[acalliee]

Okay so my ZX10r has close to 65500 miles on it (it's a little off due to the -1, 0 quick accel kit on there). I ride pretty hard for a girl, I do a couple of burnouts here and there and my highway speeds are usually in the upper 90s lower 100s (GPS speed on HOV lanes) when I take my bike to school (which is everyday, rain, shine, cold AF, hurricane warning, 20mph gusts, etc)

So I started my bike last night and there was a loud air hissing sound (kinda what stabbing an inflated tire sounds like) coming from the left (clutch lever side) of the bike that quickly fades off into a knock that sounds like the cam chain hitting something. So I asked my roommate who is a certified motorcycle mechanic and she said it was the cam chain tensioner. But the cam chain/CCT on the right side of the bike.
So I tried my first attempt at fixing it which was putting the bike in 6th Gear, backing it up, and popping the clutch. It seemed to work at first as the sound was gone for about 3, maybe 4 miles of low speed (and I mean low, like 25mph because I live on a military installation) and the loud hissing sound returned suddenly and actually killed my bike while I was coming to a stop at a traffic light. It took me 5 attempts to restart it. Then, while I was limping it back to my garage, I started hearing what sounds like one of those annoying fan belts from old Corollas coming from the right side, of the engine. It's faint, but I can hear it with through my helmet and the exhaust.

I just ordered a new manual CCT just in case, but I'm also suspecting a bad head gasket or bad valve cover as well. Thoughts? Opinions? Anyone else have the same problems?

Mods: If I'm posting in the wrong section, please move my post to the appropriate section.

Current performance mods on 2008 zx10r:
Secondary butterfly delete
Cat delete with M4 slip-on
Bazzaz ZFi
-1, 0 Vortex 520 Quick Accel kit

 

[thundercoupe9]

Let your certified mechanic figure out what's wrong with the bike before you start buying parts for it and quit riding it, if the engine locks up you'll be sliding down the highway at 100mph.

 

[michael4012]

People would ask for recordings of the sound but don't start the bike again I sadly think you or somebody else has gotta start tearing the engine down.

 

[acalliee]

Yeah, I've stopped riding it. I got a couple videos of the sound. Gonna see if I can post it up on youtube.

 

[acalliee]

https://www.instagram.com/p/BZ2SGclgdLn/

That should be the link that I posted it to.

 

[GreenOne]

It`s the stator cover. Before you tear down anything else, pull the stator cover and check if the stator or wire securing clip is loose and grinding against the alternator rotor. I think it sounds like that. Hard to tell, but it looked like a dent in the cover as well. If so, not good.

BTW, no need to use a manual cct. It will need regular maint. and you better know how to set it at correct tightness.
And your cam chain is on the other side as you said.

 

[acalliee]

It`s the stator cover. Before you tear down anything else, pull the stator cover and check if the stator or wire securing clip is loose and grinding against the alternator rotor. I think it sounds like that. Hard to tell, but it looked like a dent in the cover as well. If so, not good.

BTW, no need to use a manual cct. It will need regular maint. and you better know how to set it at correct tightness.
And your cam chain is on the other side as you said.

I just checked the stator cover. I just noticed there is a little bit of oil on the top, near where the wire is at. I think the gasket broke on it. I'm gonna check it once Hurricane Nate blows over (so It won't be tomorrow or the next day.)

 

[GreenOne]

I just checked the stator cover. I just noticed there is a little bit of oil on the top, near where the wire is at. I think the gasket broke on it. I'm gonna check it once Hurricane Nate blows over (so It won't be tomorrow or the next day.)

Hopefully the problem is there, it doesn`t have to be all too bad or expensive. Easy to check first anyway.
You would need a new gasket either way when you pull the cover.

 

[acalliee]

I just checked the stator cover. I just noticed there is a little bit of oil on the top, near where the wire is at. I think the gasket broke on it. I'm gonna check it once Hurricane Nate blows over (so It won't be tomorrow or the next day.)

Hopefully the problem is there, it doesn`t have to be all too bad or expensive. Easy to check first anyway.
You would need a new gasket either way when you pull the cover.

Pulled the stator cover before the hurricane hit, scraped off the old gasket, made sure the stator is on tight, and nothing was rubbing. (There was nothing), so I put it back on since I got another gasket.

So I started checking other things. Made sure there was no bubbles in the coolant and it looked normal and there was no white smoke. Then I decided to check for the header tightness noticed that the no.1 exhaust header (far left) flange(?) Was loose so I tightened it down as much as I can.

Started it again and the "chiff chiff chiff" sound was gone, even after doing high tomorrow revs. Gonna ride it after the hurricane, see if it really is the fix.