hi... its carsounds_dan

[carsounds_dan]

hi all,
thought i'd introduce myself.
im dan. im 17. i live in sussex, unfortunately near a place called "crawley".
i go to 6th form, and work on a saturday at a local shop called "carsounds". i install radio's, amps, subs, speakers, sat navs, hands-free kits, alarms and all kinds of other goodies into peoples cars. been doing that for the last 2 years. i got into motorbikes when i started working there. the shop two doors down is a motorcycle shop, got chatting to the guys in there and started to fall in love with a zxr750 they had in the window...
of course i turned 17 and got a car with the money i got when my nan died, and the idea of getting a motorbike got swept out the way; but going to work every saturday and hearing the thunder of motorbikes going past the workshop doors always had me dreaming..
about a month ago i got thrown out of home, so moved in with the gf, looked into motorbiking and realised that it was a very viable option; so of course i looked about and managed to pick up a 1995 L4 ZXR400 with 12 months MOT and taxed till April with full micron system for £1350 delivered. it has done 36060 miles and runs smooth as a nut. its got two new tyres but through me being me i'm gunna give it the full once over.
i've got my full A2 test including training etc. booked up and checked out insurance, which has quoted me at £615 tpft garaged and alarmed. but i've been out on the private roads around the gf's estate on it and it rides smoothly and goes well, only one thing that nags me, which is a slight rattle from the top right of the engine between 5500 and 6000 rpm. im guessing its due to the cam-chain or tensioner but i'm open to ideas.
anyone who wants to comment feel free, wether its to give me some cheap insurers or to give me a heads up on problems to look out for on the bike it would be greatly appriciated.
cheers
carsounds_dan

[masterofinsanity]

hi mate welcome to my world and a bloody glorious one it is too, we have many members and regulars, lots of info and lots of advice, thanks for introducing yourself i would never have guessed your name if you hadn't have told us and by golly you work in a car sounds place as well, good game good game!!! any ideas where i can fit a big audio dynamite system on my bike?? sounds like you got yourself a nice zxr for that price althought a BIT on the high mileage side for a zxr400, certainly right with the isdeas of a worn camchain so if moneys ok get it done and see you around geezer!!!!!

[carsounds_dan]

anything is possible with audio
i'll make it up to a meet sometime when im all legal on it.. just working out how to tell the parents about the beast thats sat in the gf's central heated garage lol
cheers
dan

[deviant]

anything is possible with audio
i'll make it up to a meet sometime when im all legal on it.. just working out how to tell the parents about the beast thats sat in the gf's central heated garage lol
cheers
dan

a girlfriend with a central heated garage? keep hold of her mate!

[carsounds_dan]

we're talking enough room to park two cars aswell,
she lent me £1000 to buy the bike, and said to me yesterday "pay me back when you've finished uni if you want"
shes the most beautiful women on earth and i get laid every day.
not got much to complain about really.. o apart from the usual women things like "lets go shopping"

shes a general legend so definately doing my best to keep her, unfortunately i've already said if "jade" the bike gets in the way then i'll be selling her

hopefully be ordering up some service bits today, oil filter, air filter, oil, coolant/antifreeze. i wanna see how much a cheap carb syncing tool is but unsure as what to look for so any help would be nice.

cheers
dan

[masterofinsanity]

shes a general legend so definately doing my best to keep her, unfortunately i've already said if "jade" the bike gets in the way then i'll be selling her



cheers
dan

the bike or the missus?? i'll buy the missus off ya

these are my personal faves on the carb balancers http://search.ebay.co.uk/search/search. ... e=carbtune
but these are as good http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/4x-vacuum-gauges- ... dZViewItem

[carsounds_dan]

nah the missus is staying mate, her cooking is much better than any microwavable meal i'd be able to cook/blast lol

[carsounds_dan]

right for those that care..
i managed to strip her down today..
ive fitted an alarm to her (cyclone system off eBay for £25, installation was easy and looks alright quality. fitting car alarms as my part time job helps ) and i cleaned up the loom in places.
looks like im going to need to re-ruite the throttle cable as its looking a bit dodgy atm.
i'm going to drop the engine out of her on wednesday and check the valve clearances, check over the cam followers and do the cam chain. i'm unsure as to whether or not to do the head gasket though.. its done 36000k, and the £40 or so it'll cost in parts to do it i dont see it really being too hard a job (done cars before). I take it that i'll need new stretch bolts for doing the gasket?
But cleaning everythign up whilst its apart and replacing any rusty bolts etc. i'm also contacting a guy about new fairings, he has a set he wants £35 for, theyre black but if it covers me as a spare set for winter months then its got to be done.
so the basic list of things to do...
1. drop engine
2. check valve clearances
3. check cam followers
4. change cam chain (and tensioner)
5. flush the engines oil/coolant passages out with an airline
6. possibly re-paint the engine
7. clean everything and re-assemble
I'm hoping that with the £100 or so outlay i'll manage a full overhall of the engine (if no followers need doing).
other than the bike i've researched my full license and the riding school recon i'll only need to do my CBT, Theory and one day of training and i'll be ready for my test.. so its all good on that front

I'll get some progression pics up asap

[masterofinsanity]

good luck with the engine but i would recommend getting the head checked/skimmed if required if your doing the head gasket.personally if its not broke why fix it?