Z400 help please

[bloodmoney23]

Just traded my banshee for a Z400. It sounded fine when we were trading but when i could actually pay more attention at home there is a pretty loud whine sound from crankcase and head. Im thinking possible issue with crank or timing. Does anyone else have a thought, and before i get over-concerned, do the Z's normally have a whine to them at all?

[TheNewn]

I'd have to hear it in person, but i ride with and have ridden my buddies Z a few times. and i didn't notice any whine. Then again, it wasn't my new quad and looking for problems.

I'd go over the usual, change oil, check the clutch plates/springs, adjust the valves. The normal kind of stuff you'd do after buying a used quad. Just give it a general once over, check all the bolts, greese everything.

Keep us updated. You should like the Z400 a lot, wish i could trade my 400EX for one.

[bloodmoney23]

well i have a 450r and the z400 is basically for my brother whom knows jack about fourwheelers so i am going to do a full once over I was just curious as to if this is normal or not. I will keep an update.

[Flynbryan19]

I would not concern myself with it most likely. The water pump on this thing has a very audiable whine to it. Mine has done it since new. Also, every suzuki dirtbike I've been around has a loud water pump. I think its a character trait.

There are some inherient issues with the Z's, but I'll let you use the search function to find them so I don't have to type it all out. They are for the most part very solid machines. If yours is in sound shape you made a very good trade over a banshee.

[bloodmoney23]

hey thanks for the info, still gonna check the valves and clearances. if the top of piston looks ugly I may buy a HC piston. That way I can check the crank bearings and everything as well. What size front sprocket is a good gearing for racing on this bike. It almost seems as if most of these posts are geared towards the KFX. Which is genrally a same bike but not.

[drzoo2]

They are the EXACT same bike. Kawi bought the chassis and motor from Suki. If you ever see one there is even a sticker stating made by Suki. Lots of people go to a 13 tooth for extra pull.

z

[660r2a400ex]

hey blood, its allready got the 13 front, it gives it a huge acceleration increase and actually gain top end as well b/c it allows the bike to rev a little higher, stay on the forums with any questions, i wouldnt lie to you, the bikes do have a noisy engine, it really is a trait of the bike, but check it out and let me know of any problems, feel free to ask me any questions some i may be able to help on and some i wont, thanks

p.s, just got my 06 in !!!:) i'll post pics soon, the two shees look like reversed twins, black and white & white and black

[bloodmoney23]

Originally posted by 660r2a400ex
hey blood, its allready got the 13 front, it gives it a huge acceleration increase and actually gain top end as well b/c it allows the bike to rev a little higher, stay on the forums with any questions, i wouldnt lie to you, the bikes do have a noisy engine, it really is a trait of the bike, but check it out and let me know of any problems, feel free to ask me any questions some i may be able to help on and some i wont, thanks

p.s, just got my 06 in !!!:) i'll post pics soon, the two shees look like reversed twins, black and white & white and black

Hey so it already has a smaller front sprocket? That would explain the new chain not fitting untill we backed the carrier all the way up. And thats why i posted on here just to see if that was normal of the engine. Its all good now though. Its still whining pretty good but we took it out last night and it was perfectly fine. But liek i said in the shee post we already bought basically a entirely new topend for it. Ill keep ya updated dont worry. I actually gained your full trust in the past couple posts and dont doubt a thing you say.

[drzoo2]

Originally posted by 660r2a400ex
hey blood, its allready got the 13 front, it gives it a huge acceleration increase and actually gain top end as well b/c it allows the bike to rev a little higher, stay on the forums with any questions, i wouldnt lie to you, the bikes do have a noisy engine, it really is a trait of the bike, but check it out and let me know of any problems, feel free to ask me any questions some i may be able to help on and some i wont, thanks

p.s, just got my 06 in !!!:) i'll post pics soon, the two shees look like reversed twins, black and white & white and black

Completely agree with everything you said except you are going to lose 5-7mph. Redline is still redline..........13 or 14 tooth. You won't gain any revs without a rev box/cdi.

z

[660r2a400ex]

yepp blood, sorry should have let you know earlier, just slipped my mind and drzoo as far as loosing top speed, no you wont, the Z's do not have enough power to redline 5th gear, its about two grand shy, so gearing it down a tooth in the front will allow the bike to actually pull through 5th and your actually gaing a mph or two, trust me i ran it next to a stock 450 for about 1 1/2 miles, he started to leave me, then i geared it down, beat him about 1 bike off the line and he stayed on my rear tires the whole time, couldnt pass me ! i'm not the bs'n type

[bellzbub]

you might want to check the cam chain tensioner and see how many clicks you have left. the motor should not be very "loud". the chain may need replacing. it is a common thing in the z motor.

as for the gearing down to a 13 tooth and gaining top end. B.S.! there is no way it can be faster on the top with it geared down. if it is not jetted properly it won't reach the rev limiter otherwise you should be bouncing off of it with a 13 tooth.

