I apologize if I missed this topic somewhere. I wanted to get your thoughts on a problem I'm having. I have an 11 14 (gen1) that is suddenly going through more oil than it ever did. I'll give a history of the bike, please bear with me. I am really worried about my baby :) I bought the bike new. Oil has been changed every 3500 if not sooner. I went from a synthetic blend that a mechanic recommended to Redline and then to Mobile 1 racing oil. I've been running the mobile 1 for about 2 yrs. Always ran kawi filters until this last oil change I tried a k&n. I've done most if not all the maintenance myself thanks to this forum. The only performance mod I have on the bike aside from tuning n pipe is a vortex front sprocket 1 tooth down. I mostly cruise this bike. More hwy than twisty. Usually cruise around 70 to 90 with a few 100mph+ runs against a buddy. The bike has been rock solid. She's not as smooth as she was and the engine is noisier than in yrs past but no knocks or any unusual noise that I can tell. I did the plugs about 3 yrs ago. This bike has never lost oil like this. I can go from oil change to oil change without adding a thing until a couple weeks ago. It was down to just above the low hash marks. It took about 300 mils to top it off. Ive ridden maybe 400 miles since and its now down to midway between the marks. I haven't notice a power loss. It does take her a while to warm up and will stall at idle til shes warmed up but after that shes fine. My idle has been a bit low. Especially at cold start. She always seems to idle at around 900 rpms and its like it slows down too soon to warm the bike up when overnight cold. I'm thinking about accessing my PCV to try and increase the idle speed. It has been idling a bit low for a while now. Any suggestions or ideas? I was hoping to keep riding the bike as is for the rest of this season and pull it apart over the winter.

* Last updated by: jmartin724 on 9/17/2017 @ 10:55 AM *

Forgot to mention, she just turned 30k miles

The basics tests on engine oil use are compression to check the rings and leak-down to check the valves/seats/guides. When you pull the plugs to test, take and post some pics, looking for the usual oil fouled or white/burnt lean condition.

When was the last valve check and adjust? 30K miles is at the point where things could start to wear or have a ring break. If one or more plug looks fouled I probable would put a bore cam in there and look around.

I have an 11 14 (gen1) that is suddenly going through more oil than it ever did.

I went from a synthetic blend that a mechanic recommended to Redline and then to Mobile 1 racing oil.

I've been running the mobile 1 for about 2 yrs.

She's not as smooth as she was and the engine is noisier than in yrs past but no knocks or any unusual noise that I can tell.

I did the plugs about 3 yrs ago.

I can go from oil change to oil change without adding a thing until a couple weeks ago.

Ive ridden maybe 400 miles since and its now down to midway between the marks.

I haven't notice a power loss.

It does take her a while to warm up and will stall at idle til shes warmed up but after that shes fine...I'm thinking about accessing my PCV to try and increase the idle speed.

You can't change idle speed with the PC5. You can program how soon AutoTune comes on after startup and you can adjust startup fueling but no way to change the idle speed. That's the little silver knob hanging down on the LH side by the drain tubes. Adjust to 1100 when well warmed up. The ECU should take care of the startup fueling and idle.

Any suggestions or ideas? I was hoping to keep riding the bike as is for the rest of this season and pull it apart over the winter.

Hope you have a nice warm garage and some time. Remove fairings. Oil? Check front of valve cover by LH headers with finger, same around main hoses at water pump on LH side--check the springading on the water pipe. Oil there? Remove coolant reservoir. Oil on engine underneath? Remove top engine wires and open rubber flap. Oil around head cover? Or maybe you don't need to do any of that. Remove fairings and you will probably find oil somewhere if the leak is as bad as it sounds. You got the infamous head cover gasket leak. Let it sit over winter and it might just leak down to the bottom of the headers.

Test valve cover bolt tightness. Loose? That's it. Remove each, place washer under head of bolt, torque to spec---or skip the washers and put a new ring-o on each bolt instead then torque --there is a proper bolt sequence). That should slow it down. If you want to go all the way, remove valve cover, replace heasd cover gasket, spark plug well gaskets and ring-os. That will stop it. Check the head cover bolts for torque once/year ever after. I have tutorials on all of this.

If you're replacing the gasket, Might as well check valve clearance while you're at it. Your choice if you do the adjustment yourself and I'm sure you will need that at this point if it has not been done. Much work and much carefulness. I have tutorial on that too...ask if you need pics uploaded, most tutorials are out of photobucket pics.

