ZXR400 sounding very lumpy.

MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

It all started when I went down to my garage the other day to start me bike up, only to find the battery was dead. Ok, no biggie... SO i got my bro down to jump it with the leads from his zx6r. Started first time. Then the following day, I went to start her up and it didn't sound right at all. it's now sounding more like a turbo v twin on baked beans. the tone of the exhaust has got a lot deeper and the bike struggles to hold it's rpm. I have to have the choke fully on in order to keep the revs up. I daren't ride her incase I do damage.

I did take the tank off and airbox to give the carbs a clean, I drained each carb from left to right, then I noticed something. #1 carb doesn't seem to want to drain. I took the screw completely out and no fuel came out. Any ideas what this means? #2, 3 and 4 drained fine.

if anyone needs a recording of the engine or exhaust, please let me know.

thanks
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Sparks! · Sir Tart-a-lot Joined: 30 Aug 2003 Karma :

Solds like its only running on 2 cylinders?? I'm guessing it hasn't been run for a while if the battery was flat... ?

Take the plugs out and check them out... if they look okay then check you have a good spark (take all plugs out the HT leads, then put 1 plug in touch it to the frame and hit the start button, you should see it sparking)

The "sounds like a vtwin" comment makes me think its the plugs...
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MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

Thanks for your input Sparks, I will have to check them out at the weekend as it was a mission to get that tank off.

I'll keep you posted. Wink

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Sparks! · Sir Tart-a-lot Joined: 30 Aug 2003 Karma :

MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

Kwaks · I'm not a fast rider Joined: 28 Jan 2006 Karma :

Sounds like the sparks to me, how did you get on?
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Barry_M2 · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Karma :

MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

Barry_M2 · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Karma :

Thats the fella.

Yeah, get the carbs off, flip them over, take the bowls off.

To remove the floats, there is a very small pin that holds them in place, once you remove that, it will come off. But, the float valve is attached to it to and may fall off if your not carefull. Have a look at how everything sits when you take the bowl off, move the float up and down and you'll see the valve going in and out of where the fuel comes out. Its probably that thats getting stuck. Use a bit of brake/carb cleaner on it.

Job done!

Thumbs Up

Where abouts are you out of interest?
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MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

Right, I took the carbs completely off the bike and took every float bottom off with some problems. The previous owner said to me he took the bike to a local garage to get the bike fixed as it wasn't running right. Well... the previous owner looked too stupid to fix the bike himself anyway. Pretty much all the bloody screws were rounded off (no thanks to the grease monkey mechanic), so I had to take them off with a pair of pliers. Then I found a 1 of 4 screws missing that holds the choke arm together.

Anyway... when I took carb 1 apart (the 1 that wouldn't drain fuel) the float bowl was caked in erm.... I dunno, looked like rust? So I cleaned that up as best as I could and it now drains fuel Very Happy

I thought I'd be on the safe side and check all carbs. #2,3 and 4 all ok Thumbs Up

I'll fit the carbs back to the bike sometime this week coming and let ya'll know how she's running Smile

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Barry_M2 · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Karma :

MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

FIXED!! I think Neutral

well... before I cleaned the carbs I really had to stuggle to even fire her up. Having the choke fully on etc... and then she wouldn't hold a simple idle of 1200rpm I would have to have the throttle open a little to hold the revs and if I let go to make the bike idle, she would just die.

I put the cleaned carbs back on just now and she fired up like a couple of seconds later (well the carbs were empty so...) with no choke! she sounded rough at first maybe because the carbs were still filling up? but she holds her idle quite nicely.

Only problem I have now is that when I open her up then drop the throttle, she slows down really really slowly. Sticky throttle cable? choke cable sticking? I don't know but I did check them over.

Well at least she fired up ok. Very Happy

Gonna check the sparkies just to be on the safe side.

i'll Keep y'all posted. Thumbs Up

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ace_tweety · Could Be A Chat Bot Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Karma :

yeah sounds like a sticking throttle cable or something?

Make sure its not caught on anything then you were putting everything back together.
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Barry_M2 · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Karma :

It could be a sticking throttle cable, does the twist grip return quickly when you let it go?

Could also be a slight air leak on the inlet side of things.

Make sure the carbs are pressed right in to the rubbers and that the clips on them are done up tight.

Thumbs Up

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MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

I checked over the bike again and it all seems to be ok...cable wise that is.

I've added a lil mp3 of the bike what it sounds like. It really does sound ugly. Crying or Very sad

I'd say that was 2 cylinders wouldn't you?
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Barry_M2 · World Chat Champion Joined: 09 Sep 2004 Karma :

Did you replace the spark plugs? If not, just do it.

Also, you could have a problem with one of the coils if 2 of the cylinders are not firing (1 coil per 2 cylinders). Take the plugs out and push them into the HT cap, rest on the cam cover and hit the starter, make sure all the plugs give a spark.

Thumbs Up

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MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

I took 2 spark plugs out today, I only took 2 out because It was getting dark, both from pot 2 and 3.

sparkie #3 is totally black and carbon and sparkie #2 is heading that way too.

If I got time tomorrow I'll check the sparkies in pot 1 and 4 and gonna do what you said Barry, I'll plug them all in and see if they're sparking ok Smile

I'll let ya'll know how it turns out.

Thanks everyone for the replies, very much appreciated Thumbs Up

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Timmeh · World Chat Champion Joined: 01 Nov 2006 Karma :

sooty plugs is a sign of over-rich running; you need to fix it else it'll just ruin another set of plugs. Plus if there is differing amounts of soot on each plug it suggests that the carbs aren't balanced either, which would also account for a poor idle and overrun.

Thumbs Up

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MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

UPDATE!!

Found the problem at last!!!! Very Happy

Checked all spark plugs in each HT socket and plug #2 and #3 aren't firing, so all along the bike has only been firing on #1 and #4 cylinder. I thought to meself, it must be the ignition coil fooked. So I did a lil test before ripping it out and buying a new 1. I changed the 2 cables from the other ignition coil to the 1 that wasn't working, and hey presto. it started working again!

So I'm now guessing the 2 cables that connect to the coil aren't getting any power at all. Cracked cable maybe? lose connection somewere? or I.C Ignitor Neutral

Any ideas anyone? Only I don't have a clue where to start looking as this is my first 4 cylinder bike.

Thanks
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mr jamez · World Chat Champion Joined: 04 Aug 2003 Karma :

If you're going to be doing stuff like this, get yourself a multimeter and make life easy. About £15 from halfords or maplin. Then hunt down a wiring diagram which should make it self explanatory Smile

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MillaMeter · Nova Slayer Joined: 24 Dec 2005 Karma :

Just ran a meter across the I.C. ignitor only to find 1 maybe 2 pins are not working very well. I followed all the directions on the manual on how to check the ignitor etc...

So this looks like a new I.C. ignitor.... great.

Anyone know any decent places I can get 1 cheap as chips? even if it's second hand? (strap for cash atm)

Many thanks on the replys btw very much appreciated Thumbs Up

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2010 Kawasaki ZX6R RAF Performance Edition / 2008 Kawasaki Ninja 250 K8F