Hard Engine Click/Banging - Help!

Hey all,

I need a little help diagnosing a problem on my 1999 Kawasaki ZX9R. I recently purchased it and had been driving it around. I noticed that it was hard to start and the slow jets seemed clogged, but other than that it ran nice, quiet, and smooth.

I took her apart, cleaned the carbs, adjusted the shims (which required camshaft removal + engine drop) and changed the oil. I reinstalled the cams correctly, on the proper timing and position on the chain. I also set the cam chain tensioner to the right level for auto adjust (even one additional "click" tighter later while trying to resolve issue).

The bike now has a loud, terrible, clacking noise. It's painful to hear, and I can feel it. It seems to be coming from the cam chain, specifically where the cam chain meets the camshafts. That is where it is the loudest, but it also is loud at the bottom of the cam chain. The other side of the engine is significantly quieter. The sound remains the same whether the engine is warm or cold, and can be increased by throttle control.

Video: YouTube - 1999 ZX9R Engine Noise/Rattle CCT?

I'm posting this here because the technical expertise on this forum is hands down more talented and knowledgeable than the Kawasaki forum I recently joined. Please help!

 

Sounds amazingly like mine right now which has developed over the last two months. Initially it was very sporadic but now common. Seems the sound goes away when it warms up on mine. Presently it is in the shop where the techs are believing it to be the Timing Chain adjusters which are now being replaced.

 

Thanks for the fast reply Randy, I hope you get your issue solved. It certainly sounds like cam chain rattle, but my attempts to tighten the CCT an extra notch don't affect it.