Rattle, what a suprise?

[CJLowton]

Hi Guys,

Just wanted your opinion on this rattle that has developed on my bike in the last 2 weeks, i have a 1998 R reg zxr its done 14,000 miles and was serviced about 7 weeks ago, just the usual oil and plugs and i also got a new chain and sprokets, the bike is used every day regardless of weather and it travels a minimum of 60 miles a day (thats the distance to and from work).

The rattle only appears after about 1 mile of riding and disapears once the clutch is pulled in, the bike sounds fine when its cold and the noise is coming from the top right hand side of the bike as far as i can tell when on the paddock stand, the noise is primerily apparent when i drop the throttle slowing down.

I think the noise is coming from where the camchain is, but i am a noob when it comes to bike mechanics.

Any advice would be spot on

Cheers!

[Gemini]

cam chain

gem

[CJLowton]

So just a straight swap of the cam chain?

How long/big a job is it? Any specific tools required?

Cheers,
Chris

[deviant]

I've not done it but I've read a fair few peoples accounts on here, and it seems to be more complicated than it should be.

You'll need to make a decision about whether it's worth dropping the engine out or if you'd rather deal with the fiddlyness of doing it in the frame. I believe either are possible.

There's a cast rib somewhere inside the casings that makes it difficult or impossible to get the chain out. Some people manage to work it out, others have taken a Dremel to the offending bit of casing - taking care not to leave swarf inside the engine.

If you use the forum search tool, a whole load of people have posted up their experiences, some of them quite recent.

[CJLowton]

I went to a local bike mechanics house yesterday to get his opinion and it turns out its the clutch bearing so he thinks, if it was the cam chain it would be louder aparently.

It is being swapped on Sat will let you know if this cures the rattle.

Just though i would let you know.

Chris

[Gemini]

iirc, zxr400s do have noisy clutches in general, i hope its not money for nothing???

gem

[RedexRobB]

a clutch bearing at 14k miles?

[Scott221]

ZXR's are rattly full stop, that noise you are hearing is just the clutch rattle, the same kind of noise you get from a duke clutch, just not as rediculous.

[Vard66]

ZXR's are rattly full stop

That's a reassurance...

[Gemini]

ZXR's are rattly full stop

yeah they also call scott 'dagenham dave'!



what rattle?

gem

[CJLowton]

Had the Clutch bearing changed and balanced the carbs, took it to a mechanic on sat, he showed me how to do it for future knowledge as well, top bloke.

Rattle has died down, and engine is much smother.