Ive been getting a rattling sound from the engine on start up. Some times it goes away after a few seconds, but other times is goes on for 15/20 seconds. I let the bike heat up to two bars before riding and oil level is good. i have 24,000 miles on the bike.
Just recently i took off fairly hard from a light and had to stop at the next light, when i stopped at the light the rattling sound started and was there for about 5/7 seconds. It hasnt happened since then.
Any ideas to what it could be or how to fix it? thanks!

Sounds to me like the normal rattle of an engine that has been turned off for a half hour. Mine does it for a second on start up. Switching to full synthetic was a big improvement for the first couple hundred miles but now seems to be degrading. I would simply try doing an oil and filter change. If the oil has been sitting all winter, it's crap...'specially if it's conventional oil. Mine had sludge.

If fresh oil doesn't improve the situation, you might have an oil circulation problem. To tell you the truth, 15-20 seconds for oil to get up to the top engine on start up seems way long. Also, the rattle after the heavy oil demand of your fast launch would seem to indicate that oil circulation could be inadequate. Try the oil change. If your oil looks horrible, you might just want to call that the problem. If your present oil looks darkened yet still transparent as it runs from the motor, that was healthy oil (not that it shouldn't be changed). If the stream of oil looks black and opaque and you find gew settled at the bottom of the pan, that is oil that is well overdue for a change.

Whatever you do, don't do any wheelies or put a huge demand on the motor until you are confident the oil is circulating. I've heard several tales of engines blowing from oil starvation on long, high wheelies. If you have a circulation problem, obviously you would be at greater risk.

Rook

Just recently i took off fairly hard from a light and had to stop at the next light, when i stopped at the light the rattling sound started and was there for about 5/7 seconds.

That is a throttle WOT read. It goes rich at WOT. The PAIR valve opens knowing it needs fresh air a short rpm. A reed(s) were never cleaned all those miles and they need a periodic check. But that is one guess at your 5/7 second noise and a valve shuts off within that time = Normal, with option to clean but may not be the problem.

The engine is pinging, plugs are worn! replacement is kind of a bitch but you can do it yourself.

i did the oil change and that helped. i changed to synthetic a like half a year ago but i had to change my oil like every 1000 miles cus i would burn thought it. we do a lot of canyon riding. the guys at the dealer said to run a thicker oil so i dont go thought it as fast. so i use a blend now.
have to change my air cleaner this weekend so ill take a look at my spark plug when ive got it apart.

thanks for all the advice and help!

I will bet you that it is your header bolts. Check them to see if they have vibrated loose.
I had the same problem that only progressed. It was driving me crazy.
I thought that the cam chain tensioner was the issue but it was only loose header bolts.

BTW, I replaced them with Yamaha header bolts because they are longer and do not have the built in washer design like the POS Kawasaki bolts. THe washer spins on the bolt which leads to vibration and the bolts working loose.

Problem solved and she now purrs like a kittten on start up!

HMFIC
Should i just to go the dealer and ask for yamaha header bolts? im going to check to see if they are loose first. do i have to remove the tank the get to the bolts?

thanks!

You have to remove the lower fairing to access ther bolts and worst case scenario you may need to remove the radiator if you do not have the right size wrenches.
As far as the Yamaha bolts, you will need to take one of yours to the dealer to match them up because I can not remember the size off of the top of my head. Also, match the thread pattern.
The Yamaha bolts cover the threads to the end providing some corrosion protection and they do not have the POS built in washer like the Kawasaki' bolts.
I will be very interested in your findings because I am pretty sure that yuo are experiencing the same thing that I did. If I remember, you have 24K on your bike. Mine had around 6K when they vibrated loose. You could always keep the Kawi bolts...I just wanted to fix the problem one time and one time only! :)
Good luck!

I think I had my lowers off when I checked mine. I did not need to remove my radiator. What you need is a 1/4" square drive ratchet, a 14" extension (a 10" might just be long enough but I use a 14"), a U-joint adapter and a 12 mm socket. I think I was able to get on most from the V shaped vent hole in the side fairing. The innermost nuts I reached from down by the bend in the header. You will be able to get on all of them with the U-joint adapter. Using a 1/4" drive extension is important because you will need the skinnyness of the stem to fit past all the pipes and radiator and junk. Just be certain that you have the socket seated square and on all the way so you dont round off any corners on the nuts. Be very careful to crush any fins on the radiator with tools.

I got my tools at Sears. They had some sockets that had built in U-joints but they were shallow well and I don't think that would admit the entire threaded portion that sticks out beyond the nut. I was advised to not overtighten header nuts (forgot why). The short handle on the 1/4" drive and the twist flexion in the long extension should help you to avoid going overboard on tightness.

Rook

* Last updated by: Rook on 4/15/2009 @ 5:46 PM *

you really need to torque the nuts to 25 ft/pounds if you over torque you run the chance of breaking the head bolts and you don't want to do that. Take 2 hours of time and remove all the plastic and undo the three bolts holding the rad and move it forward it gives you plenty of room to get in there with a torque wrench and do it right you will also need to remove the air dam and horn in order to move the rad forward this is the way to go IMHO

i checked the bolts and they seem to be tight. i changed the oil cus it was time and that helped a little. but i still get a rattling noise.. lol.. i think that the oil is not getting to the top of the engine now. i have tried starting it for 2/3 seconds and then turning it off and then repeating that a few times and the rattling is not there.. but it is when i start it up for that 2/3 seconds so.. not sure. i think im gonna take it by the dealer tomorrow and hope it makes the noise and see what it might be. hopefully its nothing big and its a easy fix but i doubt it.

