My DR-Z is poorly ....

Greg Masters

Greg Masters

'Don't mess with me' Member
Moderator
Moderator
Joined
Jun 25, 2002
Messages
27,484
Reaction score
3,272
Location
Middle England
My beloved Suzuki DR-Z has had to stay tucked up in the garage at home today (I've sent a sicknote in on its behalf).

After about 20,000 miles it's started making strange noises. As part of its routine maintenance, I reshimmed the valves before Christmas, but it's still making the same mechanical noises.

From my investigations it would appear that the cam-chain tensioner has reached the end of its automatic adjustment and cannot take up any more slack in the stretching cam-chain. So over the next few days I'll be fitting a new cam-chain and guides.

Assuming my diagnosis is correct, I have to say that I'm a bit disappointed that the chain has only lasted 20k miles but it may be due to most of that being road miles with lower than stock gearing.

Greg
 
I suppose the DRZ was a 'performance engine' when first produced, and so may have had extra light camchain and components fitted at the time. 20'000 miles from a 'competition' :rolleyes: engine. not too bad:nenau

Shep
 
I doubt you'll get many DRZ's that will cover that sort of mileage......and you certainly won't get many 400cc dirt bikes that would have done 20k!!! :eek:
:bow
 
Greg,

There have been alot of postings on Thumper talk about the cam chain tensioner on the DRZ, consensus of opinion seems to be that the auto tensioners just dont work correctly and it is better to change them for a manual one, you may want to do it when you change the chain. The manual tensioners pop up on ebay quite often and they are easy to fit.

Jim
 
Jim-Adv said:
Greg,

There have been alot of postings on Thumper talk about the cam chain tensioner on the DRZ, consensus of opinion seems to be that the auto tensioners just dont work correctly and it is better to change them for a manual one, you may want to do it when you change the chain. The manual tensioners pop up on ebay quite often and they are easy to fit.

Jim
Click to expand...

Some of the more recent postings are mine!!

I think that the very earliest DR-Zs had a dodgy tensioner and the accepted wisdom is that they have to be changed for a manual tensioner PDQ. However, on ThumperTalk, that wisdom seems to have now embraced the later type of tensioner too.

But I had a look at my tensioner last night - it's a spring-loaded ratchet arrangement which seems to be working perfectly well except that it's on full scale deflection (so to speak) ie it's got nothing more to give.

That would seem to coincide with the symptoms. It wasn't making any untoward noises at all until about 1,500 miles ago. I assume at that point the tensioner was still taking up the slack but had reached its full extent. Since then, as the chain has continued to stretch, the chain-thrashing noises have slowly got worse to the extent that I won't ride it again until it's mended.

I've ordered a new chain and chain-guides this morning and will probably fit them over the weekend.

Greg
 
Zed's dead baby, Zed's dead...

Tour company DRZs have regular cam chains and tensions. More so due to abuse by punters.
20k is a fair distance for a 'small' engined four stroke.
Use of high revs ever won't of helped.
As mentioned, new parts are available and not too pricey.
To be fair, they are a belting engine, I can't fault mine (at the moment.....9k miles).
Timpo.
 
Greg,

Before you go to deep, just check that the left handed threaded nut on the crank shaft has not come undone.

This happened on mine and as a result there will excessive end float on the crank, made lots of horrible noises too, similar to what you describe.

Convinced that it was the little end bearing I took the bloody engine out and started to strip it down. This is when I discovered the loose nut, and there was no need to remove the engine after all.

Just remove the engine casting.............:o

Lots of the early DRZ's suffered from the same complaint.
 
BTBR said:
Greg,

Before you go to deep, just check that the left handed threaded nut on the crank shaft has not come undone.

This happened on mine and as a result there will excessive end float on the crank, made lots of horrible noises too, similar to what you describe.

Convinced that it was the little end bearing I took the bloody engine out and started to strip it down. This is when I discovered the loose nut, and there was no need to remove the engine after all.

Just remove the engine casting.............:o

Lots of the early DRZ's suffered from the same complaint.
Click to expand...


I've now drained all its life-bloods although the battery remains hooked up to the monitor.

I'm just about to open the (engine-) chest.

I'll have a close look at its nuts whilst I'm in there!

:D

Greg
 
It's big nut is so tight that I think it must be dreaming about a girlie cruiser!

:D

Greg
 
Well, here's the patient:

IMG_2647.jpg


At this stage I think that the problem may be with the chain guides. However, I won't know until tomorrow when I get the chain and the guides out.

:beer:

Greg
 
It's not too easy to see in this photograph, but there is a bit of stretch on the old chain.

Greg

IMG_2648.jpg
 
My baby is now fully recovered and is resting in the garage after its marathon op.

Apart from some slight stretch of the timing chain, there was also some wear on the rear tensioning guide which also got replaced. I discovered that you can't replace the front guide without taking the head off, but it doesn't do much so I left it.

I knew that I had the problem sorted when I tried to put the spring back into the cam-chain tensioner - I couldn't get the fecking thing in!!

I'll be using it for work again tomorrow.

:thumb

Greg
 
Nippy Normans supply Touratech, Wunderlich, Desert Fox and many other makes of accessories.
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

Help wanted BMW 1250GS is poorly
Replies
17
Views
1,326
Pukmeister
Pukmeister
My Bike Is poorly, Please Help.
Replies
4
Views
1,473
scrubs
My Bike Is Poorly :(
2
Replies
35
Views
5,625
snoopy


Back
Top Bottom