Advice/Help Please prior to replacing CCT's

[Storm Trooper]

Hi All, and a Happy New Year to you all from a rather white and cold Fife.

Advice Please prior to replacing Automatic CCT's with Manual CCT's.


Now that my manual CCT's have eventually arrived from the States after about 5 weeks, (christmas delays ) I am planning on replacing the standard Automatic ones sometime soon when the Garage is no longer like a Freezer and eventually raises above the 0 degree mark.

My queries are as follows:

The bike has been very well serviced by myself, but it has not moved for a few months and has been sitting up on Paddock stands in a dry garage. Should I crank the engine over by starting it prior to swapping out the tensioners to let some oil around the engine, or not?

and

There does not seem to be precise instructions for setting the manuals. There are a few ways of setting as posted on the forum and also in the rear of the APE packets. I was wondering however, as and when I get them swapped out, have checked, double and triple checked everything as per the instructions on here, is there anyone close that has the experinece of adjusting manuals that would be able to lend their skills in setting them properly.

Cheers

Nigel

[ATM]

Hi Nigel,

Get out in the garage and get the job done. I thought all of us bikers were hard!
No need to turn over the engine, but make sure you get the crank in the right position for the cylinder you are working on - see many of the other posts that describe this procedure.
Then remove the old auto CCT and fit the manual one with new gasket after backing off the adjuster fully. Tighten the adjuster by hand and initially it will be loose then after some time you will feel it begin to tighten. At this point back it off a little way then tighten it again to check whether it begins to bind at the same position. Do this a couple of times, the reason is to ensure that the binding is from contact with the chain, rather than a high spot on the adjuster thread. Once satisfied, lock the adjuster at this position via the locknut. Repeat the procedure with the 2nd CCT making sure the crank is firstly moved to the correct position.
It really is easy - the pain ITA bit is stripping the bike to gain access to the front CCT.
Now turn over the engine by hand to make sure it is free and if so start it up. The engine should sound sweet with no clattering coming from the camchain. You will now be wondering if your adjustment is correct. With the engine running, slacken the adjuster locknut on the rear CCT whilst holding the adjuster. Then slowly back-off the adjuster noting number of flats moved on the hexagon bolt head. After about 1 turn or so you will begin to hear the cam chain clatter = too loose. I then adjust it back to the original position. If you worry that this may be too tight, then tighten by at least half a turn until the engine is quiet again. Tighten the locknut.
Repeat this procedure on the front CCT for peace of mind. This one is more difficult due to access, but it is possible despite the toastiness from the hoses + engine.
Go on, give it a go. It's much easier than overhauling the normally seized rear suspension plates/roller bearings/rods, which might be your next job if you haven't already checked these!
Fife is too far for me, but if you can make Glos......

Cheers,
Al

[Pete.L]

Sounds like some good advice to me.
The only thing I would add is
1) Take the plugs out, much easier to turn the engine over
2) Use/ make a little locking tool for the original cct's so you can set the new APE ones to just shorter. It makes knowing how much to screw them in much easier.
3) Put some gasket sealer in the thread of the rear APE tensioner. The O-ring still lets oil pass.
4) Don't be too hard, Get a heater, it's bloody freezing out there

Pete.l

Welcome Aboard Al
Good first post

[Storm Trooper]

Guy's

Cheers for the info. Plan is to get at it this weekend. The temp has finally reached above zero. Even with a heater in the garage it was hard to bring it to a temp where my fingers did not feel like ice sticks when it was -15 last weekend.

Let you all know how I get on

Cheers

[tony.mon]

One more.
If, when you start it after fitting the new tensioners, you hear a squealing noise, stop the engine straight away, and loosen them off a bit..
It's been mentioned by a couple of people who've fitted them that they hear this when the manual ones are too tight.
That'll be the cam plain journal bearings wearing out the aluminium head, because the cam's pulled so tightly onto the bearing surface the oil can't act as a barrier to keep them separate.

So best not to let that happen if at all possible!

[chris1bev]

Hi Guys

Can anyone give me any advice as to were i can get some Manual Tensioners from other than the guy on the forum who makes them (nothing wrong with him but he's sick at moment and i need some Tensioners very quickly).

Thanks Guys
Chris

[tony.mon]

Hi Guys

Can anyone give me any advice as to were i can get some Manual Tensioners from other than the guy on the forum who makes them (nothing wrong with him but he's sick at moment and i need some Tensioners very quickly).

Thanks Guys
Chris

You don't need them that quickly, surely?
The standard ones won't fail until the day before you were going to fit the replacement ones............

[chris1bev]

LOL....My thoughts exactly!! I bought the bike last September and the bloke i bought her from had never changed them so i was reluctant to ride her and i'm off for a weekend rideout in two weeks time and knowing they have some new Manuals in her will make me feel very at ease. I have emailed the bloke that makes them from this forum and he replied saying he's sick at the moment and he will see if his mate can some and he will get back to me, i'm not sure how long i will be waiting for?

So thats my life story over with!

[tony.mon]

I just fitted a pair from that bloke- they're fine for the money.
And I had the same "will it, won't it" moment when I came to start it up........all fine, though.

[chris1bev]

I have no doubt that they are fine....i just need some ASAP

[AMCQ46]

Chris,
You could do the stopper mod on your existing pair, then you have peace of mind, that is what I have done.

should only take 1 night in the workshop if you make the locking key before you strip the bike down.
Also make sure you have some bar to use as the stopper. I think some people used the unthreaded section off a screw, as its only about 10mm long so weight is not a big issue.

Make sure you dont drop the pin that holds the plunger head, that added 2 weeks to my conversion! :mad2

[Giddsy]

Here you go Chris

http://www.debben.co.uk/acatalog/Billet ... iones.html

[chris1bev]

Thanks alot everyone for your reply's!!

Gidsy....Thanks for the website, thats were i have bought them from.....top man!!