Kips rattle

[kdxdazz]

I wanted to make a video about the kips rattle and why I believe it shouldn't rattle, here it is

[Slick_Nick]

Man, I quite enjoyed that! I’ve always been a firm believer in having everything functioning perfectly. My KIPS doesn’t rattle too bad, but on my next top end I plan to machine that cylinder so the main valve hold down bolts will engage the valve properly, thus bypassing the need for a copper shim.

Good video!

[John_S]

I’m one of the guys who annoy you with the no spring and ball. I tested 1 washer, 2 washers. then no spring and ball. All run back to back with a 5 minute test ride in a field and GoPro. Without a doubt my bike runs best with no ball and didn’t realize until I watched the video back that I said “holy crap” twice when it came onto the pipe. It’s noticeably snappier but you got me thinking…

Does my left side gear wobble when idling? I went out this morning and fired it up without the slotted cover. The gear stays still but to test it I put a 10mm T wrench on the nut and I could wiggle the gear with no effort at all. Even open the kips valve easily which I never tried. I know that while the engine is off you can’t actuate the gear like that.The engine sounded the same whether it was slightly open or held closed. I always thought it would be the governor by the water pump and governor shaft that would hold it closed while at low rpms. Apparently not. I then installed the spring and ball and fired it back up. With it idling it would then take effort to be able to actuate the gear. Not much effort at all but it wasn’t turning as easy. That makes me think I should have the spring and ball in place.

Thanks to you posting this I was revving the bike with no ball and with the ball to watch the gear move. I had done it before and either way the gear snaps back closed. This time it was sluggish to return to closed with no ball and really slow to return with the ball and spring. I regret not changing the O ring that Kawasaki calls packing on the right side horizontal shaft the last time I had it apart for cleaning. The force that it took for me to slide the shaft in should’ve been an indicator that the oring was swollen and it’s probably why KIPS is closing slowly now. It’s time to clean everything up again, this time changing out that oring and running the ball and spring like it was from the factory.

I like the way you showed the main valve rattling before you put the shim in place. I bet that’s the main cause of engines that do have kips noise. I had never thought about how that valve, once in place with the bolts, shouldn’t move at all. I’m going to check mine when I take it apart and thinking it must be tight since my engine doesn’t have kips rattle at all.

Have you fired up your bike yet since doing this work? Is the rattle gone?

[kdxdazz]

Thanks for the positive response guys, will try get the engine back together today but need to source that little ball bearing that silly me lost, came up with an idea to weld up the ovaled hole in the bolt as drilling bolts central without a lathe can me tricky, I think the packing seal is there to stop oil leaking past the rod and out through the kips actuator cover, when I got the cylinder back It had been vapour blasted and oil the holes were not smooth so I cut the handle of a wooden spoon, glued wet and dry sandpaper on the end and honed out the rod holes. There is lots more I wanted to say on the video but I forgot and it's my first attempt at a technical video so lots I could do better

[lcgordon711]

Thanks for the information, wish i did not just put my cylinder back together. I would love to try some of this. I can atleast check out my bolt and go with a bigger ball bearing if my bolt is worn. Really good info. Would love to hear the bike start up video if you could when you are done.

Also instead of copper could you do a paper gasket? just was thinking if it came apart maybe a paper gasket would do less damage? Just thinking outloud.

[kdxdazz]

Thanks for the information, wish i did not just put my cylinder back together. I would love to try some of this. I can atleast check out my bolt and go with a bigger ball bearing if my bolt is worn. Really good info. Would love to hear the bike start up video if you could when you are done.

Also instead of copper could you do a paper gasket? just was thinking if it came apart maybe a paper gasket would do less damage? Just thinking outloud.

It's possible the right kind of paper would work but I don't think so, just not enough surface area, eventually the paper would compress from vibration and movement

[lcgordon711]

Thanks for the information, wish i did not just put my cylinder back together. I would love to try some of this. I can atleast check out my bolt and go with a bigger ball bearing if my bolt is worn. Really good info. Would love to hear the bike start up video if you could when you are done.

Also instead of copper could you do a paper gasket? just was thinking if it came apart maybe a paper gasket would do less damage? Just thinking outloud.

It's possible the right kind of paper would work but I don't think so, just not enough surface area, eventually the paper would compress from vibration and movement

Very good point. Next time mine is apart i will do all these things. Mine does not rattle too too bad but it does.