[ScarfaceZX10R]

Hello all on the ZX10R forums,

Back in 2020, I received my dads ZX10R that had been sitting completely taken apart in a corner for over 5 years that my buddy and I decided to put back together and see if it would run and ride. All was good until we noticed that the bike definitely wasn’t making 100% of its power and decided to rip it back apart and pulled the head off of the block to inspect any damages.

Before pulling the head, I noticed that the clutch was definitely out of adjustment and after pulling the head cover off, the exhaust cam was a tooth out of time which could definitely be a culprit.

During the head pull, cylinders 3 and 4 intake ports had some hella surface rust going on from sitting and the intake valves in cylinder 3 started to pit from rust being on there for so long. All other valves and cylinder bores are in damn near perfect condition like nothing ever happened but those 2 intake valves.

My question now is does anyone know anyone selling intake valves, head gasket, and a timing chain tensioner? I have them ordered off an OEM website but they’re back ordered until next March….

Any tips and tricks for this bike would be greatly appreciated and will be sought after. Thank you everyone for your time checking this post out!

Ill add some pictures of the timing and the valves of suspicion.

 

[Czano]

APE and Kibblewhite make aftermarket valves, springs and chian tensioner too I believe. I don't have any experience with them but they are out there.

 

[Gen101]

No cracked valve spring retainers?

 

[michael4012]

If the head has been decked you may have issues with piston to valve contact with both Ape and Kibblewhite valves, they have a much thicker face, you may not get enough clearance using cam timing alone. The OE inlet valves are your cheapest option on G1 & 2 as they are steel and around 50 US a valve. They as far as I know are not on back order here, but you would get stuffed on import taxes. Have you thought about a second hand head to strip out for the best 8 of 16 intakes? Why do you need a new tensioner? You can get a new gasket from Cometic in the US.

 

[ScarfaceZX10R]

APE and Kibblewhite make aftermarket valves, springs and chian tensioner too I believe. I don't have any experience with them but they are out there.

Sorry about this super late response I’m new here but luckily enough I ended up getting the head gasket, cam chain tensioner and 1 valve. Ended up having to cancel the other valve since that one was back ordered. I checked out those sites and APE seems to be the place to get those things thank you for bringing it up 👍

 

[ScarfaceZX10R]

No cracked valve spring retainers?

That was the number one thing I was looking for since I heard that was common on Gen 1 motors but luckily enough none of them were cracked and were in perfect condition

 

[ScarfaceZX10R]

If the head has been decked you may have issues with piston to valve contact with both Ape and Kibblewhite valves, they have a much thicker face, you may not get enough clearance using cam timing alone. The OE inlet valves are your cheapest option on G1 & 2 as they are steel and around 50 US a valve. They as far as I know are not on back order here, but you would get stuffed on import taxes. Have you thought about a second hand head to strip out for the best 8 of 16 intakes? Why do you need a new tensioner? You can get a new gasket from Cometic in the US.

Thank you for that information I honestly had no idea those aftermarket valves were like that! As I replied to Czano, I got the head gasket, cam chain tensioner and one valve. All other valves checked out perfectly. I wanted to change one of the intake valves since it had a decent amount of pitting growing on it.

With the chain tensioner I just said screw it and got a new one since I was already taking everything apart and to not have to worry about it in the future!

All is good now and the head is already back together and back on the engine!

 

[Gen101]

That was the number one thing I was looking for since I heard that was common on Gen 1 motors but luckily enough none of them were cracked and were in perfect condition

2005?

 

[ScarfaceZX10R]

2005?

2004

 

[michael4012]

Thank you for that information I honestly had no idea those aftermarket valves were like that! As I replied to Czano, I got the head gasket, cam chain tensioner and one valve. All other valves checked out perfectly. I wanted to change one of the intake valves since it had a decent amount of pitting growing on it.

With the chain tensioner I just said screw it and got a new one since I was already taking everything apart and to not have to worry about it in the future!

All is good now and the head is already back together and back on the engine!

All good, the tensioner spring often just needs packing with a washer in the screw cap end, to give a little more tension.