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Has anyone tried Gypsy's manual cam tensioner?

2K views 7 replies 3 participants last post by  Sky Rider 
#1 ·
I just finished rebuilding my 93 and the darn thing is making that cam chain slap again. I tried the Grampo method to no avail. The ACCTs are brand freaking new. The bike only develops the noise once warmed up. Cold you can hear the chains whirr but not slap around. The bike only has 9500 miles on it so I don't think the chains are stretched.
If anyone has tried Gypsy's mod, how hard is it to do? It doesn't appear too difficult from the website but I would like to know if anyone else has tried it.
 
#2 ·
Instead of doing Gypsy's, get those APE manual tensioners for $50 a piece (unless cash is in precious quantity). They are ready to install right outta the box. I haven't tried them, 'cause my ACCT stops making noise after a couple of minutes.
 
#3 ·
Sky Rider said:
I just finished rebuilding my 93 and the darn thing is making that cam chain slap again. I tried the Grampo method to no avail. The ACCTs are brand freaking new. The bike only develops the noise once warmed up. Cold you can hear the chains whirr but not slap around. The bike only has 9500 miles on it so I don't think the chains are stretched.
If anyone has tried Gypsy's mod, how hard is it to do? It doesn't appear too difficult from the website but I would like to know if anyone else has tried it.
Maybe there is something more to it. If your ACCT's are brand new (and the cam chain is not stretched). There may be something more (then stretching the chains tighter with the manual tensioners) going on if you are having this problem. (???)
 
#4 ·
$$ are an object and I have the old tensioners for the rebuild. If I can do it for next to nothing and they work, I don't mind tinkering as long as the process is not too much work for too little return.
 
#5 ·
Then go for it! BUT, I would listen to DMAG on this one. I've never heard of an ACCT noise AFTER the bike warms up. Something doesn't sound kosher. When you say you rebuilt it, what all did you do?
 
#6 · (Edited)
I had a hellacious noise that sounded just like a burnt bearing on the rear jug. This is before I knew anything about the ACCT and the chains making noise. I tore the engine down to parade rest meaning I took everything out of it including the crank. I left the ball bearings in but that was about it. Upon first blush, I couldn't determine what exactly was making the noise. Conrod bearings looked good, no burn marks or scoring. Cams were OK. Some evidence of scoring where the metal shavings went through but nothing major. Main bearings were different than I'd ever seen as they were not chromed or polished so I thought the mains had gone. Micd them and they were within spec. The bike sounded good when I bought it so it wasn't a preexisiting condition. I had just changed the oil about 1000 mi previous to the noise developing. When it started making the noise it got worse and worse until it sounded like the whole thing was going to come apart. Drained the oil and it had metal shavings and the screen had some larger pieces as well. As far as I could tell at the time, there was no physical evidence as to what was wrong. That was 4 years ago.
I started putting it back together in May and when I got to putting the rear cylinder back together I noticed where the cam chain had rubbed against the outer cam chain channel and the seat where the chain guide sat had some metal removed. This would accout for the metal particles in the oil and shavings in the screen. Upon reassembly, everything seemed to go back together by the book. All was tight and in the correct positions. Chain tension was good and the guides behaved normally when turning the engine by hand. When the bike first started after the rebuild, the chains whirred but no slap. The noise is coming back slowly but surely or so it seems. It may be that I am just paranoid but it does make me nervous as I really don't want to tear into it to that degree again if I don't have to. Not hard, but parts are expensive.
If anyone has another idea as to what the problem may be or if I am just being overly paranoid, I am open to suggestions.
 
#7 ·
WOW! That's way past anything I've ever done. If you had it that torn apart it could be almost anything.

Can you record the sound and send it to DMAG? I'm thinking he may be able to get it onto the server where everyone can hear it.
 
#8 ·
I'm at sea right now but I should be back next week. Once at home, I'll see if I can get the sound to him. It would be great if he could analyze the sound and either quell my paranoia or point me in the right direction to get it fixed once and for all.
 
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