HELP!!! Over Tightened the Chain!!!

[Cactuz]

Please help! I adjusted my chain on my '91 Suzuki GSX400F for the first time ever and ever since i did there has been a wierd grinding noise or a clunk towards the front sprocket of the bike. The noise happend as soon as i adjusted the bike and i rode the bike home (about 30k with the noise) I have been told i might have damaged the seal and or bearing and given the type of bike it might cost upto $1500 to fix. Can anyone tell me what I could have screwd up and what I can do or check to see if its something smaller to fix. This is my fist bike EVER n I dont want to have to biff it but I cant afford anything remotly close to that figure.

PLEASE help me?
thanks in advance

[The Stranger:Me]

So I gather you have backed off the chain now and it is still making the noise?

[twinkle]

hard to say without seeing it. they make that sound if one of your chain links is completely rooted, chain climbs the teeth of the sprocket then 'clunk'.

[Chaosmage]

Better people around than me to offer advice here. But...firstly after an adjustment you should take it for a quick ride and listen/feel for anything that might be a miss eg. chinkin sound every so often might be a tight spot. If its making sounds like you explain its probably best to re-adjust it.

Have you since re-adjusted it to where it should be? If you have/when you have, does it still make this noise?

When you do the re-adjustment you will have to loosten everything off and push the wheel back in, to slacken off the chain and then tighten it from there. Depending on your bike size you may have to give the rear wheel quite a shove to loosten off the chain.

Hope it is just still too tight & you haven't done any major damage.

[Kflasher]

I did similar thing (slight grinding sound), it was due tightening chain incorrectly. I slackened off and followed procedure correctly and worked out sweet.

[bistard]

Have you backed off the chain??
should be about 10 to 15 mil of freeplay with yourbody weight on the bike,also
pays to spin the wheel & check in a few places on the chain,as can get tight spots
The seal & bearing they are talking about in situated in the engine cases right next to the front sprocket,if the seal is damaged it will be leaking oil
If the bearing is damaged the chain will feel notchey when you turn the wheel
(when the rear wheel is jacked up,or on the mainstand)
If you can get the front sprocket cover off,or can feel the sprocket when turning the wheel slowly,you will feel roughness or notches

[bistard]

The other thing I have just thought of is,have you adjusted both side adjusters the same,otherwise the chain & sprocketswill be out of line & give you similar noises

[Cactuz]

So I gather you have backed off the chain now and it is still making the noise?

Thanks for your response

I did loosen it and it is still making noise n there is a fair bit of oil around the front sprocket of the bike

[Cactuz]

Better people around than me to offer advice here. But...firstly after an adjustment you should take it for a quick ride and listen/feel for anything that might be a miss eg. chinkin sound every so often might be a tight spot. If its making sounds like you explain its probably best to re-adjust it.

Have you since re-adjusted it to where it should be? If you have/when you have, does it still make this noise?

When you do the re-adjustment you will have to loosten everything off and push the wheel back in, to slacken off the chain and then tighten it from there. Depending on your bike size you may have to give the rear wheel quite a shove to loosten off the chain.

Hope it is just still too tight & you haven't done any major damage.

Thanks for your response

I did loosen it and it is still making noise
It was making a similar noise as soon as i adjusted the chain, before i did any K's and now there is a lot of oil around

[Cactuz]

Have you backed off the chain??
should be about 10 to 15 mil of freeplay with yourbody weight on the bike,also
pays to spin the wheel & check in a few places on the chain,as can get tight spots
The seal & bearing they are talking about in situated in the engine cases right next to the front sprocket,if the seal is damaged it will be leaking oil
If the bearing is damaged the chain will feel notchey when you turn the wheel
(when the rear wheel is jacked up,or on the mainstand)
If you can get the front sprocket cover off,or can feel the sprocket when turning the wheel slowly,you will feel roughness or notches

Thanks for your reply

There was a lot of oil around, first i thought it was just chain lube spraying but most of it is by the front sprocket. When i do turn the wheel now on the main stand it seems to stop a lot faster than it used to, even with a slack chain. I did do my best to adjust it evenly but it was my 1st time n i think the chain is in very poor condition to begin with

[MSTRS:Me]

If there was no oil around the sprocket area before, but there is now....BAD THINGS are afoot!!

[bistard]

Yes,the sad thing is to replace the output shaft bearing you have to split the cases
If you think the bike is safe to ride,get the thing to a bike mechanic ASAP
They will advise you from there
Good luck
If its any help I think we have all done this before!!

[Cactuz]

If there was no oil around the sprocket area before, but there is now....BAD THINGS are afoot!!

Thanks for ur reply

there is a fair amount of oil there

[Cactuz]

Yes,the sad thing is to replace the output shaft bearing you have to split the cases
If you think the bike is safe to ride,get the thing to a bike mechanic ASAP
They will advise you from there
Good luck
If its any help I think we have all done this before!!

Thanks so much again

Grrr, is it really possible to do that much damage within a couple of minutes riding? Also would you recomend a mechanic cuz I had to save for the last 5 months to get my car cambelt done n i'm still short so I dont think i can save for a $1500 repair. thanks

[MSTRS:Me]

Thanks for ur reply

there is a fair amount of oil there

You have at least 1 of several problems....your chain is rooted (from the sound of it) and the sprockets probably are too. You need to replace them.
Next, check condition of output shaft bearing and seal. Completely clean the front sprocket area and dry it. Then Run engine in gear (on a rear stand obviously) =without the chain on. If you get clicky noises and/or fresh oil showing around the bearing/seal...then it's bad news. If not, you are lucky..replace chain etc and remember the lesson Do Not Over-tighten The Chain