[cubz08]

Sorry if this has possibly been covered before but when I start my bike up I hear a ticking sound coming from the engine. Anyone knows what it is or is this normal? Its a 09 ninja with 160 miles.

 

[Felix]

Hmm more details, does it come from a particular side, or area? Does it change with revs? Does it go away after idling for some time?

Felix

 

[eric]

Sorry if this has possibly been covered before but when I start my bike up I hear a ticking sound coming from the engine. Anyone knows what it is or is this normal? Its a 09 ninja with 160 miles.

You didn't mention what kind of Ninja you use.Carb or FI.So I'll only cover the FI version.
On FI there is a small solinoid valve which work in conjunktion with the O2 sensor.It's located under the front part of fuel tank.This valve will open and close depending on opening or closing the throttle.Each time you open or close the throttle it will make a clicking sound.

 

[spooph]

I'd wager valve chatter as well. Check the oil level. It should be halfway up the "looksee" window on the bottom right of your crankcase. If it has enough of the right kind of oil, take it to a mechanic to have the valves checked/adjusted. If it has oil and it's "chattering", there is something wrong at 160miles... Good luck.

 

[gummybear]

ive started getting some valve chatter in the last hundred miles or so... its at 2500 miles... is adjusting the valves something I can do myself? or should i just let the stealership do it?

(i really dont want to let them do it)

 

[spooph]

Do you have a manual? It's best to familiarize yourself with the process. What it comes down to is removing all the bodywork, and the valve cover. Measuring which valves are out of tolerance, and then removing the cams, to get to the shim and buckets. You then replace the shims, and put everything back together, making sure your cams are in there like they're supposed to be... Want more info?

 

[gummybear]

i do. i have the manual.if it doesnt require specialty tools like syncing your carbs does, then i can do it. or rather, i have the desire to do it

 

[spooph]

It should list at the beginning of the chapter which "special tools" you might need. One of them will be feeler gauges. $20 for a whole set at your local auto parts/motorcycle store. Other than that, I think you're set with a basic socket/wrench set. I have yet to do them myself (been working on other projects - like adjusting the valves on my Eliminator, but they're old skool, not shim and bucket).

 

[gummybear]

word up man. good advice as always, spooph

ill prolly get around to it next next weekend

 

[cubz08]

Sorry didnt have chance to update my post. I am in the US and close to Lombard, sort of but how did you know? Anyways it happens when its idle coming from the front right side. Bike has 170 miles on it. I will try to listen to it after i take it for a ride and see if I hear it again.

 

[Beezeroni]

too bad they dont hydraulically adjust.

 

[gummybear]

well i picked up some stuff at autozone, including feelers, so ill break everything apart sat.... its supposed to be nice tomorrow so i wanna ride

 

[spooph]

saweet! Guinea pig time!

 

[cubz08]

So I heard it again this morning when I fired her up and it goes up away as it warms up...I guess its not a big deal.

 

[gummybear]

so i took it apart today. kinda long story, its ok if its tl;dr...

got everything taken apart, and unbolted the cover from the top end. the instructions in the service manual don't say take off the gas tank. i could check 2 of the valves clearances, and they are at the very low end of tolerance. i couldn't get the cover off all the way because of this tab was catching the water inlet tube...

so i decided to put it back together, b/c i don't have the valve shims anyway to adjust it. so ill take it back apart later, when i get shims, and remember to take off the tank and everything. so at least i have an idea where the clearance is now... and i know i need to do it soon..

on a related note, when i turned the crankcase bolt to rotate the engine, ~1/3 of the rotation took alot more force than the other 2/3s..... does anyone know if that is normal? i think not...

also: http://www.theyeagergroup.com/2008_ninja_250_valve_clearance.htm

 

[eric]

It's normal.On every rotation one of the piston will come to compression cycle.When you rotate the crankshaft you have to overcome this resistance.You should hear a hisling sound of comspressed air escaping through the rings.
Most of the time when valve clearance gets too tight,you don't have to change for new shims.They are exspensive.You can file them down to proper thickness.But this is a delicate opperation and time consumming.You need a micrometer to measure.A vernier caliper is too corse.
When have chance I will make another DIY about this.

 

[spooph]

Eric's the man! Spot on friend...

But Eric, explain to me how a shim and bucket can wear tight? I've heard other people speak of this, and in my mind it just doesn't make sense. How on earth is it possible?

 

[eric]

No spooph,it's not the shims and bucket(machanical term it's a ' valve lifter')that wear off that much.They do wear but hardly.They are made of very hard treated metal.The parts that wear off easier are the valve faces and valve seats.The more they wear the more the valve stems will protrude up.Pushing the shims and buckets(?) futher up against the cam.
Hope my english is good enough to make this understandable.Pui,english!

 

[dknollRX7]

try taking the spark plugs out...that'll make rotating the engine over to check for clearances easier as you will no longer be fighting the compression built up inside the engine.

 

[spooph]

Ah, Eric, brilliant. Thank you sir! I think my valve knowledge is now fairly well balanced... If the shims wear tight - time for a valve job... If I hear valve chatter - time for shim job....