Odometer & Engine Wear

[Jacobien]

Hi,

I am reaching the 40,000km (25,000 mile) mark.

What can I expect in terms of the engine wear? What items will be close to the limit? Valves are at 42K, but many posts put that as unnecessary...

The motor would have changed, so noises and rattles and feelings will be different from 0 reading.

I just want to know what I must look for in terms of feel and noise.

Always serviced frequently. Only oil, TB sync, spark plugs and occasional air filter clean.

Thanks!:thumbup:

 

[tejkowskit]

Cam chain tensioner sometimes goes bad. Our bikes have automatic tensioners. A manual one eliminates this worry.

 

[Jacobien]

What symptoms can I expect with a bad cam tensioner? I know the valves will get funky, but how will I notice a slighty bad tensioner?

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

What symptoms can I expect with a bad cam tensioner? I know the valves will get funky, but how will I notice a slighty bad tensioner?

A bad/failing cam chain tensioner will allow the cam chain, (located on the right side of the engine) to rattle.

You'll get a definite noise from the right side of the engine. Once it starts, it needs to be addressed ASAP. Should the chain jump a tooth, you'll start bending valves, etc.

A new cam chain tensioner is around $70 and isn't terribly difficult to replace if in doubt..

 

[iSteve]

I wouldn't worry too much 25k miles is really not much for a modern motorcycle. And now that you are worried about problems you will be hearing noises that have always been there but you haven't noticed.

And my last bike went 73k miles with stock cam chain and tensioner. Probably still going.

 

[regder]

Rolled over 78k km over the weekend. Haven't done anything to the motor mechanically. Still procrastinating on the valve adjustment (eats away at me everytime I rode). Plugs were replaced with NGK Iridium's at 20k km and haven't been touched since, will replace them soon. I blew the clutch around 55k km, but that was probably my fault more than the bike's.

Since the beginning of this season, I've noticed the engine runs way hotter than it used to. Unless I'm on the highway on a cool day, it's at least at 3 bars (I have the digi gauge on my 06), traffic will go up to 4 bars even in decently cool weather. Will toss in a new thermostat when I get around to doing the valves and hopefully that will fix it. Doesn't overheat, just runs hotter than it used to

Otherwise, no real issues.

 

[Kaisersoze]

Rolled over 78k km over the weekend. Haven't done anything to the motor mechanically. Still procrastinating on the valve adjustment (eats away at me everytime I rode). Plugs were replaced with NGK Iridium's at 20k km and haven't been touched since, will replace them soon. I blew the clutch around 55k km, but that was probably my fault more than the bike's.

Since the beginning of this season, I've noticed the engine runs way hotter than it used to. Unless I'm on the highway on a cool day, it's at least at 3 bars (I have the digi gauge on my 06), traffic will go up to 4 bars even in decently cool weather. Will toss in a new thermostat when I get around to doing the valves and hopefully that will fix it. Doesn't overheat, just runs hotter than it used to

Otherwise, no real issues.

Probably silly question but did you change coolant yet? Before I changed on bike (bought it at 20k miles) the temp was around 4 in traffic and sometimes shot up to 5 on rare occasion. Changed coolant and its 2's on highway and 3's in traffic.

 

[regder]

Probably silly question but did you change coolant yet? Before I changed on bike (bought it at 20k miles) the temp was around 4 in traffic and sometimes shot up to 5 on rare occasion. Changed coolant and its 2's on highway and 3's in traffic.

Yeah, did at the same time as the clutch

 

[LCR]

Oil is the most important thing, as long as your using a good quality oil and change it regularly you shouldn't have to worry. I haven't had to change out a Camchain tensioner on a FZ before but when it goes out you'll know it. The one on my Suzuki track bike went out randomly one day and made a very distinct clickclack sound when the engine got warm, kind of like grinding gears.

As for valves the FZ isn't a high reving screamer like its cousin R6 and rarely needs valve adjustments unless your wringing it's neck 24/7 and chances are if you have that many miles you aren't doing that. I will say I have seen a connection with the quality of oil used the the quality of the valve train after 20-40K miles.

