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Kawasaki Er6 rattling noise from engine

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brierleystuar...
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Joined: 31 May 2020
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PostPosted: 14:27 - 31 May 2020    Post subject: Kawasaki Er6 rattling noise from engine Reply with quote
Been out this morning and developed a rattling noise coming from the engine. Happens in neutral and all gears when on throttle. I can't hear it at idle. Ill give my mechanic a bell tomorrow and get it in but interested to see if any of you can advise or recognise what it is. Whilst searching for the issue i also found a significant crack in the downpipe. Seperate issue and im guessing unrelated. The bikes a Kawasaki er6f 2011. 18000 miles. I filmed a video on my phone and you can hear it pretty clearly. File to big to add as attachment on here so uploaded to youtube.

https://youtu.be/f-gVq7iztTA

Thanks for any advice.
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yen_powell
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PostPosted: 14:48 - 31 May 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
To me that sounds like a bit of tinware type thing rattling/buzzing outside the engine. Exhaust cover or the exhaust itself?
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brierleystuar...
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PostPosted: 20:54 - 01 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
Had another look and everything seems secure exhaust wise. My mechanic has mentioned something in the exhaust based off the video but the sound is coming from the top of the engine. This is out of my knowledge base but found something online mentioning the cam chain tensioner. Il strip the exhaust and the headers off in next couple of days to rule that out.
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xX-Alex-Xx
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PostPosted: 21:23 - 01 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
Sounds like a loose cam chain to me. What side of the bike is it on?
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Pigeon
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PostPosted: 00:12 - 02 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
Not there at idle, not there at revs, but in all instances there when the revs are falling and hit about 2,500rpm ish

Sounds like a loose bolt sat in a thin piece of metal, like a heat shield plate on exhaust.
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xX-Alex-Xx
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PostPosted: 08:48 - 02 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
Pigeon wrote:
Not there at idle, not there at revs, but in all instances there when the revs are falling and hit about 2,500rpm ish

Sounds like a loose bolt sat in a thin piece of metal, like a heat shield plate on exhaust.


That's exact symptoms of cam chain tensioner getting slack. Most noticeable when you get off the throttle and the revs are dropping.
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brierleystuar...
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PostPosted: 20:53 - 02 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
3 people have said exhaust related, heat shield. Mechanic can't do anything for a couple weeks so il remove the exhaust and have a proper gander. Would people recommend getting an aftermarket exhaust, or get a second hand stock. Black widow stainless setup is £300 or a used stock for £80. Second time now the headers have gone so tempted to just go stainless. Alot on the net say the twin engine sounds crap even with an exhaust but it's got to be better than stock right?
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Riejufixing
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PostPosted: 23:47 - 02 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
You are contemplating modular replacement, which may be quite unneccessary.

Sit down and relax - really - with an engine stethescope. Report back.
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mentalboy
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PostPosted: 01:38 - 03 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
Riejufixing wrote:
You are contemplating modular replacement, which may be quite unneccessary.

Sit down and relax - really - with an engine stethescope. Report back.


brierleystuartj wrote:
...Whilst searching for the issue i also found a significant crack in the downpipe.

Seems like an OK reason to replace the headers, although I might look at getting the crack welded up.


OP: When you say 'second time headers have gone', care to give us a timeframe/mileage covered? I know that there are some right dodgy internet sellers out there but cracked OEM headers are nearly as rare as hen's teeth.
My old Zed had a few alterations which meant that the stock headers were an absolute bastard to fit properly and after one particularly rumbunctious session trying to refit them I cracked a pipe near the header flange - getting it welded in place meant that it held it's new, ever so slight but more than enough, twisty fuck-ed up shape and fitted like a glove when later removed, replaced etc. Could it be that your headers are twisted under a pressure they weren't designed for?
EDIT: I've just remembered that it was the Motad cans that fit differently from the OEM ones and that was what threw out the header alignment.


