The ignition wheel turns at crank speed since it is directly attached. Unless something in the ECU shuts it off every other revolution, it is a "wasted spark" system that also fires as the piston approaches TDC on the exhaust stroke.

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Thanks for the replies.
I'd like to learn to do this job myself, but Rook's advice about taking your time on this job reminds me how friggin anal I am about things like this. I can just see myself stressing out over it. I generally work six days a week and don't have much time. I just KNOW the bike would be apart for a long time, plus I'm concerned I'd make a mistake.
Probably best to spend some of my overtime on a good mechanic and let him take care of it. That's something I need to look into.....a good mechanic. Never needed one before and I don't have any friends with a bike like the 14 to suggest someone.
I appreciate the help and all the work you do to help us Rook.
Hub, I appreciate all you do too. Not sure I see how a tight valve clearance can cause ticking but if you say so. I don't think the tick is from the tensioner as was suggested earlier. I'm not the best judge on engine noises either.

Probably best to spend some of my overtime on a good mechanic and let him take care of it.

It's something that would take days and days. Could easily take a week if you devote a few hours each night/ and if you don't have a lot of free time....you know how that goes.... you're right, you do NOT want to loose track of what you are doing on this job. Could easily mean destroying the engine. If itis not possible to stay on the ball with this, bast have it done by a good shop. Just make sure they actually do the work. Be easy for them to say they did and not, ya know?

BUT WAIT...I sent you a PM KAK. If you wait til Spring I will be doing this job again and it would be a good time to walk through it together if you want.

* Last updated by: Rook on 11/28/2013 @ 8:36 PM *

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Regarding someone else doing the work...I've always been concerned about the work being done right, but never thought it may not get done at all! Jeez. I've heard of that in auto service shops, especially the "Coolant change special". They pop the radiator cap and if it's green they put it back on and bill you.
All I can do is look around and see who's out there. I'm in the So. Cal area so there should be a lot. I've had very little contact with the Kawasaki dealer who sold me the bike but they've been nice people. You would think they'd know how to service a 14. They bought a Dyno awhile back so they're expanding their services. But when it comes to dealers in general, I hear a lot of bad stuff, to the point a Kaw' dealer shouldn't even be considered?
I do have another question about a complete tune up. I want to get the throttle bodies synched while it's apart. I've always synched my GS1000's mechanical VM carbs as part of a tune up. I ride the 14 pretty easy most of the time with a little blast now and then. How well does the 14 hold it's synchronization? I don't notice any change over time but it could be so gradual you wouldn't notice it. Would you just consider synching a necessary thing to check? Don't want to waste money but a COMPLETE tune up is what I want.

Also, just wanted to thank Rook publicly. He PM'd me about trying this myself.
Whatever I decide to do I just want you guys to know how fortunate we are to have a member like him around.
I'm sure you know but I wanted to say it. Thanks again Rook.

And Hub too. Same thing. Nice to have help when you feel over your head.

And Hub too. Same thing. Nice to have help when you feel over your head.

KAK, Thanks.

1. Self satisfaction.
2. Want anything done right = Do it yourself.
3. Speed at the dealership is how one makes money = Loopholes major jobs when a lot of work is needed.
4. I need to come home from work and put in 2 hours in the garage.
5. I could bring my bike in for one job only = Set my valves.
6. I would mark my valve cover so I know it was removed.
7. I would mark my crank cover at the bottom so I know the seal was broken at my cover(s).
8. If there is an older mechanic, I'd "request" the more skilled mechanic than have a novice attempt the job they haved yet to try.
9. You want a copy of the shim sheet so you have a reference for next time. Shim sheet should be oil stained, not clean as a whistle where there are 16 times one could make a stain on the sheet.

* Last updated by: Hub on 6/11/2015 @ 4:47 PM *

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You may as well get the synch.And plugs...and all that.I've got just under 10K on my 2013 now...changed out the plugs(myself)about 2K miles ago.Noticed a very good 'improvement' in the engine running area.Thanks to Hub actually.It's something I wouldn't have done before...changing them that soon...and they looked fine...Thanks Hub for your advice on that.But the synch...I didn't choose to do that then...this next season...yes...when I get my valves checked.She idles very nicely...no odd blips or anything.Good fuel mileage.The plugs made a big difference in the idle running.

I won't be waiting 9K miles again to change plugs...it really wasn't THAT bad(as I thought it might be;) )

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/29/2013 @ 1:03 PM *

YW, greens, but I just quote the manual. In between the lines, The Books reads, (to achieve the most performance is do this at this hour/mileage)... wink wink! It won't hurt the engine you keep them in longer. But it's better to upset the 3rd momba of electricity is the white stuff that locks the plugs in and tears out the threads: if kept too long in the head.

Full service or where the mechanic follows the mileage interval and then upsells you with what else they find like tires, chains, blown bulb like a brake light. But today's service, I have no clue because of the length of the valve shimming and sync time. So one would not be needed if you do not know the difference of book follow, and full means every adjustment you can do to the bike, needed or not. It's more a check the owner's manual list to do.

And if your service shop does not take a compression and write that down first, can you imagine paying for a whole service, the bike has a low compression in one cylinder, it comes back to you all compensated: your idle comes back down slow anshit.

Someone is working hard and is riding hard: lets call it this scenario. Lets add an extended time on the valve inspect. Lets again place one of 16 valves: goes tight and burns some. See where that first compression test is no matter the misshift of a bent/burnt valve, a mech should have that mantra before work begins?... Is the kind of shop mentality you look for.

