Whats wrong with my bike ... if anything?

[Bryn]

Easiest way to find out if it's making a noise it shouldn't is to compare it to another one... there's got to be someone on here , in your neck of the woods you can meet up with for a bacon butty and a cup of tea   

[jonkawasaki]

Yeh the dealer said they would compare to another 1400GTR while its in for diagnostics 

[Richard]

Hi

I have one of these (same idea, different make), very handy for finding odd noises.
When I first used it on a car engine I was amazed at the sensitivity of it when the probe is put against various bits of the engine.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mechanics-Stethoscope-/390587352077?pt=UK_Diagnostic_Tools_Equipment&hash=item5af0d2040d

Richard

[Burchy]

Just on item 2

The tensioner is not controlled by oil pressure, but by a spring against a ratchet, so once it has taken up the tension, it stays like that.  Hot or cold. Engine on or off.  It can only be released by removing the assembly and manually resetting it.

The start up rattling is the mains and bigends gently knocking until the oil pressure rises and takes up the bearing clearance.  I had that same noise on my old bike and took to prodding the starter quickly to spin the engine without it catching a couple of times.  That stopped it.  It only happened on the first start of the day, however

[dokterdave]

The start up rattling is the mains and bigends gently knocking until the oil pressure rises and takes up the bearing clearance.

WRONG WRONG WRONG
If this was true your engine would be F cked in no time at all.
That start up rattle is the variable valve system coming up to pressure.

The tensioner is not controlled by oil pressure, but by a spring against a ratchet, so once it has taken up the tension, it stays like that.  Hot or cold. Engine on or off.  It can only be released by removing the assembly and manually resetting it.

TRUE

[pistole]

The tensioner is not controlled by oil pressure, but by a spring against a ratchet, so once it has taken up the tension, it stays like that.  Hot or cold. Engine on or off.  It can only be released by removing the assembly and manually resetting it

that is partly correct.

the cam chain tensioner on the GTR is partly ratchet and partly oil pressure. The ratchet sets a "basic" tension on the chain which is then supplemented by oil pressure from the block gallery as the engine oil circulates. Hence the rattle and then quickly thereafter , its running quiet.

the reason why there is the ratchet is to prevent the tensioner from completely retreating at shut down.

there are a couple of things you could try doing :

(a) manual tensioner



(b) loosening the two bolts that hold the tensioner slowly until you hear a click , and then bolting it down again (ie , sometimes the tensioner is between ratchets and thats when it makes to most noise during startup).

having said all that , once the oil pressure is up , the tension on the cam chain is all from the oil pressure acting on the tensioner. So , if you are SURE THAT ITS YOUR CAM CHAIN making your noise ( which from your recordings I don't think so ) , you may have other issues.

good luck man.

.

[pistole]

if you're technically inclined , the entire story is here :

http://forum.cog-online.org/index.php/topic,45586.0.html

the americans typically really know their stuff

.

[Burchy]

So, Jon, What's the news from Bmth Kawasaki?

[jonkawasaki]

Well nothing conclusive as yet.  They checked and tightened all the headers....no change.  Tightened cam tensioner manually...no change (but might be further explored to rule out completely).  More likely to be reed valves according to mechanic (which I believe you suggested Burchy).

Awaiting dealer on the Isle Of Wight to make up his mind whether he wants it back there to look at the reed valves, or send back to Bournemouth Kawasaki.

[Burchy]

If it is the reed valves ( and I stick by that) then there's nothing to do or needed to do unless you blank them off and block off the piping. Quite a common fix on the old ZRX where is was called The Octopus because of the myriad pipes Don't know how this will effect the ECU/FI, though

Ticking valves aren't causing any damage, but can get on your bits a bit

[jonkawasaki]

Quick update!

Bike going back to the dealer I purchased it from on the Isle of Wight sometime next week.   They are going to strip the entire front end off (where the mystery noise is coming from) to get better access to the engine and listen a little more clearly.  If its still not immediately obvious where the noise is coming from - first thing is re-seat headers with new seals and locking nuts.  If that doesn't work, reed valves are getting replaced.  If that doesn't work, timing chain and tensioner inspection and replaced if necessary.  If that doesn't work, hopefully by the time they've done the above they'll figure out what is making the noise!

Put it this way, once I've taken it back to the dealer its not coming home again until the noise has gone and if they haven't figured it out within a week I'm going to insist on a full refund.  Noise is getting worse on a near daily basis and no way can I put up with it every time I take it for a ride, but I'm sure its nothing drastic.

Went to Hampshire Motorcycle Centre the other day (amazing guys there).  They had an 09 1400GTR with 19,000 miles - fired it up for me and sounded sublime.  Mine sounds like a load of rattling nuts and bolts in comparison.

Feel free to comment 

[Lonewolf]

At the end of the day these bikes aren't cheap, you pays your money you expect a decent machine, good on you for sticking to your guns.

[Rusty]

+1 ... keep the updates coming. "Sounds like a load of rattling nut and bolts" .... could be my Gs in disguise.

[pistole]

my water cooled gs is rattly. Works great though.

good luck with the noise.

.

[Andy]

Who was there previous owner on the V5? Get in touch and see if he / she had any "issues" or "repairs" 

192.com

http://www.thephonebook.bt.com/publisha.content/en/search/residential/search.publisha