I got a 14 here from a friend of mine.

When he brougt the machine here, he told, there was a terrible noise from the engine, so we did'nt start the engine at all, as we were afraid to brake even more.
So my first intention was to renew the chain tensioner. So we did.

After refuelling over 2 Liters of missing oil, we started the engine.
The noise is highly reduced just to a sprodic hammering.
What do you guys think, which problem we're confronted here with?

https://youtu.be/w05VlvRwuXQ

---

Did you replace it with a stock tensioner? Sound like the tensioner is snapping back against the spring or, the chain guides are damaged. Mechanic's ears would localize the noise.

2 QTs of oil missing you say? Yikes! Does sound like the cam chain to me though.

---

Might be worth inspecting the condition of the cam chain. a tensioner won't fix one that's worn it's pins into tight and loose spots.....two quarts down out of five shouldn't be fatal unless you've been beating on it for a protracted period like that but, it could definitely help with the demise of some already worn parts.

Ouch ia right!

Sounds top end.

Maybe broken valve spring or cracked retainer?

Sounds like piston hitting valve and pushing it back up.

Remove valve cover for top end visual inspection.

Borescope for damage? compression test?

As good as place as any to start.

Hasn't been flashed for higher rpm limiter has it?

I've had tensioner failures before and they didn't sound that bad. But......

* Last updated by: piken on 8/2/2019 @ 9:05 PM *

Low oil.Ran like that.Factory tensioner operates off oil pressure.Your intermittent click sounds like it went away after a bit.Am I right ?If it did,I'd go for an APE manual tensioner.The idea of it stopping as it seems to tells me the factory tensioner is 'trying to work'and eventually does work.But I think it's possibly plugged or something from a low oil condition.That's my take on it.

I'd think valve issues would remain making noise if it sounds that evident.Could be wrong.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 8/2/2019 @ 10:50 PM *

The idea of it stopping as it seems to tells me the factory tensioner is 'trying to work'and eventually does work.But I think it's possibly plugged or something from a low oil condition.That's my take on it.

Good suggestion, Grn. Put an APE on there and you will know if it is the tensioner because an APE is set to full tension at all times. $60 and you will know. I hope that is all it is because that is no big deal. Must say though, In ten years of this forum, I have only heard of an OEM CCT taking a dump once and I do not believe that was for certain or if it was something else.

If you install the APE, you will hear cam chain rattle as you are adjusting it. If that is a new sound, you will know right away that the other rattle is something else.

I think the OEM tensioner would be less apt to allow the timing chain to rattle as the rpm increased because the oil pressure increases. This guy seems to have increased rattle when throttle is applied. If I recall, my rattle used to go away as soon as I applied throttle. I have an APE now so IDK.

It is very difficult to diagnose based on the sound from a video but my first thought was piston. It sounds quite loud and slappy. It is also intermittent. A loose cam chain rattles steadily until oil gets to the OEM tensioner.

* Last updated by: Rook on 8/4/2019 @ 12:15 PM *

---

now that i listened to it again...it actually doesn't sound like a cam chain rattle.Deeper.Heavier.I wouldn't ride it like that.

I have to say that sounds like cam chain guide slap to me. If pistons were hitting valves it wouldn't be running that sweet. You said you renewed the chain tensioner and it reduced the noise somewhat so must be in that area. Double check the tensioner and that it is resetting itself when re-installed. Remove the RHS engine/crankshaft sensor cover and look for any debris in there from a damaged tensioner or chain guides.

* Last updated by: pegscraper on 8/9/2019 @ 1:31 PM *

mopped,

Did you guys get this figured out?

Doncha love it when someone posts an issue,asks for help.Then never posts again?

I'm thinking might of traded it in for a Cam-Am Spyder.

Maybe broken valve spring or cracked retainer?

Sounds like piston hitting valve and pushing it back up.

I'd start it back up for less than a second, touch the pipe closest to the head. Which pipe is cold?
Well shit, ain't the parts that hold compression.

Did you [who] beat fuck out of it? Be honest.

* Last updated by: Hub on 8/14/2019 @ 9:25 PM *

---

After refuelling over 2 Liters of missing oil, we started the engine.

