replacing the timing chain on my 2003 kawasaki ZR7S
 

hows it going everyone. I am a new member, my name is Domanic. I just subscribed to KF today. I just want to tell you about what I have tried so far. I recently started having some ticking in my motor. I took it to the nearest shop and they told me that it was my timing chain. so I started researching it and some people told me it was my tensioner, so I replaced my tensioner and that didn't fix it. so now over the winter I have to replace the timing chain itself. My main question is how many gaskets do I have to replace and if so do you know roughly how much it would cost?

Welcome Domanic :) I replaced the cam chain on my ZRX a few years ago. Not real hard to do but its important to get the cams back in and timed just right. If you don't have one already, you need to get one. As for gaskets and stuff, I only replaced the gasket on the timing cover (I am blank on the name of that cover right now :( ) The valve gasket cover was still in good shape. So other than the chain itself, not a very expensive job.

is yours a DOHC though, cause mine is.

and should i replace the guides and all the other things that deal with the timing chain?

Yup, its DOHC. I did not have to replace anything else. It was clicking and re-adjusting the cam chain tensioner did not fix the problem. Once the chain was replaced, the clicking went away. I replaced the chain at 27,000 miles. My bike now has 38,000 miles

ok. did you have to pull your head off or just the valve cover on top of the head?

my bike has about 19,600 or so miles on it. also did you have to pull your motor out or were you able to just do it without pulling the motor

Nope, just had to pull the cams. It really isn't hard. Pull the valve cover, pull the cams, pull chain out, put new one in, put cams back in and done.

is the chain splitable?

I believe it is. Its very similar to the drive chain, so I would think using a chain breaker should work.

what year are your bikes

They are both 2000 models

one other thing is that my chain is in the middle of the camshaft/crankshaft. i just talked to one of the survice techs at a big bike shop near me and he said that the only way to replace my timing chain is to split the crank case. that the timing chain is one piece. so it looks like i have to pull the motor this winter and take the motor most of the way apart. if anyone knows anything about the ZR7S-H3 motor please let me know cause if i dont have to split the crankcase, then i would feel a whole lot better

Unless you can find a cam chain with a masterlink or the ability to install a press fit link set up you're in for a full engine teardown. The only way to put on a continous cam chain is to tear down the engine. How many miles does the bike have on it and did the cam chain tensioner change quiet it down for any length of time?

I ask because if you measure the links per the method to measure for excessive stretch and it's in spec, you still have tensioner problems. This isn't unusual for the Kaw tensioners. I've had two tensioners go bad within about 5000 miles each. I also had one in my Zephyr that wasn't functioning. I put manual cam chain tensioners in both and actually made it into a minor cottage industry for myself. When making my Zephyr tensioner I started making more of them to sell to others in the same boat I was in. That was about 40 tensioners for a variety of Kaws spread over 13 states and 4 continents ago.

The Kaw tensioners can kick back if the ratchet tooth isn't seated completely enough, which will round off the edge of the pawl and the tooth. Eventually the force will kick it back over three or four teeth, allowing the cam chain to slap around. The manual unit can not kick back and even if it is slightly loose it will only have that minimal amount of play, versus the huge amount of play when the stock unit goes south. That's why a lot of Kaw riders have gone to the manual unit. I've got 27,000 miles on the KLX with only 4 adjustments amounting to less than 1/4". Compare that to 15,000 miles, two tensioners, and an engine teardown to replace worn out cam chains. I'll take a manual unit any day.

Feel free to contact me for more information.

well would i be able to just put a manual one in and ride that out or would you recommend replacing the chain?

Ah, air cooled motors. Hey klx, how involed is the install of the manual adjuster on ther motor?

no more involved then putting a automatic one in. the only difference is that you have to adjust the tension yourself until the ticking of the chain goes away

Yeah, check your chain and cam sprockets for excessive wear but generally it is the tensioner giving you fits. A 2003 bike should not be having a bad chain and cam and crank sprockets this early in the game.

Yes, but does it require an engine tear down is my question.

Going to a manual tensioner does not require any tear down. Just do no spin the crank, chain, cams while the tensioner is out. About an hr install and $85 for the manual tensioner.

i am having problems finding a service manual for my bike, its a 2003 kawasaki ZR7S. if i had that then i wouldnt have any problems splitting the crankcase. is there any way that you could find an engine breakdown and/or step by step directions on how to replace the timing chain?

My 03 manual shows the chain on the right side of the engine. Interesting

yes but are you looking at the Z750 or the ZR7S cause they are 2 completely different bikes. my timing chain is in the center of the cams/crank

ah, my manual is the ZR750 J model it appears. Look at the KZ manuals that are available. Same engine basically.

its a DOHC, ZR7S. i downloaded a manual for the Z750 and didnt realize it was the wrong manual til my dad pointed it out to me. i couldnt find any service manuals for the 2003 ZR7S i found a few for the 2002 ZR7S but thats about it.

what year are you talking about?

