Rattling Noise on ZZR-600 (Video Included)

Simmy · 9 Aug 2008 at 17:25

Afternoon all,

My bike has developed a rattle which seems to be getting worse and worse. I can't locate it and I know it's a long shot that you'll be able to locate it based on this video! But are there any common parts that come loose on the engine? The video makes it sound like a complete bag of nails

I'm praying it's not coming from inside the engine. I'm fairly sure it's something external. Any advice appreciated.

http://www.smg-computers.com/hosted/bike/Rattling Noise.avi

Simmy · 9 Aug 2008 at 18:08

mrgubby said:
Couple of questions,

Does it go away if you pull in the clutch and put it in gear
Does it change with engine temp (is it the same from stone cold)
Is it from the front/top/bottom/back of engine
If you go along a bumpy road with the engine off does it rattle (loose brackets...)
How many miles has it done ?

It's done 12,500 miles.
It sounds like it's coming from the bottom of the engine. It sounds like the manifold is rattling but if I touch that (with my gloves on

) it still rattles.
It doesn't go away when clutch is pulled in/in gear.
The rattling is definitely worse when the engine is cold, but it doesn't disappear completely once it's warmed up.
Will try going on a bumpy road when the weather improves.

Simmy · 9 Aug 2008 at 18:22

Rich1988 said:
as it got oil in it ?

Yes it's got oil in it

Simmy · 9 Aug 2008 at 19:31

Thanks for the advice chaps. Will stop riding it and get it checked out at my local garage asap

Simmy · 9 Aug 2008 at 20:45

I'm pretty gutted as it's my first bike and I've only had it for 6 weeks. I've done 2000 miles on it and it's been spot on until this - but I've done no maintenance/servicing in that time

If it's the big ends I might be best off selling it on me thinks.

I think I was in denial and I just hoping it was something rattling outside the engine if I'm honest

Simmy · 10 Aug 2008 at 12:33

Found the culprit with the help of my next door neighbour

It was just a bleedin' stone in one of the exhausts! I ran the bike without the cans on and it sounded spot on. What a weight off my shoulders

Simmy · 10 Aug 2008 at 15:32

Yeah it was in one of the ends of one of the cans - trapped on the outside of the baffle.

Looks like I spoke too soon. There's still a rattle there when the cans are back on and it sounds like it's coming from the section that merges the 4 branches of the manifold. Perhaps there are more pieces of stone in there, so it's time to take it apart and inspect the manifold

Simmy · 13 Aug 2008 at 15:21

It was a private sale however I did contact the previous owner as he mentioned it was a brand new manifold and there were no details of it in the receipts he gave me. I asked him if there was any chance it was still within warranty at the place that fitted it and he said it probably was. He even offered to come down to the garage with me to get it sorted - top man

It turns out there's metal plate in the collector box to guide the air flow, which seems to have come loose, as shown in the pic below. That's not a pic of my bike, but I assume my manifold will have a similar plate in the middle.

There's no way to fix it without opening it up and rewelding it all back together. I'll contact the garage that fitted it later this week. If there's no warranty left, I'll have to put up with it and keep my eye out for a bargain 2nd hand manifold.

Simmy · 13 Aug 2008 at 21:47

The funny thing is, it is a brand new Motad manifold which has only cover 2000miles. I've not been able to find a manifold for sub £200 either. Do the motad exhausts come with a lifetime warranty?