* Last updated by: Rook on 9/17/2017 @ 3:06 PM *

My feeling is that conventional oil allows deposits to accumulate at the engine seams and this actually delays oil leaks. Synthetic cleans away the crud and lets the leaks leak. I have been using Rotella T6 5W-40 for years now with no leaks or problems but if you ask me it does still need changing every 2500 miles. It's cheaper than Kaw oil though.

When was the last valve check and adjust? 30K miles is at the point where things could start to wear

Are you sure? These things don't run real quiet. A normal noise can the better of you if you're looking for something wrong

I'm thinking a power loss would be noticeable right? I haven't ridden her as hard as usual this year. Just haven't been riding as much or with the same guys I used to ride with. It feels the same to me I think but I can't say I'm 100% sure unless I ran against a familiar bike. Most cars don't count :) She still pulls hard and will lift the front wheel easy enough if I'm not watching it. I've been riding solo this year. She's never been ridden very hard IMO.

Good! How were they? Black?

I haven't notice a leak anywhere but I have not pulled the plastic off yet. There isn't anything on the ground and nothing I could feel by reaching up underneath. I'm in Ohio so we maybe have another 6 weeks to ride and I have a project at work that might start eating up my time so I was hoping she was ok to ride another month or so on the weekends until I put her away for the year. What do you think?

Your choice if you do the adjustment yourself

Thanks guys!

* Last updated by: jmartin724 on 9/17/2017 @ 8:48 PM *

1. Does the bike smoke upon startup? = Guides are worn, causes oil to run past the seals, drips off of the valve, enters the cylinder, is now burning off and then clears up. However, each initial suck of the intake also sucks at the guild too. So each time the intake draws air, it draws oil out of the guide and you can't see it burn, but here is your oil loss happening that fast on the stroke(s).

2. Is the ram chamber oiled? = This shows blowby or compression moving past the rings, adding more air in the crankcase and pushing oil up the breather tube, into the ram chamber and peppering the whole chamber, plus whatever airborne is being sucked in and burned... which you can't see like the guides.

3 Back to guides while riding. = Upon lift this causes the guide's oil to be sucked out, but remains in the mufflers until you accelerate again. So with someone behind you to notice, or a quick glance at the rear view mirrors, note a puff upon immediate accel.

4. Change back to non-syn oil and test.

Does the bike smoke upon startup

Is the ram chamber oiled?

Back to guides while riding. = Upon lift this causes the guide's oil to be sucked out

Change back to non-syn oil and test.

Quick question, I've heard good and bad about using k&n filters on 14's. Should I go back to kawi filters?

* Last updated by: jmartin724 on 9/18/2017 @ 2:04 PM *

Its never been done. The guy that tuned her has been building and racing 14's professionally (out of his shop in Indiana) since they came out. He said that he has never had a 14 come in his shop that needed them adjusted.

Gotta call BS on this gem. The SM interval is every 15K miles and I don't care what your resident expert says. Its basic maintained to prevent issues like oh .... excessive oil consumption.

I checked my '06 right at 15K and most of the exhaust were out of spec and a few of the intake were also. But maybe you got lucky?

* Last updated by: cruderudy on 9/18/2017 @ 3:34 PM *

I hear what you're saying. I was going to have him check them before the tune but he said no. I don't remember what the mileage was on the bike at the time. I hope I haven't done any damage. I guess I'll be finding out soon enough.

He wasn't a resident expert. I rode about 200 miles one way to get there and was prepared to stay overnight to let him do all the work. He came highly recommended. That was about 2 or 3 years ago so they may not have been out of spec yet but I'm wishing now that I would've had it done at some point.

* Last updated by: jmartin724 on 9/18/2017 @ 4:38 PM *

He said that he has never had a 14 come in his shop that needed them adjusted.

Same here. Checked mine at about 24k and all exhausts were tight. I think one intake was still in spec. Bike ran normal. No change after the adjustment but I had peace of mind. The valves don't seem to have moved since and I checked twice. At 49k now.

There isn't anything on the ground and nothing I could feel by reaching up underneath.

I'll read up about how to do this and decide if it's in my league.

