NO PULL FROM MY ENGINE

[gixxer500]

Well, i seem to have no pull from my bike after about 3,000rpm. Also have a rattley/vibey noise coming from the engine.

My initial thoughts were it was low on oil, which i was right about so have topped up to required level with no improvement.

Had a local garage take a quick look/listen at it, and they basically said "Time to get another bike, your's is f**ked." Then went on to say "We've got a nice ZX6R in the showroom that would suit you."

Only other things i can think of it being, though i havent really got a clue is either the cam chain/tensioners or worn barrels and piston slap. Any ideas on what to check??

Bike is a 1994/5 with 43,000 miles on it

[dgyver]

When is the last time you had the valves adjusted?

Also, is the bike running weak or nothing above 3K?
If nothing above 3K, possible that you are only running on 1 cylinder.

Oh...and do not have that shop look at or work on your bike. All they care about is making a sale.

[The Buddha]

Rattly ... no power ... you're prolly sucking air.
Loose valves wont make you lose power, tight valves wont be rattly or affect over 3K, they will affect idle more and cam chain wont be the worst at 3K, it will be worse at under 2500 - on gentle take off's.
The other possibility, is ripped diaphragm.
Piston slap isn;t that much like a rattle.
Cam chain can be easily checked as are the valves. But start with the vaccuum leak followed by a ripped diaphragm.
Cool.
Srinath.

[gsJack]

I'm leaning towards the one cylinder thought off hand, first thing you want to do though is check compression.  Pull the spark plugs out and give it the finger in the hole test if you don't have a guage.

Put the plugs in the wires and lay them against the cyl head and check for spark at same time.  I tie the clutch lever back with my hanky since I only have two hands, stick one finger firmly over a spark plug hole, and crank the engine with the other hand.  Should blow you finger out of the plug hole with a loud pop if you have adequate compression.

Next pull the valve cover and check the valves and cam chain. 

I had a one cylinder problem for a while due to dampness shorting out one cyl and fixed it with some diaelectric grease.  With the engine idling pull off one spark plug wire at a time and if it stops when one is off and keeps running when the other is off then it's running on one cylinder and you'll know which one.

[3imo]

" due to dampness shorting out one cyl and fixed it with some diaelectric grease."

where did you use the grease?  on the spark plug head where it connects to the wire?
 

[jordan172005]

When I first got mine it was non-running. We tore the bike down and cleaned everything inside and out. Then we fired it up and it was still idling rough but seemed fine above about 3k like you said.... turned out one plug wire was off  put the wire on and it's been running great ever since. I would do a one cylinder check first.

[gsJack]

" due to dampness shorting out one cyl and fixed it with some diaelectric grease."

where did you use the grease?  on the spark plug head where it connects to the wire?
 

The problem was where the wire screws into the coil, I managed to screw it out without pulling the tank and put a glob of dielectric grease on the end of the wire and screw it back in.  Also coated the plug porcelins (sp?)with it and it's been running like new since.

Ordered some new plug wire and will replace that one when I do valve check soon.  Got a 3' length from Dennis Kirk for $3 plus $6 shipping.     I had the same cylinder cutting out spring 06 and cut 1/2" off the wire and screwed it back in tight and it was good till this spring.

Those wires are so tight on a new coil that they feel like they are moulded in but they come loose on the screws and will short out in dampness as the miles pile up.  I went back and pulled the tank on the old parked 97 and both plug wires pulled straight out without unscrewing!  Over 80k on that bike.

[gixxer500]

Just to update this,  the following day after i posted about it not running right, it blew the big ends apart and snapped the conrods.

I dont know whether its worth finding another engine to put in it or just to get another bike.

[facepants]

With the engine idling pull off one spark plug wire at a time and if it stops when one is off and keeps running when the other is off then it's running on one cylinder and you'll know which one.

What does it mean if pulling either plug makes it stop running?

[sanjay]

If you're running on only one cylinder, then only that cylinder's spark plug matters.  Pulling the plug wire on the cylinder that isn't firing won't change anything, but if you pull the wire off the working cylinder, then that cylinder will stop and the whole engine will stop. 

[facepants]

Yeah I get that... what I'm asking is, if my bike is running and I pull the plug on the left... and the bike stops running, then i start it up again with both plugs in and pull the plug on the right and it stops.... what does that mean?  Is that a problem?

[werase643]

wow, I guess the guy at the bike shop knew what he was talking about..... and everybody here is a dumba$$

you actually might come out better parting it down on ebay.uk  than buying an engine and selling it later on
unless you find a CHEAP engine.

[The Buddha]

OK I am not about to jump on that shop dude's side yet ...
There still is a why to be asked.
Did you figure out why it blew the bottom end. Breaking the rods is serious. You had a lot of crank bearing noise, was that what made it rattle It will be quiet on acceleration, but be making a banging noise on closed throttle.
Was it out of oil
Also, did it have goats ... which ate the bearings and hence your motor.
Cool.
Srinath.

[werase643]

dead is dead
not like ya going to bring that POS back to life.....
unless it gets a heart xplant

[dgyver]

For a shop to say that the motor is dead without an explanation of what is wrong or that they could see what it would cost to fix it is very poor business. They are still a shop that I would stay away from. I stand by what I said, all they care about is the sale.

[werase643]

from the original post....f%&ked is f%&ked....
the guy at the shop just didn't tell gixxer500 that the bottom end is going south.....
but a death rattle is a death rattle if you have heard it before...just a matter of time...unless it's a ford 300 they suffer from death rattle for 100+k before the stop on the side of the road.