Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

The old girl has been running beautifully, it couldn't last! Last w/end when started from cold it started making this weird intermittent noise, almost as if something is "loose" somewhere inside. I can't really get any location though from the intermittent noise, clearly heard on the iphone video clip from 40-45 sec though. When it warmed up (I'm nice like that) the noise disappeared, and the bike ran like clockwork home (85km). However the next morning it started making the same noises, so I want to get some thoughts ASAP before running it again.

I can't upload an MP4 via the forum so I uploaded file to my site: http://www.supersymmetry.com.au/GPz/IMG_0643.mp4

I had a quick peek at the workshop manual but the only thing I could think of was the cam chain tensioner, but from what I can read this is an automatic tensioner on the GPz (mine is A8). However I have also heard that there is limited range, and as the bike has done 50k perhaps this is the case.

I'm going to fix whatever it is, just want to know if it's:

a. something simple (do myself)
b. shop fix, but rideable to the shop
c. shop fix - don't run

Greatly appreciate any thoughts.

Sounds like the timing chain imo ? very hard to confirm thou . The tensioner could have given away if not been ridden a lot ?

I bet it is the chain-driven balancer down the front lower r/h side of the motor. The GPz/ZX/ZZR/ZRX motors all share the same basic engine, and when the tensioner for the balance shaft is worn out, it can cause chain slap in that area. Its a pretty common problem - you will need a new tensioner.

It's definitely rideable to the shop - worth fixing sooner rather than later.

I thought they were gear driven Gos??????

sorry mate I meant the starter/alternator tensioner - its chain-driven ......its a prick of a thing, when the tensioner gets too loose, it can actually hit the clutch basket and creates a 'dimpled' effect on the outer perimeter of the basket.......that is the noise that old mate can hear.

The Rex owners fix it with a new tensioner from ELS......check this out - it can also be retro-fitted to any of the 900R through ZZR motors.

tensioner fix

Yep. Both of my ZRXes had that problem. One was modded by Kawasaki- cut end of tensioner so it can't hit the basket, the other has a Maladezo sleeve I put on it,
BTW my old Z440 was full of chains IIRC- starter, camchain, balancer, primary and drivechain. Oh and a keychain...

Thanks for the alternator insight, didn't realise it had a chain there, so learning more every day. I think you are right, it definitely sounds like an out-of-sync oscillation (so really had to be chain) but I didn't think it was the cam chain. Brilliant and quick help, much appreciated.

no probs buddy, hope you get it sorted out ok

Now I know where to look I've seen the youtube vids of both a "slack" tensioner (search for "ZZR 1200 tensioner") and the ELS version, and the movement in the "slack" tensioner was pretty alarming. The ELS & maladevo fixes work by restricting the travel of the tensioner, but are they just minimising the result of excessive chain stretch? Or maybe it's also that the tensioner spring has just lost strength over time - it isn't very big....

I guess I'm just pondering if there is any benefit at also looking at replacing the tensioner spring (prefer not to replace chain/sprockets) at the same time as this fix. Any thoughts?

BTW Kawasaki have 1 tensioner in stock - $272.89 but no guide block. Ouch......

Tensioner spring is not replaceable- part of the assembly riveted together. Just put a Maladezo on your tensioner. One of mine does. Easy and cheap.

OK, makes sense that the spring is hidden away inside the mechanism and impossible to remove (ie fall off). Workshop diagram a bit misleading there. Excuse the deeper technical ponderings, bit of an ingrained habit (country boy, industrial design degree) to not only source solutions but also figure out why things happen in the first place. FYI eBay says maladezo doesn't ship internationally but I've asked anyway, as you have pointed out this is definitely the easiest solution. thanks.

BTW shipping from the US is ridiculous for small pieces @ $30. So if anyone else wants one of these sleeves send me a note and I'll get a few over.

I paid jack shit for mine, delivered. Have a look at them via

http://www.zrxoa.org/forums/showthread. ... t=maladezo

I guess it depends when you bought them though - it's really got expensive to ship small stuff from the US in the last couple of years. We ordered some skate gear a couple of Xmas's ago, it was the same shipping price to get a 1kg box full of stuff as it was for a single t-shirt - crazy. Same min cost seems to apply for bike parts, when getting some bits for the 900r that I couldn't source locally I ended buying from the UK rather than the US simply because of the shipping price. maladezo is going to post them instead - seems a good bloke.

Update - just got word from Kawasaki OZ that the part number for the 1991 GPz tensioner is 39170-1053, but the sleeve that maladezo sells is for a tensioner part number 39170-1059. After googling they are definitely different, especially the spring. As noted above the 1059 version has the spring buried inside the mechanism, whereas in the 1053 it looks like it is much smaller (?) and potentially replaceable. My Kawasaki workshop manual diagram definitely shows a 1053 version. The maladezo sleeve may still fit but it looks like I'll have to pull it out first and measure, I'll update once I get the gaskets and have a peek. Nothings simple!