Ticking/Clicking noise coming off throttle

[patw]

Link to original page on YouTube.

Hope I explained it well enough in the video, I can certainly hear it. Some things that may help:

• Had the local dealer do a valve adjust at 16k km, it's at 20k now.
• I had a low speed tipover in a parking lot early in the season (some fairing scratches). Can't remember if I heard it before or after.
• Brought to another dealer to get new tires, they didn't say anything about it. But they may have not rode it. Forgot to ask.
• Notice it more when the engine is warmed up. At cold or in Neutral it's harder to hear.
• Changed oil to Amsoil Synth recently, and I think that's when I started noticing the sound more clearly. The oil is NOT energy conserving and certified for operation with wet clutches (checked the bottle).

I had one buddy tell me it's was just the valves rattling and harmless, another thought it might be knocking (87 octane, fully stock bike), and engine could get damaged.

[alex.s]

cam chain tensioner?

[patw]

Never heard of that part. What does it do, and where is it located?

[TeamGreen]

Had a similar issue lately. Hard to tell in your video but mine was a ticking coming off a rev also.

http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showthread.php?t=77583

Had the valves adjusted. Shop I took it to said there was some freeplay in the cam chain tensioner which was still making a little noise. They recommended I replace it along with the cam chain, but that it wasn't needed immediately so i've been riding it.

So far though, I haven't heard anything else so all seems ok.

[DaBlue1]

Another poster was hearing something similar. Check this post, it may help.
http://www.ninjette.org/forums/showp...3&postcount=28

[patw]

Both good links:

- In the first one, I just had valves adjusted 4000 km ago, so I'm not sure if they'd go "out" that quickly.

- Second link is horrifying. I don't have 1/10th the skills to do that level of diagnosis. The most complex thing I've done is oil changes, cable adjustments and fairing removal

The oil thing is interesting though. I did change it recently to Amsoil Synth (never used it before). It's not energy conserving, and certified for wet clutches. I'll update my post above with this. After thinking more on it, the noise was really noticeable after the oil change.

[Broc]

Just wondering if you ever figured out where your noise was coming from or if you fixed it?

I am having the exact same noise when coming off the throttle only. The noise started just like your noise in the video a few weeks ago and has now become very loud and present at idle. Only really present when coming off the throttle from about 6-7k down.

Was hoping you found something before I go tearing into my bike ie> valves, cct, clutch basket issues, or normal kawi-click? It seems there is a very wide spectrum of opinions on this particular noise.

[patw]

Nope, it's still doing it. It's louder now as well. Very obvious when the bike is cold. I'm not terribly mechanically skilled, so it'll probably be going to the dealer mechanic soon

[Broc]

Darn the luck. I hope to tear into mine this weekend if the heat holds off. I plan to take the camshaft chain tensioner off first, clean, & check her over. I figure if the noise at least goes away temporarily or changes that I may have found the culprit. It is by far the easiest and cheapest thing to try first. Let ya know how it goes. Hopefully cleaning and resetting the CCT will fix the ticking.

[wtfh4xx]

I have the same issue.
I believe its the CCT letting the chain tick against the casing once the tautness is let off after running.
Anyone else have insight on this?

Dont want to tear her apart just yet without more info.

[headshrink]

Without hearing it in person, and with what you describe, my best guess is the CCT is the MOST likely cause. That is one of those things just about everyone experiences with these bikes. If the shop told you to replace the cam chain itself, I would be suspicious, and want to know if it was actually damaged, or significantly stretched (with actual measurement).... sure it is always "best" to replace a bunch of parts, but rarely necessary. If you did have them open her up and replace things, I would certainly suggest telling them ahead of time to keep the old parts for you.... that would help keep them honest. Replacing the CCT is easy as pie, so you can do that yourself. If the noise goes away, you spent the the LEAST amount of money (other than oil change), effort, and didn't have to open-up the engine.

[wtfh4xx]

yeah, if I toy lightly with the throttle i can make it tickle itself to no end.

tingalingalingating... lol

I have a slip on otherwise I probably wouldnt have noticed the noise.

[kamikaze]

yea, that's definitely not a normal sound Pat. I'd be getting that checked out asap.

[greg737]

There's a very similar sounding problem that occurs on the first-generation EX-250s. On those bikes the hard rubber bumpers that are built into the clutch basket fall apart. Once these rubber bumpers are gone the clutch basket makes a rattling/clacking noise at idle.

I don't know if Kawasaki used the same clutch basket design on the new-generation EX-250. But if they did I'd have to say that's what your problem sounds like. One way to know if a bike has this problem is to drain the oil and take off the oil screen to see if it's got lots of little bits of hard rubber on it.

Here's a quote from a description of the problem:

The clutch basket noise is the one that tends to get the most attention, since it can be quite loud and noticeable at idle. It's a low knocking sound and can sometimes be mistaken as a rod bearing knock.

Narrowing down the possibility that you've got a bad clutch basket goes like this:

To determine if the noise you're hearing is from the clutch basket, start your bike, hold the brakes tight, put it in gear, and with the brakes still applied, let out the clutch until the motor starts to slow (known as 'slipping the clutch'). If your clutch basket has some slop, the drag will pull the bumpers solidly to one side and the noise will temporarily go away.

Here's a link to the whole article:

http://faq.ninja250.org/wiki/What%27..._the_clutch%3F

[wtfh4xx]

^ If I hold brake and let clutch out a bit the noise just slows down a bit.
Im almost positive its the CCT now.
Someone link me to a DIY on checking it?
Im running late today :P

[patw]

As an update to this: The problem has been solved!

Resetting the CCT seems to have fixed it. It's a very easy procedure, when you know how. Mildly frustrating when you don't have a clue how it all fits together. Service manual was handy here

I did not have the proper bit to hold the piston in place while I re-installed the CCT, so I ended up using a bent piece of metal which shot off violently a few times while trying to get it in place. Fun times.