Got my bike fixed! (dyno pics)

[putty_thing]

So I've had a problem with my bike possibly since I got it (after completing a direct access course just over 1.5 years ago).

Being my first bike I didn't have any ability to go remotely quickly to start with, of course the bike still felt titanically fast to me, but as I've had it, got more confident I started noticing the poor running more and more. Only problem is, I've had no opportunity to ride other bikes for any significant distance (insurance ) so I didn't know if there was really something wrong, or if I was just imagining it.

My problem was, winding onto anything past 3/4 throttle resulted in the bike bogging down really badly, unless I was all the way up around 11k rpm, where is seemed to make good progress.

So in the start I'm a newbie, can't ride fast, later I have nothing for comparison, so I didn't realise how bad the problem was. I'd ridden the bike in it's broken state either from when it was bought or the 9month service where the valve clearances were checked by the awful Poole based dealership where I bought it. In the time since the last valve clearance check I'd covered another 10k miles (going to LeMans and back) so the bike (around 31k miles) was due for another, and I booked it into a local shop.

If only I'd done it sooner (ahha, content!):

Blue line is before, red after

4th gear rollon shows the severity of the problem:

Red line is before, blue after - note monster 44ft/lb of torque


It turned out whoever had done the valve clearances last had reassembled the engine had left parts overtightened, undertightened (I wondered where the oil leak was..), the cam chain tensioner was bent, parts missing from the carbs and best of all with the inlet cam timing a tooth out

It cost me a whopping £380, but it's resurrected the bike - about 20 more hp and 1/3 more torque throughout the rev range, I'm so happy


Bike for reference:





Cliffs:

Bike runs like crap
Have valve clearances checked
Inlet cam timing out
-$$
Bike is fast now

[Shiki]

gonna give the shop hell for their shoddy service?

[onewheeldoin200]

Originally Posted by Shiki

gonna give the shop hell for their shoddy service?

No kidding. That's....fucking terrible.

[putty_thing]

I think it's too late to get money back of the guys who caused the mess (the original dealership) and I certiantly don't want them to touch it.. ever again..

I wondered what the strange new sensation from the bars was when I overtook my brother on the way home from collecting it - realised it was the front lifting, and that wasn't even full throttle

[bh696]

Originally Posted by putty_thing

It turned out whoever had done the valve clearances last had reassembled the engine had left parts overtightened, undertightened (I wondered where the oil leak was..), the cam chain tensioner was bent, parts missing from the carbs and best of all with the inlet cam timing a tooth out

God damn. Try to make those fuckers pay for the repairs.

At least mention it to the service manager and maybe keep someone else's bike from getting fucked like that.

[Ice|Burn]

Originally Posted by putty_thing

It turned out whoever had done the valve clearances last had reassembled the engine had left parts overtightened, undertightened (I wondered where the oil leak was..), the cam chain tensioner was bent, parts missing from the carbs and best of all with the inlet cam timing a tooth out

That's quite the list of things that were screwed up. You're lucky the bike still runs in any manner at all.

[pepsihatman]

What model?

[CanuckDave]

Originally Posted by pepsihatman

What model?

looks like a Kawi ZX-6R

[ubercaff]

Atleast get a statement from the shop that fixed it and bring it back to the original dealership and wave it in their face.

[putty_thing]

Originally Posted by CanuckDave

looks like a Kawi ZX-6R

Quite correct sir, a J2 model to be specific.

I may just try and extract some money from the other dealer, problem is they're only a 2 man band, the owner and a mechanic, so there isn't anyone who is specifically interested in customer service.

The mechanic actually has a Ducati 996 - I'm amazed he keeps that running based on the quality of work he performed on my bike.

[Therapist]

Originally Posted by putty_thing

Quite correct sir, a J2 model to be specific.

I may just try and extract some money from the other dealer, problem is they're only a 2 man band, the owner and a mechanic, so there isn't anyone who is specifically interested in customer service.

The mechanic actually has a Ducati 996 - I'm amazed he keeps that running based on the quality of work he performed on my bike.

It's his. That's the difference.

And yeah, a 20hp increase on a bike is pretty damn good

[JOHNNY-NO-STARS]

Vale clearences and timing are pretty comon to be out in bikes, and should be checked at most regular service intervals, that said the first shop obviously fucked you, and those early 01/02 ZX's are so gorgeous and comfortable, nice ride