How To: Manually Tighten an Automatic Cam Chain Tensioner (ACCT)

[@JamesAsivagan]

just tried this method, works perfectly, thanks to those warn abt over tightening in some comments, i jus loose the screws slowly till hear the first click, thats it, test the bike immidietly no more ratling sound, timing was smooth, thank you so much.❤

[@jafo49]

This video is still fixing cam chain noise. I just tried it and it works perfectly. My click wasn't very loud so find a quiet place.

[@B_-.-]

My advice is to only do this temporarily. The tensioner would only inappropriately retract if the ratchet was worn, and that would only happen if it wasn't getting proper oil pressure and/or the spring has worn. Meaning its not unlikely to happen again within a few months.

[@sirzekialroane6750]

This worked great, cam chain noise gone.

[@motosalvagerepair]

Awesome, happy this helped! Made this video for a friend a while back but realized there was a demand for this life hack.

[@tsamokingn6599]

3rd account

[@soccerskills7660]

Hey sir zekial . The noise it’s never comeback or other problème? Plz answer 🙏🏻😄👋🏻

[@firesquad6150]

I’m pretty sure it’s a temporary fix as the more you tighten the more your chain stretches.

[@messier8769]

Just roll your bike backwards down a hill in 6th gear and pop clutch to let engine turn over a couple times and boom, you just tightened your automatic cam chain tensioner. Neat little trick so you dont have to wrench on anything 😉, your welcome...... i learned it from a kawasaki fourm so i tried it on my 05 zx6r 636. And it actually worked, I had to do it 2 times to get it perfect but it worked. Try it for those who have a automatic cam tensioner

[@correyy]

That's a good idea. Thanks

[@RazvanPopa94]

Hey man, can you tell me how to do it with the popping of the clutch? I’m not familiar with this term.

[@TheSevenJr86]

​@@RazvanPopa94he means pull the clutch lever, hold it in and get rolling backwards, once you're rolling decent let the lever go

[@sami.ansari1989]

@@TheSevenJr86 Should the engine be running or off while performing this exercise?

[@392BJ]

@@sami.ansari1989yea i’m tryna know the same

[@paulacabbo466]

After doing something like that pull the cover and push on the chain to check the tension because you can make the chain too tight doing that

[@fpvRak]

How much slack should there be? Not sure if it’s different really for different models but someone told me there should be no slack. Seems too tight if no slack. I thought 3mm was good

[@jacobbronsema2693]

I did it and my bike won’t start now..

[@dominiksmotolife]

​@@jacobbronsema2693 why not?

[@jacobbronsema2693]

@@dominiksmotolifeover tightened it. I fixed it.

[@mortensenjan1]

Just did it on my Kawasaki kle 500, works perfect👍🏻 thanks for the tip

[@thangnguyen-tf4yo]

did the ticking of your bike just get ticking when it got hot or it had ticking when it was cold? Mine is 09 kaw versys kle 650 it has ticking when it gets hot. Please let me know if you can. Thanks.

[@mortensenjan1]

@@thangnguyen-tf4yo It was ticking when cold and hot, the cam chain, was lose and the trick worked well, are yours ticking when hot to??

[@thangnguyen-tf4yo]

​@@mortensenjan1 I will check it to make sure. Could you tell me the mileage of your bike? Mine is 26xxx miles.

[@Obey_King]

Idk what engine this is exactly but on mine. If I did this I would 100% jump a tooth on the cam. Would not attempt this without the valve cover off and cams visible.

[@offroadingproductions782]

If my timing chain is slapping and i want a temporary fix could i do this?

[@thangnguyen-tf4yo]

I cannot figure out my bike has ticking when it gets hot and that relates to cam chain tension. Any suggestion? thanks.

