Un Petit Tour De France

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Wagman2000
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:26 am
My Bike: ZXR 400 L9

Un Petit Tour De France

Post by Wagman2000 »

Hey All,

I’m heading out on Friday on a ride to France with my mate. We’ll be doing about 250 miles a day or so for five Consecutive days.
The bike has been serviced, oil, filters, new chain and sprockets, brakes fully cleaned and serviced, new pads etc. I was just wondering if anyone has had any problems running the little sports bike over these sort of distances? It’s an L9 with about 11,000 miles on and since I cleaned out the pilot jets no running problems. The carbs were spotless in fact. All I haven’t got round to doing is balancing the carbs. The bikes probably as tight as it has been in years but all I’ve ever done is about 150 miles on it in a day so any experience would be appreciated.

P.S I know my legs and back will be knackered after but that’s not stopping me.
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banner001
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Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by banner001 »

You should have no problems mate...but I would suggest padded mountain bike pants and painkillers for your wrists...depending on how tall you are
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Wagman2000
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:26 am
My Bike: ZXR 400 L9

Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by Wagman2000 »

Yeah my wrist and butt are sore AF. It was a good trip though and the ZXR did well for a pretty hard going 1100 miles.
On the last 60 miles somewhere in Derbyshire though I was unfairly writing its neck around the Peak District and I lost a cylinder and the engine note changed to a hollow grumble. It’s since been brought home as I knew it wasn’t something I wanted to tackle at the side of the road.
I went to turn it over and it ran with the same hollow roughness then stopped dead. Now the engine won’t turn over but you can hear the starter motor straining to do it so it all sounds jammed up inside. A few people I’ve asked said it could be electrical. But I have an image of battered valves and holy pistons in my mind...any ideas?
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banner001
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Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by banner001 »

first off remove the starter motor and the pulsar cover and see if you can turn the engine over by hand, if you cant then its cylinder head off and investigate...

if it was electrical it would still turn over by hand...if its a valve thats let go then its possibly game over for the top of that engine...
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Wagman2000
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:26 am
My Bike: ZXR 400 L9

Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by Wagman2000 »

Ta!

I’m having a look at it Saturday so I’ll give that a go if there’s nothing obvious. I’ll post what I find then...
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banner001
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Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by banner001 »

Where about a in the country are you, I can come over if your not too far...
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Wagman2000
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:26 am
My Bike: ZXR 400 L9

Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by Wagman2000 »

Well I took your advice and removed the starter pulsar cover (a little of what looks like engine oil in there too, that can’t be right...) the engine would not turn by hand. Removed the tank, air box, carbs and had a peer down the inlets...second cylinder RH valve mashed...the face that should face inward is looking at me, well, see the pic...
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banner001
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Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by banner001 »

No picture attached...but I can't imagine it's good
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Wagman2000
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:26 am
My Bike: ZXR 400 L9

Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by Wagman2000 »

https://pin.it/gwlxh6g7e35vuc

The pics are on this Pinterest link with the rest of my fannying about under August 2018. I’ll try to keep the board updated with any progress I make but with work it’ll probably be next year by the time it’s running.
Wagman2000
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:26 am
My Bike: ZXR 400 L9

Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by Wagman2000 »

Well the cams are off and the next sign of damage are the heavily worn cam followers on no2 inlet side and no3 and a little on no1. Possible oil starvation?
Pics are under September 2018
https://pin.it/qxsh2xc6rfgq7i
Wagman2000
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:26 am
My Bike: ZXR 400 L9

Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by Wagman2000 »

Well I’ve stripped back to the bottom end just before Christmas. The damage isn’t as bad as it could have been, or so it seems...
The bores are good with no sign of damage before a clean. The pieces of metal in No2 from the inlet valve head are unpleasant but the piston head is not totally shagged, maybe salvageable? I wasn’t sure if piston tops were hardened at all? Could I dress them without compromising the structure?
I’ve attached a link to Pinterest. Latest pics are November 2018.
https://pin.it/4hwkwthjgmwnho
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banner001
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Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by banner001 »

I wouldnt reuse the piston, head might be salvageable though. You might want to replace the valve guide though...
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Wagman2000
Posts: 14
Joined: Sun Oct 27, 2013 3:26 am
My Bike: ZXR 400 L9

Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by Wagman2000 »

I got a new piston, the old one was ruined. The valve guide is also in in need of replacement, two of them actually as removing the bent valve from the other inlet on #2 has damaged the guide (Rough giraffe).
I hopefully have a new top end coming next week that is complete but a bit tatty but should do the job if it’s sound. I’ll be checking it over thoroughly before fitting.
Does anyone have a procedure for removing the valve guide? I’ve had a tool made up at work to punch it out but the drawing has a holding clip on it that I can’t seem to see to remove.
Any ideas?
demarti
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Joined: Sat Feb 02, 2019 7:17 pm
My Bike: tomos moped

Re: Un Petit Tour De France

Post by demarti »

Hello! I have'n any ideas :(
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