weird rattle

[reds]

sorted all the other issues, just this rattle left.

without fairings i didnt notice it - as soon as i put them on it seems to have come back

took of lh fairing tonight and rode around estate = slight rattle
took of rh fairing too = verly verly slight rattle ( dont think i would have noticed if i wasnt listening for it)

put fairings back on, and the rattles still there (but quieter) - can't see anything rubbing to cause it - and its only between 4-5K rev

is it possible its the cam chain and the fairings are simply amplifying the rattle ? or something else, checked tank connections like rob suggested, but cant see any issue there

[RedexRobB]

sounds harsh on the engine but have you tried lstening for the rattle with the bike revving while standing still?

[reds]

its so weird, dont think it is anything loose anymore

without fairings cant really hear it, but it is def when the bike is in gear it happends

reving stood still = nothing

around 3-4K mark in 1st/2nd/3rd = rattle, but its only until 4K, then it dissappears

bike runs fine atm - and sounds perfectly normal before 3K revs, and after 4K revs

[Miles]

I had a weird rattle on my zxr at 5-6k and it wouldn't go away. I did the shims and the clutch basket and the rattle was slightly softer. After I crashed into the river however, the rattle has gone. So I have no idea what it was but it didnt affect the bike so if the bike is running fine I would just ignore it.

[reds]

or crash it into a river !

[cargo]

Unless and until you can be absolutly certain that you have nothing more serious that the normal ZXR clutch rattle.................................just ignoring it would be a bad idea.

The damage that a broken cam chain could destroy an engine..................even a broken tensioner blade could wreck an engine.

Never mind the potential for the engine seizing and you ending up in a river....................or worse.

One of the zxrs I had with a very worn/ knackerd cam chanin tensioners ran just fine reved to the red line was a sweet as a nut in every way but sooner or later it was an accident waiting to happen ...............I know of one that was being raced at the NW200 it had a strange rattle turn out to be a broken tensioner blade.it was running fine but the guy riding it could hear the rattle and was rightly concerned..................that concern possibly saved his life........................

Trace the fault find out exactly what it is and fix it................................


I know it sounds daft but if you touch the engine with a screw driver and stick your ear to the other end you will hear the rattle loudest at that place where it's coming from.
BTW if it only happens in gear while driving it could be a drive train problem sprockets chains etc etc etc

[reds]

the thing i can't work out is why would it pretty much dissapeared (the rattle) when there are no fairings on the bike ???

and also why is it restricted to just a small section of the power band (only seems to come in a3.4-4k revs) ??? is that more likely to mean it is the cam chain as opposed to clutch rattle ???

took the cover off and the blades / tensioner looked fine - couldnt see anything out of the ordinary - is it an engine out job if i do have to do the cam chain ??? and does it sound like it REALLY is the cam chain - im happy enough to do it, but it means I am without transport - so it needs to be quickly ! so want to make sure if i am going to the trouble / expense of sorting the cam chain, it is that that is caausing the rattle.

AS there is no rattle noise under engine brakeing, or when the bike is in nuetral and i open up the throttle - it also doesnt seem to rattle (or is v quite) when the two side fairings are off

[cargo]

It could very well be just the fairing hitting against something......it is impossible via a web forum to identify a noise accurately bring it to my house park it outside and yes certainly I'd pass judgment but .....................on a forum there just is now way to be sure

[reds]

yeah i appreciate that -i wouldn't be so concerned if it was doing it intermitanlty / at different revs, its just that it always seems to be at teh same poiunt, which kind of makes me think its not the fairing

[Miles]

If your cam-chain was on the way out would it not just rattle even at idle?

Like I said I was convinced mine was on the way out and was about to pay out for a new cam-chain and tens. Then I was round steve Baker racing (Carrowdore) to see what he thought and he stripped the bike for me to fit it and there turned out to be nothing wrong with either. Just thought it was just the clutch basket

[reds]

thanks for the input miles - i did have a look at it and it seemed ok (just with the cover off)

is it true that it would be rattling at idle too - if it were cam chain - just for my piece of mind !!! if so it means i can discount that as the potential issue, as it is only when the bike is in gear

going to try it on paddock stand tonight - see if i get the rattle with it in gear at teh 4k rev mark in that - or if it is only when the bike is loaded that it occurs

[Miles]

Maybe you'd be better checking with one of the more experienced guys on here but I've been told by a couple of bike mechcanics over here that when the cam-chain is on the way out it will rattle even at idle. Also when I was round a kwak dealer talking about my 5-6k rattle he let me hear a 125 that the cam chain was about to go on and it was making a very large rattle at all rev's even idle.

[cargo]

My last word on this...........................go find somebody who knows ZXR 400s really well (like me) and let them listen to it.....................