[@michowski1]

What kind of fix is this, long term or short? My 2011 street triple 675 is making the clacking noise and looking to see if there is a fix without tearing everything apart

this actually is a fix WITHOUT tearing everything apart... Tearing everything apart would be opening up whole top of engine, valve cover and camshafts and only then you can access timing chain

[@scotthulen723]

Yeah, thank you so much. I just did it myself work perfectly. Thank you.

[@home-growngarage8491]

All I’m going to say, is last night I order a new tensioner, saw this video went and tested this out on my 2010 klx250sf When I would start my bike the cam chain sounded loose when I would ride, I did what he did in the video, and my bike sounds brand new new again. Been riding with no issues, atleast until my new one comes one. Thank you!

[@WhatOfficalTM]

Gotta use a torque wrench

[@lukeschaeffer2551]

After some research, this will not work for the R6 (2006 onward). Kawasaki and Yamaha have different styles of CCT. Yamaha's default mode is to the fully extended position. My guess is if your R6 is having a CCT related tick or slap, it's either because the chain is stretched beyond the range of the CCT or the CCT isn't pressurizing efficiently. On my R6, the slapping occurs on cold starts, randomly, and the ticking is more pronounced when the bike is really hot (90-103C). I'm hoping the cold start slap is a pressurizing issue that can be resolved by cleaning the CCTs oil ports. I bought a back up CCT to dismantle/examine and use if cleaning the old doesn't work. It has two springs in it which may be the cause of the other issue - as the bike warms up the springs get softer, which results in less pressure being applied behind the chain guide.

[@Moto_on_the_Marble]

Hey mate, my T700 makes noise for like 10 minutes when accelerating moderately (not aggressive and independent of what gear I am in). I've suspected it was a CCT issue but couldn't figure it out. Did you clean the oil ports or have any update on this?

[@ThunderMan88]

Do you need to align the engine at top dead end center in order to do this or it doesn;t matter? Thanks for the video

[@alexlashman4279]

Doesn’t matter as you are only adjusting chain tension, not position.

[@SandroDavid-g4u]

Muito obrigado! Resolveu meu problema na Kawasaki Z1000

[@RICHIE_RICH89]

To much tension is not good either it can cause premature wear. A manual timing.chain tensioner is the best way to go. That way you dont have to much or to little.

[@farcuprepair8191]

I think the preset adjustment notches wont over do it when the spring is weak and the chain sloppy and this method is used to by time.

[@farcuprepair8191]

@@reginald6045 true if you are foolish about it, thats why it is occasionally done when the chain is sloppy and the spring weak to buy time. Follow the videos instruction and dont be silly and over loosen the bolts to allow the over extension leading to excessive tension.

[@kimienick6721]

Perfect!! Do not touch the tuning!!!! its loose by the bumps or absorber problem and stuck by SHOCK IMPACK!!!!

[@mcrand7887]

? ? What exactly you achieved? Loosening it and tightening back?

[@someoneinsweden3]

Dude ofc he did the chain more tight

[@mcrand7887]

​@@someoneinsweden3 Understood, but what was the issue with ACCT that made him loosening it and tightening back?

[@markanthonylapatha8590]

​@@mcrand7887rattling sound or ticking sound that would indicate a loose cam chain

[@mr.grillo3385]

So doing this actually TIGHTENS the chain a bit? Also can a loose cam chain cause a tick?

[@motosalvagerepair]

Yes, it forces the ACCT to adjust one more notch. So when tightened back down inheritly puts a little more pressure one the cam chain.

[@tsamokingn6599]

4th account

[@markalan4026]

Nice demonstration, thanks!

[@casualtactician9537]

I need help I did this and now my bike doesn’t stay running but the noise went away but now it won’t start up

[@Hamza-khan2646]

Will this work in a triumph street triple 675 2013 please reply

[@Jeeper_zx6r]

I have a 22’ zx6r with 7,000 miles. I can hear the ticking. Will it hurt for me to do this on my bike?

[@xRyomouC9]

Did you fix it? I got my 2021 zx6r with 10k miles and got the same issue.

[@Jeeper_zx6r]

@@xRyomouC9 yes it fixed it.

