I'm thinking of getting a manual CCT for my 1990 CBR600 as it has started sounding like a dancer at a castanet convention.

Does anyone have any experience of if this is a worthwhile upgrade over the original type?

The one I've seen is made by APE, anyone know if this unit is good or bad?

Also how do you judge the tension necessary?

Any help much appreciated.

Thanks

 

Nothing wrong with stock Honda tensioners. Personally I install APE manuals in every motor I race. They are pretty much bulletproof, never had a problem with them. Double check by calling APE, but if memory serves, correct tension is 3/8". You check it in between cams with top camchain cover off. Furtherest point up and down are measured. Rotate engine couple times and recheck. When it's correct, lock it down with the locknut and your're done.

 

Thanks for the advice, I appreciate it very much. I'm not sure which one I'll go for yet, I think I'll hum an harr for a bit.

 

On the other hand... let see. The one in your bike has lasted 20 years (unless you replaced it already or the PO). A factory one costs about $40 and the APE about $50. No guessing on the factory and it's probably good for another several years. IDK, simple decision to me...

 

I installed the manual one and did it up finger tight until I couldnt turn it anymore, then gave it a 1/4 turn clockwise with a spanner. I was sh*tting myself when It came time to fire it her up. I had no idea if the tension was right.

When I did fire it up It sounded fine but there was still a tiny rattle. What was unsettling was how easy I could turn the tensioner while the engine was running. I turned it clockwise a few turns and couldnt hear the 'whine' noise. Apparantly the whining is a indication that its too tight.

I ended up stopping the engine, undoing the nut, fingering tightening it again and added a 1/2 turn clockwise. Done about 3000 miles with the manual and so far so good (touch wood).

 

Thanks for the input, most welcome.

I’ll probably go with a standard replacement as, the less I have to fiddle with it the less is likely to go wrong. I am not the subtlest of mechanics. As you say Idodirt, they last a fair old time, I very much doubt the guy who had it before me replaced it, he wasn't the most maintenance orientated man judging by the state of it once I started tarting it up.

Riding it to work today however I think I just have a few really loud tappets, I can hear what I think is the chain noise vanish just after it starts up and just get a whine, as it is a standard tensioner I’m trusting the spring will provide the right pressure.

I had a entertaining few days doing the tappets and on start up got lots of backfiring, like a shotgun going off, I was literally deaf for about ten minutes.

After checking the whole lot and restarting twice I discovered I’d put the HT leads on in the wrong order. Being more than a little freaked out thinking I’d done the clearances too tight and this was causing the backfiring, I’d gone for safety and now seem to have made the gap too large (by the sound of it) although I’d aimed at the middle value (my feeler gauge only has .15 .20 .30 so I did 15 inlet and 20 exhaust, as per Haynes.

Hopefully sort it out this weekend. I’ve done valves on quite a few engines but this one is like microsurgery on a wristwatch, the main battle I found was actually getting my eye on the things.

I also keep blowing exhaust gaskets, I think the collars on the downpipes don’t push the gaskets quite tight enough, anyone else experienced this? They are replacement downpipes and I’d guess the cheapest available.

Thanks again for your help.

 

I'm curious if your feeler gauges had smaller ones like .09, .08, .07 and so on ? With the thinner ones you can take 2 of them, .09 and .08 to make .17. Pretty much any combination from .01 up to 1.0.

 

I hear what your saying but unfortunately my set only has .01 .10 .15 .20 .30 etc to .90.

I can't find any locally that are any different. It's all this metric nonsence. I know when I used to work on engines a long time ago the sets were both metric and imperial and had many more leaves and so were more comprehensive.

I will see if I can get a more inclusive set by mail.

Thanks again for your input.

 

Metric ftw

 

I went for the Honda original part in the end, easy to fit and does the job. It does clatter a little on start up for about 2-3 seconds but then obviously pressurises and takes up tension. Cost about £45 all in.