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Hub, thanks for the tips.
Grn, just curious. Why would the plugs need changing after 9K miles? I know all about service schedules and what's suggested, but why would the 14 (or your 14) be hard on plugs? If you run the fuel you should and generally run under normal conditions, why wouldn't they last way longer? My Blazer's plugs lasted 80K and could go longer if needed. We changed my son's Ranger plugs and discovered they were the original plugs and had over 110K on them, though they WERE worn badly. My GS plugs never seem to wear. I replace them once in awhile but I bet I've bought maybe 6 new sets in 34 years/140+K miles, if I bought that many. Not a scrooge or anything, but over the years I noticed the plugs always looked fine. No significant wear anywhere. I've tossed plugs for no other reason than for being "old".

KAK, Every time the plug fires = an arc is made. Though we need more of a magnifier to see the wear, it's more like tiny molecules leaving the metal and flying off. During manufacturing, the welded side electrode has 4 sharp corners at that air gap. Electricity loves a sharp corner to jump off of.

Imagine millions of fires over the years and the plug basically looks fine. Look how long it took to either expand the gap or lose the edges. These are more the fat center electrode type. But the 14 uses a fine wire type. These more or less burn out faster.

So for every action, the scenario goes, we have a plug misfire, does the spark jump or head back into the spark stick and eat that away? It's that thin wire that loses its flat edge a bit sooner than the larger area the standard plug wire used.

Think sharp edge gone and think gap expanding is the toss when the hours/mileage is met.

* Last updated by: Hub on 11/29/2013 @ 2:49 PM *

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Yup...that's the deal...I knew this before...but Hub's insistence on keeping her at top performance finally sunk in....he's right.I could have still ran em probably a lot longer..but ...changing em even though they 'looked fine' did make a difference...I was pretty surprised actually.Everything about the tip color and all...was good...fueling.All that.But the shape of the electrode...yup...you don't always think it makes a difference...it does with these newer motors and such.It's not a cage motor anyway...it's a cranked hard running power maker..it needs the scheduled stuff done when it says so....if a guy wants top performance from it.But it'll run 'fine' with minimal stuff done to it...kinda...somewhat... "define...'fine'"...

I noticed after doing some mods to her...the motor...how it runs.It's quite peaky now...in a way...more like a 1000 or something.It feels different....powers up different.Torques different...faster...quicker...like it's been 'built'...which it hasn't.I'm very happy with this bike...very.

Sorry...got off topic here...my bad.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 11/29/2013 @ 3:17 PM *

SECOND VALVE LASH CHECK--44,000 MILES.

The first check was done at 28,500 miles. I checked again after 15,000 miles because I had set them at minimum clearance last time. All sixteen valves were where I set them two years ago. I even recall theer was one exhaust valve that was still a wee bit tight after the adjustment and it is still the same. That one tight valve was improved by the last adjustment but didn't quite make the minimum spec. I didn't tear everything apart to fix that two years ago and I'm still not going to. Everything goes back together and I'll check again in about 20k miles or two years.

BTW, The valve lash check was conducted in a 80-90 F garage. The valves were last measured in winter with 40-45 F air temp. Doesn't seem to make a big diff what temp the valve clearance is measured.

Also, I did not remove the fuel tank or throttle bodies assy to do the valve lash clearance check this time. There is room to remove the valve cover but it takes a little finagling to lift it over the timing sprockets.

* Last updated by: Rook on 7/24/2014 @ 7:50 PM *

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This my friends is one heck of a thread. I don't know if i would be willing to allow somebody I do not know to set up my valve clearances. The procedure may be a PIA but at least you will know where your at if you do the job yourself. A labor of love for sure.........

yep. Some people claim to do it in a day or less. If it's the first go at it, plan on many many days. Don't rush it and pay attention to what you are doing. You don't want to screw this up. A valve check is not so difficult. It's just when you gotta take those camshafts out and also measuring the shims that there is no margin for error. Use the cam replacement chart and you can avoid possible math errors.

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Just registered on the forum just to thank Rook and any others who may have assisted him in making this guide.

AMAZING GUIDE!

Cheers pal :D

-tyl

1bad and Hub. Thanks again to those two for sticking with me through this project. It's great that everyone has access to all the knowledge they shared.

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updated pics.

I'm sure some of the links to other tutorials require pics to be updated too. working on it.

* Last updated by: Rook on 4/9/2017 @ 12:09 PM *

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updated pics....again. will work on linked threads in due time.

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Followed this 4 years, 22,xxx miles ago, Running like a champ
After 22,xxx miles, the electrodes were pratically gone

* Last updated by: metalmechanic on 1/20/2018 @ 5:26 PM *

The electrodes on the spark plugs? I don't remember how many miles mine had before I changed. Something like 47,000.

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Yes spark plugs.
I replied on another thread concerning this.

The spark plugs will go a long time but like all replacement parts, best to change them before they go too far.

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This is a great post.
However it should be noted that this is for a 2012 and up ZX14.
The valve adjustment for a 2008 is 180 degrees different than in this post.

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Thanks, good point. This tutorial is for a 2008 and I'm sure it is the same for all years 06-11. I will change the title in the OP but there's nothing I can do about how it's listed before you go to that page.

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Hi Rook

A big thank you for your valve clearance adjustment guide and throttle body balance guide. I used them both over the past few days and have completed a full “deep” service on my ZX14.

Your guides make life so much easier when doing maintenance on the machine.

Have a happy New Year everyone.