[@girthafied]

@@Jeeper_zx6r did you have to make sure the piston was at the top or did that not matter

[@Jeeper_zx6r]

@@girthafied I did the same thing in the video. I never had to worry about where it was positioned.

[@CrazySlotz]

@@Jeeper_zx6rhow’s it going 8 months in? Any issues? I have an 06 GSXR 600 with 9k Miles and starting to hear it

[@jonathanalexander5405]

will this work the same way on a 2000 yamaha xjr 1300 ???

[@chadunnering5733]

Does this work on mt09 2019 ?

[@adammartin9701]

Thankyou for the information works great

[@motosalvagerepair]

Awesome, happy this helped! Made this video for a friend a while back but realized there was a demand for this life hack.

[@tsamokingn6599]

You 2nd account

[@TYRONE_SHOELACES]

I have a 99 Suzuki GSXR 750 with an automatic tensioner. I bought the bike with 40,000 KMS on it, and now it has 80,000 KMS. I really don't know if the cam chain is rattling because I've owned the bike for so long, all those sounds are just normal to me. I don't want to back the tensioner out if the chain is not loose because now I'm putting extra pressure on the cam chain guides and maybe that could wear them out. I've worked my other bikes before and I have listened to some videos on here just now of bikes with that terrible "rattle" and it's obvious that it's coming from the right hand side of the bike, but I just don't have that ... or so I assume? .... Should I leave the dam thing alone and not mess with it, or would one click maybe make it even quieter?

[@jerahmecampbell2805]

Hey bro I backed my tensioner out to put in my started. Put it back in and now th he motor is hard to turn over can you help?

[@motosalvagerepair]

You backed it out too far. You have to remove the tensioner completely, reset, and start over.

[@stevea6623]

@@motosalvagerepair Yeah, you over did it by one click. Replace the cam chain, reset the tensioner, install the tensioner as the service manual instructs and ride.

[@chukob5]

@@stevea6623lol you don’t need to replace the cam chain, just take off the tensioner completely and turn it clockwise until it locks back in then reinstall

[@casualtactician9537]

Read your manual as I did this and the manual says if you don’t remove it and reset the tensioner it can screw your shit up on a zx6r 2012 now it’s going in the shop this is the first KZbin vid that hasn’t worked read the manual or use videos with more information expensive fuk up for me

[@googlelimp9834]

Ok what bike is that for.

[@giorgibakanidze858]

Hi bro. It's will work on kawasaki zx10r 2011-2015

[@joeyborras4728]

Good Day, will this work for kawasaki GPZ 400? Thanks in advance for the reply

[@farcuprepair8191]

I like the way you think, 💯

[@megapika2387]

Your vid just killed my bike ty

[@sverremoe4087]

You killed your bike

[@ainamal]

Bike has to be at tdc

[@frenkiog]

​@@ainamal what is tdc?

[@fijiarc2090]

Top dead centre

[@ruisilva8674]

​@@fijiarc2090no need, you will just adjust tensioner, nothing more

[@SamSelm-e2j]

Is this 2004 model Please

[@ПетрВладимирович-в7с]

Don't do this, too high tension. Better take off center bolt and slightly do one klick for tensor with pushing to it. That's all.

[@jacobbronsema2693]

I tried it and now my bike won’t start.

[@bradi5050]

How did that adjust anything? You losend two bolts pulled cover back tightened bolts back up how hell did put more tension on cam chain that center bolt by the looks to me would be your adjustment

[@lau5067]

Cam chain tensioners have a sort of one-way locking mechanism. The rod that extends outwards from the tensioner piece, pushing onto the chain guide can only extend outwards but cannot move back in by itself. In this video he loosened the bolts and made the whole tensioner move out from the rest of the engine which made the rod stick out a little more. Now when you push the tensioner back in by tightening the screws, the rod remains in its, let's call it, +1 position thus tightening the chain more than it did before.

