cam chain tensioner and guilds

[antbanks]

Hey its me again...I am trying to make this 82 gs1100gl shafty dependable enough to drive out of town and would like to check stuff like the cam chain and tensioner/guilds. If I take off the valve cover and tank will I b able to c enough to know their condition?? Any other stuff I need to check?? Lookin at about a 3 hour round trip and want to b confident in what I'm riding!! So Any tips would b extremely helpful.

[hampshirehog]

Chances are your guides and tensioner are fine. If you want to check them you'll need to take them out - follow the manual.

If you take the cam cover off the most important thing you can do in there is check your valve clearances. Plus you could measure your cam chain wear - again almost certainly ok unless you've done a million miles.

[Big T]

You can't check the condition of the guides without tearing apart your motor.

You can, and probably should, "rebuild" your cam tensioner per BassCliff's site. But it doesn't have to be done today if you don't have excessive noise, or the famous oil leak there.

How many miles on your bike?

[TheCafeKid]

You can pull the front guide.. But not the back, without tearing the top end down... Likely, they're just fine.. Assuming your tensioner is working (check that first) you should be good to go. I just pulled down a motor with 140K on it few months back.. nothing wrong

[antbanks]

24000 miles...if the guilds were down to the metal it would have shavings in the oil right...someone said they hear a metallic noise that was the guilds but figured it would b louder if so...not leaking there yet

[antbanks]

ok I will check the tensioner, I downloaded the manual off bikecliff's website so will b readin!! Just don't want to break down in the middle of "deliverance" territory

[Big T]

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/storagecliff/images/engine_odds-n-ends.html#A05

It's not in the manual. Go here instead

[TheCafeKid]

http://members.dslextreme.com/users/...-ends.html#A05

It's not in the manual. Go here instead

Good link T...

Also, the likely hood of you actually "HEARING" a worn guide with all the racket a GS top end produces anyway are pretty unlikely unless you're like Zane from "Heros" or something.. Rest assured, GSes make quite a bit of clatter, and, so long as it sounds like it should, its normal. If there is a unusual, syncopated knock, or tack or something un-normal sounding, you'll likely hear it stand out. But alot of guys freak out when they first get their GS going well, because some of them simply sound like threshing machines when they are functioning normally. Some are quieter than others.. just the nature of an air cooled motor... And dont be afraid to spin it up....They like revs

One thing i WOULD DEFINATELY check before heading on any long excursion on your particular model (any mid 81 and on shaft drive GS) is the rear hub spline located inside the rear wheel. These are notorious for stripping out, and leaving you stranded in the middle of nowhere. They used a soft metal composition for whatever reason durring that production period. Pull your wheel, pull the spline OUT of the wheel (you must do this, as the part you see in the wheel never really contacts the drive, and will look fine, but the teeth behind the facing edge could be gone completely) and check it...better yet, replace it, with one from a pre 81 GS (they're all compatable from 850 up) or buy a NEW unit from Zook (they're making them still, and they are much harder)...

[Wallowgreen]

Our mate bwringer has a nice write up, you'll probably see it linked off Basscliff's site where T sent you:

http://bwringer.com/gs/camchaintens.html

All the seals and stuff are listed there, just order them from the part numbers as often they're not shown on the parts lists. I did for my 850 and it took a couple of hours start to finish to get the job done once I had them all in hand.

FOR ALL THAT'S SANE, use some blue loctite on the retainer nut on the end of the adjuster when you reassemble. Disaster awaits you if that nut comes off!

[antbanks]

Thanks guys I really appreciate it!! Ok so a new rear wheel drive spline?? is there a specific name for it? I probably should quit giving the rear wheel so much hell then

[sschering]

Good link T...

Also, the likely hood of you actually "HEARING" a worn guide with all the racket a GS top end produces anyway are pretty unlikely unless you're like Zane from "Heros" or something.. Rest assured, GSes make quite a bit of clatter, and, so long as it sounds like it should, its normal. If there is a unusual, syncopated knock, or tack or something un-normal sounding, you'll likely hear it stand out. But alot of guys freak out when they first get their GS going well, because some of them simply sound like threshing machines when they are functioning normally. Some are quieter than others.. just the nature of an air cooled motor... And dont be afraid to spin it up....They like revs

I'm glad you said that because my wife has been giving me funny looks when I talk about riding it since the first time I fired it up this weekend.
She thinks the motor is shot and I keep saying it's fine..