Hi Folks,

I've got an '88 CBR1000F with 24,000 miles. It's got a intermittent rattling noise I
think may be the cam chain tensioner. I did a compression check, it's good. Is there
an after market tensioner available that's better than the original Honda part, or is
stock the only replacement?

I don't know much history about this bike, it had changed a few hands before I
bought it. It's got an over heating problem in traffic, but I have parts to fix that.

Thanks,
Bob Henry

 

hey, does the rattle go away after it warms up? The only tensioner available is the stock one, fairly easy to replace make sure to get a new head gasket. im not sure how that one is set up but it could also be alternator chain or tensioner that one is a bitch!

 

I'm not sure if it goes away when it warms up. I tried to pin point the noise with a stethoscope, but couldn't tell where exactly the noise came from. It didn't sound like it was coming from the alternator. More like the front or center of the cylinders, but not positive. If it doesn't go away when warm, that means the alternator chain or tensioner is bad? My luck would be the hardest one to fix!

Thanks,

Bob Henry

 

hey if you want i can call you
if you want to email your # i just went
through all that stuf with mine

they do you make a manual tensioner
go to Apex Motorsports in the vendors fourm
and talk to sirlimpzalot he can get a manual tensioner

greymustamg

 

The cam chain runs in between #2 and 3 cylinders and typically makes a rattling noise upon startup when the motor is cold. Replacement requires the removal of the cams, but not the head. It really isn't too difficult. If you have a shop manual and can follow reasonable directions, you won't have any trouble at all.

That being said, you've got a few other chains in there too. There is a jackshaft that your alternator, starter damper and starter clutch run on that is driven by a chain from the crank. That bad boy is right next to the cam chain. Next to that chain is a chain that drives the oil pump. You do NOT want either of these chains to be giving you any grief. Replacing the alt or oil pump chain will require removal of the engine at a minimum and splitting of the engine cases if you aren't able to access them through the oil pan with the motor upside down.

I really doubt any of them are giving you trouble. My first suspicion, based on limited info so far, is that you might have a cam chain tensioner beginning to go south.

If I remember correctly, Honda had either a recall or an updated tensioner way back when. The one on my bike was replaced at about 5,000 miles by the previous owner. I have had the bike for quite a few years and at 62k, it runs like a champ.

Don't ask how I know this motor so damn well. It's a LONG and very mysterious story, but I did solve the problem.

Good luck on your trouble shooting. If you do find a problem, tackle it yourself. With the internet, digital photographs and/or a telephone, you have a tremendous amount of help available. Plus, it feels great to do your own repairs.

 

I have a factory manual, and I'm not afraid to use it! I generally do all my own work. I once had an '87 cbr1000 with just a few thousand miles on it and the cam chain tensioner started making noise. I talked to the local Honda shop and found out about the factory tensioner change, but they wouldn't do anything for me about it! Not even discount the price if I paid for it to be changed! Now I was the second owner, but they still should have done something about it. I put a few more thousand miles on the bike and sold it. I thought Honda fixed the problem on the '88 model.

Thanks for the replies,

Bob Henry

 

The camchain tensioner is the same as the 600F ( called the lifter) and the manual version from APE is only $48 #HT600..it requires adjustments every so often but it is easy enough to do.

 

How do you gain access to a manual tensioner w/o getting inside the motor on a Hurricane 1000?

 

Ok... I asked this question a while back myself, and here is something I found out. People on this site are referring to "When the engine is cold" You will hear a noise.. Uh uhhh.. No no no.. Let's say that in Reverse, the engine has to be at running temperature, or hot. Then you will fail to hear the noise. I have 43,000 miles on my bike and my cam chain is noisy too until she is at running temperature and for a while, then the chain is silent. My friend just happens to be a mechanic, and I cruised over his house and he was listening to my bike run and stated " She's running good, I wouldn't touch a thing". By the way, no cam chain noise. (After a 20 mile run) so I think you must truly understand the engine has to be good and warm before that noise goes away. Now if after getting it really good and hot, you still hear that noise, I would be worried. For a 50 dollar part you can lose your whole motor, it isn't worth that. So use good decision making. With 24k, I bet ya money that your fine though. Then again, to replace a component that is known to make noise until the motor is hot and that is within running specifications, I wouldn't worry about it too much. Cuz from what I hear, if you replace it with OEM parts, it will be making the same noise within the first 10k of installation! Takes some getting use to though!! I know!! Cuz I'm dealing with that too.

I'm definately interested in the manual cam chain tensioner though, I don't mind adjusting every once and a while but that noise is rather irritating. I guess I could eventually get use to it, but it sure makes u think the motor is going south!!

 

There is no manual tensioner for the cbr1000f. Comparisons to the cbr600f tensioner are incorrect as the 600 has its tensioner outside on the back of the cylinders and the 1000's tensioner is located under the inlet cam inside the engine so you have to remove the cam cover and inlet cam to get at it. But as firefox said these motors always rattle from cold and should be warmed up slowly and not trashed for the first 10 miles or so. All the 1000's i've had have all rattled and everyone else i've talked to say the same but i've never heard of a single failure yet and i've seen bikes with over 70k miles on the clock. Just make sure you change the oil and filter every 2k miles or the tensioner can stick as deposits build up in the tensioner body.
Mark.