My 48k Service

[Debs]

Ok here I go.

Took baby in for her 48k service today.. Got a call from Mr K to say the shims really need doing as its getting close to that time.. Rather than waiting another 1k I decided that it would be best to have them done.
I was feeling a little bored at home waiting for Mr K to call to say she was ready, so decided to have a ride back up there on the Z1000 they have lent me..

On arrival I was given the bad news.. I wouldn't be getting baby back today as they didn't have the size of shims in stock and have had to order some in.. That didn't seem to bad until they said that they will only be able to fit the smallest shims in & that in 25k miles time she may need a complete engine rebuild.. That will come in at a cost of around £2500. They also said I could be lucky and she wouldn't need it, but just be prepared incase she does.

Now I have a dilema. Do I keep baby and hope that nothing needs doing [considering i've done 17k in 18months], Not do the milage and be a grumpy, fair weather, polishing biker, or do I sell her sooner rather than later? Hmmmmm

Now if I had the money I would sell once the service is completed, but I dont..

[tommytool]

Is this Bournemouth Kawasaki Debs?
Blimey, why on earth are they saying so far ahead that the engine may need a rebuild? I thought these engines were pretty bulletproof and had good longevity.
It would be interesting to know a bit more -  I use them in preference to the shysters in Exeter but I honestly cant see how they can deliver a prognosis 25k ahead of time.

I do hope they are wrong for your purses sake !

[Debs]

Yes it is BK..

The shims have to be checked every 25/26k. They are only able to fit the smallest ones in so if they need changing again in 25k it means a rebuild as Kawasaki dont do any smaller. I asked what the problem could be or how its caused and they said they wouldn't know until the engine has been stripped down.. BK has always been good to me and had my best interests at heart.

They supplied the bike new to Neil (sirtou) and has always been serviced by them.

I think they are just being cautious and honest of what may need doing.. At least I am prepared

[shaggs147]

I guess they must know what they're talking about Debs, but it seems strange on such a big capacity engine. If it was puffing smoke, or running like a bag of nails I'm sure you would've noticed.
Maybe it'll be worth them doing a compression test on all the cylinders after the re-shim to see if one is down.
I'm no engine builder, but would've thought the smaller the shim the better, showing that there has been less wear on the top end???

[Debs]

I have no idea shaggs..

They said that when they checked the shims, they were at the end of their life and required changing. Something to do with the distance was at its minimum [whatever that means]

Im sure they will do everything that needs to be done..

Just been thinking. Could it be a fault to do with manufacturing? As I said until its been stripped they wont know what or how its been caused. 

[O.C.]

I too can't fully understand this prognosis Debs. The bike isn't used heavily, by that I mean it has average mileage for its age, and a good service record to support that fact

I would be stamping my feet with Mr Kawasaki

[doebag]

Debs
When they say the smallest, they mean the thinnest to keep valve clearances within specs.
If in another 25k the clearances have closed even more, then their will not be thinner shims available.
In the old days with shim adjustment, it was possible/allowable to grind a small amount from the valve stem, which made the clearance bigger and allowed the fitting of normal size shims.
I think you may find that once initial wear has taken place, then the clearances will settle down and will need checking at the next interval but will not need adjusting. Om my previous bike [Vstrom 1000] the clearances were adjusted at the first recommended interval and then never needed adjusting again. I rode the bike up to 86,000 miles with one valve adjustment.

[Debs]

Yes doebag.. Thinnest as you say..

Lets hope it will settle down and I wont need anything doing....

Baby has never missed a service and been done every 4k.. They even commented on my service book saying "you dont see many service records like this" 

[trousersnake01]

Debs Im very skeptical of their future diagnostic. I doubt very much if they have seen a GTR with that millage on. My blackbird had its shims checked for the first time at 60k and one needed adjusting and I ran that to 72k before I sold it.

[Debs]

  Rob.. It dont do me any favours tho as Im a worrier and always look on the bad side of things instead of the positives..

I know I will now be worrying until I sell her or shes goes in for a 75k. I got 6 more services to go before I get to that point anyway.. 

[viper]

ive done a shim replacement , but on my zzr1200, i thought that as the engine wore, the shims needed to get bigger to replace the worn stem material. ????

honestly if it was me and as you clearly want to keep your bike, id just keep running it. IF these shims cant be replace in 25k miles or so, the bikes performance wont just fall off the cliff, it will be a gradual thing over many thousands of miles

if the shims need to be thinner then yes i can imagine one could take a small amount of material off the valve stem, if the shims need to be bigger then im sure you could have one fabricated, just in case you hve never seen a shim its a very small disc of metal the size of a small watch battery.

worst case senario, you could buy a replacement engine off ebay for under a grand and a competent mobile mechanic could fit it for you.


if performance or fuel consumption started to slip , you trade it in right ?

[Debs]

Thanks Viper,

The thought of an engine has already crossed my mind.. There is one on there for £1500..
When the time comes that will be one of the options to take...

Unless I win the lotto or Neil (sirtou) gives me his for free when he changes it then I will be keeping baby another 50k miles 

[trousersnake01]

Debs, as Viper says, it will be a very slow thing to happen. I bet you will never notice it. These engines have no stress placed on them.

Poor running and smoke out the back. You are a long way from that.

[100milesaway]

Debs, I think these people at you dealers are just putting the frighteners on you. An engine this big should be barely run in after so few miles, a few questions if I may, is the bike using any oil?, does it make any strange noises?, ie clattering, or knocking, has the engines character changed when you are riding along?,  is it still smooth?, does it still pull really strong when you open the throttle?, does the bike start easily on the button?. if as I suspect your answers are No, No,No, Yes,Yes, Yes,then my advice would be forget about what the dealer is saying, even though you have a good relationship with them, there is simply no reason to scare the poo out of you. If I were in your situation I would just keep riding and enjoying the bike. In my experience if there is anything wrong with your bike, then the bike will find a way of telling you, and seeing as that has not happened, just get the bike back after the service and ride into the sunset and enjoy every minute.   

[trousersnake01]

Yeh , and stop being a big girl