Could this be the cam chain tensioner noise that some people hear? (maybe I'm deaf - I don't hear it)

-Dennis

after your bike warms up from startup slowly bring the rpm's upto 2-3000 and hold it for a couple of seconds and see if the rattling noise gets worse you will know if it's your chain

read this thread

http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=222D0F26-1372-66AE-3BC4545324BE4127

* Last updated by: b00fa on 5/8/2009 @ 4:43 PM *

i took it in to the dealer today and they said that it was the started clutch.. or at least the noise if from that area. i have 25000 miles on my bike.. but they have a almost new one with 1100 miles that has the same problem. they are going to call kawi on mon or tues to try and figure out the noise and if its normal. ill post what they find.

thanks again for everyones help.

I imagine the cam chain tensioner rattle is a normal reaction to inadequate lubrication of that part on startup. I'm betting you have partial oil flow obstruction to your cam chain tensioner. Your description of the noise sounds a lot like the noise the rest of us hear from our bikes but yours just continues for a longer duration and after heavy oil demand. Keep us posted.

I have to say I had a rattling noise and yes it was the header bolts, I don't think they check these on the pre-delivery inspection, it's tricky but I have set up a couple of extention divers "with flexablbe joints" and I now do it my self No dissasembling just on bike stand and come from underneath. Good riding

I had the same thing happen to me. The sound didn't go away though and when I took it to the shop they said it was something in the engine which turned out to be a blown valve and my bike is still in the shop waiting for parts to come in. 3 weeks now! I'm glad i still was under warranty because they had to take apart the whole engine. The shop said if i had to pay out of pocket it would be more than 5G's. There were all kida parts that ending up getting blown off that day. I have had like four other guys tell me that their bikes blew up on them from riding hard. At least you made it to 24,000 miles the guy here with the most before blow up was 7,500. Good luck Bro

I think ROOK hit the nail on the head!!!!You said you switched to a thicker blend?Well-it's gonna be "harder" for that thicker oil to lube that cam chain tensioner.Sounds like cam chain noise to me I'm getting an APE tensioner on Friday-will see how that works out.Ride safe!!

"BLUE07" you know once you pull out the hydraulic cam chain tensioner it's alot of work to put it back in, you have to remove the valve cover in order to do that.

Look at the date. Look how you beat crap out of your bikes all dyno pinged. I heard that rattle the next start up after unstrapping that bike off the dyno. AH, said odd job. The OP had to experience that sound upon start up. With a wire massage to bring back some tension over the ratchet, this cured my rattle. I have yet to hear a peep from it since the valve adjustment.

Good call on the hindsight, Rook. Blue, If water was rushing down a mountain, say that was thin oil up the top end. Now, would thick as mud down the mountain stop that flow? I don't think so. Snothe oil, my man. Sniff, sniff. Detective Rooksteer I pee zoom?

Nice try....I know what causes the cam chain tensioner noise...The NEW bird has had the problem corrected.They told me what it was.

Let me get this straight. I pinch a few spring wires and my noise is gone? Nice try? No one told me in the book how to field fix the ratchet noise. It was a simple design, brilliant in fact, but no, nice try, bobble/bubble head. Being book savvy is more than reading the book. I have to assume the noise is caused by something other than normal riding. How come mine is as quiet as a mouse and I have the very first start up of it. Prove to myself I can bobble head with the worst of them.

And blue, if you stood in front of that dis, who's fault is that?

I don't know, b00f? I've been thinking about this; "BLUE07, you know once you pull out the hydraulic cam chain tensioner it's alot of work to put it back in, you have to remove the valve cover in order to do that." If I understood Rook, the loophole is back the crank up. This slaps the slipper at the arm that needs to be pushed back so very little. That hold-ring is a hair trigger. The ratchet-ring waits for wear to happen. That is the silent guy right there. That ratchet ring lost its tight wraparound. That is my take, I cold be wrong, but to clear that noise, did I stick my dick down there and hold it from clattering on start up?

My idea, and blue, come set this chain deal up, the banner is out, you are on your own you listen to blue or me. I say, that was sort of what I thought it would need without the cover off. Will it work, yes or no? If I:

1. Keep the tensioner in place so I can set the crank to slap the tip of the dick.
2. Have this correct, I turn the crank backwards. This has no chain trying to ride over a tooth if the tensioner is in place.
3. Move the crank just enough forward, I can now remove the tensioner. This says, field fix the ratchet-ring. Hair trigger the release-ring. Preload the tensioner and install. Slap the crank backwards. It was so small a move in degrees, there is no way for the chain to move over a tooth; you went slack too much for the slap back.

Is that what you basically did, Rook? No really bang the slipper at the tensioner. More like load it up backwards then release. Something like that. How close are we? And if you get it wrong. The book is the way. b00f was right.

Silly Boy...you yourself advised on the CORRECT WAY to reinstall the CCT(factory one)...and you were absolutely right.I've nothing to do with this deal.I knew that removing the factory one,and reinstalling would be a bitch...taking the cover off...the dowel...all that.In the book,like you said Hub.

boofA misunderstood what I was talking about apparently.I never said to 'remove and replace' the factory one.I went with the APE...no muss,no fuss.Someone got their wires crossed.If my APE didn't work...then yeah,I'd say...go back to stock.Mine worked(s) fine.Nowhere did I say...take anything apart.If I didn't trust the manufacturer with doing his homework(the APE people...and numerous posts everywhere about it)...I wouldn't have done anything.BoofA said "BLUE07" you know once you pull out the hydraulic cam chain tensioner it's alot of work to put it back in",....I had NO intentions of "going back" and "putting back in" my factory one.Period.So I wouldn't be commenting on a 'reinstall' and how hard it is or isn't.We all know...it's a pain in the U KNOW WOT.No thanks.

"i did the oil change and that helped."....now THAT's what I recommended Look it up...you said I was full of doo doo.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/3/2011 @ 2:06 PM *