Fitted my APE CCT's today, a couple of questions though.

[JIMMYJAMES]

Wehay! Fitted my new CCT's today a fiddly job but good learning about the bike. I need to tweak the APE manual tensioners a bit more as the front is rattling like mad. The question i have is; what is the best way to adjust the front tensioner? I can probably just about get to it through the frame but its going to be a nightmare, the other option is to lift the tank and remove the air box which seems like a lot of effort considering i will need to keep testing it. What are your thoughts chaps?

BTW the original CCT's were fine but its still a worth fitting the manuals for piece of mind, just need to find out the true origin of the rattles now

[goody]

I adjusted mine by removing the airbox and raised the tank a bit. Let it idle then backed the tensioner out until I heard that tac-tac-tac screwed it in until the noise stopped then locked it off, then did the back one.
Hopefully it won't need doing again for quite a while. I do about 3K miles a year and have heard that they won't need adjusting for around 6K miles.

[JIMMYJAMES]

Thanks for the reply bud, thats what i will have to do then if i cant get to it through the frame.

[warby221]

Hers what I sent to jim67 on adjusting the manual CCT

Right
You adjust them when the bike is running and its all done by feel saying that its pretty easy to do just a bit frightening the first time you do it because of what could happen.

Hold the top part of the bolt still and wind the locking nut up the thread a bit so you have some slack you need about 3-4mm

Tighten the adjuster in by hand with the engine running it should move fairly easily using a light bit of force when you feel it need a bit more force stop and back the adjuster out ½ a turn hold the top still and tighten the lock nut

If you think it’s too tight to start with you need to back it out a bit “ if the CCT is way to tight it will make a squealing noise so you could be right at the point of it getting to tight” the cam chain will rattle before it jumps the cogs so its not as bad as it seems

With the engine running back the adjuster out ¾ of a turn then turn it back in ½ a turn feeling for the change in pressure needed when the chain go’s tight if there’s no change in pressure repeat the out ¾ of a turn then back in ½ a turn till you do.(you’ll only feel it when winding it in)
If the chain starts to rattle you’ve gone out to far “don’t panic” just start to wind the adjuster in till you feel the change in pressure back it out ½ turn then lock it off.

A lot of people when they first fit manual CCT set them a bit tight first of all thinking better too tight than slack

Hope this help warby

[JIMMYJAMES]

Thanks for that Warby i will have plenty of time to tinker tomorrow so hopefully it will be sorted. Is it ok to run the bike with the airbox off while i make the adjustments?

[LotusSevenMan]

I had mine too tight even though I thought I'd adjusted them correctly initially and boy did the engine squeal! Didn't stay like that longer than 30 seconds before I adjusted them!!!!!!!!!!!

[JIMMYJAMES]

I had mine too tight even though I thought I'd adjusted them correctly initially and boy did the engine squeal! Didn't stay like that longer than 30 seconds before I adjusted them!!!!!!!!!!!

Sounds bad but its nice to know there is an audible alarm to let you know you have done it too tight. So, can i run the engine with the airbox off while i make the adjustments or is it too dodgy?

[goody]

I did mine engine running with the airbox off. I tried adjusting mine until I felt a bit of tension on the bolt but what with the drag of the o ring on the bolt it was too hard to tell how tight it was so I backed it out till it started to make a noise then screwed it in till the noise stopped.

[JIMMYJAMES]

I did mine engine running with the airbox off.

Thanks mate thats what i will do then. I will report back tomorrow when its done and i've given it a good test.

Thanks for all the help everyone

[JIMMYJAMES]

OK i have done it as best i can, by the instructions given and the rattle on the front cam chain has gone, the bike does whirr when you rev it but there is no squeek on start up and it seems to ride well. The only other minor thing is it now seems to be missing a bit at slow speed. It is noticable and you can feel the airbox nudge the tank. Its fine in the upper revs.

I did also notice a noise that can only be described as a steam train at speed coming from the airbox area, could it be a leak on the airbox causing this misfire?

Any more suggestions, i hate playing guessing games with it but i guess its just the nature of manual CCT's.

Sorry for all the questions chaps, i just want it to be 100% right.

[Pantaloonie]

Hah, steam train at speed eh? I know exactly what you mean, it goes chuff chuff chuff and does sound like Ivor the Engine speeded up.
I always assumed it was the carbs gulping air, just makes me smile when I hear it.

[JIMMYJAMES]

Hah, steam train at speed eh? I know exactly what you mean, it goes chuff chuff chuff and does sound like Ivor the Engine speeded up.
I always assumed it was the carbs gulping air, just makes me smile when I hear it.

It does sound like it but it didn't do it before i fitted the CCT's. I just wondered if it was causing the carbs to spit. Its quite savage when it does it, i can even feel it spit through all my bike gear.

[warby221]

I tried adjusting mine until I felt a bit of tension on the bolt but what with the drag of the o ring on the bolt it was too hard to tell.

Just roll the o-ring up the thread a little with a screwdriver

As for the chuffing from the air box
Take the air box lid off and see if its blowing back from the rear carb if it is let us know

[JIMMYJAMES]

I am going to have another look tomorrow so i will report back. Thanks for the help

[Jonesey]

Whereabouts in norwich do you live Jimmy?
My parents are still living there.....