Here's my tutorial. I'll try to get pics up soon. You remove T-bodies, fuel tank, PAIR, head cover, crankshaft cover, check valve clearannce. To adjust, camshafts, lifters and shims need to come out. YOU must turn the motor and then get all that back together tooth to tooth link ti link exactly as it was. It can be done but if you're working, I'd plan on a couple months of weekends and evenings.

http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=D659042A-D56B-84E2-1C5A7BC825184613

Would there be oil on the air filter in this case?

Change back to non-syn oil and test.

Lift origin: Lift off of gas pedal... segway to roll off the throttle... same thing as saying upon lift. Try costco's chevron oils... or half delo (chevron) half syn. I've mixed oils in the 14 and no loss of oil with it mixed. I like to R&D all the myths out there.

I mixed syn and con in my busa before going full syn and no problems. Still think this leak will continue no matter what oil you put in it.

So I checked her today after maybe putting 160 miles on her this weekend and no oil loss. The line hasn't moved. I'm sure it will but I just thought that was strange. I haven't changed the oil yet. Even if she doesn't lose another drop of oil this season I'm still going to pull the plastic, look at the plugs and check the valve clearances. Since I'm pulling the plugs, I may as well put in new ones if I don't see any problems. Thanks for sharing the knowledge guys!

* Last updated by: jmartin724 on 9/19/2017 @ 4:02 PM *

Good plan J. Checking the valves is fun, you get to take all sorts of cool stuff apart. As long as you follow the Rooks how-to, have a good clean inside space to work its not that hard. If you have any experience with other valve adjusts on cars or other motors that will help a lot. After its over we all send Rook a case of good Scotch for his help with the how-to.

every now and then, I need a good stiff belt!

I don't know that I can afford a case of good scotch but certainly a bottle is doable. I like tinkering with the bike over the winter. I fire up a space heater in the garage, put on my fleece pajama pants, slippers and an oversized sweatshirt, maybe a ball cap n a cup of tea, put on some tunes and get to it. I pull her apart every year and clean as much as I can reach without getting too crazy taking things apart. Brakes, wheels, front sprocket n cover all gets pulled n cleaned. Even the cush drive gets wiped every year. My buddy thinks I'm nuts, but I just love my bike. I don't think I'll ever get rid of this one. Even if I bought a gen2 14 someday, I'll still keep this one. Just something about this one. This one is my baby and I think she's beautiful! She gets plenty of looks and I get a lot of compliments on her.

I've never done a valve job on a car but I never did a bike chain either and I did mine perfectly the first time. Same plan should work here. Go slow, measure twice, stop when something isn't clear, ask for help before screwing something up and when fatigue or frustration sets in walk away. There's no hurry and Ohio has long enough winters.

* Last updated by: jmartin724 on 9/19/2017 @ 7:53 PM *

Another troubleshooting task you can do when you get into this is to send an oil sample off to Blackstone Labs for material analysis. (look them up on the web) They will work with you on your engine and after the analysis if any elements are out of normal limits they can advise on potential sources. Our air-cooled engines go thur this as do airplane engines and heavy equipment so they can monitor wear and tear and plan future maintenance. Might provide some data nad info on your oil use issue.

Two other bits of advice; buy a APE chain tensioner and toss the stocker in the trash and get the Hot Cams shim kit in advance.

Its never been done. The guy that tuned her has been building and racing 14's professionally (out of his shop in Indiana) since they came out. He said that he has never had a 14 come in his shop that needed them adjusted.-J martin

Stay away from this guy unless you enjoy paying him to rebuild your neglected motor to support his race activities.

I finally talked a friend whose ZX-14 had similar mileage to yours into letting me check his. 3 exhaust valves were down to zero clearance and starting to stick in the guides, so it took three attempts (cam removal/replacements) to get proper clearance.

When he tried to fire it up to load on his trailer to bring here, it wouldn't start. This was in late fall, so I told him to park it in the sunshine for a half hour and call me back. 30 minutes later he called and asked, "How did you know that would make it start?" I could hear it idling in the background) I told him his valves were causing compression loss which is why it wouldn't start cold. You may experience the same symptoms once cooler weather sets in.

In any case you're way overdue for valve clearance check. Can't say if this has anything to do with your oil consumption, but anyone who says ZX-14s never need the valves checked and adjusted is full of shit. My '07 has close to 75,xxx miles and it's been done twice. Both times there were a couple of valves needing larger clearances.
Gonna do it again over this winter.

