Hi all hoping you can help, my mate's bike is making a fairly loud rattle, seems to be coming from the valve train side of the motor & is worst around 6k RPM. This motor came from a donor bike with unknown history and this was it's first run. The valve clearances were checked and oil and filter changed, this is all we did to it. The old engine we took out sounded a bit rattly too but this has an extra clack-clack-clack sorta noise. I don't have much experience with the ZXR, hoping some clued up members can please have a listen and advise. We're hoping to have the bike ready for this Sunday...!
I agree, sounds like the cam chain is hitting the cover, maybe pull the tensioner and make sure its within spec
Only thing I can think of that we didn't do once the retaining screw was undone was turn the motor over by hand. Perhaps there was extra slack that wasn't tightened.
I know what bottom end knock sounds like on a car but not a sports bike... It's similar though. Hope it's not that.
This is what my dead cam chain sounded like... we measured both the old and new chains side by side. Old one was stretched by 5mm. Tensioner was fully extended.
Thanks guys, the design of the ZXR tensioner is pretty primitive it appears and the #1 suspect. With no ratchet mechanism & relying on spring tension it has probably sagged after 20 odd years! A manual tensioner would be the way to go, we'll have to take some measurements and try to find or make something to fit. In the meantime he has a couple spare tensioners we can try.
Any luck on finding a manual tensioner for the zxr?? I'd be interested as mine is turning to custard aswell after close inspection
There is this for the Ninja 250r which looks similar... http://store.schnitzracing.com/ape-manual-cam-chain-tensioner-kawasaki-ninja-250-08-13/ I'd like to see a stock 250R next to the ZXR one first to be sure the dimensions are the same though. Might have to take a trip to the wreckers and try and compare...
