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ZXR 400 Rattle

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TheBadMechani...
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PostPosted: 14:01 - 05 Jan 2018    Post subject: ZXR 400 Rattle Reply with quote

I have a ZXR 400 that I've bought around 6 months ago, it was a decent amount of miles, about 55k.

The engine runs so smooth it is unreal but there's a rattle coming from the engine, I tidied it up a bit and then did an oil change on it yesterday.

Now I've heard there's rattling issues with these bikes, I gave up with the ZXR forum as it's dead and I saw some guy fixed a rattle with an oil change but mine didn't.

I took it to my friends and he is sure that it's my cam-chain, now I know these bikes have crappy cam chain tensioners and all that but hey ho.

Now I was just going to buy a new cam chain tensioner as it might be a lot easier than doing the whole cam chain as to my knowledge I'd have to take the engine out to do so, this bike is my daily bike and I'm still riding it but I'm sure something could go drastically wrong soon.

I was wondering if I should just replace the cam chain tensioner which is only £18 because that would be the easiest option but then the chain might be slacked as well, then I'd have to get a new head gasket as well and the price goes up.

I'm unsure what to do as I don't really want to take the engine out (If I have to do so) at the moment as I can't really afford to at the moment and I'm pretty much stuck on what to do. Any thoughts?
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Dr. DaveJPS
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PostPosted: 15:47 - 05 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

AFAIK you'll have to expose the Camchain to fit a new tensioner to prevent it jumping teeth and fucking up the timing (you certainly do on my Daytona 675)
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TheBadMechani...
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PostPosted: 15:59 - 05 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Dr. DaveJPS wrote:
AFAIK you'll have to expose the Camchain to fit a new tensioner to prevent it jumping teeth and fucking up the timing (you certainly do on my Daytona 675)


Yeah I'm unsure if I can change the cam chain by just taking the RHS engine cover off or if I have to take the head off as well
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Fisty
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PostPosted: 17:07 - 05 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you pull the clutch in does the noise stop?
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TheBadMechani...
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PostPosted: 17:28 - 05 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Fisty wrote:
If you pull the clutch in does the noise stop?


No, it's definitely a rattle from the cam chain
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Chris45
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PostPosted: 21:23 - 05 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Is there a rattle at idle? Is it really noticable? If so, with the engine properly warmed up and idling, try opening the throttle a fraction, and listen for any change in sound. If the rattle goes away leave the camchain alone however if the camchain is rattling through a range of revs, then it needs replacing.

I've had two kawasaki's with similar problems to this - the GPz 305 and GPz 550 both of which had rattle at idle, but cleared at + 1,500 rpm. Always kept all my bikes well maintained so just learnt to live with it. The 550 rattled its way to 63K miles before I sold it.

If yours does need a repacement camchain, make very sure you've got the timing marks properly aligned before removal.
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TheBadMechani...
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PostPosted: 01:04 - 06 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chris45 wrote:
Is there a rattle at idle? Is it really noticable? If so, with the engine properly warmed up and idling, try opening the throttle a fraction, and listen for any change in sound. If the rattle goes away leave the camchain alone however if the camchain is rattling through a range of revs, then it needs replacing.

I've had two kawasaki's with similar problems to this - the GPz 305 and GPz 550 both of which had rattle at idle, but cleared at + 1,500 rpm. Always kept all my bikes well maintained so just learnt to live with it. The 550 rattled its way to 63K miles before I sold it.

If yours does need a repacement camchain, make very sure you've got the timing marks properly aligned before removal.


Yeah when you rev it increases the rattling noise
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ADSrox0r
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PostPosted: 10:13 - 06 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cam chain rattle makes itself most apparent on the overrun, blip the throttle smoothly and release sharply while in neutral and you can hear the tell-tale 'clack-clack-clack'.
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Chris45
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PostPosted: 13:36 - 06 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Yeah when you rev it increases the rattling noise


If it rattles and/or gets louder right through the rev range then the camchain is deffo fucked. Changing it yourself is no easy task and you'll need plenty of tools to do it. The only other thing to do is check the adjuster isn't stuck/gummed up. Can happen with dirty oil and poor servicing.
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Rogerborg
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PostPosted: 14:13 - 06 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you don't know the history, have a look at the existing CCT. It's possible that one of the previous 87 owners has replaced it with a manual tensioner (because racebike) that's needing wound on.
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andys675
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PostPosted: 15:23 - 06 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

the one I repaired years ago the tensioner blade had split, the tensioner was working fine but it didn't matter as it wasn't tensioning the blade and the chain was slapping about constantly, strangely the way it had split it was in a V shape so it did offer the chain some support so it didn't fly off, I am sure the part was superseded that replaced it
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Ed Case
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PostPosted: 19:34 - 06 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

There's a bloke darn sarth, Galea Cam Chain Services, who claims to do the swap more or less while you wait. That all depends of course if that is what your rattle emanates from.
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yen_powell
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PostPosted: 23:27 - 06 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ed Case wrote:
There's a bloke darn sarth, Galea Cam Chain Services, who claims to do the swap more or less while you wait. That all depends of course if that is what your rattle emanates from.
I've used them (him) a couple of times, the last time he let me join in the swap when he did one of my Africa Twins, I held the end of the old cam chain to keep tension on it as the new one was pulled through. So two bikes, three chains in all, plus some of my mates have had their bikes done there.

When he did the cam chain on my GPz750 in the 80s he told me that the work was guaranteed. I asked what that covered and he said if the chain snapped I could keep both halves.
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TheBadMechani...
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PostPosted: 13:33 - 07 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Okay so I have an update, unfortunately I didn't take any pictures Evil or Very Mad

I took the tensioner out and it was quite dirty, but it honestly doesn't look like it automatically adjusts, the tensioner pin was out but hardly. I then pulled it up about 4-5 notches and put it back into the bike.

Now the bike doesn't make a stupid rattle anymore but it makes quite a quiet noise compared to what it was doing before. I'm unsure if I should leave it or continue to move it up bit by bit until the noise fully goes, although you can hardly notice the noise it's making now.
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ADSrox0r
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PostPosted: 14:22 - 07 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well that answers your question, don't just leave it 'cos it's quiet now'. Whack a new one in and get on with life.
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Chris45
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PostPosted: 18:15 - 07 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
it makes quite a quiet noise compared to what it was doing before.


As per my last post. Clean and lube all parts of the adjuster and refit, change the engine oil with QUALITY oil and forget about it.
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Ed Case
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PostPosted: 22:52 - 07 Jan 2018    Post subject: Reply with quote

Chris45 wrote:
Quote:
it makes quite a quiet noise compared to what it was doing before.


As per my last post. Clean and lube all parts of the adjuster and refit, change the engine oil with QUALITY oil and forget about it.


Sounds about right to me !.
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