KA Slipper Tensioner Install

I'm doing a top end regasketing and clean up and decided to go ahead and get the bore tech KA performance cam chain tensioner. There were absolutely no instructions sent with it, so forgive me if I have done something wrong. The problem is that as far as I can tell, the cam chain fits in too tightly in the tensioner. Its making metal to metal contact. What am I missing here? Pictures are below.

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Did you ever figure this out? I am installing one right now and I' having the same problem. I bought the recommended chain with it as well so that can't be the issue.
I would be curious what you did.

Wish I could help, but I decided to go with the stock tensioner with new rollers.

That being said, I have a KA tensioner for sale, ha.

I'll take $80, shipping anywhere stateside included.

Ask bore-tech to supply a cam chain that will fit. That one has long fat pins and thick side plates. Where did the chain come from?

Read some of the posts over on the WERA vintage road race forum......they have a fix for this.
http://forums.13x.com/search.php?searchid=5395039

I'm talking with the guy from M3 right now. (they sell these too) and he hasn't heard of this before. I bought the cam chain they recommend but still no luck. He asked me to take some pictures and send them to him. I'll do that tonight and let you all know what I find out.

Greg, that link to the WERA site comes up as having no matches. Could you try again?

Sorry......search results didnt post. I just searched "KA Tensioner", as I knew a few guys over there had issues with the chain. Here are a few results from the search....many more listed.
http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=241780&highlight=ka+tensioner
http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=275605&highlight=ka+tensioner
http://forums.13x.com/showthread.php?t=236635&highlight=ka+tensioner

I wasn't able to hear back from the guy at M3 but sent him pictures of how mine was binding just like the original poster.

Mine was just a bit narrow for the chain so I just took a few small taps with a hammer and a piece of metal and spread the side walls open enough to let the chain slide through.
I'm not sure how much deflection or wear I'll get from the chain bouncing around in there but after a season I will take it apart and see what it looks like.

Probably not the factory recommended technique but none of us would be here if we really wanted to follow the rules anyway right? ;D

Thanks for posting those links Greg. They seem to deal with a slightly different issue but it's good to read up on what others are dealing with anyway.

cheers!

I did mine with a Tsubaki 219 cam chain and didn't have that problem. I did have the other known problem where it rubs against the cam chain channel in the cylinders. Little bit of work with a die grinder cleaning up casting marks and widening the channel and I was good to go. They did tell me at Bore Tech that this could happen.

arudeseal said:

Wish I could help, but I decided to go with the stock tensioner with new rollers.

That being said, I have a KA tensioner for sale, ha.

I'll take $80, shipping anywhere stateside included.

Click to expand...

Hi arudeseal!

I just picked up a CB350 (1972) and found a broken cam chain tensioner pin (and surround components) in the engine oil when i drained it.
(explains the clickety-clack sound coming from up in the head when i turned the kickstarter over)..

Did you end up sticking with the standard original type tensioner, or did you end up using the KA slipper one you mentioned?

What do you recommend?

Cheers!
Evan

(sorry, tried to PM directly, but it says you can't receive PM's, so here I am bringing this old thread back up)