* Last updated by: Danno on 9/20/2017 @ 6:04 AM *

buy a APE chain tensioner and toss the stocker in the trash

Stay away from this guy unless you enjoy paying him to rebuild your neglected motor

Is it that the race shops just don't care unless you're officially doing track racing? There was a local "race" shop I went to a few years ago that gave me a rough time about tires and did what I think was a crappy sag adjust. They just didn't seem to give a crap if I was their customer or not.

I've never done a valve job on a car but I never did a bike chain either and I did mine perfectly the first time. Same plan should work here. Go slow, measure twice, stop when something isn't clear, ask for help before screwing something up and when fatigue or frustration sets in walk away. There's no hurry and Ohio has long enough winters.

Good attitude. Be extra careful about marking parts before removing camshafts. I used some Hotcams. They were not the size they were marked but you can use them if you measure the thickness and that is one reason to get the whole kit. OEM shims are expensive but they are exactly what they are marked and they come in extra small increments if you need that. You can figure your shim sizes by math but the chart will be foolproof and I don't think it matters much if you get exactly the clearance you're after as long as it's in spec.

I'll get those pics up this weekend. give me a PM yell if I forget.

http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=D659042A-D56B-84E2-1C5A7BC825184613

jmartin724,

Regarding your original concern about losing oil, I think it is actually very difficult to use the oil sight glass as an accurate means of measuring how much oil is actually in the bike as it will depend on how level the bike is (front to back but more importantly side to side), how warm is the oil and how long since you last ran it. The sight glass in my opinion is best used to make sure you aren't starving the bike of oil or have WAY too much, nothing more.

Since I know how much oil I put in the bike when I changed it last I roughly measure how much oil I pull out of the bike during my next oil change. I measure the oil I pull out by pouring it back into the now empty oil container and let my catch pan drip dry for a day or 2. This isn't 100% accurate and I notice that I lose a "small" amount of oil between changes however a substantial loss would be easy to notice.

If you are indeed losing oil but not a large amount, its most likely not a big deal and is probably caused by the things others have suggested (ie rings & valves) or a gasket that is seeping oil (check for areas that have a lot of grime as dirt sticks to oil).

As for oil and filters, these are topics of controversy as everyone has their own opinion of what is best. I personally use Kawasaki's filter and oil since the filter is cheap enough that I'm happy with the price and the oil is less expensive than Motul or Mobile 1 that I have used before. Since Kawasaki recommends using their own products (gee what a surprise) I'm not concerned about damaging my motorcycle so these are the right choices for me.

I noticed on another thread http://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=48655268-1B78-59F6-02CA2E8BAE97F0EF that there is a recall for the K&N oil filters, david5525 mentioned in the thread that the ZX14 uses a different model of oil filter than what the recall is for. This still suggests that the filter might be the source of the loss and would be very easy to check (clean the area, ride for a week or so, check for excessive road grime or oil).

2nd post as my first is long winded...

As for the tuner, I also call BS that he has never seen valves that need adjusting at 24k, I adjusted my valves around the 10k mark and a large number of them needed to be changed (only needed to buy 2 or 3 shims however). The valves are to be adjusted at 10k mark (at least on the 1st gen bikes) with the idea being that they will wear in as the motor is new.

I've checked my valves a few times since and they have all been within spec and I have no intention of checking them again until the next interval in the service manual.

Rook has done up a good how to http://www.zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=D659042A-D56B-84E2-1C5A7BC825184613 and might even update the photobucket links if we ask nicely of him. Between his guide and the service manual you should have all of the knowledge you need to tackle the job yourself. Its not very hard to do, just time consuming (expect a couple of days + time to get new shims) so this is a great winter project.

The level check is the 'cold test.' Use that as your consistency. Oil dripping for 2 days is the consistency test, sans the oil filter. Say you run a break-in oil for 3k and sorta clean the walls and rings. Then back to full syn. I believe in chemistry so the wear factor is paramount in my book. I've seen one engine that takes abuse so I'm sorta sold on ester based oils. It looked scoreless, shinny, no wear, but a polish = Friction factor = More HP.

I've seen one engine that takes abuse so I'm sorta sold on ester based oils. It looked scoreless, shinny, no wear, but a polish = Friction factor = More HP.

Words of wisdom from the Sage of Somewhere in SoCal