All in all bikes and milder mannered ones like FZs will go 40-60K miles easy if taken care of.

 

[iSteve]

LCR, I don't know if you know this but the FZ6 uses the R6 engine, FZ6R uses a milder engine. The FZ6 does have different fuel mapping and a different cam grind then the R6 but has it's peak HP at just over 12k and redlines at 14k. It's not quite as peaky as the R6 and only 96HP but a lot of FZ6 riders like to rev them and use them for track days.

 

[VEGASRIDER]

My bike has been the test bike for this forum. 72,000 miles or 115,000 km so far with no new Cam Chain Tensioner, whatever that is. No Valve adjusment, and only one spark plug change at 20k (upgraded to iridium). Still on original front brake pads and clutch.

 

[LCR]

Yes I am aware of that, It is the milder cam timing that keeps the valve train in check somewhat. I've just seen alot less FZ6&1s need valve work compared to the R6&1.

I do like the gearing on the FZ seems like a shorter 1st gear or maybe its in my head and I'm just out to have fun when on them. Triumph street triple is still my favorite 'all around' bike though.

 

[ChevyFazer]

Yes I am aware of that, It is the milder cam timing that keeps the valve train in check somewhat. I've just seen alot less FZ6&1s need valve work compared to the R6&1.

I do like the gearing on the FZ seems like a shorter 1st gear or maybe its in my head and I'm just out to have fun when on them. Triumph street triple is still my favorite 'all around' bike though.

What kind of valve work are you refering to because just about everyone in here has had 0 valve issues not even had to adjust them

Sent from my R800x using Tapatalk

 

[LCR]

On the FZ? Running crappy oil and running the piss out of it. The valves were out of adjustment enough to cause premature wear. I assumed it was from all the crap built up in the valve cover area and around the springs. Had 26K I wanna say, somewhere around there. Don't know what kind of oil he was running I left for 29 plams before I found out anything else.

I've yet to do valves and any bike I've had or worked on. The only people I've ever seen need valve work are the ones who don't know how to ride and/or don't maintain the bike.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

"I've yet to do valves and any bike I've had or worked on. The only people I've ever seen need valve work are the ones who don't know how to ride and/or don't maintain the bike."



This is not true, IMHO. The first Generation FJR 03-05 had, on occasion, bad exhaust valve guides that once began to fail, started ticking. This is a documented issue and was repaired under warranty by Yamaha. I have heard even out of warranty, Yamaha will fix the bike.

I also had a 1989 KLR 250 that needed a valve guide at approx 40,000 miles. I changed the oil and filter religiously every 2,000 miles. This was with only street riding and regular valve adjustments. It was sold at 73,000 miles....

BTW, I've owned bikes from Harleys to Goldwings, Shadows, KLR's, a ZRX 1100, etc, with 35 years wrenching/riding (150,000-200,000 miles?)....

 

[LCR]

The only bikes 'I' have seen. Most of the bikes that come to me are for simple things, I'm willing to work on anything but engine internals. If I think it has something to do with cams, valves, timing, pistons, etc I forward the work to a friend that likes to do rip into engines.

 

[TownsendsFJR1300]

My FZ has not needed any engine disassembly short of body work thanks to the previous owner.. I have replaced both the cam chain cover and the generator cover due to the same crash's (he had one on each side) .

My last changing out of a cam chain and exhaust cam on my last KLR:

 

[CBRF3RIDER]

There was a guy over on the CBR forum that had over 150,000 miles on his F4i. He didnt have anything major happen to it, I seem to recall the R/R and the cam chain tensioner being replaced but those are very minor.

 

[CBRF3RIDER]

This is a different guy over at ADV forum. According to his sig he has over 200,000 miles now.

New guy here.... looking to do a cross country ride next year - ADVrider

I know my examples are both CBRs but I dont see why our bikes couldnt last just as long.