After valve adjustement... so why not look under the valve covers and see if one or more of the screws clamping the cams is loose? I'd be looking under the valve cover first.

 

The bluing, as you put it, is normal. The cams are not really polished and are more for street use. Mines also the same way.

 

The blue at the edge of the teeth is from processing. The gears are made from softer steel that has enough carbon in it to heat treat the wearing surfaces. They do this through heating and quick cooling of the teeth only, which hardens them. What you see is the discoloration of the surface from that heating.

 

Kinda like the same reasons why the headers turn the blueish colors.

 

Hi Guys,

My 09 just started clacking this week... exact same symptoms, it's not very loud but it happens between 5-6K RPM's. I have 4000 kms on it. oil's been changed at least 5-8 times and i also use the kawasaki 10W 40...

Can someone upload a picture of the 2 8mm bolts that need to be backed out until you hear the "click" to manually adjust the tensioner? I'm mechanically savvy on cars, but have only done oil on my bike so far!

thanks!

EDIT - i saw LearjerMinaco's picture in the other thread, but can't figure out what part is the tensioner...

 

alright.. found it... who designed this thing? can't fit a socket on to the 8mm bolt on the right side (when looking at it from behind.) I put a wrench on it and MAN is that crappy bolt made of soft metal or what?

anyway, can i loosen the 12mm bolt to gain access to the 8mm bolt with a socket? what did you guys do??

 

What did I do? I replaced the cam chain to fix my clanking issue. And before that, push the cam chain tensioner in some through the center bolt.

 

Could any of the noises you guys are experiencing possibly be a leaky exhaust? I am about to replace the gasket at the head...I also found that the nuts were loose (got about 1/8th of a turn on each but still getting ticking exhaust noise at higher RPMs)...just a thought

 

Ha Ha, i had a ticky noise and it turned out to be the right side radiator shroud vibrating against the gas tank.
The way i found that out was riding and leaning over the tank to try figuring out where it was coming from. every time i leaned on the shroud the ticking went away.
This was also between 5 and 6K rpm.
Stranger things have happened!!!!

 

I wouldn't go there, By loosening the 2 bolts your allowing the tensioner to ratchet up without really knowing how far. Then when you tighten the 2bolts back up you can over tension the chain and put more pressure on the tensioner mechanism. Better if you properly remove it, reset it, and reinstall it , or not mess with it at all. just my 02 YMMV