A mechanically type question thing.

Indeed. Otherwise you'll reassemble it, and wonder where the funny
clonking noise is coming from ... until you rip the rhs fairing off,
and decide to bolt the rhs fan housing back onto the bike, using the
two 10mm bolts you had left over when you thought you'd finished.

Possibly.

 

Right, spurred on by the suggestions that it may be plugs and led into a
happy state of over confidence by the link Pip posted I decided to go for
it.

Without a further thought for my future mobility I whipped off the tank and
air-filter before getting a twitchy ring thinking about how badly wrong it
could go when it came to getting the carbs off.

So I left it there until Saturday. Eddie had suggested a trip up t'Hill so
on Saturday morning I went out and re-assembled the bike. I got it all put
back together again, turned on the fuel tap and it started pissing petrol
everywhere. A fairly brief investigation showed that the pipe between the
tank and the fuel filter had split and, of course, it's a Kawasaki-only
part.

So we caged it into Newcastle, ordered the part and, as the bike wasn't
going anywhere until it arrived in, got some new spark plugs for it.

I stripped the bike back down and then Eddie wandered round to give me a
hand with the plugs.

The first thing we noticed was that you don't actually need to remove the
carbs to get to the plugs, despire what it says on the web-page. Then we
found that the air-filter element was totally clogged up with dirt and
shredded flies. This was obviously making it run a bit rich, which would
explain the manky state of the old plugs.

So the plugs were changed (which is reet faff on, because the frame stops
you getting a socket in easily. You need to use a spark plug socket, then a
short extension bar, then a universal joint, then a long extension and then
a rachet and you pretty much have to connect them one-by-one). My new 2.5"
length of rubber hose arrived in yesterday (at only a pound an inch,
bargain) and I got a new air-filter element.

I fitted that lot yesterday and took the bike for a test at lunch-time
today.

The original problem is sorted, no new problems have appeared and the bike
is going better than I can remember it doing for a long time.

So thanks to all of those who gave advice, thanks to Pip for the pretty good
web link and thanks to Eddie for his help. I can look forward to my
track-day now.

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

Still on for a "shake off the cobwebs" run out on Saturday? Clare
fancied coming along on pillion, so I won't be doing anything stupid,
but you can still have fun toying with the more-money-than-skill Ducati
riders.

Apparently we need to be in Helmsley for ~10:00, which is going to mean
leaving at something stupid like 8:30; getting up in time for that on s
a Saturday is going to be something of a shock to the system.

 

And here ends the case for regular servicing.

 

Want to pop round and check my valve clearances for me?

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

True, but they could also be full of petrol/water gunk which
won't come out through the drain plugs, especially if they're
blocked.

A bit like the carbs off my racebike that I took apart to clean ...
http://horrible.demon.co.uk/600ss/050311_dd_02.jpg

 

AndrewR says...

<squints>, they look fine from here.

 

Yup, still on for it and I think Mick said he might come along as well.

Which means he won't.

Eeek!

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

Don't be fucking stupid, you'll only be able to see one side from where you
are.

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

AndrewR says...

<turns 180, squints a bit more>, Humm, the exhaust on number 3 seems to
have closed up a bit...

 

antonye fumbled, fiddled and fingered:

Parmesan ? Gorgonzola?


--
Steve Parry
K100RS SE & F650
and a 520i SE Touring for comfort

(not forgetting the SK90PY)

http://www.gwynfryn.co.uk

 

Considering how much fucking about was involved to get at the plugs, I
really, *really* don't want to know about your valve clearances.

You got the workshop manual, didn't you?[0] What does it say in there?
Is it even possible to do it without taking the engine out of the frame?


[0] In which case, why were we pissing about using instructions off a
website?[1]
[1] Ahhh... maybe that was for the Quattro[2], was it?
[2] R.I.P.

 

My thoughts exactly.

Well, yes. It might even involve doing something outrageous like making
sure the bike's ready on Friday night.

 

I thought it looked like rice pudding.

 

Oh, it'll definitely be possible without dropping the motor. Might
involve a bit more fiddling, tho. You'll have to remove tank, airbox
and carbs, but you'd done all that already. Then it'll just be 6
bolts for the cam cover.

 

We never actually got the carbs off because we didn't need to and it
obviously wasn't going to make life any easier.

Oh well, it's only half-an-hours work to strip that lot off, so I might do
the clearances.


--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

Yes I did.

I don't know, I haven't even looked.

Because I knew where the web-site was.

I've got one of those as well.

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.

 

Of course, the technical stuff starts once you get the cam cover
off....

 

Those look just like the carbs I puked in at Santa Pod

--
Veggie Dave
UKRMHRC#2 BOTAFOF#08
IQ 18 FILMS http://www.iq18films.com
Extreme Racing http://www.veggie-dave.co.uk
Toxic Shock Syndrome Gets More Girls Than Me

 

I'm sorry, the line must be bad ... my monitor has gone all fuzzy and I
can't read your message.

Perhaps you could tell Eddie instead.

--
AndrewR, D.Bot (Celeritas)
Kawasaki ZX-6R J1, Fiat Coupe 20v Turbo
BOTAFOT#2,ITJWTFO#6,UKRMRM#1/13a,MCT#1,DFV#2,SKoGA#0 (and KotL)
BotToS#5,SBS#25,IbW#34, DS#5, COSOC# Suspended, KotTFSTR#
The speccy Geordie twat.