Kawasaki Sportsbike Riders Club - Australia - Online Forum

I have just purchased a 2000 Zx9R after having a Z1000 and I have noticed that I can hear what I can best describe as a ticking noise when accelerating. At first I thought that it was increasing in speed as the engine revs rose and thought that the rockers may require adjusting but when riding it yesterday I noticed that as I went up the hill and wound on some throttle to maintain speed, the 'ticking' speed increased too without the engine revs changing.

Is this the engine pinging? I have just picked the bike up and it still has the fuel in it that the previous owner was using.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Is it a constant tick, is it there when the bike is revved in neutral?
Could be pinging, pinging usually occurs under load so going up a hill would accentuate it.

Could be lots of things though, describe the tick. Metalic? Loud? Soft? Where is the noise coming from etc.

I can't hear it when the bike is in neutral. It is a soft sound, sounds kind of metallic. As I said, it doesn't necessarily change with revs (it does change with revs as you change up through the gears) as when increasing throttle going up a hill the ticking noise gets faster even though road speed and revs stay the same.

Maybe I am losing the plot and hearing things.

Maybe your cam chain tensioner needs replacing... How many klms on it..?

Can you put the bike on a rear stand, and try to work out where its coming from?

You are running 98 octane fuel aren't you? I get pinging under load on my 9 sometimes. 'Just put it down to dodgy fuel.

Gav, it has 27,000 kilometres on it

TimMc, I was thinking something similar as it hasn't been ridden for a while apparently.

I was also thinking that it could be the reed valves? I have heard that they let extra air into the combustion chamber to help to burn unburnt fuel. Could they make a ticking noise? It could be why it gets quicker when I wind on the throttle but don't increase speed or revs. What do you think?

Thanks for your help.

Id say drop the suspect fuel and give her a tank load of fresh 98.
Remember that 9's have BIG valve clearances and will sound tappety anyway. If they dont, theres a problem.

Does it rattle away when you start it cold? is it the same kinda noise as that if it does?

08IGK wrote:Gav, it has 27,000 kilometres on it

TimMc, I was thinking something similar as it hasn't been ridden for a while apparently.

I was also thinking that it could be the reed valves? I have heard that they let extra air into the combustion chamber to help to burn unburnt fuel. Could they make a ticking noise? It could be why it gets quicker when I wind on the throttle but don't increase speed or revs. What do you think?

Thanks for your help.

My ZXR was ticking quite loudly and I thought it was all sorts of things...Changed the tensioner it shut right up..I'm not to sure but I think your motor is very similar to the one in the ZXR750

Thanks guys, I have dupmped the fuel otu and given a new dose of 98 octane and the ticking seems to have gone for now.

Thanks for all of you help and look forward to riding with some of you in the future.

Cool.
Should catch up for a ride through the Sunshine Coast hinterland sometime. Your 9 is the same age as mine and has the same kms on it.

Sounds good to me TimMc. Just let me know when.

i get this sometimes with my 2000 model 9 as well. As others have said, its intermittent so generally i figure its fuel. Had the bike checked out several times and all seems to be ok.

from what you have described it sounds like an extractor leak or one of your jets in the carbs are slightly blocked whitch will make it run lean on one cylinder.get some injector cleaner in the tank with not much fuel should fix the problem but make shore it top grade cleaner.you can also get some racing fuel like C16 to clean the jets but you have to get the fuel out straight away after a good floging + get the carbs equalized

9's like the good stuff otherwise they tend to preignite.