tensioner, ...... then I broke it

[Redman]

Had been leaking oil, mostly, it seemed, along the gasket up against the engine.

But as long as having other stuff done, and carbs off, might as well replace all the seals in there.
So I ordered the seals 19 and 21 and the gasket 23.

THen I remove the tensioner,

and unscrew the keeper screw, and in doing so some circular shards of something hard falls out.
Oh, crap, what is that? Seems like some metallic collar on the screw... or something....
It isnt either seal I got.

Ah, now I see, I should have also gotten oring 20.
Man, these shards are hard and seem to be metalic or plastic or something. Oh, should be, was an oring. Hey, that probably was leaking oil.

 

[Redman]

So, that was annoying, but was proceeding anyway... knowing will have to wait another 5 days or so just for that little oring.

So continue to disassemble the tensioner some more. Clymers and Factory have no info that I could find on that.
All the factory manaul says is if the plungers doesnt operate smoothly, then replace the entire tensioner. Manaul doesnt even address that are oring seals in there.

Went to take off the nut off the end of the tensioner knob, (hold knob with pliers and turn nut with wrench) and all that happened was the knob broke.

That was annoying, more than annoying.

THen tried to get the main body apart. And that not comming apart.
Big cresent (spanner, adjustable wrench) on the obvious flats and another big cresent on the main body.

Now am frustrated.
Maybe I should have found some tutorial.
At the moment I dont know if this is beyond repair or what.

 

[Steve]

I can check to see if I have a spare tensioner I can toss in with your carbs in a few days. :-k

.

 

[Redman]

Steve, Thanks. (Steve to the rescue - again. Twice in one week for me!)

Although, I think you have had 850g and 1000g. I dont know about the 1000g, but the 850g tensioners that you probably have are different than the 1100g that I need.
The 1100g tensioner (see microfisch in original post) has two bolts at the base up against the engine, and the 850g has three lobes at the base.

But.... Is starting to look like, maybe, possibly, all what I need is just another black knob part. Maybe those are all common. Or maybe the other knobs that are not plastic are interchangeable with these black plastic ones.

 

[Redman]

Also: I have learnt not to put pliers on the black knob. Just turn the nut since the shaft only turns part turn anyway.

Update:
And, I got the main body apart (bigger adjustable wrenches, and let the penetrant soak in a while)

And some detail shots of the black knob.

 

[Steve]

It’s only the 850 and 8-valve 750s that have the 3-bolt tensioners. I was surprised to learn that all the rest of the four-cylinder GSes from 550cc through 1100cc share the same tensioner.

I’ll see what I have.

.

 

[GSXR7ED]

I've yet to tackle the tensioner...I think I ordered all moving parts...my logic...replace all parts.

Thanks for narrative and pics Redman. Also, recognizing Steve for the awesome dude he is!


Ed

 

[Cipher]

blood n ouns a wrench used on a bit meant for fingers .
hang your head dude thats just sad weirdly my bikes tensioner is all machined metal but for the housing

 

[LAB3]

I've left mine alone other than the gasket just after I bought it, it's leaking a bit but I don't have access to a vice or impact wrench per the rebuild tutorial. Hoping all it needs is an occasional wiping to clean it up, rebuilding it under a tree out in Bugtussle somewhere doesn't appeal to me!

 

[Redman]

...........
hang your head dude thats just sad ...........

Yep, hung my head... after stomping around muttering....

The knob didnt break from squeezing it with pliers, it broke from trying to turn the nut while holding the the knob.

................ vice or impact wrench per the rebuild tutorial..........

I should have found that tutorial first. I did not find one on BassCliff. But did (now) find Brian's on his bwringers site.
http://www.bwringer.com/gs/camchaintens.html

But the part about the impact wrench might have discouraged me.
I got the main body apart with two big cresent (adjustable spanners) wrenches. So if you are trying to do this out in Timbuktu, maybe one vice and one big cresent wrench will do. Which is what you will need to do if is leaking from the knob-spring area, to replace the oring and seal in there. Now I see that Brian says the oring inside isnt that important, not worth taking a chance breaking things if cant get it apart. And he says, Can replace the seal without getting the main body apart.

If is leaking from the lock nut side, you can change that o-ring with everything in place, I would think.

It’s only the 850 and 8-valve 750s that have the 3-bolt tensioners. .......
I’ll see what I have. ............

Thanks.
Ah, so you are well familiar with the different tensioners. (no surprise there).

At the moment, it is the knob part that I need.
(Or I could rebuild an entire other tensioner.)

 

[Cipher]

Super old plastic well past its duty cycle. Shocking they'd make that bit that way. Dont know why mine is metal. Better supplier ? More adroit engineer specifying the part?
Almost makes you want to think the BS planned obsolescence loonies are right.

 

[Steve]

Ah, so you are well familiar with the different tensioners. (no surprise there).

About a month ago, I would not have been able to say that with confidence. Somebody else was having issues with a tensioner, so I did the research. I found that four tensioners cover the entire GS line:
one covers the twins
one covers the 850s and the 8-valve 750s
one covers the 1150
one covers everything else (all the four-cylinder engines 550-1100cc, except the 750s and 850s mentioned above)

.

 

[Brendan W]

To a certain extent, not in all cases but I think that if something comes to bits when you start trying to maintain it you have just saved yourself an unforeseen breakdown in the near future. Even if I have been dumb they way I went about it.
We have unlimited capacity to lie to ourselves

 

[LAB3]

Almost makes you want to think the BS planned obsolescence loonies are right.

Having many friends and family members whom are engineers you can bet that planned obsolescence is VERY real! A manufacturer that builds something that they're only going to sell you ONCE isn't going to be in business very long after everyone already has one!

 

[Guest]

hey dave, if steve doesnt have you covered, I have the stock tensioner off my 1100 that might work for you, not sure if the 4 and 8v used the same one? anyway it's yours if you need it and it fits!

 

[bwringer]

Ya know, after all these years and all these tensioners, I was not really aware that some of these came with a plastic knob. Not the best choice for an area that gets so hot. All I've seen came with an aluminum knob. I strongly suspect an aluminum knob would slot right in...

And yeah, you're right; you were missing one of the o-rings, #20. And you don't need to hold the knob. If you don't have the tools to get the big nut loose, leave it alone; that o-ring rarely if ever leaks. Lots of threads there. The seal is the main leak point, and the small o-ring if the setscrew is ever moved. It basically turns to hard brittle plastic after many years.

Sounds like you're well on the way to a fix already; feel free to get in touch if you have questions, Dave.

 

[Redman]

I will try this again, now that I have:
- all THREE seals (and gasket)
- a replacement tensioner from Steve.

Yah, with Steve; even a spare salvage tensioner is all shiney shiney. I think from now on, I will not call it "the tensioner", I will call it "Steve".

Oh, ... not shown in picture, but it has a metal knob.

 

[Steve]

Of course it shines, it's visible. :encouragement:

I have also been accused of this:

Guilty on all counts. :-\\\

.

 

[Wingsconsin]

Just don't be around him when he is shining things..
He has the habit of taking parts and asking you to hold them for him..
Right off the wheel they tend to be a bit...warm...~~~ :distrust: ~~~ :nightmare:

 

[Steve]

Awww, come on, Carl, I was just offering it to you for inspection.

.