Cam Chain Life?

.one. · 30 Jul 2014 at 00:38

wazza300 said:
it could be those

but ive always been told they get tighter as the shims wear and don't make any noise

Tell them they need to lay off the drugs

wazza300 · 30 Jul 2014 at 00:40

haha,it was kawasaki mechanics aswell

maybe they didn't want to shock me with the bill to adjust them

ZedPowered · 30 Jul 2014 at 06:25

Had my J1 valves done at a Kawasaki main dealer. Paid £150 for valves and carb sync. No valves were out after 24K so factor in a bit more if some need adjusting.

VoG · 30 Jul 2014 at 07:31

wazza300 said:
haha,it was kawasaki mechanics aswell

maybe they didn't want to shock me with the bill to adjust them

He meant the shims get tighter in the bucket, not the actual clearances get tighter.

wazza300 · 30 Jul 2014 at 11:47

So can you have noisy valves?

If the shims wear down then the valves won't open as far? hence tighter clearance

VoG · 30 Jul 2014 at 13:14

Shims flatten over time so the gap gets wider & the valves get noisier.

wazza300 · 30 Jul 2014 at 14:09

i need em doing but £400 is too much

ill shop around a bit first or decide to try and do them myself

VoG · 30 Jul 2014 at 14:43

Bucket & shim is expensive im afraid as its a lot more work than tappets, so don't get your hopes up too much on getting it done on the cheap.

wazza300 · 30 Jul 2014 at 14:52

they were hydraulic on the zx6 f model idk why they didn't stick to those

Katoom · 30 Jul 2014 at 17:29

The shims don't usually wear, it's the valves getting hammered into the seats that causes the gaps to close.

wazza300 · 30 Jul 2014 at 18:49

it starts/rides fine no change from when it was new,i had another listen today its definitely coming from the cam chain tensioner side and around the clutch area

not loud but enough to notice it,im worried about the valves aswell need them done asap

bikes in good nick apart from that

EDIT: i thought the valves don't close properly(stay open) if shims are worn? yet some say they tighten up? idk

VoG · 30 Jul 2014 at 19:22

wazza300 said:
EDIT: i thought the valves don't close properly(stay open) if shims are worn? yet some say they tighten up? idk

Valves will be open if the gap twixt cam lobe & bucket is too small/non existent which isn't the case with your bike, as you've got no loss of power, your top ends rattling cos your valve gaps too big & your cam chain/tensioner needs looking at.

Scythe · 30 Jul 2014 at 19:34

wazza300 said:
it starts/rides fine no change from when it was new,i had another listen today its definitely coming from the cam chain tensioner side and around the clutch area

not loud but enough to notice it,im worried about the valves aswell need them done asap

bikes in good nick apart from that

EDIT: i thought the valves don't close properly(stay open) if shims are worn? yet some say they tighten up? idk

My 05 ZX6R at 15k is doing the same, but only when cold. No loss of power or anything so I think my tensioner is either about to click to the next setting and tighten or it's failed. I'm keeping my eye on it to see if it's worsening or if it is just a noisy engine, I've heard Kawasaki engines are renowned for being noisy.

wazza300 · 30 Jul 2014 at 19:51

yeah they are noisy

at 15k i wouldn't worry at all,from what ive read when they are first serviced/adjusted the length of time afterwoods is less important

i had mine done at 18k and its on 56k now,you can check the tensioner though and see how far its adjusted out,it will give you some idea of how far the chain has stretched mines on 7 clicks out