cam chain tensioner slippe broke?

[Eldrick]

I belive my cam chain tensioner slippe is broke. This image is of the bottom/lower end of the slipper should I be replacing the slipper?

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

If it is broke, is that bottom end meant to hook over a pin or does it just drop down and rest on 'something'?

Also, if broken, is it likely that the broken part comes out during oil changes?

The bike has been running I am just doing a gasket change due to a recent oil leak and can't say I hear any odd sounds making me think some metal is in the engine.

[Bryanj]

Its normaly a steel piece formed into a circle that drops into a rubber cup in the cam chain tensioner horseshoe.
Possibly that is a pattern part i dont know

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Is it a 350 or a 400?

[Eldrick]

Is it a 350 or a 400?

It is from my 400.
I think I will buy a proper 'genuine' one as it seems to be a bit of a critical part that I don't want to be 'cheap'.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

As Bryan has said there is a loop at the end that sits in the tensioner cup with a plastics clip type arrangement.

[Laverda Dave]

Buy both the front and back blades whilst you have the engine open, false economy not to especially looking at the slipper blade.
Make sure the rubber cushion is located in the top blade holder that is bolted to the top of the cylinder head (and the piece you have to remove to extract the front cam chain tensioner blade). Also check the similar cushion is located in the tensioner horseshoe, if you are not going that deep into the engine i.e. you are not removing the barrels, you'll need to use a torch to look down into the horseshoe. The cushion is difficult to see because it is so small but being curved you should make it out with a torch. If the cushions are missing the tensioner will have to much free play and won't tension properly.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Pricey little things those cushions.

[Eldrick]

I will replace both tensioner and guide and if I find some cushions, those too.
Thanks for the advice

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

I will replace both tensioner and guide and if I find some cushions, those too.
Thanks for the advice

If the bottom cushions are intact I would be minded to leave them alone.

I suspect they do not have to be changed as a matter of routine if you are not splitting the crank cases.
They are fiddly to remove and fit new ones even when you have the tensioner horseshoe in your hand.
It would be easy for them to get lost during fitting.

Are you sure the tensioner horseshoe is not seized - mine was solid with carbon depoits.

[Eldrick]

I will replace both tensioner and guide and if I find some cushions, those too.
Thanks for the advice

If the bottom cushions are intact I would be minded to leave them alone.

I suspect they do not have to be changed as a matter of routine if you are not splitting the crank cases.
They are fiddly to remove and fit new ones even when you have the tensioner horseshoe in your hand.
It would be easy for them to get lost during fitting.

Are you sure the tensioner horseshoe is not seized - mine was solid with carbon depoits.

from my first inspection I am not even sure there is one there to start with 

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

It might be hard to see as they discolour so not easy to view without a  decent light source, is your tensioner horseshoe nice & free?

[Eldrick]

It might be hard to see as they discolour so not easy to view without a  decent light source, is your tensioner horseshoe nice & free?

I don't know, will check tomorrow and get a bigger light...

[Laverda Dave]

I agree with Ted. If the cushions are still fitted don't try to remove them, they should be fine and are there to hold the tension blades in place, they are not subject to wear as such but being rubber they do harden during their life. I replaced one in Ratty as I bought a new horseshoe from DSS and of course it didn't come with the cushion so I tried to retrieve the old one but it proved to be impossible to remove so I bought a new one. I expected it to be soft rubber being new but it was really hard!
You really do need to check the horseshoe pivot though as Ted mentions, if the cam chain has been slack it rubs on the pivot point of the horsehoe (and the barrel casting if you are unlucky) and causes it to sieze. DSS sells new ones that have been made from CNC cut alloy with a brass pivot joint, I think they are about £80. If the horeshoe pivot is siezed you need to remove the lower engine case to allow access to the two fixing bolts, dont be tempted to renew the tensioner blades whilst keeping a siezed horseshoe, you'll be wasting your money.

[McCabe-Thiele (Ted)]

Dave is right about the hardness of the cushions - they felt more like a type of nylon material.

[Athame57]

Dave is right about the hardness of the cushions - they felt more like a type of nylon material.

But does that make them better of worse? The DSS horseshoe is surely an improvement over OE.