TOPIC:

Hey yall.  I was hoping you could help me figure out whats wrong with my bike.  It's a 1981 KZ440A LTD model with only 4k miles on it, super clean so I don't think there's been any funny business with swapping out speedometers to fake the mileage.  I have a video on youtube of the sound it is making.  There is a ticking that seems to be on the right side of the engine.  It increases with speed.  My valves are within clearance and it seems like anything else that would be in my knowledge zone to check maintenance wise this motor does automatically (cam tensions/etc).  I should emphasis that the video really really cuts out the deep sound of the engine making the ticking noise much much more prevalent than in real life.  Nonetheless, I think there is something wrong, and I'm hoping someone can steer me in the right direction.  One more nugget of info I could add, is that I think the exhaust on the right side has been restricted somehow over it's life.  The muffler on that side has a whole on the bottom that's been "rusted" out.  I put that in quotes because there's not red rust, but it does have holes of some sort of deterioration.  Today I was feeling the pressure coming out of the two sides and it seems stronger out the left than the right.  Since it was already damaged I just went at it with an angle grinder on the bottom and cut some slits to help open it up a little.  Cuts that can't be scene unless you're lying on your back looking for it.  Here's the link to youtube: 

Could be a leaking exhaust gasket where the pipe meets the head. If you decide to check the tightness of the nuts, be very careful. The studs and the casting around them can be broken more easily than many folks think.  Also, if you decide to replace the gaskets, it would be worthwhile to soak the nuts in penetrating oil (Kroil, Liquid Wrench, etc) for a day or two before trying to remove the nuts. 

Have you adjusted your valves lately? Might be that. Otherwise Texas is probably right, or maybe (long shot) there could be a hole in the pipe underneath the mounting flange/collets?

Glad to hear it's an easy fix.  My valves are in clearance, I've checked them twice in the past 50 miles.

Am I doing any damage to the bike riding as is until I get a new gasket?

No eBay APP ID and/or Cert ID defined in Kunena configurationJust to be clear, this is the part we're talking about?  Thanks

That looks correct.

Quite a bit cheaper here.

www.z1enterprises.com/motorcycles/Kawasa...exhaust-gaskets.html

wrote:

That looks correct.

Quite a bit cheaper here.

www.z1enterprises.com/motorcycles/Kawasa...exhaust-gaskets.html
 

Thanks TexasKZ.  Think I'd be doing much damage riding around a few days until new parts come in?

BTW, what part of TX you in?  I lived in Austin for a little over half a decade before it got hammered with population.  Great time to live there.

If it is an exhaust leak, then probably no damage. I live about 25 miles nw of Houston.

I got the new copper gaskets, they were a little bit thicker and rounder (inside the donut way - a thicker donut).  If that was the problem it was probably exacerbated by the fact that none of the exhaust bolts were tight.  They were all approx finger tight or a tad bit more.  Now that I have the entire exhaust off I'm going to install those MAC Performance mufflers (for those of you who have been following my threads).  I bought a real nice pipe cutter and hope to just slip it on with some exhaust paste - but we'll see how it goes.  Here for hoping for an easy project!!!  I (they just never are *sigh*).  I hope the mufflers give me a little more punch without having to change my jetting.  Speed Moto Co told me that new mufflers would not require new jetting.  I hope they are right.  I'm going to go out to the garage and pull my plugs, take pics and post them here.  See what yall think.  Thanks guys!