timing chain rattle! now what?!

I have an xj750j, with 32,000km. The other day i heard a noise. It was not a loud noise , but the peculiar clicky rattle was cause to turn pale. I am not a mechanic. I know enough to know where the timing chain is, though, right in the middle of that mill. I don't know if i'm up for pulling the motor and going in that deep. Now what?

 

32,000 Km's is not quite 20,000 Miles.

You don't need a Cam Chain yet; try doing an adjustment. Re-set the Cam Chaim Tensioner Manually. It's easy enough to do.

Search: Cam Chain Tensioner Adjustment.

Does your bike have a Manual or Automatic Cam Chain Tensioner?

 

From what i can tell from reading the posts, i have a manual tensioner. A black protudance about two inches long, right under the centre of the bank of carbs. It has a nut on the end and seems to be bolted on with two allen key bolts. looks to be more accesable from the right hand side of the bike. The bolt and allen key bolts- do i just back them off and then tighten them again? i'm a little dense with the mechanical stuff, and there's alot of information to wade thru. ifmy answers are already posted, just tell me to keep looking...
Thanx for your time, Rickomatic
ben

 

Wait, sorry!
I came across a pic of a cam chain tensioner posted by KiwiXJ750D. mine looks like that, so I think its automatic. notmanual as i thought.

 

All you have to do is present the slack in front of the Tensioner and let the Automatic function do its job.

You may need "Prompt" the Tensioner with a light tapping on the end Hex Nut with the Butt end of a Hammer to get it to react to the slack.

Pull the Ignition Cover / Crankshaft small cover.
Wrench the Crankshaft over Clockwise TWO FULL TURNS coming to a smooth and steady stop.

While and assistant taps the Hex Head of the Tensioner with the Hammer Handle ...

Quickly "Jack-over" the Engine in the reverse direction (Counter Clockwise).
The slack in the Chain will be presented before the Tensioner as the engine is turned Anti-Clockwise. As the skack passes before the Tensioner ... the Spring Loaded Tensioner will adjust itself OUT to compensate for that slack, now presented at the back of the engine.

Normally, it will react and reset itself to the new tension needed.

You memy need to do this process a few times to get all the slack out and to have the Tensioner make the Cam Chain taunt, once again!

 

Thanks for the breakdown. I feel there is a good chance this will quiet my cam chain. I'll let you all know how i make out.....