Hi guys I have a kawasaki D tracker 250 SM (2005) yom and its having a ticking noise while the engine is in idle. Once the RPM is building the ticking noise will disapear and again when it comes to idle noise starts again. Bike runs without any misfire. I have attached a audio clip of the sound. My guess is cam chain tensioner. Whats your idea. Please help what to do make this right. Thank you.

 

Listen to where the sound comes from. If it is loudest at the cam chain tensioner on the right side then it's the tensioner. If it is louder up in the head or on the left or front, it is possibly valves. The best way to do this is to get an inexpensive (under $10) mechanic's stethoscope, next best is to use a long handle screwdriver with the handle against your ear. Put the tip of the tool on cylinder head by the tensioner and listen. then put it up on the back of the head and again on the front of the head, where the valves are, also the left side of the head. Wherever the noise is loudest will indicate the source. I have a Zephyr 550 with two valves at .001" out of spec loose clearance and I can pick them out using a mechanic's stethoscope.

Videos don't help in most cases because there is no way to tell exactly where the noise is located. One other thing, the most common noise from the cam drive on the 250s usually occurs initially between 4000-6000 rpm, but that's not to say it isn't the problem with yours. I will also say the cam chain tensioner is about the least expensive and definitely least invasive mechanical thing to do first, but find the noise source before that. I did listen to the video and it does sound like a tensioner, but then again do the check I explained above to be sure.

 

Nicely done KLX678!

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