Losing power

[Pixiejnr 0]

Went out for nice ride today and then lo and behold 40 miles from home....completely lost power, rev's just dropped right off, then suddenly it would fire up again, did it sporadically all the way home....i know this will sound weird but it was like a huge blast of air came out from the left hand side of the bike every time too.....wonders what this can be?? (for those that dont know i ride a ZXR400)

[smilinjack 0]

Does the ZXR400 have ramair scoops? Possibly split hose or a loose/split airbox connection somewhere?

[Pixiejnr 0]

not a clue what these "sccops" are but the air intake is via two "holes" in the nose fairing that lead directly to the fuel tank (perhaps thats what you mean?) (i unfortunately have a lot to learn!!)

[dick65 0]

have you got a haynes manual?

[dick65 0]

sounds like somethings loose/split you could remove the fairing and have a look

[smilinjack 0]

@Pixiejnr wrote:

not a clue what these "sccops" are but the air intake is via two "holes" in the nose fairing that lead directly to the fuel tank (perhaps thats what you mean?) (i unfortunately have a lot to learn!!)

Those holes in the nose have hoses inside which direct cool air into the airbox. As the bike is moving forward the air is "rammed" into the engine at speed. If the hoses split or become dislodged they may give breathing problems resulting in loss of power and poor fuelling.

[Pixiejnr 0]

yes have a manual, but whether or not i read it wont help....as with most people we all have our areas of expertise and bike repairs aint mine!!!

[2wheels 0]

Thas what it sounds like to me too.

[Pixiejnr 0]

thanks to...
smilinjack.....makes total sense to me now.....i may not know a lot but only have to be told once and i will learn....and yeah, if the hose has split no wonder i was getting a "blast of air" in the wrong place.....will get bike stripped in garage and take a lookie,

[smilinjack 0]

Years ago I had a similar problem with a Land Rover. Drove fine until I tried to give it some big pedal. It would pretty much cut out. Turned out that the wire spiralling which stabilises the air hose had broken, and the engine was literally choking itself by causing the air hose to collapse.

[Pixiejnr 0]

yes, because when i tried to pull away, she played up, got going, was fine, then as soon as i tried to get over 6 thou revs she would die so would sit at just under and power would go then come back, was so embarrassed driving home, like a learner driver doing kangaroos!!!!

[smilinjack 0]

Well, bon chance with your foray under the tank. Learning is a wonderful if occasionally scary business.

[Pixiejnr 0]

thank you for being patient with this biking novice

[Macie_UK 0]

I can vouch for Kwaks running utterly hideously if the ram air balancer tube (dunno if there is one on the ZXR400s though) becomes disconnected. They run rough as hell above 5000 rpm, popping and spitting all over the place, and tend to sound like a very loud misfire.

[dick65 0]

keep us updated and keep asking were all here to help if we can

[Fallen Angel 0]

These guys might be of some help and it looks like a good site to ZXR400 World

[BanditMike 0]

Good luck with the investigations and repair work.

Very brave I tend to leave things like that to my Dad, or the kids. All are very handy with the mechanical side.

[BanditMike 0]

Good luck with the investigations and repair work.

Very brave I tend to leave things like that to my Dad, or the kids. All are very handy with the mechanical side.

[DON'T KNOW WHY THIS IS SHOWING TWICE ]

[Pixiejnr 0]

Update....taken a while but this is where i have got to....no probs with ram airs or any of the air system, however loose connection on wiring that attaches to coils under fuel tank that control revs (hopefully somebody knows what i am talking about?) , also found out that the cam belt tensioner had broke so that part has now been replaced. hoorah i think, bike gets put back together, now she wont bloody start!!!! grrrrrrr

[trebor4460 0]

good job you found the tensioner was bust, coud have done some real damage otherwise,
now the tensioner is replaced might be worth taking the rocker cover off and cheching the cam timing as it might have jumped a tooth..

[Pixiejnr 0]

ah ha....guessed the timing could now be out but without a manual, how do you check it?

[trebor4460 0]

You need a manual or a pic of the timing marks, then you take the rocker cover off line the crank timing marks up, these are usually under the right hand cover where the signal generated lives, then when this is lined up you check the marks on the end of the cams are lined up. Be somthing similar on your bike. o yeh and make sure you turn the bike over manually in the right direction when checking the timclockwise, clockwise as looking from the right hand side of the bike.

