Hopefully final question about cam chains

[jonseyq45]

All,

With the help of articles and members providing pictures I was able to expose the cam chains. Much to my suprise the guides were already changed to the new style. However a different issue was found. Facing the front of the engine, the left chain was loose on the guide side not the tesioner side. It actually was laying on a dowel sticking out at the lower end of the guide. Looking back at the pictures this side appeared to have tension in all of them. Any ideas why this side would be so loose?

Oh yeah, I also Have a complete new guide kit minus the tesioners for sale cheap.

Jonsey

[96Qowner]

Congrats on not having to change the guides. IIRC the slack is normal. It gets taken up when the tensioners fill. But mostly I'm bumping the thread so an expert can reply.

(hint)

[Q45tech]

You can manually check the running tension by prying out the guides with tools.

Unfortunately just seeing new style guides does not prove the tensioners were replaced. Many dealerships authorized [or put up with] sloppy minimal parts replacements where just guides or one guide was changed.

I would aways recommend new tensioners when a front cover was removed just in case they were never changed............cheap insurance.

As to chain slack from stretching, not a problem [unless you are a perfectionist...................based on how much I've had to reset CAS since brand new my 320k chains have stretched less than 5 degrees to cam or < 10 degrees in total....................1/2 a tooth or link in total ~~<2%.

However the oil chain as at 100k 7 years was loose and floppy, so who knows after 11 years and 220k if it's about to fail in a destructive manner?

Lots depends on local winters and how many very cold starts when the chain get stretched trying to move thick oil. Why I use 0W-40 in winter.

[jonseyq45]

Q45TECH,

Would a bad or even a weak tensioner cause what apppears to be a slapping/grinding noise from that side. The right side has and is holding what I feel is the correct tenstion in the chain. The left side is so slack that if it was my bike drive chain, I should take a link out. As mentioned in the above posts, can I pry out the guide on the tensioner side and see if the slack is taken out?.

I appreate the help as since my eldery father has totaled his third Caddy, I need the car to start driving him around. The only time I get to work on the rig is in the evening and you know what it's like, after a day of dealing with customers and issues, the last thing you want to do is work on another car.

Many ThanksJonsey.......

[Q45tech]

I pay the senior tech to work [moonlight] on my car on the weekends.............it is worth the $40 an hour or $300 per day to avoid getting my hands dirty.

[jonseyq45]

I have a heavy line guy with the same deal. As to my question could that be the source of the noise?

Jonsey

[Q45tech]

The tensioner expansion length [< 1.5" per chain] shows you how much slack that can be removed..........using a tool to emmulate tensioner shows you if that is enough or if you have over stretched chains and worn cam gear sprockets.

Obviously removing chains and comparing to brand new is a serious step and adds hours and hours since valve covers and upper fronts must be removed AND retimining.

Is there any wear on oil pump shaft housing where a floppy main chain ate into it?

[qship96]

I pay the senior tech to work [moonlight] on my car on the weekends.............it is worth the $40 an hour or $300 per day to avoid getting my hands dirty.

At only $40 per hour labor that explains why you are always getting something done to your car !!!!

[jonseyq45]

none, the passenger side is the loose side. I am going to do what you suggest and check the tension, using the measurement you suggested to space out the chain. I also called my hired gun and he said he would be willing to look at it. I am also going to order the new tensioners.

My best friend, who was a service manager in a Honda M/C shop told me a story about a guy bringing in a CB 750 to have the front wheel bearing replaced. When he picked it up he found that the rear one was replaced also. When he asked Dave, my friend why he did it and the reason behind it. Dave told him "well, it's gone every where the front one's been". That logic to replacing parts has saved me a lot of pain over the years.

Jonsey

[maxnix]

Why shocks, accessory belts and such are replaced all at once.

[jonseyq45]

Maxnix,

I owe you an apology. I answered a response to you a little too harshly. I value the effort that you and members like Q45tech put into trying to help us find the correct solution to our issues.

If boards such as this did not exist we would still be looking for help usually within screaming distance og our garages. We all have something to bring to the table, its the depth of what we bring that is the truely impresive part.

As a ex-wrench and service writer I understand the pressure that people in the auto repair buisiness face. Now as an IT operations manager I face (I hate to say it) even more "uninformed users" We have a saying, "It's an interface problem, the one between the seat and the keyboard".

I would like to offer my services in creating what we call SOP's (standard operating proceedures) using all the collected knowledge on this site. I know that there are already manuals and other threads related to many different issues. I would like to standardize the information in a common form and update as needed, like adding the pictures of the front cam chain cover pry location pictures to the already collected information. I would post them in a Word format to be peer reviewed by the members of this site. Just let me know if you would like it done.

To all Q45 "One for all, All for One" owners, collectors, and Techs.....

Thank You

Ps, I used to have a motorcycle shirt that I owned that had a saying that could be applied here " I eat, breathe, dream, love, live, honor, and drive Q45's"

Jonsey