[@bradi5050]

@@lau5067 ok I got it thanks 💯

[@aviator9985]

Brilliant!

[@jamaican48]

Will this work for 1980 kz750?

[@motosalvagerepair]

If the cam chain tensioner has the same properties then in theory yes.

[@audiophilipp]

I have replaced the spring of the tensioner,and i still hear the ticking sound when engine is hot,so i guess the tension is good cuz the new spring so i shouldnt push it more,what do you think ?

[@Mech.E]

What's your mileage?

[@thangnguyen-tf4yo]

Did the ticking go away when you adjusted the new spring? I do not think your ticking comes from cam chain tension when the bike gets hot. Someone said I came from valve adjusting. Please tell me what you think. Thanks.

[@audiophilipp]

@@thangnguyen-tf4yo some engines have natural tick noise,mine was that case,i changed everything and same sound,the engine was new! Just listen,if its hard metal noise like slaping its chain If its soft ticking it may be normal

[@showw1337]

does this work on an fz07?

[@nicolasbreton1886]

Did you try it ? I have the same bike

[@showw1337]

@@nicolasbreton1886 I did and it worked

[@alanwilliams3677]

If your bike is second-hand, how do you know a previous owner hasn't used this same dodge? Then you do and...bang.

[@jsimm4587]

How is it supposed to be adjusted exactly ?

[@Eelapl]

The mechanism on the inside of the CCT pops out (the click noise, which is a spring that pushes a piece of metal outward) when you pull the CCT out. So the CCT is now longer than it was before, so when you screw it back in the longer CCT now pushes more on the chain, meaning there's less slack in the chain. So after you have done this, it has been adjusted. This is only true for automatic CCT. Manual CCT you must adjust the length manually.

[@libertyforamericanow]

The links stretch and timing is off. PERIOD

[@casualtactician9537]

I did this now my bike don’t stay running

[@leonardlitanius7078]

how long will this last actually?

[@dylangreen8023]

It's just a temporary fix. If this is something you had to do so the tick would go away in the engine, than the cct had a failure or the timing chain is slightly stretched

[@aliwkoo]

I did this method and heard the clicking sound and did the same as before. It worked. But the idle speed of the engine decreased to 1400-1300 rpm. and traction decreased. Why did this happen and what can I do? Triumph daytona 675 (2014)

[@CrazySlotz]

Probably tightened too much bro

[@aliwkoo]

@@CrazySlotz yep :( i went to service and problem is timing. Intake valve timing goes wrong time. I m lucky for that i didnt broke valves and piston.

[@aliwkoo]

Addition this: everyone must do top dead centre (TDC) before this method. And then u can try this.

[@cristianbuliga8629]

hello, what can happen if the automatic CCT is too tight, what problems can occur with the engine

[@chukob5]

It will sound like your motorcycle is supercharged, you will hear a whine when you rev it

[@jordanwigley8909]

I done mine 3 times because it either whines because it's to tight or tick because it's to loose and I don't one click for sure that why I tried 3 different times any idea why

[@baleyreiter2017]

What year and model

[@jordanwigley8909]

@@baleyreiter2017 08 zx6r

[@RawVeganFruitarian]

Because the chain needs replacing as its too stretched.

[@adep6189]

Try using a manual tensioner .. will give you more flexibility if the auto tensioner is between too tight and too loose. Will buy you some time ...

[@MatthewsArcade]

I adjusted this bike won’t stay running starts then dies

[@MbI505]

Rip your engine lmao

[@ainamal]

It's because it needs to be tdc

[@willk9372]

Does the motor have to be at DCT to do this?

[@Namedeeznuts]

Tdc?

