When I first got my bike as with most of your bikes I could run a pretty high mph in 2nd and 3rd gears. For some odd reason in the last two weeks my rmp's have been running really high. 2nd gear use to get me to 85mph+ with ease, but now my engine and rpm is screaming at 40mph in 1st and 60mph in 2nd. I have to go to 4th to get a nice 100mph. My gears seemed to have shortened. Any ideas of where to start?

And what type of acid are you doing? Aint yer gears...it's yer wheel spinnin!

* Last updated by: blue07 on 8/13/2011 @ 11:26 PM *

or your clutch slipping.

If I am not mistaken, isn't your gearing/rpm/speed all a constant with what ever set up you have? Meaning you will always top out at the same speed in whatever gear your in unless something else is wrong, like your clutch as alg8er said???

J/K...sounds like clutch...yup.

Ha, I figured as such. And I knew the gear didn't really shorten, I thought thought that was the best way to explain what it feels like. I have noticed spuddering in the bike and am looking to change the map on my power commander. The high RPM's definately can't be coming from mapping issues can it?

Nope, it's your clutch. Change it, and change your oil as well. Should be back to normal.

If you did not change the oil yet, pop the oil cap, stick your nose down there. WOT does it smell like? If it smells like cooked oil, that is fine. If it smells, burnt, not that over powering oil smell, but now has a robust my clutch fibers all burnt to a crispy smell [it].

WOT's That Smell? S-T-I-N-K!

About that oil, it was cooked! It was low, dirty and smelled I guess kind of burnt. I changed the oil and still had the same problem with the high RPM's. I know you all say all signs lead to the clutch, but someone suggested checking and changing the fuel and air filters as they might be clogged... sound right?

Well that sort of stuff never hurts to do when you're weeding out a prob

BTW i don't think there is a replaceable fuel filter

Sure sounds like the clutch slipping. Can't see how a clogged air filter or bad fuel would result in your problem.

Dude.. seriously, clutches are not that hard to change. Yes, they're more expensive then a filter. But if you keep running the bike with worn clutches, you will blow your motor.

Where do you think the worn off fiber goes? A brand new clutch has a stack height of almost 2.15". A worn clutch will start slipping at around 2.10" on a stock motor'd bike. That's .050" of fiber material. And guess what, your clutch is post filter. Meaning the oil (and fiber material) goes where? Straight to oil pan. Gets sucked up in the pick up tube, now you lose oil pressure and/or volume. Then you have the infamous spun rod bearing.

If you keep running the bike with a smoked clutch, you're taking the motor into your own hands. Buck up and change it.

ALSO, if you ruined your clutch bad enough, I would recommend pulling the oil pan and cleaning the pick up tube.

If you pull your clutch out, and the fibers dont really even have any fiber left on them.. You need to do this. Same with the steels, if they aren't remotely shiney (a little discoloration is ok.. completely black is not) you need to pull the pan.

After you remove the pick up tube, you can spray from the engine side down with a good brake cleaner (i recommend 3M, it doesn't have the harmful chemicals that the cheap shit does).

This is your baby. Take care of it.

And one more thing..

If someone suggested your problem is a fuel filter (which is not serviceable on the zx14) or air filter.. DO NOT take their advice on anything else. They are idiots.

If someone suggested your problem is a fuel filter (which is not serviceable on the zx14) or air filter.. DO NOT take their advice on anything else. They are idiots.

100% right. Whoever told you that has a burnt brain clutch...

Mad

Just wondering...you DO need to buy a clutch holder tool if you needed to change out the hub, correct? The nut is torque on at 101 ft/lb. Also, some kind of "special tool" listed in the SM as a "gear alignment screw" or something like that? Anyone bought these yet?

You can get a tool from Motion Pro that holds the hub and then you whack it off with an impact gun. The tool is pretty cheap.

Mad

These pics are not me working on my bike.Came off the website Evo Shift Star(factorypro)
Maybe this'll help.I can't be sure...it's been a while since I did mine...but,I know I didn't use any kind of 'tool' to lock the clutch basket.Once I got the outer cover off,I had an impact gun ready,and I had my bike in 1st gear.Hit that nut with the impact,she spun off right away.I'm pretty sure that worked.I put the trans back in Neutral before removing the basket all the way.If I'm incorrect about this clutch tool thing...someone will say so I hope.I just know I didn't use one,and everything came apart okay.You screw a tiny little screw into this ring..there's a threaded hole for it.Just a generic screw that'll fit without damaging the threads,then pull the ring out with your pliers.That 'alignment tool'....it's a phillips screwdriver!DO NOT force the basket back in IF it's not perfectly going onto the shaft!!!!!!Just work with it,it'll slide on there when it's correctly fitted.If it gets cocked even a little...STOP!!!!Do NOT keep pushing on it!Pull it back out and start again.

In the third pic from the bottom here...you have to move the basket as shown to clear the small bolt inside.Same when you reinstall....do exactly as you see there,pull it backwards past the bolt,align,and install the 'bearing'and slide the basket back over it.You'll see.Easy.

IF your clutch truly is fried,you want to inspect your shifter dogs and all while you have the case/clutch off.2nd pic from the bottom....inspect that stuff closely.You can see the heat markings(from the factory welds) on the shifter fork...that's NORMAL.I would definitely check the bottom of the case there as well for any signs of metal shavings or anything like that.

