Cam chain noise in 1500 drifter

herkey said:

That was my thought. Our local Kawasaki dealer said his machanic had never been in a 1500 engine.

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Warning, Will Robinson!! Well, that eliminates THAT stealership. First off, was this Kelly from these forums? Second...how do you know its the cam chain? How did you diagnose that? I have a 97 ZX900R Ninja w/17K on the odo, (see avatar w/handsome owner lol) and this past summer I changed my CCT. Not the chain, just the tensioner. At 17K, its a preemptive step to take. Now I dont know about the 1500 engine in your model, (which is why Im not the mech at the aforementioned stealership lol) but Kawi engines can be a bit noisy. Mine tends to have somewhat of a knocking noise...sorta like rolling-around marbles in the upper right area of the engine....right around where the CCT is. It goes away after a minute or two, perhaps after the oil reaches that area. Now, before you go dropping beaucoup bucks, I'd do some more research into your problem. Using this site is a an excellent place start. But search for othe Kawi resources on the net and try to get as much info feedback about yer prob. Google stuff related to your year/model, etc. You may just run into someone who has dealt with exactly your bikes symptoms and can be of help. Exhaust all your options. If all comes to naught, then sell the thing and use the $$ for another scoot. Good luck!!
BTW...if a dealer is quoting you $300-$1200 to fix your bike w/o having even SEEN it in person to do a more thorough inspection, they are after your money and nothing else. Steer clear.