[madsod 0]

http://www.zxrworld.co.uk/zxr400/manual.html
might help

[Pixiejnr 0]

'therein lies my problem, the service manuals that ARE available dont show the timing marks and i cannot for love nor money get a proper workshop manual, was so excited about getting a bike, now it's all going a bit downhill, perhaps cos the really nice riding weather is here!

[smilinjack 0]

As Trebor said, are there marks on the camshaft sprocket? Generally these should align with the top edge of the head casting when no 1 piston is at TDC.

[smilinjack 0]

http://www.zxrworld.co.uk/Manuals/H%20Model/ZXR400%20H%20Chapter%204.pdf

Page 11 of section marked engine top end

[Pixiejnr 0]

hopefully, i'll get it looked at over the weekend...thanks people

[Pixiejnr 0]

woo hoo...thanks smilinjack!!!!!

[smilinjack 0]

@Pixiejnr wrote:

woo hoo...thanks smilinjack!!!!!

Glad to help. If I were you I'd print all 23 pages off and then you'll have the works-removal/installation of CCT, timing etc etc. There's virtually a complete manual you can download in pdf form at ZXRworld. Enjoy!!

I'm nothing if not helpful
http://www.zxrworld.co.uk/zxr400/manual.html

[Pixiejnr 0]

Right....timing chain etc all sorted, bike still wont start...so it's electrical....looks like i'll be going in the car to BSB tomorrow, oh well!!

[darkember 0]

Next thing would be to check if u are getting a spark. Remove all pugs & check them individually by turning the engine over whist the plug is in the cap & resting agains the motor casing.

NOTE: do not hold the plug & cap while you are doing this you could get a big tikkle.

What you are looking for is a bright spark from each one. If you dont get a spark then you need to be looking at the coil packs. However, it would be odd if both coils packs have gone & the bike would have started on 2 cylinders allbe it run like poo.

Another point of call if there is no spark would be a duff rectifier.

BTW before doing the above you are getting fuel to the engine???

[Pixiejnr 0]

thanks...bike now at diagnostic centre, initial thoughts are a bad earth somewhere, but i thought coils, sure i will find out soon enough.....i'll keep my fingers and everything else crossed, update as soon as i know....

[dick65 0]

fingers crossed they can find the fault

[trebor4460 0]

Good luck with it,

[Pixiejnr 0]

Results are in....it's not good....wiring loom is totally , it appears that nearly all connections etc are corroded, probably due to shipping and sitting in a salty container.....not a cheap repair...very disheartened by the whole affair, only ridden the bike a handful of times and she WAS running like a dream to begin with. Oh well, such is life!

[Fallen Angel 0]

@Pixiejnr wrote:

Results are in....it's not good....wiring loom is totally , it appears that nearly all connections etc are corroded, probably due to shipping and sitting in a salty container.....not a cheap repair...very disheartened by the whole affair, only ridden the bike a handful of times and she WAS running like a dream to begin with. Oh well, such is life!

I know we're a fair distance apart but electrics are one of my specialities. I'll mail you my number on fb. I can sort out the bad connectors if you can sort the geography.

[Pixiejnr 0]

aww, thanks hunni, but she's stripped and being worked on as we speak....am so grateful for all the support i get on here, but, the guy that did the diagnostics has already removed most of the loom, looking for the problem!!!

[darkember 0]

Best off replacing the wholw loom shoud find a bargain on ebay

[Pixiejnr 0]

whole loom is being replaced.....

[lee1 1]

Best off replacing the loom if its started to corrode as you wont know how far the corrosion has gone back into the loom

hope its sorted soon

[Pixiejnr 0]

Great news my bike is back from the tuners, all wiring done and fan now works, timing chain tensioner replaced and working, now just need some good weather to clock up some mileage!!

For the first time she starts first time cold and without choke....she sounds sweeeeeeeeeeet!!

Thanks for all your support getting me through these dark times!!

[Davehutch-hutchs 0]

@Pixiejnr wrote:

Great news my bike is back from the tuners, all wiring done and fan now works, timing chain tensioner replaced and working, now just need some good weather to clock up some mileage!!

For the first time she starts first time cold and without choke....she sounds sweeeeeeeeeeet!!

Thanks for all your support getting me through these dark times!!

glad your sorted

[dick65 0]

fantastic news

[trebor4460 0]

Nice 1

[pugeyed 0]

totally missed this thread, but glad you have it sorted
was it much to repair?

[Pixiejnr 0]

£300, yep a lot to spend but hey ho, it was that or sell the bike as she was and get no more than £200 for her....i like my little bike and thought it was worth it

[lee1 1]