Does anyone know what this screw is for that I am pointing to with the pen? I removed it by accident. Looks like it had oil right at the flat end of the tip so I imagine it goes right into the inside of the engine case. It had the pink factory thread lock on it but in this cold, that stuff crumbles into dust. I tried to reuse as much of the pink stuff as i could but decided to put some blue locktight on the threads and put it back in. Could not find a torque spec so I torqued it to 15' lbs which is about the standard recommended torque for 8mm thread. The threads looked about 7 mm to me.

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IDK....I'm tryin to figure out WHAT yer doin messin with all that stuff to remove a countershaft sprocket! BTW....what the heck's all that debris in there?Was that inside the slave housing?EEEEEKKK.She's a STREET BIKE....not MX!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 1/17/2011 @ 11:14 AM *

Was that inside the slave housing?EEEEEKKK.She's a STREET BIKE....not MX!

Yep, behind clutch slave and front sprocket. That's why I went beyond just removing the sprocket. It was a little cruddy in there but actually not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. That stuff is all chain wax that flung off and whatever else found it's way under the sprocket cover stuck like flypaper. Most of it gets caught by the inner chain guide and then runs down and out the bottom onto the side stand pivot (Self lubing side stand!). I think I will be switching to petroleum grease to lube because that stuff melts away better and is soft and pliable at lower temps. Maxima will be more of a midsummer lube.

As the story went, I was removing the inner chain guide to clean it off. That's how I removed the "mystery screw" by accident. Thought it was one of the chain guide screws. I saw oil on the flat tip of the screw. Looked in the hole with a flashlight and all I could see was darness. These screws don't hold anything on that I can see. The one I took off had a ~1/8" unthreaded shoulder--like busa fairing screws if you ever saw those. If these things don't hold something on, I just wonder why they are there? I'm pretty sure my locktight and torque will prevent the screw from vibrating out but I'm just curious why it's there. You know--one of those winter time, can't ride things. LOL

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I haven't looked in the service manual...but there's three on there,right?From your pic it looks like that assembly separates from the case there...does it?IDK.Maybe to replace the clutch shaft and seal?

oh--so that IS a cover. Must be a pretty hefty plate because it looked like it was just a solid part the engine block. Thanks, Hub. Figured you would know that one.

do not break the seal you go peeking.

Nope. That's about as far in the engine as you can go and I'm not messing with that yet.

You went dry rot on the chain wear. How many miles on the bike now?

25,000 miles on the bike and the chain. I was all worried that that chain had thrown all its o-rings. Remember when I came to you full of questions on that? Now that I disconnected a link, I can see those little bristles of rubber that stuck out once in a while were really just the o-ring edges worn off by contact with the plates. I never saw anything as thick as one of those entire o-rings popping out. I bet that chain could have easily gone to 28,000 miles. It has had the last 1/8" of stretch in the chain for the last year and hasn't changed at all.

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If you're worried about o-rings....IF they're failing....look on your rim,chain side.See any "dust like" oil spots on there?Maybe reddish,probably grey.Wipe one off with your finger.Feels like graphite?That'd be yer link lube slippin past the rings.If she's doin that....chain time!(IMO)

If you've got an X-RING chain,the rings are gonna have a "flat" spot along the outside(exposed)surface(take one out,you'll see the flattish profile of the ring...not the same as an O-ring).The TINY x-seals can begin to separate from the seal itself.That may be what you were seeing sticking out.That in itself...IMO....doesn't indicate a replacement just yet.But I'd watch for the "grey spots" on the rim.THAT will definitely tell ya they're failing.If ya lube yer chain....it may be a bit more difficult to recognize the link lube from the chain lube...but you can if you look closely.Just thought this might help a bit.Everyone does things different.Don't mean to jack someone's thread here...you guys know that I'm sureHUB... .

If they're failing severely,yer gonna see several areas on your rim that have splash marks on it,probably grouped together.When I first noticed mine, I thought "wth is this shi%?I haven't lubed my chain recently,so what's THIS?"THEN,after looking around there,I noticed the ring pieces sticking out...corresponding with where the spots were at on the rim. I don't need anyone to tell me where the bear shit in the buckwheat

NOW...to Kawasaki Design.Wouldn't it be interesting IF those designers fashioned those wheel spokes to be angled for pulling air in and across those rims?Imagine how EASY it would be for the average Joe to discover WHEN his x-ring chain is beginning to fail?Hmmmmm.....(course,the front would need to look appropriate to the rear,so no biggie there.They're quite stylish the way they are!)

