An odd Rattle...

The Long screw driver might help, or use a piece of hose to your ear. Like a piece of fuel line, a garden hose, vacuum cleaner hose etc.
On the left side is the primary drive chain, that could be slapping.
Also could be other problems. If you have an oil pressure gauge you could check it. If you have a clean oil drain pan, you could dump the oil and filter, then check to see if there is any Metal.
Also if you ground out 1 spark plug wire, when its running, you could see if the noise changes. that would take the load off of the Piston and Rod. Kinda hard with a twin, you might have to give it a bit more throttle. Pulling a wire off will cause the Secondary loop to be broken, it fires through both plugs in a wasted spark system. Grounding one wire will cause just that cylinder to miss.

The oil was really sludgy when I changed it, even after warming the bike up. Didn't see any chunks though. Have to try the plugs, when I tried to start without one before it really didn't like that and didn't want to fire up.

Update, used stethoscope traced sound to somewhere in the generator cover. However a stripped screw on the drive cover is preventing me from getting in there right now. Going to get extractor and replace it. Really don't like that the engine is held together with soft phil head screws.

Robwolf wrote: Update, used stethoscope traced sound to somewhere in the generator cover. However a stripped screw on the drive cover is preventing me from getting in there right now. Going to get extractor and replace it. Really don't like that the engine is held together with soft phil head screws.

After breaking off the extractor :dry: , could try using a reverse drill bit to drill out the screw, which sometimes more easily removes the screw.

Good Fortune!

/me has broken off extractors before... Where would I find a reversed bit? Also, oil was black when I took it out prior to attempting to pull the cover. This would be the oil I just put in yesterday and has less than 5min of run time.

Left handed drill bits: www.acehardware.com/product/index.jsp?productId=3680643

Robwolf wrote: ...Could the oil be gunked up....?

Robwolf wrote: ...oil was black when I took it out prior to attempting to pull the cover. This would be the oil I just put in yesterday and has less than 5min of run time.

Fresh oil is likely assimilating some old residual sludge inside the engine, much of which is probably forming a primordial ooze on bottom of the crankcase.

Changing and re-changing the oil (and filter) between running to normal operating temperature may gradually dispel some of the sludge. Perhaps with some type or brand of thinner oil or maybe by adding some proprietary brand of "cleaner" to the new oil.

Best to drain the oil when it's hot.

There might be some feasible method to help rinse out the sludge, perhaps in the earlier noted links:
www.armbell.com/forum/index.php?c=6&sid=...571a51a&mforum=kz400
www.kz400.com/

Good Fortune!

If the Left hand reverse drill doesn't work, just drill to remove the Head of the screw. Once the Head is gone, the cover will pull off, as long as it doesn't hit something like the frame. Then a Vicegrip, or stud wrench can grab the shank of the old screw.
Sounds like pulling the oil pan for an inspection, and at least cleaning, would be a Very good Idea. Sludge can block/ restrict the oil pump intake, causing low pressure/ volume in the motors oil gallies.

Well Patton just informed me that the 440 has no removable Oil Pan, so scratch that.
But Sludge would still be a oiling issue.

I did add some seafoam to the batch of oil that just went in, wasn't expecting it to pick up stuff so fast, especially not without any real chance to cycle. I'll have to get some fresh oil and put more in. Good thing there is an ace right around the corner where I can get a bit.

Robwolf wrote: I did add some seafoam to the batch of oil that just went in, wasn't expecting it to pick up stuff so fast, especially not without any real chance to cycle. I'll have to get some fresh oil and put more in. Good thing there is an ace right around the corner where I can get a bit.

That's why I linked ACE instead of the umpteen other choices. I figure everyone has to have an ACE store fairly close to their house.

As for the black oil, I know my 1000 had a ton of black residue from the clutch in the bottom of the oil pan upon dis-assembly. I'm sure that it would have fairly well fouled new oil as soon as it was poured in. It's normal since the bike has a wet clutch. I'm not sure if repeated oil changes would have removed it or not.

Here's the lower end as shown on kawasaki.com:



Good Fortune!

Robwolf wrote: That's the idle while choked. Normally around high 3k. When warmed up 1500 to 2k is the norm. Anything less than 1500 and it stalls.

1500 - 2000 rpm for a hot idle is far from normal.
Stalling below 1500 is also a good predictor of possibly more serious issues with the engine.

After having adjusted vavles... check compression again and repost numbers here.
I have personally been able to balance and make the 400s purr at around 800rpm or less in some cases, and I believe the recommended is 1000 +/- 100rpm.

You may have a serious carburetor slide imbalance (vacuum), or pilot jet/carb pilot passage blockage throwing things way off. This can make the engine sound like its forging and iron anvil.

As can the timing being too far advanced. Check and set timing exactly to spec with a timing light - other methods are inferior and can produce unbalanced/undesirable results.

With the compression numbers you already posted - I would tear that thing down and start inspecting the cylinders - if no seriously noticable improvement in compression after vavlve adjust.

Good luck.