than inside the cover then carefully place the cover over the top of the gasket. I have mine stuck into the groove around the cover so everytime I remove the covers the gaskets stays with them and does not fall out.

(:-})

[mickmickthegeek]

I am just following this guide at the moment doing mine. The front Auto CCT failed so installing my manual ones. Great guide and just putting it all back together ready for the first ignition....Will let you know what happens...

[VTRDark]

The front Auto CCT failed

As you had a failure, have you checked for any bent valves by checking for massively excess valve clearances or had it literally only slipped a couple of teeth on the cam sprockets.

(:-})

[djenkins-nz]

Probably a silly question (although I'm hoping that there is no such thing )

How often should valve clearances & cam chains be checked and what are the signs of a pending stock CCT failure?

Cheers

[VTRDark]

According to the maintenance schedule in the Owners manual, Valve clearance checks should be done every 16000 miles/24 km, you can check the chain over while your at it too but they can go on for something like 70,000 miles before a replacement is necessary. They do stretch a little over time but nothing much to worry about.

As for stock CCT failure symptoms. If your lucky you may get a warning, a bit of rattle progressively getting worse, fast maybe. Otherwise one could just suddenly go pop with no warning apart from valves meeting piston and you suddenly coming to a stop. Depends on many variables, it's the luck of the draw!!!

(:-})

[Lysy]

I just wanted to thank Carl for this write up, I have just fitted my manual tensioners today and found this guide really helpful. Thanks Mate

[Mike TW9]

So how paranoid about failure should I be with a recently purchased 1998 bike with 22,700 showing on the clock and standard CCTs? I can't be sure whether or when the valve clearances, cam chain or tensioner were last checked.

[Kev L]

I wouldn't want to do much mileage on it without either fitting manuals or stopper mod. You may be lucky and get away with it but why take the chance?

[Wicky]

If you don't know when it was last serviced then best give the bike an all-round service so you know where you're at. As for Honda auto CCTs they've been known to implode from as little as 7K miles (800 miles the lowest) to going over 70k without a exhibiting a problem - it all depends on how lucky you feel…

"dreaded cct after 48hr ownership :-(" http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 23&t=33856

Another recommended part for attention is the R/R which if the unfinned self-cooking model needs upgrading to the later finned version or better still a MOSFET type.

Read the Read me > *** Read Me for New Members *** > Bike Maintenance and Upgrades/Modifications > http://www.vtr1000.org/phpBB3/viewtopic ... 45#p304638

[Windsurfer]

Hi, I'm about to buy a 2003 model, it has the stock cam chain tensioners, it's been well serviced , should I get manual tensioners as a matter of urgency? ... Is there usually a rattle before they implode ? Or do they just pop without any warning at all .. Can someone advise me on this ...thanks ..Rob