Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

One for you newbies to introduce yourselves and show us your ZXR!

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Dargan82
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:26 pm
My Bike: Kawasaki Zxr400H1

Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by Dargan82 »

Hi Everyone.... Soooo.... I'm 40 in a few years and just randomly bought the bike i wanted as a boy... Its not mint but its a runner and well, i only have a car license atm so have some time to get her tip top... She's an all green 89 model, came with no thermostat fitted and has a manual fan switch, ive since done the stat but not looked at the wiring for fan control. She has a few loose electrical connections, the starter on the handlebar end and the temp sensor wire too. Not sure if im getting gas in my coolant bottle or not and doesnt ever run without at least a little white smoke, not loads but like a cold morning ammount but doesnt really go away. Im based East Anglia UK ๐Ÿ‡ฌ๐Ÿ‡ง
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Murray1992
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My Bike: Zxr400/DD750

Re: Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by Murray1992 »

very nice looking bike matey, looks tidy. :smt001
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banner001
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My Bike: ZXR400 L4
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Re: Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by banner001 »

I'm wondering if the head gasket has gone? Hence fitting a fan switch? Or the rad might not be dissapating the heat effectively. Might explain the bit of white smoke too.

Or it's been raced and someone kept it for post race cool down lap?

Either way all of these are easy fixes, parts still available and can be done with the engine in the frame, bike looks tidy by the way :D
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Dargan82
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:26 pm
My Bike: Kawasaki Zxr400H1

Hi Guys

Post by Dargan82 »

Thanks guys yeah i love her ๐Ÿ˜, i was thinking HG worst case as ive heard people can remove the stat to hide the fact the HG is gone?? I ran her today flr a good while just to see if the fan holds the temp at a level just ticking over and it does.. I mean the white smoke can be so miniscule but then sometimes i think it looks too much for a cold start if you get me.... One of my local bike garages quoted 450-550 quid for a HG job ๐Ÿ˜ฎ
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banner001
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Re: Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by banner001 »

The head gasket costs ยฃ40, I'll drive over and do it for petrol money plus a bit of cash towards my zxr250 rebuild...
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
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banner001
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Re: Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by banner001 »

I build looms as well, so we can look at the thermostat, the bimetallic fan switch and the manual fan switch at the same time.

If you're not pressed for a time how does April sound, bit warmer than now and lo der daylight hours?
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Dargan82
Posts: 5
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:26 pm
My Bike: Kawasaki Zxr400H1

Re: Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by Dargan82 »

Banner001 you're obviously a legend ๐Ÿ˜‚ where abouts are you based? im near Great Yarmouth..
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banner001
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Re: Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by banner001 »

Nuneaton, so about 3 hours away, no worries in the car just be mindful that my car only gets 25mpg...

See how the bike gets on, I mean I would do some basic maintenance so oil, coolant flush, maybe check out the air filter, remove and clean the carbs, drain the tank fully and shove a bit of redex in there, put new spark plugs in and maybe just put a little dribble of oil down the bores.

Get the bike fired up and get it up to temp and see if it's still smoking, or bubbles in the coolant etc...

And if none of that does anything then I'll come over and we can do your HG and some other bits and pieces.
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
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banner001
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Re: Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by banner001 »

I know the area a little, I worked on an Archaeological dig a few years ago at Leiston Abbey which isn't all that far away from you I think.
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Dargan82
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:26 pm
My Bike: Kawasaki Zxr400H1

Re: Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by Dargan82 »

Gonna make a start this evening... Checked the oil and its just white sludge ๐Ÿ˜ญ i did notice my rad and pipes werent really warming up when i was running it before so gonna check the waterpump hasnt shat itself... Im no mechanic at all but im thinking this is a possibility??
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banner001
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Re: Hi all! Newbie here... Just got myself the bike i wanted as a boy.. The H1

Post by banner001 »

Could be, but unlikely.

The water pump is directly driven from the oil pump. I would drop all of the coolant, remove the front cover from the water pump and briefly thumb the starter, the will show you that the oil pump and water pump are spinning. You can then remove the pump entirely and check that the bearing is good and not binding/grating, and check that the fins on the pump are not corroded away... But I think all of this is unlikely, but not a bad thing to rule out.

And a bad pump wouldn't explain why your oil is milky.

Did you drop all the oil and it was all milky, or did you just use the sightglass/oil fill port cover? As these are quite commonly cloudy even if the oil is perfectly fine (they clear up once the bike is warm)
UK ZXR400 L3 (1993) - Fully restored and on the roads, my green beast!
JPN ZXR250 A2 (1990) - Revs to 19,200rpm... 'nuff said :smt003
Dargan82
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Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:26 pm
My Bike: Kawasaki Zxr400H1

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Post by Dargan82 »

You got an email address mate im struggling to upload pics on here.. N you wanna see this lol
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