cam chain adjust - should I do this ?

[puttputt]

I read in an article on 3 whlr maintenence that I should adjust
the cam chain tensioner . . . I've never done that, so I'm sure
it's due.

Do I just loosen, and then re-tighten the lock nut on it ?
Is that all I have to do ? How will I know if I did it right ?

1984 200m thanks

(this is what I saw : http://www.3wheeler.org/dirtwheels/6-87~tuneupindex.html

[ADW3]

Probably a good idea. You should probably do your valves and cam chain at the same time. Here's a link to the factory owners' manual of a 250SX.

http://www.3wheeler.org/tech/250sxManual/Page48.html

There's a good article of the procedure on a 200X on the site somewhere, but I can't find it at the moment. :shrug:

[Fuzzy]

Yep that is pretty much all you do. Break the nut loose and start the engine and let it idle for a minute or so to get the slack out of the chain. Then just retighten the nut.

I agree it wouldnt be a bad idea to check the valves also.

[hrc200x]

I think the engine should be started before the nut is loosened shouldn't it?

If the auto tensioner doesn't work there is another way to tighten the chain.

[Fuzzy]

I break the nut loose first and then just leave it snug. That way after it is running it is real easy to turn out. Then i turn it back in and turn the engine off. Then i retighten it up. It is always hard to do stuff on a engine when it is vibrateing.

[puttputt]

exactly the info I was looking for - thanks

[LoadEmUp]

What exactly does the screw on the top do? It's not adjusted, is it? Looks to just hold the sliding piece in place.
And the piece that actually rubs the chain - it appears in schematics to normally be curved. Mine looks to be bent almost flat; will re-curving it by slightly bending it back help it adjust better?

[puttputt]

on my 200M

I checked the valve clearance - they were just barely moving at TDC - just a smidge of play, so I decided to leave them alone.
(engine cold ). Also ignored the mark, and rotated the engine
(spark plug out ) by feel, and kept looking for the most loose point, and got the same result - no more than just a slight movement at any point.

On the cam chain tensioner, I found a 10mm bolt on top of a 14mm nut. Never did this before, so I broke both free, but
left them both snug, and basically where they were, then started the trike and let it run for a couple of minutes until it settled into a steady idle. Then I lossened the 14mm nut, then loosened the the 10mm bolt ( which didn't seem to do anything - I didn't have any audible chain slap to begin with; I was just trying to stay up with routine maint, not trying to solve a problem ) -

Then I tightened the 14mm nut back down, then the 10mm bolt.

Can anyone tell me if that's right ??

[hrc200x]

THe 10mm bolt is so you can check to make sure the adjuster is working, with the 14mm loose and the 10mm removed, I think you push a rod/screwdriver/somthing round down into the hole the 10mm bolt came out of, you should be able to feel the screwdriver hit somthing and it should be springloaded and springback without a problem.

All you need to do to actually adjust the chain is loosen then tighten the 14mm nut.

Did the motor develope a noise since you just adjusted it?

[puttputt]

no - no noise -

so I guess that's done

thanks for the help