Ticks are bad this year

My dog gets them, my wife gets them, I get them. But now my KZ has a rather annoying one and it sounds like it's living around her number 3 exhaust valve.
To be honest I've been riding her pretty hard lately, perhaps too hard. The ticking seems to be loudest at low rpm's and slowly accelerating
I guess it's finally time to buy a manual, but in the mean time, anybody know what this ticking might be? Can it be adjusted out? Or do you think I'll be replacing some pieces parts?

Hi RiverRoad,
You gotta start in the beginning. What's the clearance look like on that valve? Have you tried using a long screwdriver as a sound transmitter? Place it on the various engine parts and press your skull (right in front of your ear) against the handle. You'll be surprised what you can hear.

KZCSI

I just first heard the tick last night so I haven't had a chance to pop the valve cover and check. And without a manual at this point I don't even know what the clearances are supposed to be and whether to check cold or hot.
I'm just wondering if maybe I bent or broke something. I used a piece of broom stick as a stethoscope and the noise does come from #3 exhaust valve.

buy a valve cover gasket and the half moon caps, pull it and check the valve clearances and look at the timing chain, may need adj also

OK, since I was way overdue for one, I went ahead and ordered a manual from Jeff, along with a valve cover gasket and the half moon plugs. But my stuff won't get here for a few days. In the meantime, I looked at the parts diagrams on Kawasaki.com for my bike. The cam chain adjuster appears to be of the automatic adjusting type. Looking at the diagram, am I correct in assuming that the screw in the side of the adjuster is a set screw? And that if I loosened said set screw and tapped on the adjuster housing with a hammer, the internal spring will/should pick up the chain slack (assuming there's any adjustment left)?

Hum........????? 80 kz1000???? Tickin noise...:huh: I think she's just bout had it....sorry to break the news to ya! I'll pick her up at no cost and put her to rest for ya!!!:blink: :woohoo: :lol: :woohoo: :silly: :silly: :woohoo: J/K!!! Check clearance on valves then get back to us.

:laugh: Sorry Justice, ever heard the expression, "cold dead fingers"? There ya go.
Funny though, last year my wife just about had me convinced I should go buy us a Harley. But I found my KZ instead, and now I'm having a hard time convincing her to let me spend a few bucks on my KZ.
Women...they just don't get it. She just don't under stand that I can build three or four screaming KZ's for the price of one useless hog.

Thats right!!!!