https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=zx14+piston+slap

Hi guys, im realy hoping you can help me. I think i got a big problem with my bike. Ive put a video link above from YouTube. Thats my bike runnign and radling.
We have changend the cam chain and tensoiner. I have changend the oil to a thicker one(helped a bit). The cams itself have been checked. The valves has been checked(one was +0,02 to high we replaced it).

And now im lost. The sound is only on the right side of the bike and most at the top of the engine at the valves. When i ride it it comes hardest at 3500rpm en goes away(or cant hear it) above 5500rpm.
The only strange thing is that sometimes when i put less throttle and rpm goes down i dont hear the radle.

The only thing that makes sense is piston slap. Is this the sound of piston slap?? Does it need replacement? Can i ride it till its more broken? Or does anyone has a good price big bore muzzy for me :) lol. But no im very sad about my precious bike. Im hoping someone can help me.

Sorry for my english, im from holland. But i know the experts are on this forum.

My first suspicion is that your new cam chain tensioner is no good. Before you panic put in an APE Manual chain tensioner. If you can hear the sound of the cam chain change when you are adjusting it that's your issue.
The tensioner in these bikes are marginal when new.

Keep us posted on what you find.

Mad

Thnx 4 youre reply. I forgot to tell that i changend the chain and tensioner after start of radle. The chain was very lose and needed renewal. Maybe it is the tensioner now. The one i replaced was broken. It didn t go back in. I will try youre advice.

If that is the video, It does not sound like the steady rattle of the can chain and that would probably go away when you revved he engine. It is hard to tell from the video but I hear a loud slap when you first hit the throttle and tapping when the throttle is steady. Maybe this is more sever in real life but I would probably not have noticed anything was amiis from this video. My engine taps a bit. I don't notice it while riding but the engine is not perfectly quiet while idling.

We have changend the cam chain and tensoiner. I have changend the oil to a thicker one(helped a bit).

Did you noticed any metal shaving residue when you changed the oil? Did you look inside the oil filter? How many miles on the bike? Why did you change the cam chain and the tensioner?

Engine knock + metal in oil it's almost always = bearings.

You could send an oil sample to Blackstone lab for material analysis, they will discuss the results with you. If there is metal in your oil they may be able to suggest which parts it’s coming from. I would also do a compression and leak down test that may reveal important info.

If it was my problem I would not ride it until I narrowed down the probable cause, could be fixable now but not if it detonates.

Good luck, hope it’s not as bad as it sounds.

I can only guess. Check for exhaust leaks. Can make this sort of sound.

It's good video but there's often subtleties in the sounds lost or added in video. It does sound like cam chain pensioner rattle but there's a few clacks in there that make me thing either broken valve spring or bearing going out.

When i changend the oil i checked for metal. It was clean. It was my 1st guess. The garage im working with also says that this isnt the sound of a bearing. Thats much more metal sound. Also the gasket isnt it. A valve can be but the valve isn t in contact with oil. So it doesnt make sense that the noise gets less with thicker oil. The sound comes from the rigt side so after the bearing check the best option was cam chain. With tethoscoop you could hear it. The chain was very lose and the tentioner was completly out and coulnd t return. So had to renew that to. For now i will go that the chain end tensioner needed replacement and that i know have a broken tensioner. I will buy a manual tensioner and try that.

To rook that isnt the video. Zx14 piston slap? Is the title.
im not riding the bike. Its winter over here so i got time to do some stuff. If i now more i will keep you updated
for more sugg3stions let me know. Thnx

Sorry it is the right video. 1st one did something wrong. But you are telling me you dont hear a radle?

Maybe another point of interest. When cold no radle at all only when warm

But you are telling me you dont hear a radle?

When you bring the camera up to the top, I hear it on top compared to normal whine of the engine (think it's water pump whine). I hear the rattle later but it's subtle compared to the exhaust. I hear a pronounced tap when you first hit the throttle. Sounds like a very steady rhythm in time with rpm. The can chain rattle is more irratic like popcorn except metalic. Also, probably would be a more audible compared to the exhaust....and I would think you would hear it louder at low rpm when the centrifugal force does not pull the chain tighter on it's own.

The valves has been checked(one was +0,02 to high we replaced it).

How about lifter buckets? Cars make that noise when the oil is cold. Are you sure you didn't open up the clearance too much? You checked clearance after doing the adjustment?

Sounds like cam chain slap. Maybe what Rook said is check the lash again, plus the cover being off you can check to see if the chain is tight or not.

Heej guys, i just tryed the manual tensioner and it didnt help. It doesnt make a difference tight or lose. The radle stays. Only when cold engine its completly gone. Yes we checked the clearance after. And the radle started before all that work was done. I uploaded a new video with better sound i think 'zx14 engine knock marnix' and you should find it. Srry im not that digital to put the video here.. can i let the engine run without the head on or will it be a oil splashbath? Thnx for youre thinking guys. I will just start to take it apart shortly.

Don't run the engine with the cover off, you can pull the plugs and rotate it in 1st or 2nd pushing the rear wheel forward - only forward.

If the manual tensioner didn't quiet the bike, then small end rod knock. Look for a loose wrist pin.

Do you think i will see something when im taking down the bike or will the clearance be to small to see and i will have to renew rod and piston together all 4 just incase? Or just 1 rod? Is there a way to see is its no good. Maybe compression check?

That's something tapping at the same tempo as the motor. I still say the cam chain rattles more like a whirling can of bolts. Fast but it's not a regular tempo. Been a long time since I heard it. Anyway, I think you've eliminated that. The rod bearings are #2 on the list of likely culprits. I remember being told a tapping like that could be a wrist pin but we don't hear of those going bad on a 14. If you check the rod bearings, might as well check the wrist pins too. You'll be pulling the whole works out anyway.

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/10/2016 @ 3:03 PM *

I recall Dogo saying he heard a rattle before his rod bearing let go. He was on the throttle hard an at high speed. The side of the engine case cracked and the oil shot out all over the rear tire.

Other symptom would be bronze colored metal flakes in oil. They all look bronzy when you look at them through oil so inspect carefully. It was rod bearing 1 and 2 on the clutch side. Inadequate oil flow.

Although rare, the 06-07 seemed more prone to this problem. I heard of a couple 08-11 doing it.

Don't run the bike anymore. Pull the pipes, drop the sump pan. Look for brass and aluminum chunks. Maybe you can salvage the crank. Look for blue colors at the big end rod. If it's discolored like that... JUNK!

Its the wrong video guys.wright marnix moonen with it

I updated the second video url. Hope that's it. Still does not sound bad to me but if you're alarmed, might as well check it out.

Here's mine after valve clearance adjustment. Not completely with engine noise but I think less tappy than what you have going on.

So maybe wrist pin, maybe broken valve spring as Vic suggested. Have never heard of either happening on a 14 but you could be the first. A valve cant get loose with wear but I guess it might get loose if a spring broke....if you measured the clearance, you would have detected a loose valve anyway....unless you decided not to adjust it because it was NOT tight??