Help - fitting cam chain tensioner.

Hi,

Fitting an K3 Cam Chain tensioner into a curvy and the crank markings are soooo confusing. Along with hieroglyphics I have a F and an R. Haynes says you have 2 lots of F's I'm sure Im doing a full rotation but I can only see one. How do you know if your TDC without taking the front valve cover off or shoving a screwdiver into the spark plug port. Is there a way of feeling it on the resistance when turning the engine?

Also a little gotcha if you order a K3 CCT from Suzuki you also have to order the CCT Cap as it is a different part code and you cant use a curvy one as its different.

Ta

Just done mine tonight as it happens. I think there's only one F and one R, as the piston is only at TDC once in a revolution.

Before you take the tensioners out you have to make sure it's at TDC on the compression stroke (rather than the exhaust stroke) to make sure the cam lobes are not opening any valves as that will put the camchain under tension and it might jump on the sprockets.

Since I couldn't find any other way to be sure, I took the head covers off and checked the lobes were pointing away from the buckets when it was on F (for the front pot) and R (for the rear - obviously) and marked the chain & sprocket with a marker pen so I could check nothing had slipped when I was working before I turned the engine over.

By the way - the front one is a nightmare to get to....who put that frame spar in the way...!

Yes, there is only one F and R mark. You do have to take cover off to see where cams are to know what stroke you are in. Put front on compression stroke on F mark and than from there it is 270 degree to rear R on compression stroke.

[Taipan]

Do you have to do this? I thought you could just remove and replace them without being at TDC etc?

[Winder]

Originally Posted by Taipan

Do you have to do this? I thought you could just remove and replace them without being at TDC etc?

Yes could some explain the reason behind this please

Because in other part of rotation cam lobe is pushing against valve and without tension on chain it will rotate and jump tooth easy.

[Winder]

So if you took CCT off and put a new one on without cam chain moving over any teeth at crank and cam ends then surely it would be fine as nothing have changed?

[Taipan]

oh well, time to get the manual out again then!

Originally Posted by Winder

So if you took CCT off and put a new one on without cam chain moving over any teeth at crank and cam ends then surely it would be fine as nothing have changed?

Yes.

[Taipan]

But presumably checking the timing marks isn't a big deal and is more advisable right?