TOPIC:

Good day Gents, What year cam tensioner for the zx1100 is needed for the z1300 and what if any adjustment procedure is used for this swap,
i've read some posts and know that some are shortening the spring and some not. Any enlightening would help.

This is a cut and paste from post #23719 that Phil put up about 1 year 4 months ago.

"I personally have been swayed by new information regarding shortening the ZZR CCT spring & whether it increases tension force, this was posted by Ian on the international Z1300 Facebook page after he carried out tests:
"well WoW the standard cct spring is putting 650 grams of force on the chain at a length of 52 mm
the zzr spring is putting over 1030 grams of force at the same compression with 10mm cut off, that was taken at the end of its travel which is 52mm so if you cam chain isnt that slack then more force will be applied.
compressing the ZZR CCT by 10mm nearly doubled the force applied to 2000 grams.
the standard CCT only went up to 920 grams at 10mm compression.
Phil i would be interested in how much force you will get with a full length spring.
think ill stick with the standard CCT with modified with a back stop."

Obviously, the spring pressure across the board is almost double the spring pressure of the stock tensioner, so I have to ask, Is it possible to install the zx11 tensioner with the KZ1300 tensioner spring so you could maintain the same spring pressure as required by the KZ1300 set up and be able to have the locking mechanism of the zx11 tensioner? Wouldn't that be the best of both worlds?

Its also worth having a read of the facts below which were only posted a couple of weeks ago.........................




On the subject of the ZX Tensioner, it is a very touchy and widely debated subject, but please let me make you aware of a few facts (not opinions or maybe's).

I have owned over ten 1300's in the last 40 years and maintained another two for a good friend and numerous others for other owners too.

Until around 12 years ago, every 1300 I bought had the original standard Tensioner fitted (as the ZX Tensioner Mod was not established before that)..........and the rubber guide wheel on at least 3 of them was vey badly worn or had disintegrated.........with the Standard Tensioner fitted. This was also the case with at least one other I worked on that also had the standard tensioner fitted. The bikes all had relatively low mileages.

I have fitted the ZX Tensioner to every 1300 I have bought over the last 12 years including the one I own now and the other two I maintain for my friend, and NONE of them have had any issues or show any signs of wear on any of the idler gears or rubber guide wheels.

So, this FEAR of the ZX Tensioner doing damage or creating premature wear is all speculation and opinion and to date...............not one owner I know or have heard of anywhere has provided any evidence or facts that the ZX Tensioner does any harm at all............but many have "Opinions" and many of these are "armchair" owners who either dont even own a 1300, or very rarely if ever use their own.

If you read many posts on here and many other 1300 Owner sites on this topic, people state their opinions that the "spring is too strong" or "it will wear your engine out" etc, etc, etc,.......................but show absolutely no proof of this on any 1300 fitted with the ZX Tensioner, and literally 100's or 1000's of owners have carried out and continue to carry out this modification, as will continue to do...............until conclusive evidence prooves otherwise.
This is also probably the reason why good people like Oz and Deb at Zed Parts and our friends at Z1300DE continue to supply the ZX Tensioner as a valid modification.

I will conclude by saying in my opinion, the other tensioner modification which involves modifying the standard tensioner with a back-up bolt, is a great idea and should overcome the initial problem of the badly designed tensioner and probably just as good a fix as the ZX Tensioner mod is................but dont be afraid of the ZX Tensioner until it is proven not to be a good solution, which as of today it has not been.

I will of course make all here aware of any issues or damage I am made aware of on any of the numerous 1300's I have fitted the ZX Tensioner or know of to over the last 12 years which have now covered good mileage over that period.

Pete F
UK

Hi Pete
can i ask about fitting the tensioner as i may be about to get another z13 [hopefully] on my last one i simply took the old one out and when i put the zzr11 tensioner in took the spring out while installing and once bolted in place reinstalled it seems to work fine that was about 4 years ago just want to make sure im not missing something

Hey Paul,

Long time no speak................you finally seen sense haha...............I did too and have had two 1300's over the past 3 years, love em !!

What you say is correct, just remove the original tensioner and fit the ZX Tensioner body (without the spring in) with the shaft fully BACK into the body, then insert the spring and hollow retaining bolt so it pushes the shaft out as you tighten the hollow bolt.
The tension of the spring will do the rest of the job automatically once you start the motor.

Be aware though, the Z1300 armchair riders society will tell you this tensioner will ruin your engine and wear it out.............despite having absolutely no evidense or proof of this what so ever, "nudge nudge...wink wink, say nomore" !!

Take care mate and stay in touch, always here to help and if you've lost my email address just PM me on this site and I will send you it.

Pete F
UK

I had to look up the origin of "Nudge, Nudge, wink, wink, say no more". I've heard it a few times over the years and wondered where it came from. So..... 1993 Monty Python skit . The line "Nudge nudge, wink wink, say no more" is followed in the skit with the line " a nod is as good as a wink to a blind bat"

That fact is documented for your viewing pleasure on Youtube.

so..... no need to say anymore.