* Last updated by: blue07 on 1/19/2011 @ 12:57 PM *

I just turned 17K. We are about 8K difference and look at how much more I have to go. And your bike's 'forensics' as to the death of those rubber o-rings flying off were way too dry. Here I thought you were on the lube every 300 miles on average.

It lasted all those miles even if i went 100--200 over on a lube now and then. Maybe I was a bit stingy on the lube. IDK? The gunk is mostly wax. It just collects more dust and gravel. The chain guide that curves around the sprocket is coated with wax. If I'm going to gob on the lube, it is going to be that high temp axle grease i thought I had a lifetime supply of because it only came in 2 qt buckets. That stuff will fling but it will also melt away, I believe. Really, I think the o-rings are all intact but they did not retain a round shape. They developed an edge and that is what stuck out and shredded away from the main o-ring. It really seemed to happen after cleaning the chain with WD-40.

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Hmmm...wd-40...maybe.I can't say for sure,but my last chain...I do believe I used wd-40 at one or two times of "cleaning" and lubing.The x-rings went BYE BYE pretty much at one time."Water Displacer"...that's what wd stands for.Could suck the life right outta those teensy tiny rings I'm thinkin.I only use Maxima Chain Wax now...and a good kerosine cleaning every once in a while.

I only use Maxima Chain Wax now...and a good kerosine cleaning every once in a while.

Same here. In fact, same story with the WD. I used it twice and each time noticed the little black bristles popping out between the plates and breaking off to end up stuck on the wheel. Seems to me that stuff at least softens up the rubber. It probably swells up and starts to crack. I've seen rubber react that way to other solvents. I don't understand what is so special about kerosene but I saw no signs of any deterioration after using it.

I will be using axle grease for lube until the weather gets hot, however. I don't think that wax is soft enough at low temps and it certainly is a hard, sticky mess. Not that I see it but it will ooze off of the bottom edge of the lower fairing now and then.

* Last updated by: Rook on 1/20/2011 @ 8:34 AM *

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Kerosine?Ya...I don't know what's up with it's properties either...but Kawasaki advises using it...so I'm gonna go with that.I am NOT however, gonna use 90 wt.friggin gear oil as they recommend.Sheesh...you'll be slippin and slidin all day long with that flyin all over yer wheel!That Maxima...I only use the minimum amount.I don't "soak" the links in it.Just a light spray..and only after a ride.Not before.Best I've used yet.Way clean.But I know what ya mean about it kinda drippin down the belly fairing tip there at the kickstand and such.That's why I cut back on usin so much.Nipped that problem in the bud pronto.If yer chain's nice and warm,you don't need much.Just enough to have it suck into the plate area when it cools.Works for me anyway.

Let me get this right here Rook...you gotta wait till APRIL to ride?WTH's up with that?!It's colder than a well diggers arse here...but when the roads clear and the snow stops flyin,I get out there and roll.Not every day,but at least once a week till the real Spring weather comes along.No way could I wait till...well...even Mid Feb or March to ride.No way.Spring doesn't hit here till around March,April.But I can't wait that long.If things are clear roadwise...I'm out.

At 7000 rpm,there IS no cushion of grease!You funny Hubster!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kqYDRxdgnC0...this...is your chain.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 1/20/2011 @ 4:51 PM *

ZX-14 SM p. 9-40:

•Apply a non-permanent locking agent to the drive shaft
cover bolts and tighten them.
Torque - Drive Shaft Cover Bolts [A]: 25 N·m (2.5 kgf·m, 18 ft·lb)

Found it looking in the crankshaft chapter. Thanks Hub. I torqued a couple lbs too light but I trust the threadlock I put on there will keep it in place. I don't even have my front sprocket yet let alone have it installed. I could take thye crankcase cover bolt out and re locktight it and torque to 18 ' lbs but it's fine. None of the bolts are torqued to spec from the factory on this thing anyway.

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Rook, After all those miles, tell my you hardly hit rain at all. Over 20K and that inner case looks practically out of the crate clean.

You should see how spiffy it looks now. Good for another 25,000. I generally avoid riding when rain is forecast but I got surprised a few times. I'd say it has about 3 good hours heavy rain and prolly about as much of damp roads.

* Last updated by: Rook on 1/20/2011 @ 7:42 PM *

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