[exavid]

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If it's the tensioner pulley it's pretty easy to check, if it feels rough when hand spinning it or there's any free play other than a tiny bit of endplay (both my new ones had a little bit) they should be good. You shouldn't be able to hear them spin either. These little gems cost about $80 per from Honda so check the old ones carefully. I replaced mine because one had a bit more play than the other, but probably could have run them for a few more years, they had 87,000 miles. If they are bad enough to whine it should be obvious when you check them by hand. If they feel okay it's possible the belts are just a bit on the tight side and slacking them just a bit might get rid of the noise.

 

[exavid]

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mag wrote:

PS...

The center pulley, the crankshaft, is the 'idler' pulley. The ones you are referring to are the 'adjusters' or 'tensioners.'

Noope, the tensioners are idlers. The cam pulleys are driven pulleys and the crank pulley is the driving pulley! Idlers are for controlling tension or guiding belts.

 

[exavid]

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Just gotta get the semantics straight here. The 'tensioners' or 'adjusters' are in fact in normal English, 'idlers', i.e. a pulley or wheel used to guide or adjust tension on a belt. Now Honda can call them anything they want, probably something a lot different in Japanese, but in general mechanical use in applications as varied as Helicopter drive systems, conveyor belts, and automotive uses idlers are what they are. In Honda specific terminology they are indeed called tensioners or adjusters depending on the manual or parts call out. (End of rant)

There, I feel a lot better.

 

[exavid]

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You got it right mag, except the tensioners (adjusters) aren't quite spring loaded since both ends of the mounting brackets of the tensioners and bolted down. I'm not all that sure what the purpose of the springs are since by themselves they don't provide the tension called for in the Honda or Clymer manual. If you just let the tensioners set the belt tension by themselves at least on my 1200 and my 1500 the belts end up a bit too loose.

 

[exavid]

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mag wrote:

If my cam belt tensioners need replacing, is it ok to find a decent set of used ones, or do i have to buy new?

Kinda depends on your courage. I'd want to go with new, but they run around $80 a pop. Does anyone know what the difference between the tensioners on the various models? The 1200 and 1500 use the same ones but I don't have any info on earlier models. Pretty likely they are all the same. I have a pair from my 1500, I just changed them because they had 90,000 miles on them but they didn't seem any looser than the new ones I put in, sounded the same when spun too. If someone wants to take a chance or needs them but doesn't have the cash handy, you are welcome to these for the cost of mailing.

 

[exavid]

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Harrystoy wrote:

Exavid, if you loosen the holding bolts the pulleys will travel freely up and down (pivoting at one end) and have spring tension on them. The manual says proper tension is accomplished using just the spring, no further effort is required and if you do pry on the tensioner you will end up with worn pulleys/belts (maybe even broken) and tensioners. :waving:

On my 1200 and my 1500 when I allowed the springs to set the tension it left the belts too loose. To get anywhere near the slack called for in the manual it was necessary to increase the tension on the belts by tightening the bolts slightly and gently prying up (and down) the tensioners. I've since had an opportunity to recheck the tension on my 1500's belts and it's just about the 1/4" slack with 4.4lbs pressure.