Thanks for the advice speedracer138, I'm definitely gonna try the 2nd gear thing tonight, so hopefully the noise will stop. But either way, I'm gonna change the cam chain tensioner with the one you suggested, and I'll let you know how it turned out. Thanks again for the help

 

Yea let us know so i know what to do in the future

 

I tried putting it in 2nd and rocking it with the engine off, but no luck. I'm gonna change the cam chain tensioner over the weekend, and I'll let you know the results. Hopefully that'll be the end of it...

 

You have to Bump it in the Forward Direction Only. Try it in a higher gear like 4th or 5th also.

 

so did you change it yet

 

My mechanic just got the CCT in, but I'm hella busy with exams today n tomorrow, I'm gonna change it on Wednesday afternoon, I'll let you know the results. I'm also gonna follow speedracer138's advice tonight, to see if it helps. You'll definitely hear from me before the end of the week

 

I got an AP manual cam chain tensioner, and it was installed in 45 mins on Thursday. The noise was immediately gone, and it has been quiet since, so I guess my problem is resolved. I still don't know about this engine though, it sounds like ****. I don't feel like this bike has an extra twenty thousand miles (at least) in it, like I need it to, so I might get rid of it before the 12k valve adjustment and hop on something else. That's a big might, though. I'm a take a good look at my options before I do anything.

 

When I first got my 636, I thought that it was louder than normal or older Ninjas and it is. They made a lot of parts thinner to save weight like the cylinder wall castings so the sound isn't muffled ad well. It's NORMAL for these bikes to be a little louder due to these Hi-performance weight reductions. That's what most race bikes sound like because that's what these are esentially. It doesn't bother me anymore that I am used to it. Also, once you replace the tensioner and get the valves adjusted, it'll quiet down some. You can also get the throttle bodies synchronized to eliminate the noise from the backlash in the clutch and tranny. Notice that it gets quieter when you pull in the clutch which rattles a little in nuetral.

 

so your saying by replacing the cam tensioner the noise went away
i would be led to believe that the noise is normal for the head is designed. with the changing of the cam tensioner you had to change oil i am guessing.
i bet you that the same noise is there maybe just a little less harsh do to the new oil and the fact you think it is gone

 

i actually know sdrider... and i have had my 636 for over a year and the sound his bike was making was not normal, and not an oil related problem. When he first called me and informed me of this horrible sound i initially dismissed it as normal kawi sound, but upon hearing it, it was horrific. Louder, and uglier than anything i've ever heard from any sport bike. I mentioned an oil change, which he had just recently done, so that definently isn't the case. After replaceing the cam, the sound IS gone, and the bike sounds like a normal loud engined kawi. Why this occured is still a mystery tho. At least its running good. I do agree that a valve adjustment and some synching will help the normal engine quite down, but with that fixed the bike is running kawi good! Just thought i'd add my two cents.
Anyone know what would make a cam go bad so quick?