[@firesquad6150]

@@Namedeeznuts top dead center

[@gregallen5488]

You are only putting a bit more tension on the chain so this doesn’t affect your timing at all

[@joepalazzolo4630]

Dear MSR CLIPS,

[@wdhewson]

A bad practice in my mind

[@messier8769]

Yes your correct if they over tightened by accident because they didnt hear first click will really hurt the valves, so do it the easy way and roll your bike backwards down a slight hill in 6th gear with engine off but let the engine roll over backwards a couple times and if its an automatic cam chain tensioner it will automatically set it self to tightest it should be without having to wrench anything. I learned this from kawi fourm and tried it and it really worked 100 %. No joke no bullcrap look it up or try it and you will see im right because it worked for my bike

[@messier8769]

Rolling engine backwards n letting it turn over like that puts major slack in cam chain and thus tge stem with tge small teeth on a spring get to come out a couple clicks or just one as it cant come out further than the chain will allow. If this method doesn't work then your cam chain tensioner is completely broken and needs replaced

[@nicholassmock502]

@@messier8769so if I take my bike (2023 klx 140 rf) down a slight hill in 5 gear it will tighten the car chain and maybe cause my bike to stop ticking because I’ve already done my valves 3 times in the past month to make sure they were still in spec and they were

[@liltoke2946]

Do you pull in the clutch while rolling it backwards

[@BikingVikingHH]

@@liltoke2946 what do you think, doofus? Do you not understand what’s being discussed here?! 😂

[@stefank7879]

Ako klikne 2,3 puta i neko stegne spaner, bice veselo 😂

[@Fattymatt458]

What bike is this for?

[@static_stick4907]

Im scared my bine will jump time😂😭

[@balkanbiker1572]

Man i have ticking sound,but how to tell if tensioner is bad or the chain is streched ?

[@JH09SUMIT]

You might also have more valve clearance than specified

[@lukeschaeffer2551]

Wouldn't rotating the engine counter clockwise have the same effect? If you watch the last minute of this video, you will see why i'm wondering this question: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iGjWkquamrSBbNk

[@patrickwatters7555]

Snap!😂

[@sivonparansun]

Yup or you can just buy a manual CCT

[@motosalvagerepair]

Which is what I recommend to do. This is just a temporary bandaid type fix. Certainly not a permanent solution.

[@stevea6623]

@@motosalvagerepair Yep - instead of repairing the problem, install a manual CCT and over tighten the chain to get rid of the tick and in a short period of time (year or two) when the cam chain breaks, replace the head, cylinder, cam and in an extreme failure at high speed, the crankshaft and whatever other parts were destroyed. Better yet, get rid of the junk pile it was turned into and start over with a new vehicle.

[@c4r5on88]

@@stevea6623 it's helped a lot of people so your argument is invalid

[@RawVeganFruitarian]

@@stevea6623 if and when a csm chain breaks, the engine stops running but won't be damaged. Its more likely to not brake but slip a tooth and throw the timing off causing engine to stop running. But still, no damage. Just a new chain needed.

[@stevea6623]

@@RawVeganFruitarian You do not realize how wrong you can be. Depending on the engine, the position of the cam when the chain breaks and the speed of the engine at the moment of breakage, it can break valves, valve guides, destroy the cylinder, cylinder head and worst case, bend the connecting rod. If the chain jumps one tooth, the worst is the engine will not start or if it does start it will be low on power. If the chain is loose enough to jump a tooth with the tensioner removed, the chain needs replaced already anyway. The tensioner is a device to reduce noise and allow greater manufacturing inaccuracy in machining the component parts. It has nothing to do with accuracy of timing or engine performance. In fact, the tensioner accelerates the wear of thecam chain. Engines with timing chains and no tensioner will run longer before the timing chain wears out, but will make more noise.

[@stevea6623]

It's a good way to cause a broken cam chain and/or prematurely worn out cam chain guides - this is one of the dumbest suggestions I have seen and I've seen some pretty dumb Schiff on you tube. Some people think the chain needs to be tighter when the chain actually needs to be replaced, but who am I (with over 40 years of motorcycle engine repair experience) to make judgement on stupid adjustment procedures. Do it and live with the results. It's you machine and money.

