520 Conversion - Noise from the front sprocket

[touloum lostrek]

Hi there

I am experiencing a weird, but I guess common problem with the 520 chain/sprockets installation. Yestarday, I installed a full new set of 520 chain and sprockets on my FZ6 S2 (-1 +2). I used DID ZVM-X Gold chain, AFAM drilled front sprocket and a Supersprox Stealth rear(aluminium body with steel teeth). The front sprocket had shoulders/lips on one side bigger than the other and my mechanic install it with the shoulders outside. After the whole installation, he adjusted the slack correctly and I left the workshop.
To the road back home I noticed a weird whinning sound coming from the front sprocket cover. Something like supercharger

Do you have something in mind about what is wrong ? The sound is normal? Maybe the front sprocket should be installed with the shoulders towards the engine?

Thanks in advice and all opinions and suggestions are welcomed

 

[Motogiro]

Make sure you have about 1.8 inches of slack in your chain while on the center stand. If the chain slack is to tight you could also damage the output shaft bearing or worse causing injury to yourself.
There are many who pose as technicians but fail.... You always hear them say the chain is going to stretch when they are actually stretching the truth.... It's a chain!

 

[Gary in NJ]

With a -1 countershaft sprocket the chain makes a tighter turn, so it is possible that you are hearing that. For the sake of good order do as suggested above and check your chain slack. While you are at it, check the rear wheel alignment to make sure the tech didn’t miscount the hash marks. Finally, you might want to remove the chain cover and give the whole assembly a review to make sure nothing is rubbing or a rag wasn’t left in there.

 

[touloum lostrek]

Thanks for the answers.
I have already checked my chain slack and wheel aligment and they are totally okay. When I had 530 set, I had -1 front sprocket too, without rubber, but no noise at all :/
LMAO with rag thing
So, What about the installment of the countershaft sprocket? It was correct to put it with the shoulder/lips etc outside?

 

[Gary in NJ]

I'm gonna need a photo. I've never seen a countershaft sprocket with a lip/flange.

 

[touloum lostrek]

The lip is because is 520 and because the sprocket's body is thinner than the 530, so they put the lip to fill the space.
The sprocket I used is this one:

 

[Gary in NJ]

Got ya. I believe (quite sure) that the flange should be to the inside. Check the wear on your upper chain guide. If the chain is now sitting inside the groove, there's your answer.

 

[touloum lostrek]

Yes, I think the same, for the reason I check all the other stuff and seems okay.
Why you think that the flange should be to the inside? It's a boring process to change it to the other side, that's why I am asking.
Btw, you tried 520 on Fz6?

 

[Gary in NJ]

I have the OEM chain and sprockets on my bike.

The flange goes to the inside because the nut and washer need to sit on a flat surface. If you do need to flip the CS sprocket, make sure you peen the washer over the nut.

If the sprocket is on backwards, it's something you'll want to change asap, otherwise you'll be investing in a new chain and sprocket in short order.

 

[touloum lostrek]

My CS sprocket has no flat surface. Has flange on both sides. Just on one side, the flange is higher. I will disassemble the chain cover to check the alligment and then I guess I will install again the sprocket to see how it goes.

 

[Gary in NJ]

I'm starting to think you have an incorrect sprocket. Here is a correct part number that you may be able to cross reference. A SunStar countershaft sprocket for an FZ6 with a 520 chain is 394-15 (the 3 means its for a 520 chain, the 94 is the FZ6 application, and the -15 is the number of teeth).

Here is a photo of what a correct CS sprocket looks like. The first is the OEM sprocket, the second is the 394-15. As you can see, there are no flanges or shoulder or lips.

 

[Gary in NJ]

I did some more searching. The SuperSprox does "appear" to have a flange...but it doesn't really. The correct SuperSprox part number is CST-580-15-2 and it has a flange because a 520 chain isn't as wide as a 530 chain - which you already know. Is this what you have? If so you're good to go. It's not directional.

Here is a photo of the CST-580-15-2.

 

[touloum lostrek]

Thank you so much for helping me bro, I really appreciate your effort!
According to Supersprox support, the correct CS sprocket for my bike is the CST1581-15 which is this one :

Seems that all 520 CS sprockets have this bigger flange on one side and the other is slightly smaller. Look at the design of the Supersprox and then at the design of the Afam I posted on my previous msgs. They are completely the same, so the thing is that I must find out which one is the correct side.
I saw some R6 2003 520 installations and they put it with the bigger flange inside the engine. These CS sprockets I posted, work on R6 and Xj6 too, so maybe the correct side is inside..
R6 has the same countershaft/transmission design?

