2008 model. The front of the rubber cover/ heat shield has a flap with 4 holes in it. Does that flap hang down over the front of the engine or does it fold back up and sandwich between the two brackets? Thanks

"four holes"...describe pls.If they're what I think they are,they're for the spark plugs to go through.The small 'tabs' at the rear of the rubber blanket connect at the outermost rear of the Valve cover,folded over(the edge) and secured with the small tabs.Can't remember if the front outer edges have those or not.

Hi Grn. Not the spark plug holes. There is a flap 8" long and 2" wide on the very front of the heat shield and the four holes are big enough for a 6mm bolt to pass through. if the flap is left loose it will hang down over the front of the engine just far enough to cover the joint between the valve cover and the cylinder head.

It sandwiches between the metal bracket and the plastic engine/radiator barrier wall.

Actually, it's 2 quick rivets and two screws that secure the rubber blanket.

steps 3 & 4 here.

https://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=9DE8C068-D56B-84E2-11F54188919254F3

This is removal of the entire blanket which you might fond helpful, too.

https://zx14ninjaforum.com/messages.cfm?threadid=9094010A-D56B-84E2-15314BA57580F038

Oh...okay...yeah,I remember that piece on my 07 now.I don't think my 2013 has that?I never noticed it.

Thanks for bringing it up redboot. I noticed I totally omitted the steps of removing the screws and grommets from my heat blanket tutorial. I edited a link in at the top of the tutorial where it says, "DO FIRST."

* Last updated by: Rook on 6/8/2015 @ 3:01 PM *

Hi guy's thanks for your responses. I think maybe Ive got my terminology wrong. Please see the diagram below of the rubber engine cover. The potion cirled in red, does it hang down loose over the engine or is that the piece that is turned up and sandwiched? Thanks in advance.

Looks to me like that is sandwiched in there.Well,looking at it again...maybe not.Those parts there are supposed to be removed as a procedure,right?Unbolting the bolts shown there will release that rubber blanket from the two other pieces there.I honestly never noticed on my 07.In fact...I broke that right side flap(the plastic one)trying to get that piece outta there one time.Installed a new one...but don't remember how I installed the blanket...I know I did.This I remember cause at that time,the FIRST forum,there was a discussion about whether that blanket was even needed.I kept mine in there.Attached to that first piece shown that connects to the rad upper edge.

* Last updated by: Grn14 on 6/8/2015 @ 6:49 PM *

Same answer as before. Turned up and sandwiched. I see bolt and quickrivet in your diagram. Looks just like my pics. Click the links in my first post on this thread.

Thankyou for your help guys,(and patience). Its all clear and installed. I've just finished doing the valve shims and took photos of any thing I had not touched on the bike before. My phone and my memory totally missed this little bit. Thanks for the valve adjustment tutorial Rook, my wife printed it out at work and put in a binder for me, top stuff.I fired the bike up last night and it sounds good, all I have to do now is put the plastic back on and swap the insurance from the Ducati (single seat) to the ZX and my wife and I are heading out this Friday over to osoyoos and then south down to Leavensworth for the weekend. I haven't ridden this bike for a year so I'm real eager to get back out on it.

* Last updated by: redboot on 6/8/2015 @ 7:26 PM *

The valve adjustment tutorial was one that I am certain is spot on. If you notice on my tutorial page, I have some at the bottom of the OP that are separated by a few blank lines. Those are the ones I have not yet gone over and used myself as a proof reading procedure. I moved the heat blanket and heat shield wing tutorials up now. I'll never use those again unless I sell the bike stock which I suspect will never happen. I removed those parts permanently. I'm VERY happy the valve adjustment tut helped you out! That's a lot of careful work so good for you. Good feeling to fire it up and NOT have it blow up, hey?

* Last updated by: Rook on 6/8/2015 @ 9:22 PM *

Yes, you are right. It was a good feeling to fire the bike up and not have it go "bang" but for a different reason with me. I had the valve cover off and the clearances checked so the next move was to pull the cam chain tensioner and then the cams. I was 95% sure I could do this but was not willing to risk the last 5% on a silly mistake so I enlisted the help of a motorcycle tech from one of the local stealerships who had just stepped out on his own. After he was done I thought to myself, just for shits and giggles I'm going to check these valves. The first three exhaust valves were sitting at 0.18mm with a total of 8 out of spec. I called the guy and when I told him the exhausts were 0.18 he said that is right in spec, exhaust 0.15 - 0.20mm. I told him he had the intake and exhaust mixed up but he was certain he was right. I then pointed out I had his paper in my hand with his clearances wrote down wrong and your tutorial in the other hand confirming he was wrong. He wouldnt beiève me until he looked it up on the net for himself. Duhhhhh. Since when was the intake clearance bigger than the exhaust.
The bike is good now, fired it up Sunday night without any problems and swaped the insurance from my Ducati tonight. It's been a year since I rode this bike, I had forgotten how good it is. I've been riding my Trident and 999R for the last year but this ZX14 is by far a superior bike than the Ducati.
Once again, Grn and Rook, thanks for you help.

shew! Good thing you checked up on him. Oh well, goes to show, it's not a good job to rush through. Check, double check, recheck. take apart once and put together once. Personally I would not plan on riding the bike for at least a week, maybe two and that's if you have lots of free time.