Strange tapping/ticking

[Janzxr]

Hi all,
My ladies ZXR400 (S reg) has all of a sudden started making a loud tapping/ticking/knocking sound which seems to be coming from the top end...
I have looked under the rocker cover and nothing seems to be missing/broken.
I removed the carbs and all of the inlet valves are in place.
I checked the cam chain tensioner which seems fine.
I removed the end case of the bottom pully and the cam chain seems fine too.
If I just turn the bilke over with no spark then there is no apparent noise only when its running.

I have tried to attached sound file but the board wont allow .amr sound files which we recorded it on a mobile...HELP Please...

Cheers

[CaNsA]

Yo,

A knocking from the top is usually the pistons hitting the valves, which will eventually throw a rod......
Very not good.

A tap tap tap is either a worn rocker follower or the shims need checking.
Mine was/is tapping due to some of the shims were super tight which have been sorted and my rocker follower is worn.

I think.

[masterofinsanity]

could well be valve clearances, my old zxr750 had done 41k miles and tapped like hell! there is a thread on here on replacing the shims.

[Janzxr]

The thing that baffles me is all was quiet when we sett off on a ride out and only started half way back home???
Surely if the valves were hitting the piston it would be heard even when turning the engine over??
If I could upload the sound file it may help but its a .amr file.

[banner001]

mine was valve clearances...

[masterofinsanity]

how big is the file?

[Janzxr]

Its only a sound file and very very small, only thing is its a .amr file as it was recorded on a mobile...

Cheers..

[RedexRobB]

can you take a video on you rmobile and upload to YouTube?

[Janzxr]

Hi sorry, since last post bf has done a runner and left me with bike in bits, so have absolutely no idea what am doing and can't even get bike to garage.

Thanks for trying to help though

Jan x

[Tirpitz]

I'm sure that's clearances too. Mine was tapping and I had several too tight. MUCH quieter since I did them over winter.

Do you drive a car? You could hire a small van, put the bike in the back and take it to a garage. CaNsA on here lives in Liverpool and recently had his valve clearances done locally and was well impressed by the garage used. They might even collect it for you (at cost).

[Janzxr]

Thanks for that Tirpitz,I will contact CaNsA and see where the garage was. I have got no chance of lifting into the back of a van! xx

[Tirpitz]

Here you go, I've found his post about it. The place is in Widnes http://www.otcdynocentre.co.uk/80720/info.php?p=1 but as they also do crash repair they're gonna have a van and can collect if you really can't get it there under your own steam. Get CaNsA to get his proverbial round to yours with a few burly mates and a plank and help you get it in a van and save a few pennies

[Janzxr]

Heres a video of the problem so hopefully it will make it easier to identify.
Also, when I tried to start it after it had been stood a few days it backfired like a missle had been let off.

http://youtu.be/4cYM0gcEy3w

[cargo]

Almost certainly a top end/valve clearance problem.
could just be valve clearance or possibly worn rocker arm

I suppose it could also be broken valve spring or worn cam lobes ? ?

But defo valve related............rocker cover off and investigate

[Janzxr]

Hi cargo,
Thanks for having a listen
all looks ok under rocker cover and noise started all of a sudden, didn't come on gradual

Jan