[@motosalvagerepair]

If you had 40 years of experience you'd understand that this is temporary bandaid type solution and definitely not permanent. These automatic tensioners are notorious for premature failure, the chains & guides outlast these tensioners 3:1. The teeth and spring in the tensioner are what's failing and loosing tension, not the chain. When you perform this "hack" you're not really adding more tension on the chain & guides just putting the right tension back on until you can replace the tensioner. I really shouldn't have to explain all that to the old vet here now should I?.. I'm not really sure why you're up in arms trying to argue from an anecdotal point of authority. Live and let live.

[@stevea6623]

​@@motosalvagerepair I have been a mechanic since the 60's and raced Honda and Kawasaki models since the 70's and never had an automatic tensioner fail, but I replace my cam chain periodically as routine maintenance. One thing that is evident; the roller chains last longer than cost less than the high velocity linked plate chains used in modern engines. My 97 Honda XR250, 04 CRF250, 05 TRX400EX nor any of my Suzuki, Kawasaki, or Yamaha motorcycles or ATV's ever had a failed automatic cam chain tensioner pusher mechanism and never required this ignorant 'temporary hack', but they have required installation of cam chains and those that required crankshaft removal for installation were a PITA, but I do what's required and do not apply Bandaid's. All a Bandaid does is postpone the inevitable and in most cases lead to more expensive catastrophic failure. By the way, my 97 XR250 is still running the original automatic tensioner mechanism although I no longer own the bike. The guy I sold it to raced it for about 8 years and then got one of his kids racing it and is still using it in competition. He took my advice and has had the maintenance done regularly. He adhered to my maintenance schedule and ran the oil I recommended. Since 1997 that bike never needed any transmission or clutch repair, but it's had at least 10 cam chains put in it and the cam chain guides replaced twice. So your statement about the guides lasting 3:1 is true, but the chains should be replaced 3 times more frequently than the guides and the tensioner pusher (auto tensioner mechanism) may get replaced rarely. In my over 40 years of experience I recall replacing perhaps 5 mechanisms. One for failure from lack of maintenance, one for unexplained failure, one from improper installation (didn't retract the plunger prior to installation), one from neglect (locked up from water while in long term storage) and one due to the owner losing it when rebuilding the engine at home. Hack all you want - your are probably good at it.

[@motosalvagerepair]

@@stevea6623 sorry (not actually sorry), I didn't read much of that. You led off from an anecdotal point of authority again, as if its supposed to quantify anything. Typically inflated egos and tired prix do that, which I have zero interest in entertaining. Best of luck on your campaign of ignorance.

[@WaitWhatsMyName]

@@stevea6623 youre a spaz bro

[@brianm5753]

@@motosalvagerepair I think he has a good message. He just needs to dial down the anger

[@jamesmich4973]

Reduces horsepower😊

[@libertyforamericanow]

Or change the timing chain

[@intellectualkshatriya3046]

Incomplete information, When I saw this video first time I was happy that I got to fix my cam chain noise , in this video he didn’t mentioned that before doing this step PISTON HAS TO BE TOP DEAD CENTRE , and I didn’t knew that and I did as this video showed,and bike didn’t start, and I was like shocked,then when I realized that I saw other video of cam chain installation, which said to set the piston to top dead centre , then I set the piston to top dead centre and open the cam chain completely, wind up the spring fully backwards and hold it with the torx screw driver and installed it, finally when I removed the torx driver , we hear this clicking sound where the cam chain is pushed out completely fine , and then bike started and cam chain noise was also gone .

[@multi-headshot_9993]

Hey this is really in depth and I feel like it could help me, you think I could contact you and you give me instructions step by step

[@redactedrider7606]

My dude all your adjusting is the chin tension not timing it. Does not need to be at tdc for tension adjustment. What happened is you tighten the chain too much. If that happens just take the tensioner off and reset it lol

[@lukeschaeffer2551]

What bike is it?