Cam chain tensioner oil hole

[Rocnsanman]

Hi everyone,  going to do a CCT ( cam chain  tensioner)swap to a manual CCT. I read somewhere that the oil hole that feeds the auto tensioner needs to be blocked off.  I pulled the Yamaha  tensioner out and can't seem to find any such oil hole. Bike is a 2007 Yamaha fjr1300,  52,000 miles and original tensioner. 

Thanks in advance Dan

 

[RossKean]

Nothing I have heard about.  The only hole I know should be blocked is a frame hole so you don't lose one of the nuts.  Not too many have changed to the manual CCT.

Why a manual CCT?  I haven't heard of any failures with the redesigned Yamaha (blue or green dot) ones.  I put well over 120,000 miles on mine after I changed out the original on my 2007.  Still going strong when I sold the bike with 185,000 miles.

 

[Rocnsanman]

Hi RossKean, I had this sitting around , bought it a year ago. The latest generation of Yamaha CCT is now $160.00, which will basically do what I have in the manual cct. Just a cost consideration. 

 

[RossKean]

Hi RossKean, I had this sitting around , bought it a year ago. The latest generation of Yamaha CCT is now $160.00, which will basically do what I have in the manual cct. Just a cost consideration. 

$102 from Partzilla. Another $2 for the gasket.  A badly adjusted manual CCT (or one that you forgot to check) wouldn't do you much good.

https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/yamaha/motorcycle/2007/fjr1300a-fjr13aw/camshaft-chain

 

[Brodie]

Dan

I’m the one that got APE (American Performance Engineering) to make their manual cam chain tensioner way back when the OEM tensioner was causing so much grief in 2009. There is no oil passage to the cam chain tensioner to block off, it is a mechanical design without any hydraulic interaction. If you decide to install the APE manual cam chain tensioner, it will work just fine provided you, or your mechanic sets the tension properly. This is not a set and forget type of device. Usually the people who run these are engine builders for the performance and racing crowd. The engines are ran hard, then torn down fairly often. 

The FJR has a different mission from the track bikes, and most likely will never see the near redline demands so common on the race track. Dependability and hands off longevity for the street is the design goal for this automatic tensioner. Yamaha’s original unit had its weakness redesigned out of it with the subsequent updates through the years, and has proven itself reliable. I successfully ran my APE unit for 5 years before I went to the blue dot, and then the current green dot OEM version. In my mind Yamaha did their job in supporting their customers with their updates. You should not have any grief with the current green dot unit, as it most likely will last the life of the bike. 

Now get the bike in good shape and put some (s)miles on it; start supporting your favorite  tire manufacturer.
 

Brodie

 

[Intech]

IMHO if you install a manual CCT you are just asking for trouble. The new CCT's that Yamaha provides will work for 100's of 1,000 miles. Why bother with something that adds unnecessary maintenance?

 

[Rocnsanman]

Thank you all for chiming in on this topic. I think I will order the Yamaha tensioner and just be done with this issue. The old unit( original) was not giving me trouble just didn't feel comfortable keeping it in at 52,000 miles and the potential damage it could cause. Happy riding!

 

[Rocnsanman]

Dan

I’m the one that got APE (American Performance Engineering) to make their manual cam chain tensioner way back when the OEM tensioner was causing so much grief in 2009. There is no oil passage to the cam chain tensioner to block off, it is a mechanical design without any hydraulic interaction. If you decide to install the APE manual cam chain tensioner, it will work just fine provided you, or your mechanic sets the tension properly. This is not a set and forget type of device. Usually the people who run these are engine builders for the performance and racing crowd. The engines are ran hard, then torn down fairly often. 

The FJR has a different mission from the track bikes, and most likely will never see the near redline demands so common on the race track. Dependability and hands off longevity for the street is the design goal for this automatic tensioner. Yamaha’s original unit had its weakness redesigned out of it with the subsequent updates through the years, and has proven itself reliable. I successfully ran my APE unit for 5 years before I went to the blue dot, and then the current green dot OEM version. In my mind Yamaha did their job in supporting their customers with their updates. You should not have any grief with the current green dot unit, as it most likely will last the life of the bike. 

Now get the bike in good shape and put some (s)miles on it; start supporting your favorite  tire manufacturer.
 

Brodie

Thanks Brodie, 

I ordered the CCT today. Thanks for the info and yes, I agree. The less maintenance items the better. Rode the FJR today  with the manual CCT and will hopefully replace the unit when the Yammy CCT comes in. BTW, I didn't find the R and R  difficult at all. Zip tied the timing chain ( 2 zips) and removed the CCT . Easy, peasy.

 

[2GENAE]

Dan

I’m the one that got APE (American Performance Engineering) to make their manual cam chain tensioner way back when the OEM tensioner was causing so much grief in 2009. There is no oil passage to the cam chain tensioner to block off, it is a mechanical design without any hydraulic interaction. If you decide to install the APE manual cam chain tensioner, it will work just fine provided you, or your mechanic sets the tension properly. This is not a set and forget type of device. Usually the people who run these are engine builders for the performance and racing crowd. The engines are ran hard, then torn down fairly often. 

The FJR has a different mission from the track bikes, and most likely will never see the near redline demands so common on the race track. Dependability and hands off longevity for the street is the design goal for this automatic tensioner. Yamaha’s original unit had its weakness redesigned out of it with the subsequent updates through the years, and has proven itself reliable. I successfully ran my APE unit for 5 years before I went to the blue dot, and then the current green dot OEM version. In my mind Yamaha did their job in supporting their customers with their updates. You should not have any grief with the current green dot unit, as it most likely will last the life of the bike. 

Now get the bike in good shape and put some (s)miles on it; start supporting your favorite  tire manufacturer.
 

Brodie

Brodie

Is there any difference in the Blue vs Green dot CCT?  I have a 2008 AE at 47,000 miles mine had the Blue Dot installed last year. The stock one was fine but while we were checking valve lash  Dan had this Blue one setting on a shelf  he never used, purchased a new Gen III.

We also installed a mint used "Brodie" spider ground harness while the plastic was off. We found one on that auction site. Are that "Brodie"????    if so.....I  tip my hat to you sir. I used Nolex anti corosion  paste in the connectors and mine had the ignition and #4 recall done. I noticed only the SIX 12v grounds are on the harness  as I guessed the two 5v ground spiders were not a issue.

Louis

 

[RossKean]

The blue dot came before the green dot but I don't think anyone has established a difference between them.  I changed out my original on my '07 at about 40,000 miles - no issues but wanted to be safe as some failures were being reported.  I installed the blue dot and ran it until I sold the bike at 185,000 miles.  Never a hint of a problem with it and I haven't heard of a blue or green dot CCT failing on anyone's bike.

2GENAE - I thought that Yamaha switched to the newer design CCT in late 2007.  I am surprised that your '08 didn't already have the superseded part.

 

[2GENAE]

Ross

Was not sure about which CCT was in my 2008 and Dan had a new Blue Dot setting in the box. 

Good to know at 52,000 miles now I have a long way to go after reading so many go past 100,000 miles.

185,000  wow 

Louis