[bloodmoney23]

the tensioner is fine, valve clearances are all exact spec, valves are seated fine with no leaks, timing is about 1/32nd of an inch off which bothers me none, crankcase oil looked great with zero shavings/metal coloring in it. I finally took the time today and checked every last thing on the bike. I guess it is just what the bike sounds like. If im listening for the sound it annoys the hell outta me, but if i just use my ability of selective hearing im good.

I can not attest to the claim of gaining top speed with a dropped tooth because 1. I never had stock sprocket 2. I havent even been able to get to 5th gear yet (was trail riding only) I wouldnt claim b.s. though, just cause of the fact every bike is different. I will go out an buy a stock front sprocket and run it throgh the gears and have my buddy clock my speed (hes a cop and we are from a small town we can do this) then i will put the 13t sprocket back on and do the same test right after and record the whole thing and post it. Now granted since it is only like 10º-20º here i may not get around to doing it for a little while but it will be done.

[drzoo2]

Originally posted by 660r2a400ex
yepp blood, sorry should have let you know earlier, just slipped my mind and drzoo as far as loosing top speed, no you wont, the Z's do not have enough power to redline 5th gear, its about two grand shy, so gearing it down a tooth in the front will allow the bike to actually pull through 5th and your actually gaing a mph or two, trust me i ran it next to a stock 450 for about 1 1/2 miles, he started to leave me, then i geared it down, beat him about 1 bike off the line and he stayed on my rear tires the whole time, couldnt pass me ! i'm not the bs'n type

Well I can't attest to the condition and tuning of your bike but when I added the 13 I lost a boat load of top end as well as many of the others I have chatted with. Stock gearing I clocked about 73. After adding the 13 I'm lucky to get 65. It was quite noticable. The Z has plenty of power to reach rev limit on stock gearing. Makes me wonder how well yours was tuned.

[660r2a400ex]

blood email me your address, ill send the 14 as soon as i find it, its brand new

[bloodmoney23]

It doesnt need tuned.....its bone stock other than the 13 tooth and new bars. And hey 660r, did you want the title for the banshee it somehow ended back in the envelope. I mean, yeah VA dont require but its always good to have say you sell it to someone from a state that does title them. Check your PM's for address.

[660r2a400ex]

thats another thing, uhm yea i would like it but im not gonna register it at dmv, i dont know if thats gonna hurt you as far as taxes go, i dont want to pay personal property taxes on it ! dont know how that works, did you ever have to, i'll register it if i have to but if not than i wont. just let me know yeah you can send it to me

[bloodmoney23]

no I dont even register. For ATV's i always kept them just for proof of ownership if it got stolen or I was to sell. ALOT of ATV's get stolen around here. Like my buddy that came up with me to PA his 400EX got stolen 2 years ago. So dont worry about registering it, its just for your own proof of ownership. Ill send that and ill send the pro design kill switch too. If you dont want it sell it for like $20 or something.

[660r2a400ex]

i can use it , thanks

[z400bs]

I have an 05 z 400 and i here it too. I haven't done anything about it yet and it runs fine so im not worrying about it.

[660r2a400ex]

yes, z400's motors make wierd noise, they also have week valve springs and constaly need adjustments, i would say check valves after after 3-5 hard rides. its kind like the hondas 450's and 400's have a crazy ticking noise, but when you go to check the valves the clearences are fine.

[bloodmoney23]

does kibblewhite make the Ti valve springs and retainers for this bike or no? im going to look it up myself but if i cant find it and someone knows let me know please.

[660r2a400ex]

dont know man but check this out
http://store.albaaction.com/shop/LTZ400-CAM-KIT.html

may help or not but cheap fix if it does

[bloodmoney23]

sweet ill tell my brother to buy that.

[RATPACK Z400]

I had heard sound from mine as well it was ticking sound from the valves the dealer checked it out it was fine they said the sound is normal when motor is broken in for suzukis to have.