Gen1 Cam Chain Tensioner (CCT) Replacement Lessons Learned

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Just got done replacing my CCT by following this thread (Thanks for the great info!) and thought I'd add my 2 cents. I ordered the parts from Cycle Parts Warehouse including a clutch cover gasket. Apparently the gasket was on backorder as it did not arrive with the rest of my order. Removing the clutch cover makes getting to that infamous lower 8mm bolt easy but I didn't want to remove that cover without a spare gasket. Here in PA we're in the middle of an unusual stretch of great early season weather and the thought of my FJR stuck in the garage with a torn clutch cover gasket, waiting for the replacement to arrive, was less than inviting, sooo, I decided to try Plan B.

At VASTEVE's great Tech Day last year HaulinAshe had a pair of wrenches that would get that lower bolt; an 8mm and a 5/16ths 12 point box ends. It seems the "points" on the 8mm were offset from the points on the 5/16th's, allowing you to work the bolt loose by switching back and forth between the 2 wrenches. I remember thinking at the time "Wow, what are the odds of THAT??" Well, I checked mine and guess what...Mine are offset, too! Ended up being able to get that lower bolt out no problem so a belated Thanks to Haulin for that tip.

BTW - If you're worried about boogering up the head of that bolt by using an english sized wrench on a metric bolt, don't. The 5/16ths is actually just slightly smaller than the 8mm, so assuming you can get it on the bolt head, it will actually fit tighter. The new CCT went in fine, again using the same 2 wrenches to tighten that lower bolt.

If you're thinking about changing your CCT, before you order a clutch cover gasket or go to Sears and buy the 8mm rachet, go out to your garage and take a close look at your 8mm and 5/16ths. You just might save yourself some time, money and hassle!

 

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Forgot to mention...I'm very glad I decided to replace the old CCT. I had started to hear some cam chain noise at around 23,000 miles and had decided to replace the CCT when I did my first valve check at 26,000 miles. The noise then became more and more noticeable to the point that if I rode without my helmet (test run only) I could hear it. After reading the horror stories on this forum I decided to park the bike until I had time to change to the new CCT.

Now the bike sounds great. All that rattle and clank is gone. also did plugs, oil/filter, TBS at the same time and now the bike runs better, too. Stronger AND smoother. Makes the whole riding experience that much more enjoyable!

 

[RadioHowie]

BTW, tell Mario, Sr. & Junior "HI FROM THE FJR FORUM" when you see them, okay?

 

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Will do. Still see Mr. Andretti around town from time to time, believe it or not.

 

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Saw this just after RadioHowie's post the other day. Took a picture and this morning I opened a photobucket account. Here's my first photo post!

Guess somebody decided to stop for lunch at the local pizza place....

 

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...and here's my 2nd photo-post.

Maybe I'm beating this subject to death, but there's been so much written about how to get that lower 8mm bolt out (cut-off sockets, wobble extensions, flex extensions, clutch cover removal, etc., etc.) that I thought I'd post a pic of what to check on your wrenches to see if they will work.

This is a picture of my 8mm and 5/16th's 12-point box ends. I wish it were clearer but I think you can see that the wrench on the left has a 'point' (or peak) more or less in line with the handle and the wrench on the right has a 'valley' that lines up with the handle.

That's what makes them line up differently on the bolt head and lets you easily loosen an otherwise PIA bolt!

 

[Gabriel]

I just finished changing my tensioner, I think it made a little noise from time to time but because it is a first gen with 48K I thought I would change it just in case.

I had hell with the bolt that goes in the end of the tensioner, I dropped that bolt in the frame six times and had to fish it out with a magnet! I finally decided to attach it to a 10mm socket with a piece of paper between the bolt head and the socket, held the bolt/socket up to the hole and then stuck an extension through the frame hole and it lined up perfect and went right in.

This is not one of Yamaha's better ideas. I did pull the right side cover to expose the timing chain, i just tied both sides together with a tie wrap.

There is a new style tensioner available now (Third one). It has a green dot (I think) and a different part number. 1MC-12210-00