Kawasaki Motorcycle Forums - View Single Post - Valve Adjustment

Kawa 1982 · 09-11-2008

I replaced the cam chain tensioner on my 1982 KZ1100 with an APE manual tensioner. I found the following on line.

“Tighten the adjustment bolt until you feel it contact the guide. Then start up the bike and listened to the wonderful "diesel" racket. Slowly turn the bolt by hand until the noise goes away. Then back it out a 1/4th of a turn and tightened the locknut. Just to be safe run the engine through some rev ranges and then repeat the adjustment. End result is a nice quiet engine.”

I followed this procedure and then discussed it with a master Kawasaki mechanic. He advised that backing off ¼ turn was probably too much that it should be backed off about 1/8th of a turn. I followed his suggestion. The engine was amazingly quite.

09-11-2008	#12 (permalink)
Kawa 1982 US Army, Retired BTK Intermediate Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Fayetteville, GA Posts: 199	APE Tensioner Installation I replaced the cam chain tensioner on my 1982 KZ1100 with an APE manual tensioner. I found the following on line. “Tighten the adjustment bolt until you feel it contact the guide. Then start up the bike and listened to the wonderful "diesel" racket. Slowly turn the bolt by hand until the noise goes away. Then back it out a 1/4th of a turn and tightened the locknut. Just to be safe run the engine through some rev ranges and then repeat the adjustment. End result is a nice quiet engine.” I followed this procedure and then discussed it with a master Kawasaki mechanic. He advised that backing off ¼ turn was probably too much that it should be backed off about 1/8th of a turn. I followed his suggestion. The engine was amazingly quite. __________________ It is not the "Quantity" but rather the "Quality."