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Cam Chain Tensioner Replacement (3 cylinder engine 05-07)


While doing this has anybody else found a crack in the coolant fitting that is right behind the motor with a small hose attached?
 
Haven't heard of it being a common problem.
 
Thanks again for the info,something to look at while its apart.
 
Started my 06 up on the trailer a few weeks back , difficult start and noisy. metallic rattling sound up inside the tunnel i thought. shut it down. thought it might be some kind of exhaust heat shield rattling. after reading all the posts it sounds like a chain rattling over an engine ceasing. might explain the difficult starting last year. thanks for all the info.i don't have time to work on it myself so i will take it in. keep you updated, re cost.
 
You might be hearing the exhaust donut clamps rattle on the pipes. This happens when the donuts are bad. Look down the tunnel were the exhaust comes through the bulk head and sometimes you'll see the clamps spinning on the pipes while the engine is running.
 
thanks, sorry it took so long to reply i had a hard time logging on today. i bought the sled used and until yesterday i never heard of the cam tension er being an issue. think i should get it replaced any way? hanks for the incite
 
I'd replace the tensioner and because the exhaust needs to come apart to do the job, replace the exhaust donuts with copper replacements.
 
i called two dealers about the exhaust rattle both said its common, one quoted me parts plus two hours labor, the other parts plus 8 hrs labor. big difference. i have taken the track off before and added tunnel protectors to the tunnel myself i know its a big job. does dealer a know a short cut that dealer b doesn't?
 
exhaust donuts shouldn't take more than 2 hrs. If everything comes apart without issue it usually takes less than that. I've had to drill out hanger bolts and still change them out in a 2hr period. I can do the tensioner replacement which includes donuts in just over 4 hrs.
 
grizztracks said:
exhaust donuts shouldn't take more than 2 hrs. If everything comes apart without issue it usually takes less than that. I've had to drill out hanger bolts and still change them out in a 2hr period. I can do the tensioner replacement which includes donuts in just over 4 hrs.
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Grizz- I'm sending you a PM. Thanks for all of the great info.
 
grizztracks said:
BigDog05, If the engine jumped time before you took it apart it would have idled rough. From your pictures it looks like you're OK. I've had the marks out that much also and questioned it so I moved the timing one tooth on the crank to try and align the marks. All that did was make it worse. If it jumps time by even one tooth the marks won't come close to alignment so as long as you're close to the "II" marks when the cam gears are aligned it's correctly timed. Make sure you roll it over several times with the new tensioner and recheck marks before fully reassembling the engine and always rotate the engine in the proper direction. NEVER ROTATE THE ENGINE IN THE REVERSE DIRECTION it puts slack in the chain which can cause it to jump time.
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TG you said that...I just got done doing a head gasket after a major overheat..I put a new tensioner on it while apart.When I got done I have exactly what is in thos pics.....Wow..freaked me out...
 
grizztracks said:
I've done five of these now and it's always been the "II" mark. I always check the marks before I take any engine apart so I have a good idea how it should go back together. What I've found on these engines is if your off by one tooth on the gear the marks are way off. If you make sure that the cam gears are aligned with the top of the head you'll only be able to align the crank timing mark on the "II" mark. If you rotate the chain in either direction by one tooth the "I" and "II" marks are way off.

I'm not sure why the manual says to align the "I" mark. Maybe the chain stretches and the gears wear enough to bring the gear to the "II" mark. If you were installing new gears and a chain the "I" mark may be what you need to set the timing.
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first off ..super article, . Im presently in the mix of replacing my tensioner. A couple things thought that id like to have clarified.... When I looked at my cam gears ,upon removeal, I noticed that the exhaust arrow on the one gear is not exactly aligned with the intake line on the other gear! The double lines or timing marks ,if you will, are showing in the magneto inspection hole ,as stated to do. Now when I removed the tensioner the exhaust gear rotated back to what appears to be perfect alignment with the intake gear. which on further inspection ..is one tooth off! another words theres enough slack in the chain as that I can move it one link and it would then be spot on...does this make sense? Ive looked at all the pics that have been posted and it does look indeed like , that the lines on the sprockets are off a little ,(just like mine). Could my timing have been one chain link off? The sled ran great before I tore it down, although at idle it burbled a little,( is it supposed to do that)? and stumbled when cold a little u know after the light goes out and you hit the throttle , but after you get going a ways it clears up and runs like atop. whats your consensus on this also and don't mean to nitpick, but in the post there was never a reference to the spacer in the middle of the mounts.. that I had fall down and lodge under the motor hell of a time to get that out. anyways I kinda need some feed back on this procedure , if you will .
thanks Brad
 
yes they look just exactly like that ...with a dip in between the chain. b4 I pulled the tensioner the arrow, on the ehaust sprocket was a tooth above the line on the other sprocket! after I pulled the tensioner ,it slacked and lined up perfect. but I can move the chain up one link and be taunt again
 
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