Cam Chain Tensioner Question - 04 R1150R

[bullfighter]

Hi guys,

The answer to this question is probably posted in one or more other threads, but I can't seem to find it.

Anyway, I recently bought an 04 R1150R with about 177k miles on it. It runs fairly well, except that it rattles ("clacks" might be a better word) loudly when warm from around the base of the left cylinder. Based on what I've read after multiple searches, the culprit appears to be the left side cam chain tensioner. However, most posts I've read say that you can tell if the tensioner's already been replaced by the bolt head on the housing. They say that the original housing has a 17mm bolt head, and the upgraded part has a 15mm bolt head.

So, today I got the left throttle body off and out of the way, and found that the bolt head on the existing tensioner was 15mm. I decided to pull it anyway, figuring that the piston inside might be faulty or worn out. However, when I got the assembly out, it looks like the old style tensioner, with the long spring and the hollow cylinder.

I'm going to order the upgraded part anyway, as this is clearly not the R1200 part that everyone else installed when they upgraded, but I'm curious if anyone else has pulled the original tensioner and found the housing to have a 15mm head, or if there's some other explanation?

 

[gsaddict]

So you are saying you have a 3 piece with the 15mm hex head?

 

[AntonLargiader]

Sounds like someone may have changed the housing without changing the piston. I don't know if that would even function but I have the parts at the shop to see. At any rate, it sounds like you only need to buy the new piston (and a new crush ring).

 

[gsaddict]

Sounds like someone may have changed the housing without changing the piston. I don't know if that would even function but I have the parts at the shop to see. At any rate, it sounds like you only need to buy the new piston (and a new crush ring).

IIRC.
The old style piston/spring would be a sloppy fit into the 15mm housing.
The new style piston will not fit in the 17mm housing.

 

[bullfighter]

So you are saying you have a 3 piece with the 15mm hex head?

Here's what I pulled:




It's got the old-style spring and piston, but the hex head is 15mm.

 

[gsaddict]

Never seen that before.
But I have seen the new style assembly with a 17mm head......

 

[AntonLargiader]

Measuring parts I have lying around...

Old tensioner body:
17mm head, 62mm overall length, 22.5mm after the threads stop. 13mm ID. Open all the way to the bottom.

New body:
15mm head, 57mm overall, 19.5mm after the threads stop. 13.45mm ID, step in bore about halfway down.

So the old piston would be a slightly loose fit in the new body, but it would stick out too far.

 

[bullfighter]

Curiouser and Curiouser, Pt. 1

The local BMW shop, West Valley Cycle Sales (westvalleycycle.com) had the upgraded tensioner and housing in stock so I went and picked it up.

Here's the new and old assemblies side by side. The housings appear to be the same length:


both have 15mm hex heads:


(to be continued...)

 

[bullfighter]

Curiouser and Curiouser, Pt. 2

The inside diameter of the old housing is slightly too small to fit the new piston:


And like Anton mentioned, there is a step inside the new housing that the old housing does not have


So, I guess the moral of the story is, don't assume that your oilhead has the upgraded cam chain tensioner unless you've pulled it and looked at it yourself.

Thanks for helping me with the research, though. It would have been nice to save the $40 if I could have re-used the existing housing.

Now, on to the bigger and more important question: will the new tensioner make that horrible clacking go away? Stay tuned!

 

[jfoley09]

I had a 15mm head and my tensioner failed, which made a mess of the pushrods. Hopefully my mechanic replaced this as well!

 

[bullfighter]

Now, on to the bigger and more important question: will the new tensioner make that horrible clacking go away? Stay tuned!

...and the answer to the $64,000 question (OK, the $121.70 question, including tax) is...


...


...


...drumroll, please...


...


...


YES!!!


The difference is like walking out of a billiard-ball factory into my grandmother's sewing room!

NOW I feel like I'm riding a BMW again!

Thanks guys for indulging my questions and sharing your insights!

 

[PAS]

Hi guys,

.

Anyway, I recently bought an 04 R1150R with about 177k miles on it. It runs fairly well, except that it rattles ("clacks" might be a better word) loudly when warm from around the base of the left cylinder.

Maybe I am missing something here, He never mentioned it making noise on start up.....PERHAPS, he hears the gearbox rattling when warm.

 

[bullfighter]

Maybe I am missing something here, He never mentioned it making noise on start up.....PERHAPS, he hears the gearbox rattling when warm.

For whatever reason, I didn't and don't hear any noise on start-up. Now that the cam chain isn't clacking, I do hear a little rattling, which I would assume is the gearbox, but it's nothing compared to the noise I was hearing before I put in the new tensioner.

 

[Boxer1100]

A Cam Chain Tensioner Question

Should this work be done on a 2004 R1100S ? It has 35000 miles on it. Is this some kind of precaution? I don't have any rattle symptoms (yet), so... $$$?

Thanks,

Slick

 

[gsaddict]

If you don't have startup rattle, and you have the 15mm head, chances are good that you already have the new style tensioner.
Only inspection can prove it 100% though.

Note: if you do go ahead and inspect you will need to bleed the piston assy in order to re-assemble.
There is a little ball inside that you push while pumping the inner sleeve to evacuate the oil.
The chamber will fill the first startup afterwards.