I am looking at my 81-83 KZ 1000 manual. but I looked and I do not have a manual for your ride. I have reset a CCT by rolling the ride backwards and popping the clutch. But if the CCT is rounded as mentioned above, it will not stay in position.

by CCT im guessing that you are talking about the cam shaft tensioner

indeed

well i replaced my CCT and that didnt fix the ticking. im almost positive that it is my timing chain. the CCT helped a little bit but it is still ticking

Do you have a vid of your ticking issue? I must have missed what mileage you have on this ride and at what your valves are set at.

i dont have a video but i was told by a kawi tech that it is the timing chain. the bike has roughly 19600 miles

I would think the 2002 and 2003 ZR-7 would be the same as long as they are both the air cooled motor. Not much changed in the engine over all. Take a look at the manuals but I am pretty sure they will be the same. The parts numbers on the 02 and 03 are the same too.

Personal opinion, not just trying to sell... I'd put one in and see if it quiets things down. If the bike runs good, leave it, otherwise do the chain. I will say no matter whether you build or buy, it will be the least expensive step first. If it works, you saved about $400 or more. If not, you have a manual tensioner to use when it's rebuilt. And again, personally, I have no confidence in any of the ratchet style tensioners based on both my mechanical engineering knowledge and personal experience.

As for installation, it's a simple bolt in with some basic tools. As long as one follows the instructions for initial tensioning, it's almost "non-invasive". You unbolt the original unit and bolt in the manual unit, adjust it initially, then use either a mechanic's stethescope or a screwdriver (handle just in front of your ear against your head) to listen for noise. Usually the finger tightning original adjustment is adequate to take out the slack. I've got about 4000 miles on the Zephyr without adjustment or noise. I do the KLX when it starts ticking lightly, about 4 times in 27,000 miles.

If any questions, give me a yell.

Think about it... If the tensioner is working it will take up the slack even on a worn out chain. Cam chain noise should be virtually gone even with a bad chain. My 550 has a ticking, but I know it's a slightly loose pair of valves, out by about a thou. My 550 had 12,000 on it when I checked valves and put in my prototype tensioner. The KLX is noisy on the top end too, but with the cam chain tower exposed on the left side any chain noise is quite obvious.

Take a mechanic's stethescope or a screwdriver as previously described and listen at different places on the head to see if you can find the source of the ticking. It may not be the cam chain at all. Again, it's worth a try, it costs nothing to check it out.

Unless you buy one for $30.

Also the ZR7 OEM replacement is the same style tensioner many of us KLX owners had go bad. It's similar design to the replacement unit for the 550 Zephyr. They all use the rack/pawl ratchet set that can malfunction if the teeth and pawl edges get rounded. At $70+ for the second tensioner that lasted 5000 miles, then the top end rebuild for the KLX, I wouldn't take the risk with the 550. In searching for a manual unit the one company that made them wouldn't answer my question if another unit would fit or could be modified to fit and that's how I got into making them... for $30... with a gasket... with an allen wrench to install it (countersunk flat head fasteners)... with a couple of stickers... and modifications to suit if needed (I made one for an RMz450 on request). If that last step had been done by another company I'd not be writing this. I was fed up. I wanted something and got no service, so now I figure if someone else wants the same thing now they get service.

I also emailed here to see what it took to actually put in an ad and got no reply. So I don't feel too bad about saying the above.

yeah, $30 for a full set up sounds good then klx678

I've got a number of emails back on the results for some of the guys who've picked them up and plan to post them on my web site, but need to get with my webmaster friend to do the work... Hopefully next week.

I will tell you it is more for the fun and excitement of doing it than the sheer cash. A few guys said I should price the parts just under the other companies, but I simply want to help out the guys who can't find what they're looking for or can't spend quite that much. That is me in many ways... bills, student loan payments for wife and kids, wife not yet finding decent work, vehicles, and all that stuff. It ain't easy to squeeze out a bunch of money, but $25-30... not quite so bad. And another bike stays on the road.

By the way some general pictures are on my Bike Pics shots.

i just found a head on ebay from a guy with a great rep. i am buying a new head because i accidentally broke one of the exhaust bolts off last year when retightening the exhaust to the head. but i am hoping that this will fix my problem. and while im at it i am going to clean out the whole motor. if anyone knows exactally what/ how many gaskets i am going to need, that would be a great help to me because i can not figure out which ones i need.

You have an 03 ZR 7S, ya may want a manual first.