1997 1100 Sporti New Timing Cain and Upgraded Tensioner

[MedicAndy]

I had issues since I bought this bike about 18 month ago with the engine hiccuping, coughing, cutting off at idle, running pretty rough and the engine vibrating more than she should. This bike has the new Creedon chip installed, is fully serviced with new filters, fluids, and plugs. This bike had pod K&N filters installed when I bought her, which I removed a couple of weeks ago and reinstalled her original air-box with an K&N filter. The injectors have been synchronized, and balanced by Hunter, who is a friend of mine here in Raleigh. This bike also has new tires, brake rotors and pads. $$$ :) The bikes previous owner also had a Power Commander III installed on this bike, which I assume he did due to the hiccups and coughing.  I removed the Power Commander and rewired the injectors so that the Will Creedon chip now does the fuel mapping for this bike again.

This bikes engine made some noises during idle at times, which didn't seem to belong. The engine also vibrated during idle pretty good, so I decided to have the timing chain and tensioner changed, since this bike does have 26k miles on the engine by now. One of my local friends here in Raleigh, Johann who owns Moto Motivo, did the work for me. He did a great job. Not only did he change the tensioner and timing chain out, but he fabricated the tool needed to pull the timing chains gears off. He also had to drill out three of the timing chain covers mounting hole threads, since the last owner of this bike changed the hardware out to stainless steel bolts, which was a good thing, but they were about 1/4" to short for the mounting holes, so all threads were stripped..... The fuel pumps mounting weld backed also broke off, so Johann fabricated a new bracket, which is now bolted on versus welded to the engine. All in all, he did a great job!

I heard before that the original timing chain tensioner was undersized and the spring too weak for the job, and I agree, especially now since I can see the difference for myself. The engine had some pretty good vibrations and made some noises at times that an engine should not do. The engine now, after the installation of the new chain and tensioner runs so much smoother, and the extra engine noises I had heard and vibrations I felt have also disappeared.

I was also hoping that the new timing chain and tensioner would help with eliminating, or greatly reduce the engine's hiccuping and coughing, but it didn't. However, those issues have been greatly reduced already by now with all of the updates and tuning we done by now compared from when I bought this bike.

My next job for this weekend is to set the engine idle to 1200 rpms, and change the MG valve clearance settings over to the Raceco clearance settings of Inlet 0.008" or 0.2mm, and the Exhaust to 0.010" or 0.25mm, which should hopefully take care of the hiccups. I will let everyone know on how the bike is doing with the new valve settings next Monday. I will also adjust the ECU's fuel screw a little, according to Will Creedon's chip setup instructions. Let's hope that I can get this bike setup and sorted out, so that I can copy the setups from this bike to my other FI 1100's.














Original tensioner and chain




New tensioner and chain




Old factory tensioner




New upgraded tensioner

[John Croucher]

The stock tensioner is useless.  They all should be replace with the Valtek.  The stock one I replace had maybe 4 ounces of pressure required to move it 1/2 a revolution.  No more hiccups either. 

[Tusayan]

If you haven't got the idle mixture screw in the computer set where it needs to be, it is not unexpected at all that the bike would run poorly.  It has a very strong effect at lower RPMs.  Start rich/counter clockwise, then lean progressively until it feels worse, at which point you've gone too far.  You can do it by feel quite effectively.

[Huzo]

My '07Norge has the original tensioner and I suspect it's too feeble.
I have a new tensioner the same as your new one but was unsure that it would flex enough to go in, but I see that yours does.
There is a pin that appears to require removal to facilitate the installation of the upgraded tensioner, and I cannot get it out.
Also Pete has indicated that there is a raised portion of the crankcase casting that will interfere with the installation and that was shown to be correct when I attempted to fit the new tensioner.
Does any of that sound sensible..?
I feel like there is a slappiness in the timing chest that is indicating insufficient tensioning of the camchain.
The accompanying shot is of the new tensioner made by Millepercento.
Should this fit my Norge and has anyone used one.
I cannot overcome the issue of the raised portion of the casting and the stubborn pin.

