ZR550F Engine trouble, noises and proper cam timin

Hey folk, first off I'm new to the forum :] so Hi! everybody

Hopefully someone can shed some light on this.
I've been experiencing some very nasty sounds coming from the engine after I replaced my blown head gasket. I've been trying to get help from other places but no one seems to know what is actually wrong with it. I've made a video of it as well, to help describe and identify the problem.



What is worrying is that ticking, clicking high pitched noise. That was not there when I was driving it before, and as you can hear it increases in frequency when you play with the throttle.
Hopefully someone has had a problem like this before and has dealt with it.
It seems like it is coming from the rocker shafts, although when I opened it up, I could not see any apparent reason for the noise. The engine turns freely when you rotate from the timing advancer or the fly wheel. I am also confident that the timing is right, maybe...

Well according to this web site anyways... home.comcast.net/~loudgpz/GPZweb/CamsKZZ...KZZXZR550500400.html

I will take pictures and videos if required. :]

Sounds like an exhaust leak.

Welcome aboard!

Let’s start at the beginning. Your bike does not have “rocker shafts” so we can rule that out. Do you have the manual for your bike and have you performed the routine maintenance required? Specifically, has the cam chain tensioner been checked/adjusted and have the valve clearances been measured and adjusted as needed? Have the oil and filter been changed recently? If it was mine, I would start by performing all the routine maintenance tasks to eliminate them as possible candidates.

Along with that, I would correct the obvious problems that have been neglected. Go over the bike with a fine toothed comb to see what is broken or appears to need attention. As an example; your exhaust flange for the #1 cylinder is hanging on by a prayer. You need to repair that so both studs are in the engine and the flange is properly attached or you will have noise there and you may even end up with the other stud breaking and the pipe coming out of the head. Also, make sure the other exhaust flanges are properly tightened and that the exhaust gaskets are in. Just as important (or more so) in checking the bike over you may find safety items that need to be fixed to reduce the risks associated with riding. Ed

Thanks Ed :]
Baldy I believe there is an exhaust leak as you can see from the video one of the bolts used to tighten the exhaust pipe for cylinder 1 is broken. I over torqued it and it sheared half way along. Sadly I'm concerned that there might not be a replacement part for that. I don't really know how to go about removing it either. Although there is an exhaust leak the high pitched rocking sound is what troubles me.

I apologize for my bad English, what I meant by rocker shafts are the rods that time exhaust and intake at the top of the engine block. I believe they are called camshafts ?
Unfortunately the previous owner had only the supplement and not the manual. Hence there are only basic routine inspections on it (i.e throttle grip play, brakes and such) it doesn't go into engine details.
Yes I changed the oil and the oil filter 2 months ago. Changed the brake fluids as well. Adjusted the brakes, ( I like to have a bit of play with my rear brake just so I can ease into it, it's a drum brake btw ). However you should know I don't use the bike that often.
I don't have any specialists tools so I just put everything back the way it was. I haven't touched the cam chain tensioner, just used it the way it was. The chain between the camshafts is nice and tight with little play. By no means am I a mechanic, however I'd still want to do it myself. I consider myself a newby when it comes to this. Hence why I came for help, I don't wish to mess around with a blindfold and hope everything goes in it's place.
I have a list of things that need fixing on the bike:
Electronics (tachometer) possibly related to why the fuel gauge doesn't work
Exhaust pipe fixing bolt
New fork seals
and the newest one The infernal racket

When I got the bike from the previous owner, I guess he failed to mention that the bike had a shattered rear shock. Which I didn't notice when I was inspecting it. Oh well... with the help of a friend we got it welded back with a thicker plate. (the broken bit was where the shock connects to the swing arm)

*Edit*
Forgot to mention the exhaust gaskets are all in their place. Everything is nice and tight.

Hello, ggvalchev, and WELCOME to KZr!

Perhaps the cam chain is too tight due to installing and tightening down the valve cover without first disabling the tensioner.

Good Fortune!

Hopefully you put all the same camshaft followers/ buckets back in place with the corresponding shim.
Did you check your valve clearances after re-installing the camshafts?
As Patton noted, as well as Lou's website. The Tensioner Wedge needs to be removed to let the plunger return to install the valve cover. If you torque it down with the plunger extended and the wedge in place, you can harm either the guides or chain. I suggest pulling the valve cover again and re-inspecting the components.

Thanks Patton :]
I removed the tensioner completely before installation however I didn't reset it.

Actually I haven't touched the followers/buckets when I removed the upper bit of the engine. The only thing I took off were the camshafts, in order to get to the head gasket. I had doubts in my mind about the proper timing on the thing so I went online to search for diagrams and such.
After using the website in my first post I managed to put everything in it's place and as described in the website. I wasn't sure on which camshaft was on which side so I was guiding myself via the pictures on the site and the positioning of the cam lobes in the pictures.
After everything was installed the bike fired up quickly so I assumed everything was functioning right. Until the noise appeared. Hopefully nothing has been damaged.
I haven't checked the valve clearance, as I don't have the proper tools and I don't have the manual for it.
Do you think the cam chain tensioner could be doing this
I'll take a video of the camshafts and lobes position at TDC fire stroke for 1st cylinder.

Lou has a 550 manual in pdf for download on his website. You were there already, so return and download the manual.

I think I just located the problem. One of the valve buckets in the cam chamber is a bit raised compared to the others, which indicates probably what I feared a bent valve due to incorrect installation of the camshafts the first time around. Oh well you learn from your mistakes. Maybe a costly one but..what are you gonna do

I'll upload a video of me stripping the bike to the camshafts. Also showing the raised valve bucket.
Stay tuned ;]

If by raised valve bucket, you mean one is sitting up higher, with no valve clearance. then I'd say a shim has come loose. Yours are shim under bucket, so the shim sits on top of the valve stem.
Did you download the service manual?
Pull the valve cover and measure the remaining valve clearances and right it down. You can make a chart to keep a record of it if you want. There is a printable chart in "File Base" here on KZR.
Don't forget the wedge for the tensioner, remove it. Pull the Bucket up off the valve with the loose shim. Look at both the underside of the bucket and the top of the valve and retainer for damage. You will probably need a new retainer, and bucket, and a new shim size for proper valve clearance. To check the cylinder for valve damage you can do a Leak Down Test to see if the valve is bent.

Video as promised. :]

So just take out the bucket and check for damage >

By leak down you mean put some lighting up liquid in the valve chamber where the valve goes and check if it leaks into the cylinder

I downloaded it :] I didn't notice that the manuals were available at the main website... I need to pay more attention. I'll let you know when I had the chance to take a look at it. I'm at work at the moment.

So at the end of the video your are about to remove the lifter/ bucket for #3 IN. You need to pull it and look to see where the shim is.
Leak Down Test. this is applying Air Pressure to the cylinder. You can do this as the motor sits, for a quick check of bent valves. Even though your #2 & #3 will be a BDC instead of TDC. With both cams out it won't mater for a quick check. Apply air pressure to the spark plug hole, and see if it escapes from the IN port or EX port. With the "T" mark lined up the engine will not rotate.
Also check for a broken valve spring at the #3 IN. Use a hammer, with the head of it in your palm, and the end of the handle down against the bucket, give it a push downward. then try the #2 IN and see if they feel the same pressure.