I bought a KOBALT electric impact wrench.Rated...HIGH torque.A LOT...IDK how much,but way more than needed.It was like 135 dollars at Lowes.Doesn't take much time to get that bad boy to break a nut loose.Maybe that's why I didn't need a special tool to hold the clutch basket....IDK.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 8/18/2011 @ 11:23 AM *

babyblue, not trying to 'jack your thread. You might need the info anyway.
Thanks blue. I've got the factory manual and it doesn't look too difficult. I was thinking an impact wrench would work too. Were you able to re-torque it the same method? I plan to make a mark on the nut and housing and I'll just torque it back down with the impact to align the marks. The other factory tool mentioned is called the clutch gear setting screw. I guess that is the tool you substituted a Phillips screwdriver for? Not sure I follow that part. The SM (Clutch 6-15)shows the special tool being inserted from the side into the housing? Then it says "Install the clutch housing so that the hole position forward of the engine". Not sure I follow but I suppose hands on will make more sense.
I don't see how I could fry a clutch. Certainly not from abuse. I wish now I'd inspected better when I had the cover off and changed the springs. I'll have to make time for it though it seems to work OK unless I accelerate moderate/harder. If you remember, my complaint is the lever gets about an inch of slack in it after accelerating. Then it returns to normal slack shortly if I just cruise. Something related to acceleration is causing this and it's driving me nuts.
What does the clutch do differently at normal cruising around vs harder acceleration? Is the temporary extra lever slack related to slipping? I notice no higher rpm's.

* Last updated by: KAK on 8/17/2011 @ 2:00 PM *

To be honest,IDK.Some have said weak springs...ya...that for sure could cause a clutch slip.As for your lever...I really have NO idea why it would change 'play' distance.That doesn't make any sense to me at all.IDK.

I don't know what the manual says about inserting a tool or whatever 'into' anything.That screwdriver deal is to align the clutch basket thing with the gears behind...I think.Anyway,it lines stuff up so the basket will fit butted up in there.It'll slide in and the basket will slip in all the way.The tool they have is gripping the outer basket tines and holding the basket from moving as ya break that nut free.I MAY have used something to 'hold' the basket from turning,but I really can't remember now IF I did.If you DO restrain that basket...be VERY careful where you place any type of 'bar' or something in those tines.They probably COULD snap off fairly easily if the force was at the right spot.I'd be very cautious about putting something against(between) those and applying force.You try the 'putting in gear' thing first,see if that stops the basket from turning.I think it will...but....if not,then you can go to the hardware store or home depot or something if you can't get a basket holder wrench and buy a piece of 1'4 inch angle iron and have em cut ya a foot and a half long piece out...then use that to slide through the tines to hold it.Someone here,I think it was Rook has one.Search and see under 'clutch work' or something here.I know I saw pics of one a guy made.

Like I said...I used a BIG AZZ Kobalt for mine.PLENTY of torque.So I really didn't have to 'hold it on there and power away'.It broke free pretty quick.As for retorqueing...I know I'm gonna get reamed on this statement...I DID NOT retorque to spec.Nope...just ran it till she stopped and then hit the power button once or twice.That was it.Same with my front sprocket deal.Neither one has EVER come loose...and when I went to redo my sprocket nut,to loosen it...it was PLENTY tight.Just watched to make sure I didn't spin that puppy by overdoing it.It stops at a fairly high foot/lbs.So I knew it was pretty tight when it first stopped.I didn't really go any further...just a quick jolt.That Kobalt is PERFECT.

Like this,but without the ring(unless ya feel like makin somethin like this?).1/4 inch angle iron,slide between the tines at as close to 'half diameter' the basket,and place the long end locked at the footpeg(or somewhere there where it won't move).Take up any slack by turning the basket against the holder,then hit the nut with the impact(counterclockwise).Should be fine as long as you don't 'jar' the angle iron against the basket tines.Basically it's the same as the vise-grip basket holders you see on the web.The nut should break free fairly easily.To retighten,leave the bar out,just power the nut in till she tightens and the basket turns(if it does).(Trans in gear)(1st).MAYBE,one little dab of red loctite on that shaft before tightening.Make sure that bar is sitting all the way in against the flat of the basket before tightening.

* Last updated by: blue07 on 8/17/2011 @ 3:41 PM *

blue, thanks for taking the time and for the pics. Trying to "live with it" right now. Too many things to do and too little time.
Not sure how I'll tackle this issue, with my limited knowledge. The SM lists "slave cylinder trouble" under "slipping clutch" problems. Hell, I don't even know if slipping is the problem. I mention slipping only because I think too much lever play/slack is a symptom of a slipping clutch?? I don't believe the problem is related to dragging at all. Really lost here.
I'm thinking about the slave cylinder being involved because there are moving parts in there (push rod, spring) that could momentarily hang up or not slide in and back out smoothly and maybe causing my problem. Also, there's only a few parts and if I end up just tossing new parts at it then the slave cylinder parts would be much less expensive and easier to swap out (I think) than taking apart the whole clutch. If no joy after working on the slave then I guess I'll take the clutch assembly out and inspect everything. I have a friend who knows more about clutches and I'll check in with him before really getting into it. I also made a topic at another Kaw' forum and maybe they can help. Can't believe no one else has had this problem. So there must be a cure without replacing every single part in there.

Oh, gotta say, you're living dangerously by not torquing stuff my friend. The powers that be would never let me get away with it.

* Last updated by: KAK on 8/20/2011 @ 8:46 PM *

Thanks for the torquing tip Kak...Actually,I didn't say I DIDN'T torque...just that MY impact wrench will stop turning at somewhere around 200 ft/lbs.Course,I know this so I will RARELY just keep her powered on after she's stopped turning.In fact,I never just keep turning after she's initially stopped.I'm pretty sure the nuts and stuff are PLENTY tight.Probably WAY tighter than any need to be on our bikes.I may on occassion give er a short quick shot 'just to be sure'...but...that's it.Rarely.

The universal clutch holder tool I have is kind of like a giant vice grip plier with 2 90 degree bent arms on it. You clamp it between 2 lugs of the outer basket which holds it while you impact the nut loose.

Mad