Another great trip ends in the back of a moving truck (cam chain tensioner #2)

[ripster31]

as routine maintainence, how often should i replace the cam chain?

[TLRam1]

I have not heard of anyone replacing a cam chain so it is not often at all, scheduled maintenance I don't know.

Go to the Magna FAQ Sectin on this forum and download the Service Manual, see what it might say there, if not in your Owners Manual.

[hootmon]

I'm with Terry, never heard of a cam chain issue (one guy on here has 180k on his bike)...
Now tensioners, they have gone and  it's usually the front one..

[Jerry G Turner]

It is not a routine maintenance's issue you only need to replace it if it goes bad.

[ripster31]

Jerry you need to be my neighbor lol.

[hop along]

Thanks everyone.  Looking at the details of the service manual, it discusses procedures for checking/setting cam chain timing in the event of replacing the cam chain. 
It concludes with the bits about how to install cam chain tensioners. 
One thing I wonder about: Is it necessary to check cam chain timing when just replacing the tensioners and not the cam chains?  I gather the answer to that is 'no'.

My bike is at the dealership now (first time in years...) as the left side is significantly hotter in feel than the right.  Even riding in below 40 temps, the cooling fan comes on, and you get that hot engine cooling sound.
The dealership technicians say they fixed the problem by changing the coolant which was less than 1 year old.  So I am waiting for the ice to melt off the roads to pick it up.  I only hope the coolant was the issue (implying I need a lesson in coolant changing....) or else I'll be a lil grumpy.  They didn't even ride the bike to evaluate the issue themselves.
Hop Along

[lragan]

"Give this guy a pat on the head and send him on his way..."

[TLRam1]

Unless you had a lot of crud in your system a coolant change is of little help with the conditions you described.

What do you mean the left side? Left side of the radiator, left side when you feel the motor, left side on your leg?

Normally if you have a cylinder running hot, assuming your water flow is good, you have a lean condition. If your fan was coming on prematurely you have a sensor issue.

[hop along]

Quite hot on the left side, felt on my leg while riding; while stopped or after shutting down the bike, it is a little hard to tell if it might be the front or rear cylinder, or engine case.  The temperature difference is quite noticeable between the left and right sides. 

If they want to send me on my way they could at least give me a good cigar, eh? 
Hop Along

[TLRam1]

If what the dealer does will not correct the heat issue it would be nice if you could come up with an infrared thermometer and see where the heat is coming from. Run your hand close to the surface might give you an indication also, hopefully you have no more issue with the bike once you get it back.