Oh Arse. Heeeeeelp! Paging Mechanics

I *knew* doing a service on the ZZR was going to end in tears.

Pulling the cylinder head cover off has revealed nasty looking pitting
on one of the inlet cams. Piccies at:

http://www.eaton.me.uk/zzrcam/

All the others look OK. So, assembled wisdom, what do I do:

A) Do the shims, bung it all back together and pretend nothing ever
happened[1].
B) Get a second hand camshaft from somewhere.
C) See if I can get this one built up and reground.
D) Go and sit in the corner of the garage and cry.

Audience, vote on your keypads now!

[1] Well, it was running quietly before, how bad can it be? <sob>

 

E) Sell it?

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, petrolcan

Not my style, I'm afraid. Unless I've fixed it first, or told the lucky
punter about the problem. I'm my own worst enemy at times.

 

*Cough*

 

You are just *too* fucking nice

 

You may want to talk to:

http://www.sep-kegworth.co.uk/

It's a small firm with 3 blokes in an old fashioned workshop, seem to
have a decent reputation, they did a decent job on the SZR bottom end
rebuild for me.

 

That'll be metal transference mate ;-)

What gets me it that it's divots rather than plain wear, which suggests
lumps of something somewhere.

Does anyone do a high lift long duration alternative, whilst they are
out, like?

 

I was thinking that too. Unfortunately if you look closely at the oil
that's sitting on the seals it looks like there's some swarf content in
the oil too.

I think I'd start looking for a cause of this, and what might have sent
bits around the engine. It might even suggest a blocked oil filter if
this is using a by-pass type - the oil doesn't look too cool either.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Andy Hewitt

I think that's just some crud that fell in when I removed the head
cover. The seals are partially exposed when the cover's on which is
where most of the crud came from. I *did* try to clean it up before
removing the cover, honest. ;^)

There's no swarf or other unpleasantness in the filter or the oil I
drained as part of this job. The oil was due a change anyway, which
explains the appearance.

I'm hoping it's the 'known problem' that Champ refers to.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Champ

That appeals.

I'll have a sniff around and get some prices.

Hmm... I'm pretty sure that mine (an "R" plate) would be well out of any
sort of warranty, but it can't hurt to ask. And the mods question is a
good 'un, ta.

 

That's oil? I thought it was teriyaki...

--
Platypus - (surreal)
Triumph Trophy 1200 (The Incredible Hulk)
VN800 Drifter (still for sale)
R80RT (for sale - spares or repairs)
Z200 (Fear the Distance Monster!)
DIAABTCOD#2 GPOTHUF#19
BOTAFOS#6 BOTAFOT#89 FTB#11
BOB#1 SBS#35 ANORAK#18 TWA#15

 

Yes, that'd be good. I was just seeing it as it was at face value.

 

LOL.

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, platypus

<dips finger>
<licks finger>

No, no, it's oil. Phew! You had me worried there.

 

<sucks air through teeth> Well, there's your problem. Now, if you'd been
running it on yer actual teriyaki - or even nam pla, at a pinch - then you
wouldn't be having these problems, would you?

--
Platypus - (surreal)
Triumph Trophy 1200 (The Incredible Hulk)
VN800 Drifter (still for sale)
R80RT (for sale - spares or repairs)
Z200 (Fear the Distance Monster!)
DIAABTCOD#2 GPOTHUF#19
BOTAFOS#6 BOTAFOT#89 FTB#11
BOB#1 SBS#35 ANORAK#18 TWA#15

 

Using the patented Mavis Beacon "Hunt&Peck" Technique, Andy Hewitt

The plot thickens...

I've just been out and checked the measurements I took earlier. *All* of
the exhaust valves are way out of spec (gap too small).

Inlets are OK, except for No 1, which is too small (by about 0.05mm). No
1 is not the one with the cam problem.

Now, it's been about 20,000 miles since they were last checked[1] (I
know, I know...) but it's surprising me a bit that all of the exhaust
valves are so far out.

Any theories on why, or is this just "one of those things"?

[1] By a proper, professional, grease monkey.

 

Nigel Eaton says...

D'you know, I've always wondered what pitting looked like, never seen it
before.

On a bad point [1], as the picture loaded I could smell the oil out of
the engine...

Well, as it's a cam problem and not a shim problem, replacing the cam
seems the easiest option. But I've never been in this position, and
being a burd wtf do I know anyway?

[1] For you, not me

--
Lesley
ZXR400SP
SBS#11[with oak-leaf cluster]
BOTAFOT#101A UKRMHRC#12
BONY#54P BOB#18

Un-cork me to reply

 

Nigel Eaton wrote

They look like they have been hot sometime in their life.

Check your available credit balance.

 

Nigel Eaton said:

He charged you, but actually did nothing?

 

Indeed. I had a lay shaft go[1] an my BMW R100T gearbox many years
ago. It was years after any warranty, but BMW 'went halves' with me,
which was nice.

[1] Fantastic screecing sounds.