Doing some work to a friends atv. New belt, fuel petcock, sparkplug so far to get it running and driving again but am a little stumped on this one.

Where do i start to look for this noise?

 

was the noise there before you started working on it? Is the new spark plug the correct length? Have you checked valve clearance? Is the noise coming from the cover over the belt? Would help if you could pinpoint the area of the engine where the noise is coming from...

 

i picked it up from my friends house non running, he said the belt broke on him about 6 months ago so i don't know if it was doing it before hand. I have never heard it run until now. He did say it has always been noisy as hell but this is a bit much for anyone to just accept and put up with.

He lives 2 hours away or i'd just swing it by and ask him what the hell is going on.

The sparkplug is the same NGK plug that i removed from it to match the part number on.

He claims to have adjusted the valves a few months before the belt broke and he left it parked since then. I thought it was engine at first but after putting an ear to it a few times I believe its more coming from the belt box area. I was busy working on my truck today also so didn't have much time but figured before i dug into it anymore tomorrow i'd ask the experts which direction to look first.

We have a polaris and suzuki already but i've never messed with a Kawasaki. They aren't to different but as most know each brand has its own specific common qwerks that a newbie to the brand wouldn't know about.

 

Does sound like valves, so check the clearances first. I only know the KLF300 model but it sounds a lot like a worn cam/follower, or loose seat, but he may just have set the valves on the wrong stroke, or left an adjuster loose.

 

Pulled the belt box this morning, primary clutch is a little noisier than my wifes polaris but nothing strikes me as odd.

Adjusted the valves just a little while ago. used a .127 on the intake and .178 on the exhaust. Little to no change in the tick.

 

Sounds like a noisy clutch for one thing. You could always pull the drive clutch and see if the noise is still there.

 

the drive clutch does have a little chatter to it that i don't really hear while working on the wifes 01 sportsman from her clutch. But the tick i'm almost certain is from the top end of the motor.

 

just pulled the timing cover off and found the noise, not sure what but that is the area its coming from 100% for sure.

Used the good ole trusty long screw driver stethoscope to track it down.

 

You might want to double check that valve clearance adjustment. It sounds pretty big to me, I owned a 300 Praire and the valve clearance was no where near that wide, cant remember exactly but something around .017 and 023 or near there....never saw an exhaust clearance of .178 ??? that is damn near 3/16".....

 

Probably talking millimeters. This pdf service manual shows the adjustment specs when cold.https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...Hj1Na0dcqM9HY8

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE 2-13
Periodic Maintenance Procedures
Engine Top End
Valve Clearance Inspection
NOTE
Check the valve clearance only when the engine is cold (at room
temperature).
•
Remove:
Left Front Wheel (see Wheels/Tires chapter)
Left Front Inner Cover (see Frame chapter)
Fuel Tank (see Fuel System chapter)
Rubber Cover
Bolts [A] and Valve Adjusting Caps [B]
•
Remove:
Recoil Starter (see Recoil Starter chapter)
Timing Inspection Plug
•
Position the crankshaft at TDC of the end of the compression stroke
(see Camshaft Sprocket Installation in Engine Top End chapter).
•
Measure the clearance of each valve between the end of the valve
stem and the adjusting screw on the rocker arm with a thickness
gauge [A].
If the valve clearance is not correct, adjust it (see Engine Top End
chapter).
Valve Clearance (when cold)
Exhaust:
0.15
0.20 mm (0.0059 ~ 0.0079 in.)
Inlet:
0.08
0.13 mm (0.0032 ~ 0.0051 in.)