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CAM Chain Tensioner experts....

targabill

Veteran
Joined
Nov 10, 2023
Messages
25
Age
66
Location
03253
Country
USA
Snowmobile
Yamaha Nytro
I was doing my valve shims, all timed and reset the Cam Chain Tensioner, it looked clean no wear, and reset it and installed but it seams like a lot of play in the chain?? I've rotated the engine forward a bunch of times with the sparkplugs out, and the exhaust valve springs will snap the cam forward and the chain will rise up a bit. 1/4 maybe.. Seams very loose, will this tighten up with hydraulic pressure when running?
Its an 08' Nytro FX, and seams to be maybe an old tensioner, there is no Yellow or blue dots on it.
Picture of chain play:
NCam_Chain2.png
NCam_Chain1.png
 

The chain tensioner is oil pressure activated, you have no oil pressure to activate it and keep it tight. Once it has pushed out due to oil pressure, there is a "detent" that keeps it from becoming loose. If you install the chain tensioner, push back on the chain guide against the tensioner, sometimes you can get it to tension slightly, but most of the time I take and loosen the cam tensioner bolts until I hear the tensioner "click" one time, this will put the tensioner past the 1st detent and put some pressure on the chain. Sometimes you need to go until you hear the tensioner click two times if the chain has some play. This is the only way to put some tension on the stock tensioner without oil pressure pushing it out.
 
Thanks again Srxspec, I thought of loosening the bolts till I hear one click, My concern would be putting it in a detent to far and having the chain to tight..
But a bigger concern would be having it to loose and the chain skipping a beat, sort of speak, before the oil pressure had a chance to build up, specially 1st time when the tensioner is empty of oil...

1 more question, how strong is the spring, I saw videos of people using a vise to compress the spring to reset... Mine, I just pushed it in with my thumb, pretty hard pressure but no vise needed... Is this a weak spring?
 
Last edited:
Shouldn't need a vise or anything like that to compress the spring. It should only take your hand to compress it.
 
Thanks, I tried loosening the tensioner screws for 1 CLICK and that seemed to do the trick, thanks.. Now for reassembly and I'm installing a custom Aux heat exchanger and water temp gauge... Getting em' done early!!!
 


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