Cam chain replaced but problem not solved

[timphy2]

I recently bought a 1991 zxr250 and when I bought it, the previous owner told me that the cam chain needed replacing because there was rattling coming from the engine. So yesterday I brought my bike into a garage and got the cam chain done and got it serviced to save money on labour. but when i got it back, the rattling noise was still there. I asked the guy and he said that it was the clutch cable that was worn and that needed replacing. Does this sound correct?

It does feel like the clutch cable need to be replaced because if i change gear up fast at 10,000 rpm it will still be in 10,000rpm and then go down. if that makes any sense to you.

I know very little about the mechanical parts of a bike so i wouldn't have a clue and i would appreciate it if someone who did could tell me whats going on.

They quoted me $400 for the cam chain to get done and $300 for the service but because i did ti at the same time i only had to pay $380.

I would appreciate any help. thanks

[Drum]

Well it's only a minor job to replace the clutch cable, so if there's any doubt you should go ahead and change it. You can do it yourself - just get the shop to order you a new cable.

[Madness]

Cam Chain replaced, what about the Chain Tensioner?

I wouldn't have thought a worn Clutch Cable could make for a noisy engine??

[Wasp]

It does feel like the clutch cable need to be replaced because if i change gear up fast at 10,000 rpm it will still be in 10,000rpm and then go down. if that makes any sense to you.

Sounds like what my Bandit was doing, what if you accelerate REALLY hard? does it like slip and let go and the revs go up for a bit?

[timphy2]

Well it's only a minor job to replace the clutch cable, so if there's any doubt you should go ahead and change it. You can do it yourself - just get the shop to order you a new cable.

yes i know but i want to know if its possible whether a worn clutch cable can make such a noise.

[timphy2]

Cam Chain replaced, what about the Chain Tensioner?

I wouldn't have thought a worn Clutch Cable could make for a noisy engine??

The guy thought it was the tensioner in the start, but then called me and told me it was the chain that needed replacing

[timphy2]

Sounds like what my Bandit was doing, what if you accelerate REALLY hard? does it like slip and let go and the revs go up for a bit?

umm yer sorta, its hard cause i only just started riding so i dont know whether its the bike or me doing something wrong. :P

[ninjac]

You are getting clutch slippage, but this shouldn't rattle.
Adjust/replace clutch cable if slippage still occurs then you need to get new/reburbish clutch plates.
Something is still fishy with the cam chain if it rattles.

[Ixion]

Worn clutch cable wouldn't normally make a noise. And usually will cause drag (noisy gear changes, stalling , hard to find neutral) not slip ("power loss", over revving).

But a worn clutch may rattle, and cause slip.

Get someone knowledgeable to listen and ride .

Bear in mind that the cam chain may have needed repalcement as well, so the shop was not necessarily wrong. Though that price sounds rather cheap.

[Motu]

Often it's a case of get rid of one noise and ''create'' another - that was there all the time and sounds similar.

[terbang]

If yer gonna change yer cam chain it is good practise to look closely at the tensioner and associated pads and guides and replace them. Clutch baskets and associated bearings and bits, when worn, will rattle at idle. If the rattle changes or goes away when you pull the clutch lever in, then there's your problem. A good way to test for a slipping clutch is gas it hard in say 4th or 5th and just momentarily bump the clutch (don't do this if you ride a Hayabusa), if it sort of sounds like an automatic car when changing gear and the RPM doesn't immediatly return some sort of sensible figure then you need to look at your friction plates and springs.

[timphy2]

My bike has done 45,000 and apparently the rattling is normal for a bike that has done so many ks. im still not completely satisfied that i can't do anything about this rattling but i will leave it for now. someone mentioned clutch plates so i might look into that. Thanks everybody for the help and advice.

[T.W.R]

My bike has done 45,000 and apparently the rattling is normal for a bike that has done so many ks. im still not completely satisfied that i can't do anything about this rattling but i will leave it for now. someone mentioned clutch plates so i might look into that. Thanks everybody for the help and advice.

Does the rattle increase or decrease with various engine rpm? or is it a consistent rattle? what area of the engine does the rattle emanate from?

Is what you're calling a rattle a rattle or a tapping noise ?

[Ixion]

It's 16 years old , it will have been ruthlessly raped for 45000km. Some engine noise is to be expected.

[timphy2]

Does the rattle increase or decrease with various engine rpm? or is it a consistent rattle? what area of the engine does the rattle emanate from?

Is what you're calling a rattle a rattle or a tapping noise ?

it increases when i drive the bike, but not the rpm. so when i rev it stationary, it doesnt increase, but when i drive i can here it ratting faster. it comes from under the fuel tank, right side ish. ummm kinda in between a rattle and a tapping noise. kinda hard to explain sorry.