Valve cover removal

I’m going to be replacing my valve cover gasket soon (leaky), checking valve clearances when the cover is off. I’m getting mixed answers from different forums on removing the cover, having to mess with the chain tensioner before removing the cover, Is there anyway I could get a solid write up of what’s needed to remove/install the cover please and thanks! 
Bike is 81 KZ750-4

The only real concern is that you must remove the cam chain tensioner spring, before you install the valve cover.  Failing to do this will result in the cam chain being over tensioned due to the rub block in the cover.

I’m still learning on this bike, I looked through my manual but didn’t find much, how would I go about removing that? 

tylerbornhorst99@icloud.com wrote:

I’m still learning on this bike, I looked through my manual but didn’t find much, how would I go about removing that? 

The tensioner has a 17mm hex nut shaped cap.  Remove that, remove the spring under the cap, and pull back on the metal wedge, if it doesn't move back on its own.  You are going to have to mess with the tensioner during cam removal for valve shim changing also.  

The camchain tensioner is on the backside of the cylinder, between #2 and #3. There is a cap with a 17mm head which is seen from the left side. Removing the cap releases tension on the spring, that pushes on the opposing wedges, that take up the slack in the camchain, "automatically". DO NOT, turn the engine over while the tensioner spring and cover are removed, without applying tension by hand to the camchain, between the camshafts, 

Mike 

Sorry for the repetition, Ed typed faster than me!  (pretty much everybody does)

Mike

krazee1 wrote:

Sorry for the repetition, Ed typed faster than me!  (pretty much everybody does)

Mike