So he did beat fuck out of it... thus the oil loss. Turtle told you not to mess with local girl. Your face is all... your bike is all broken up.

Signed,
NOLTT (no one listens to turtle)

---

Hi there,

as the bike still sits in my garage and even me and now my friend was in holidays, nothing has happened to it.
Only more thinking about the sounds.

Did you replace it with a stock tensioner? Sound like the tensioner is snapping back against the spring or, the chain guides are damaged.

Yes, like you can see in the video, we took the stock Kawasaki tensioner. And yeah, it really sounds like what you tell. I had a problem like that on my former Audi S8. The sound was kind of identical, but continuous. It was the belt tensioner.

Sounds top end.

Yesss!

Maybe broken valve spring or cracked retainer? Sounds like piston hitting valve and pushing it back up.

I don't think so, because the engine runs quite well and clean between the random hammering.

Borescope for damage? compression test?

Would be a good thing to do next.

Hasn't been flashed for higher rpm limiter has it?

Nope.

The idea of it stopping as it seems to tells me the factory tensioner is 'trying to work'and eventually does work.But I think it's possibly plugged or something from a low oil condition.That's my take on it.
I'd think valve issues would remain making noise if it sounds that evident.

Yes, I completely agree with you, but the sound comes from upper side I am thinking. So that destroys the theory.

It is very difficult to diagnose based on the sound from a video but my first thought was piston. It sounds quite loud and slappy. It is also intermittent. A loose cam chain rattles steadily until oil gets to the OEM tensioner.

That's where my thoughts are going. But I still haven't got an idea, where the sound comes from, as it sounds like the upper side.

now that i listened to it again...it actually doesn't sound like a cam chain rattle.Deeper.Heavier.I wouldn't ride it like that.

Yes, absolutely. But that doesn't help to fix the problem :-D

I have to say that sounds like cam chain guide slap to me. If pistons were hitting valves it wouldn't be running that sweet. You said you renewed the chain tensioner and it reduced the noise somewhat so must be in that area. Double check the tensioner and that it is resetting itself when re-installed. Remove the RHS engine/crankshaft sensor cover and look for any debris in there from a damaged tensioner or chain guides.

I already removed the cover to turn the engine on the crankshaft. Everything seemed to be really fine. There was no pollution at all.

I'm thinking might of traded it in for a Cam-Am Spyder.

Uuuhm - no.

So he did beat fuck out of it... thus the oil loss.

Hub, the oil loss seems to be the particular problem, the loud sounds seems to be a result of that.

A local bike garage (they allegedly worked on several ZX14R) told him, the piston rings would be crap on all the bikes from 2012 on, so they consume a lot of oil from a certain mileage on. The only solution would be an engine swap.
I can't remember to have heard this at all. My own 14R has now 42.000km on it and everything runs really well.
Didn't hear from broken or worn out piston rings for high oil consumption in the last 5 years at all.
BUT: it would explain the oil consupmtion, so far it's right.

Steps to do next: Compression test!

* Last updated by: moppedmanniemie on 8/15/2019 @ 1:19 AM *

---

Thanks for the update.

A local bike garage (they allegedly worked on several ZX14R) told him, the piston rings would be crap on all the bikes from 2012 on, so they consume a lot of oil from a certain mileage on.

So,according to the local garage, the Gen 2’s have crap rings?

I have 35k miles on my 2012 and it uses ZERO oil between changes irrespective of the use it’s put to.

Just sayin’

That's what I'm also experiencing. Absolutely no oil consumption between changes.
I really really doubt the statement of that garage.

---

Same here, i never burn a drop between oil changes and i keep a close eye on it.

I've seen motors that run really smooth with a broken rocker,sound would come and go. So even though it runs nice, you need to open up the top and get a look around in there. Otherwise you're just spinning your wheels.

Mad

---

Re: "crap rings 2012 on" Why on earth would KHI increase the horsepower and displacement and cheap out on the rings? this is one of those ludicrous statements I seem to hear from shop mechanics who are either clueless or assuming the person they are speaking to is. My call; bullshit

---