Hi guys,
Was wondering if you would help.
Im interested in buying a certain 05 636 with lots of nice bits…
Its £2,300, though it has a ticking/rattle from the engine.
Any idea what this may be?
The sales man said it could be cam tensioner or cam chain, but they haven’t been able to asses it.
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Andy
Being a kawasaki it is probably the tensioner . … I think a retro fit of one of an earlier model that has a stronger spring is the mod of choice one the 636 . Or fit a manual one . Although also being a kwack they do seem to tend to tick and rattle more than some … Character I think they call it .
Mind if it sounds like a bag of spanners down a fire escape … don’t buy it .
What’s the mileage?
Would you pull the engine apart yourself?
Get them to knock (haha) some more money off for ambiguous engine problems
Does it go away when you pull the clutch in?
Yep. You can adjust the stock one manually, or buy a new one (stock or aftermarket). Probably not a big deal.
If it’s coming from the right hand side (top), it’s almost certainly CCT
Whilst it probably is the tensioner, that comment has no value. Suzuki and Honda’s CCT’s are as likely if not more so likely to rattle compared to Kawasakis.
Some Kawasakis have a tensioner weak spot … Hence why mine had a manual ones fitted … Never had to fit one to a suzuki or a honda or any other bike as it happens … Not saying it wouldn’t happen … but I have had an even split on bikes had a few of each brand got a Kwak , suzuki and KTM just now …Guess what the kawasaki could use having done in the near future 
It’s happened on virtually every single 636 on the 6r forum, so it’s not just bad luck IMO
Same complaint I bet too … spring becomes weak over time and loses it push power allowing the chain to slap .
Yeah the locking mechanism works fine so you can manually adjust the stock one up if you know what you’re doing, lots of people just put an APE one on though and adjust when needed.
Much of the range got a similar or identical tensioner … and they were all affected . From the KLX off roader - VN700 cruiser
Precision Japanese Engineering ™
You can change the spring for a newer one as tension reduces with wear.
On Suzuki GSXR 1000 K5s it is possible to fit a ball bearing between the spring and the adjuster, which increases tension and reduces noise. They left it out in this engine, but don’t know about the 636.
Ask on a Kawasaki forum.
