Do your zx7rs rattle too? Its not tapping or knocking. Just a little rattling.
I'm not sure if its valvetrain or not. With the ferrings off I see nothing vibrating.

I'm wondering if I should be concerned (but I'm just being paranoid).
I have a mechanics stethoscopebut Ineed to get off my lazy (workaholic)*** and use it.

If I spin a bearing, break components in the engine, etc... fine.
I'll get to start over fresh and get to learn about my bike.

 

are you using atleast 91 octane gas right? lower grade gas makes high performance motors ping.

 

I dont think its pinging but I maybenew to engine sounds.
I'm always using 89 because someone told me 91 degrades to 89 in a few days.
I thought 89 would be good enough?

Is pinging anotherform of detonation, kinda like Knock is because of detonation?
How would you describe a "ping"?

 

You can try the higher octane fuel. Don't recall you mentioning the last valve adjustment or the CCM (Cam Chain Tensioner)adjustment. The 7 does not have the quietest engine and will take some getting used to. Not placing the "Rattle" noise that you are mentioning.

 

I had planned on doing a valve adjustment real soon cause my bike has 12k miles and its a 2001 but how often should you do a tensioner adjustment?

I've rebuilt engines (cars) before so I know what a CCT is and am willing to do itif it needs it!

Will try the 91 sometime.

thanks guys

 

Do not remember what the manual says, but I did the CCT once a year or unless I did not think that it auto adjusted ie more noise or when I checked the shims.

 

every 7 i ever worked on sounded like a small diesel... even mine sounds a lil creepy. but its perfectly fine.. nature of the beast to my knowledge..

 

yea, I put in 91 and it still sounds the exact same
I guess its just a "seasoned" bike (dont wanna hurt its feelings)

 

haha... i know te feeling bro!!

if that noise is a shallow, consistent noise, light in nature and progressive with RPM, its simply your valvetrain..you're hearing what i personally call "bucket bounce".. ( not the technical term, but i make up sh*t as i see fit..)

theres 16 valves in there all bouncing at half speed of the crank.. over time, the cam surface and surface of the buckets wear few thousandths, and you need thicker shims to compensate for the gap thats there now. now these buckets just in case you're wondering are literally that.... tiny, 1" (roughly) wide, thin, 1/2" deep (roughly, again..) stainlesst steel pot lookin things that sit centered over the valve, encasing the valve spring, seat and "hat". the cam lobe rides on thebucket's flat precision ground surface, pushing on it.. under the bucket, and in the centerthe hat in a small depression, theres a lil tiny shim.. it is tight against the valvestem and the buscket, providing the lift transfer from the lobe of the cam directly to the valve stem in an axial motion..

all these shims and buckets is what you're hearing tho when you fire her up..and like i said.. at half speed of the crank.. thats a constant for EVERY 4 stroke engine as well.. no matter what.. the cam always spins at half the rpm as the crank.

if the noise however, is a dull thud, or a sharp metallic rasp that sounds like BBs in the motor, or like someone tapping the case or head with a hammer, thats almost always piston related.. either with, or without load.. that usualy makes the difference between what it really is.. noise with load = detonation and wrong fuel or carbon build-up.. noise without a load = bearing play, crank walk or piston slap.. your motors own version of pimp walk and b*tch slap.. to you, unfortunately.. i'll delve into that some other time..

you should have nothing to worry about tho bro!

 

Not bad wh. A lot of good education to be had for this example. Nice....great write up.