How do you adjust cam chain tension on a Honda cb360?

Answer 1

I don't think you can adjust it, there are two pads on either side that apply pressure due to their structure ------------------- I think you can. At the lower front of the engine case there are two bolts sticking out, about 90 degrees apart. The top one has a lock nut. The chain tensioner is spring loaded, and losening the lock nut and bolt releases the spring to take up the slack. When you loosen it, you should here a soft click as the tensioner blade moves. Retighten the bolt and lock nut. You need to perform this operation when there is no load on the camshaft (this occurs when all the lobes are pointing up more or less, about 90 ATDC of the left piston). If the chain noise is still there, you should look at a new cam chain. If you just want a quick short term fix, you can do the above procedure, except remove the other (lower bolt) and give an extra push to the tensioner spring plunger with a screwdriver. this will make the noise go away, but start saving for a new chain soon!!!! When I picked up my 360, the cam chain was so loose it had machined a hole in the side of the cylinder casting and oil was leaking out! Brent P.S. Part of the problem here is that the lock bolt friction is sometimes too weak to prevent the cam chain from pushing the tensioner bar back on overrun. But it IS strong enough to prevent the spring from pushing the bar back out again! Thus you end up with an automatic chain "de-tensioner". The solution is to replace the plug bolt at the end of the tensioner drilling with a longer bolt and locknut with the end turned down to just bear on the end of the tensioner bar. Thus providing a positive stop and preventing it from being kicked back. This basically acts like a manual chain adjuster this is fitted to some racing bikes. B.