Cam Tensioner Upgrade

[Riverside]

Does anyone know if the Cam Tensioner upgrade unit from Rubber Chicken Racing fits either left or right side of the engine? The instruction talk only about the left side and I have reason to think my right side needs replaced.

[kirby]

Don't know about the noise you hear but the right tensioner is up side down (bottom of cylinder) and because of this it does not drain its oil and remains full. (after shutdown) The left side is on the top of the cylinder and the oil in its chamber will drain away when you are parked. That means when you start the engine for the first few seconds the lack or oil in the chamber/body, causes the left chain to slap around and make noise. It usually quickly fills with oil noise stops and off you go.
The right side will already be full as it is up side down and does not drain


Unless the tensioner is worn out the noise you hear will only happen at start up after the bike has set for a while especialy over night. If it is very noisy after it runs awhile....there is something else besides the tensioner.

Maybe that is too much info but it the only way I can 'splain it.

mike :-)

[carl1957]

I read that the left tensioner will fail at some point, it's a given. I replaced mine with the Rubber Chicken upgrade at 14,000 K, so I can forget about it.

[kirby]

I read that the left tensioner will fail at some point, it's a given. I replaced mine with the Rubber Chicken upgrade at 14,000 K, so I can forget about it.

I replaced my left one with an upgrade also only because I did not like the chain slap on start up.

Replaced at 60K miles. Just because the chamber drains on the left does not mean its prone to failure. I think the bad thing is the chain slapping around till the tensioner fills up.

I didn't let it go very long before replacing..the right side has 185,000 and counting.

Everything fails at some point.

mike