 

[Gary in NJ]

The FZ6 engine is an R6 engine from the 2000-2004 generation. With that said, the swingarm and wheel are different. The part number you have (CST1581-15) is for an R6 from 1999 to 2016. The part number I provided (CST-580-15-2) is for an FZ6 and listed as a 530 to 520 conversion. Just because the 1581 fits doesn't mean that it works. What sprocket did they use at the rear wheel? Now I'm curious about that as well.

Check that chain guide for a new wear pattern. The smaller 520 chain should fall somewhere inside the original wear pattern.

Here is another test, but it will take some effort. Put the old sprocket back on the bike and measure the distance from the engine case to the center of the sprocket. Reinstall the new sprocket and measure to the center with the flange both inside and outside. One of those positions should coincide with the original. Since the part number is incorrect, I think you will find that one side of the sprocket is too short, and the other too long.

A chain that is out of alignment will wear very quickly. And going back to your original post, a chain that is out of alignment will also be very noisy.

 

[touloum lostrek]

Let me write you my complete set.
Chain--> DID ZVM-X gold 520
CS sprocket--> AFAM 21603-15 520
Rear--> Supersprox Stealth RST486-48T 520


I think that the CST-580-15-2 is 530 and CST1581-15 is 520. I measured my old sprocket (OEM) and the thickness is 11mm, exactly like the one I bought(AFAM 21603-15) and Supersprox (CST1581-15). So, with 520 teeth the bigger flange on one side is reasonable (I measured the hole thickness, not the teeth).
If this is correct, which I think it is, now, I must realise which side is the correct. The motherfathers from AFAM ignore my mails, so, I think I will try to change sides

 

[turbodan]

I had a 520 conversion on my last FZ6 and I do remember the front sprocket having a longer shoulder on one side. I don't remember which side I installed it on. I want to say I mounted it with the longer shoulder outward but I'm not certain.

 

[touloum lostrek]

After a while, finally we got news. The noise was coming from the chain slider. The new 520 chain can't sit properly on it. The rollers are out of the chain guide and the chain was scratching the swingarm a little bit. The proper way to put the 520 sprocket is with the bigger shoulder outside and the smaller inside.

So, now I must find a way to mod my chain slider in order to work with the new chain.

Any ideas ?

 

[Gary in NJ]

If the chain is outside of the existing wear on the guide, then the chain is out of alignment. Be sure to look for signs of uneven wear on the sprockets from time to time. It looks like the 520 chain will not last as long as the OEM spec'd 530 chain.

 

[trepetti]

After a while, finally we got news. The noise was coming from the chain slider. The new 520 chain can't sit properly on it. The rollers are out of the chain guide and the chain was scratching the swingarm a little bit. The proper way to put the 520 sprocket is with the bigger shoulder outside and the smaller inside.

So, now I must find a way to mod my chain slider in order to work with the new chain.

Any ideas ?

Somebody remind me..... What is the advantages of moving away from the OEM 530 chain? If it is performance, it better be a LOT of performance...... A weaker chain that won't last as long and needs mods to avoid doing damage to the swingarm.... huh?

 

[touloum lostrek]

If the chain is outside of the existing wear on the guide, then the chain is out of alignment. Be sure to look for signs of uneven wear on the sprockets from time to time. It looks like the 520 chain will not last as long as the OEM spec'd 530 chain.

Νο no, the aligment is absolutely perfect. The 520 set is thinner and moved inside, so the 530 chain guide cant support it. I didn't consider this from the start and now I must modify my chain slider.

Somebody remind me..... What is the advantages of moving away from the OEM 530 chain? If it is performance, it better be a LOT of performance...... A weaker chain that won't last as long and needs mods to avoid doing damage to the swingarm.... huh?

Never did that convertion on any of my previous bikes and I wanted to try it on FZ6 which has an overkill for a chain. 530 on 600 is way to much. I also used the top of the line DID on this mod together with high end sprockets for nearly the same longevity as the OEM setup.
In terms of power, the whole mod with the new gearing, converted the bike into something different.. The torque now is amazing and the bike is extremely fun to ride. I guess, if you are carefull with the throttle, it can help the mileage too.