What an honor the have the first technical related post here...
There have been some postings on the old forum already about the Cam Chain Tensioner (CCT) and the problems related to that. I have no history about my 1999 Varadero, so don't know if my bike has had the modification. The last trip I thought I heard some rattle from the back cylinder, so bases on all that info, I decided to check the CCT's. I read about the possibility to only replace the springs (see link below). So based on the low costs for the springs, the strategy was to try this first.
http://varaderoforumcom.h826747.serverkompetenz.net/viewtopic.php?t=919&highlight=cctI've made the special release tool fist. Then removed the two CCT's. For the back CCT, I unscrewed the brake pipe's so I had more space to unscrew and remove the CCT. For the front CCT the tank and airbox needed to be removed. No need to remove the carburetors. See the pictures...
When I removed the CCT's I noticed the front was almost dry from oil. It was dirty and even a bit corroded on the inside! The back CCT was well oiled. The position of the CCT's explains this difference and it's makes sense that the front CCT will be the first one that stops working.
When I started the replacement of the springs, I noticed the new springs were a bit different. The new ones have a larger "hook" at the end and are thinner (new:0,7mm / old:0,8mm). It fit's, but the differences made me wonder what to do: clean everything and simply re-use the old spring or use the new one.
Could it be the new spring is the one for the modificated CCT? I read somewhere there has been a modification, does anyone know what the modification was?
The safest way of course is simply order two new complete CCT assemblies, but maybe someone can help me with the questions I have...