[John Croucher]

My '07Norge has the original tensioner and I suspect it's too feeble.
I have a new tensioner the same as your new one but was unsure that it would flex enough to go in, but I see that yours does.
There is a pin that appears to require removal to facilitate the installation of the upgraded tensioner, and I cannot get it out.
Also Pete has indicated that there is a raised portion of the crankcase casting that will interfere with the installation and that was shown to be correct when I attempted to fit the new tensioner.
Does any of that sound sensible..?

Some engines have the raised portions, some do not.   My 2003 engine did not.  I used a pair of needle nose vise grips to hold the tensioner against the left side of the crankcase while reinstalling the gears and chain. 

[Huzo]

Some engines have the raised portions, some do not.   My 2003 engine did not.  I used a pair of needle nose vise grips to hold the tensioner against the left side of the crankcase while reinstalling the gears and chain.

Thanks John.
Pete indicated that this might be a deal breaker for me and it seems so.
Notwithstanding that, have you, or do you know of, anyone who has been successful in extracting the pin that the original tensioner pivots on ?
This is similar to mine.

[RinkRat II]

      Andy,
 One other detail, which you may have already done is the TPS calibration. It made a world of difference on my Sport as I too had the coughing  and occasional popping at light throttle.

             Paul B

[MedicAndy]

If you haven't got the idle mixture screw in the computer set where it needs to be, it is not unexpected at all that the bike would run poorly.  It has a very strong effect at lower RPMs.  Start rich/counter clockwise, then lean progressively until it feels worse, at which point you've gone too far.  You can do it by feel quite effectively.

Thanks for your feedback! I have not touched the idle mixture screw an any of my 1100's as of now, but the other four FI bikes don't run as bad as this one does neither. I have a couple of questions about making adjustments to the idle mixture screw that you hopefully can help me with......

1) Should I make the adjustments with the engine being cold, or should I ride this bike first for maybe 15 minutes to get the 
    engine up to normal operating temperatures and then start with adjusting the idle mixture screw?

2) Should the engine be running while adjusting the idle mixture screw, or do I make small adjustments with the engine off,
    and then ride the bike after each adjustment for a couple of miles to allow the engine / injection system to get used to the
    changes made?

3) My engines rpm's seem to drop after the engine warms up, so should I set the rpm's idle to 1200 rpms after the engine has
    been run for maybe 15 minutes? I would then assume that the rpms could easily be around 1.4k - 1.5k when I start the
    engine when cold. But then again, the engines rpms will hopefully flatline regardless if the engine is hot or cold if I get the
    idle mixture screw tuned in, which would be the desired outcome.

Thanks for any recommendations or feedback you can give to me,

Andy

[Tusayan]

Idle mixture setup is important and based on what youve written Id guess 90% chance that this is your issue.

Set the idle mixture with the bike warmed up.

You can adjust it with the engine running if youre very careful with the very small screwdriver.  Keep your fingers on the computer while doing this (whether engine is running or not) to remain grounded and reduce the static electricity hazard to the circuit board.

Some people like to start by finding the screw setting where it starts to idle lean/rough and the position where it starts to idle rich/rough.  Then set it two-thirds of the way lean between those points.  Thatll get it in the ballpark if you were to check it with a CO meter.  The best way is to set it a bit rich, then lean it (clockwise) just a smidge and test ride.  Then do the same again, and again, until you start to feel negative driveabilty consequences on the test rides.  That means youve gone too far lean so go back to slightly richer. 

When yovve got the idle mixture set about right, set the idle with the stop screw on the linkage to about 1200 rpm.

[Tom H]

Some engines have the raised portions, some do not.   My 2003 engine did not.  I used a pair of needle nose vise grips to hold the tensioner against the left side of the crankcase while reinstalling the gears and chain.

My 2004 EVT has a raised boss under the stock tensioner. This style tensioner will not work on my bike without the raised area being machined out. Damn.... I so wanted this style!!!

Tom

[Huzo]

My 2004 EVT has a raised boss under the stock tensioner. This style tensioner will not work on my bike without the raised area being machined out. Damn.... I so wanted this style!!!

Tom

Bugger...!