TOPIC:

So if I use synthetic oil and it causes clutch slippage, is that going to wear out a wet clutch or is it just going to be annoying?

I have been rebuilding and riding bikes for over 30 years. The oil I have always used is whatever is on sale at the local parts house.
I have never had a problem using "car" oil. I have gotten well over 60,000 miles on most of my engines. I have used motorcycle specific oil but have never seen the advantage of the extra cost. The key to long engine life is frequent oil and filter changes, not the type of oil.
I sereously doubt the noise you are hearing has anything to do with the "car" oil you put in.

Well, I tried adjusting the cam chain tension, and while it was out of adjustment fixing it doesn't seem to have helped the noise I'm hearing...which is a clattering when I let off the throttle fully while underway. Noise doesn't happen when I rev the engine. Also doesn't seem to go away if I let off the throttle and then pull in the clutch while it is making the noise.

Transmission?

put bike in neutral,rev it up and back out of it.if it still makes noise its probably not transmision.pull off your valvecover and check things out,does anybody know the length between pins to check for a stretched chain?check the teeth on the cam sprockets for unusual wear pattern .good luck hope this helps,happy wrenching!

It sounds like cam chain to me as well. On my 750 H between marks it is I believe 45 links. If your chain has stretched too much for the automatic tensioner you may look into one of the manual ones. I put a manual on my bike and it has plenty of adjustment room. I also use auto oil just don't use energy conserving marked oil. Although I don't think it would cause damage per say I think it may just cause clutch slipping. I also like the more stout diesel oil 15w-40. It just seems to hold up under more severe driving. That and I have a diesel truck.

So the idea is that I could install a different tensioner if a stretched cam chain is the problem, and that could take care of things for a while? Where do I find one?

I'm definitely not up to the task of a full engine teardown, which is what I guess would be the best thing to do if I have to replace the camchain. No sense taking the whole thing apart only to do the cam chain.

KZ650B1; sounds like the same problem. Check it out:

kzrider.com/component/option,com_joomlab...id,4/id,10236/#10236

I'm working on it now. Just pulled the pan and found all the metal. It doesn't appear to have done any damage, thanks to the oil pump screen and the oil filter.

Post edited by: Wild & KZ Guy, at: 2005/11/27 14:23

Post edited by: Wild & KZ Guy, at: 2005/11/27 14:26

Interesting. I replaced the tach cable on my bike earlier this summer after the old one failed. I wonder if there could be a connection. Does your make a noise when the bike is not under load? Mine doesn't. Looks like I'm going to need to pull of the cam covers and have a look...unless someone else's suggestion that my drive chain is too slack cures the noise.

DC

Oh fun, another oil question! I never had a problem running conventional 10W-40, non-motorcycle, straight automotive oil in any bike. Running full synth didn't make any difference either except in the pocketbook. As you get over 40,000 miles you might want to go to 15W-40 or 20W-50, depending on your climate. Your engine may not notice. One thing about KZ motors is that they were all way over-built. You'll hurt them with no oil more than using the wrong weight or type.

DLC: Everyone was telling me it was the cam chain also. With the bike running, take a big screwdriver and place it at various points around the valve cover, and listen to the other end of it. I was able to pinpoint the noise doing that; wow it was loud right there(above the tach cable).
Like I said, my tach was working fine. I'm still amazed!
I just now got it all cleaned up...having a hard time finding a pan gasket..without buying a whole $75 gasket set that is..gonna try the Kaw dealer tomorrow..
Good luck, lemme know what you find~

Post edited by: Wild & KZ Guy, at: 2005/11/27 16:59

Wild and KZ, I'll give it a try. Does yours make the noise more under load than at idle, or does it seem pretty much the same? Course, its hard to try the screwdriver trick with the bike under load....

I didn't really notice it under load, only because of the noise level of my motor & exhaust.
At first, I couldn't tell if it was coming from the crankcase, trans, or what. Sometimes it seemed to change while working the clutch, so I thought it might be that.
Then I had people telling me it was all kinds of stuff. Plus, it wasn't a steady noise, not in time with the motor.
Try the screwdriver thing with it idling, try it on the crankcase and on the valve covers. Maybe you will hear it right away - I know I did.
If you're saying it only happens under load, then maybe you do have a different problem. Have your woman do a stationary burnout, while you check the motor for noise

Another good thing to know: I just came from my local Honda bike dealer. They have a computerized gasket cutting machine there. My KZ was in their system and they cut me a perfect pan gasket in 5 minutes for 12 bucks!