As for the rattle, it's a Kwak and they were prone to noisy cam chain tensioners. I would hope that they've fixed the old design self-tensioner as those had a tendency to self destruct, as I haven't owned a post-millenium Kwak I couldn't tell you if that is likely to happen....
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Pigeon
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PostPosted: 21:14 - 03 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
mentalboy wrote:

OP: When you say 'second time headers have gone', care to give us a timeframe/mileage covered? I know that there are some right dodgy internet sellers out there but cracked OEM headers are nearly as rare as hen's teeth.


Just to add 2p. An ER6 owner on here told me that the ER6 (early models at least) were renowned for cracking oem headers.......that and coil sticks seemed to split.
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topperuk
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Joined: 25 Apr 2020
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PostPosted: 17:12 - 04 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
Had a rattle on my ER6 and found it was the pillion pegs rattling at 4k rpm!! Had me worried for a while until I found it!
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topperuk
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PostPosted: 17:15 - 04 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
I've also been told (but never found it myself) that the air filter can rattle in the airbox if not fitted correctly (or a cheap aftermarket used that doesn;t fit properly)
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brierleystuar...
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Joined: 31 May 2020
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PostPosted: 20:46 - 04 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
mentalboy wrote:
Riejufixing wrote:
You are contemplating modular replacement, which may be quite unneccessary.

Sit down and relax - really - with an engine stethescope. Report back.


brierleystuartj wrote:
...Whilst searching for the issue i also found a significant crack in the downpipe.

Seems like an OK reason to replace the headers, although I might look at getting the crack welded up.


OP: When you say 'second time headers have gone', care to give us a timeframe/mileage covered? I know that there are some right dodgy internet sellers out there but cracked OEM headers are nearly as rare as hen's teeth.
My old Zed had a few alterations which meant that the stock headers were an absolute bastard to fit properly and after one particularly rumbunctious session trying to refit them I cracked a pipe near the header flange - getting it welded in place meant that it held it's new, ever so slight but more than enough, twisty fuck-ed up shape and fitted like a glove when later removed, replaced etc. Could it be that your headers are twisted under a pressure they weren't designed for?
EDIT: I've just remembered that it was the Motad cans that fit differently from the OEM ones and that was what threw out the header alignment.


As for the rattle, it's a Kwak and they were prone to noisy cam chain tensioners. I would hope that they've fixed the old design self-tensioner as those had a tendency to self destruct, as I haven't owned a post-millenium Kwak I couldn't tell you if that is likely to happen....


The first time the original headers went was rust rather than a crack near to the join to the muffler. As a temporary but now not so temporary as that was 2 years ago, I had it cut and a new piece of pipe welded. Now the headers have a crack which is at the lowest point of the headers, as they bend towards the back of the bike. I could reuse the muffler but second hand headers are £100 and don't look the best of condition. My original headers and muff are tatty and rusty at joints anyway so not worth welding. I think it's the original exhaust setup and it's done 18000 miles. She's provided me with some good fun so I think she deserves a bit of bling and a new shiny stainless will do the trick.

Im stripping the old exhaust off tomorrow so il investigate the suggestions above regards loose bolts and pegs and report back. If I feel brave I might get a youtube video open on checking the cam chain tensioner and have a tinker with that.
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brierleystuar...
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PostPosted: 16:10 - 05 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
Taken the exhaust off and done another video. It's loud but pretty sure the rattle has gone. The significant crack in the exhaust turned out to be nearly all the way round and hanging on by a thread. This must have been the rattling.

https://youtu.be/c2mNfIIUGGg
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brierleystuar...
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PostPosted: 16:57 - 05 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
This is a video of the headers. The flange for the headers to bolt to the engine has also come off.i suspect this is the actual cause of the rattle. High up where it actually sounded like it was coming from. Case closed but thanks for the replies and help.

https://youtu.be/nbaNMYnkWRM
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FretGrinder
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PostPosted: 18:16 - 05 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
It'll be interesting to see if the noise has gone when you put a new set of headers on.
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brierleystuar...
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Joined: 31 May 2020
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PostPosted: 21:09 - 13 Jun 2020    Post subject: Reply with quote
Good news. The rattle has gone. New stainless steel headers and a high level exit exhaust fitted. Never seen one on an er6 before but I like it.

https://youtu.be/4DUxdVEeBbY
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