ZX9R Valve Adjustment - I | II>>| III>> | IV>> | V>> | VI>> | VII>> | VIII>> | IX>> | X

 

You want to make sure the engine is dead-cold before measuring the valves, but you can get a good start removing and cleaning everything the night before.

Remove the seats, fuel tank and all front and lower cowlings. Instructions on this may be included in the future, but for now, we're starting with a prepped 2002 ZX9R with 38,700 miles on the clock (6600 miles since the last valve clearance adjustment.)
Clean everything you can touch before going any further. This is to prevent little bits of dirt, dust or sand from falling into your carburetors or (gasp) intake tracts.

IMPORTANT: This guideline is intended only as a supplement for your existing Haynes, Clymer or Kawasaki Factory service manual. Please do not attempt this operation without the proper tools and a good familiarity of the processes involved. If you think I'm going to be even remotely responsible (or even apologetic) for any mistakes you make or damage to your machine, you've got another think coming, baby! If you see anything incorrect in here, please CONTACT ME immediately with the correction. Thanks!

Side notes: This operation will go more smoothly and easily if you run the tank almost out of gas, THEN rotate the fuel petcock switch to OFF and run the carbs completely out of fuel, and let the bike sit for at least 24 hours.


You will need the following:
~ Metric socket set
~Needlenose pliers
~Metric feeler gauge*
~Micrometer
~ Aircleaner foam filter oil ~ Many clean white rags/t-shirts

*It would be ideal to have two different feeler gauges from two different manufacturers, so you can double-check and be confident in your measurements.

After plucking the two hoses (one thick black rubber crankcase breather hose, and one clear plastic overflow tube) from the back of the airbox, loosen the (7) 10mm bolts so you can remove the top half of the airbox. It's possible to hurriedly remove the airbox as a whole unit by lifting the two black caps (on either side of the concave portion pictured) and using a socket extension to reach the (2) 10-mm bolts underneath. But we're not getting paid 10-bucks an hour to do this, right? Take your time and clean as you go!

Side note:
It stands to NASCAR-reasoning/hillbilly logic that an airbox would "breathe" better with these caps left off, but since the airbox is positively charged from the ram-air intake and ducts in the front (AND the fact that unfiltered air would be spilling into your carbs!), you definitely want to leave these caps securely in place.

Wash your hands and carefully pry open the airbox. There should be no dirt or dust visible, because this is the filtered side of your airbox.

Side notes:
There might be a little bit of oil splashed around in here, which is nothing to worry about as long as it's not forming deep pools. This would be from the crankcase breather tube and if you have excess oil in there, that is your signal to put less oil in the crankcase when changing the oil.
Because you want to minimize the amount of crud falling in there, gently stuff a lint-free paper-towel into each of the carburetor intake horns. 'Gently' because you don't want to put lateral pressure on your carb vaccuum slides.
Loosen the (2) 10mm airbox mount bolts. These are the ones you could have accessed before by hurriedly popping off the hillbilly-caps at the top of the airbox.
And the additional (3) 10mm mount bolts at the back of the airbox.
Now loosen the duct clamps at the front of the airbox. You can loosen only the front screws and leave the clamps and rubber boots fastened to the airbox, but I like to remove the whole ball-o-wax and clean the bejeezus out of everything.
With the clamp loosened, the tubular ducts should slide out easily. These will probably have dirt and dust in them, so avoid handling them over your clean airbox.
Mine are always especially filthy, because I like to coat them on the inside with the same sticky oil that goes on the foam air filter element*. This will trap incoming crud, effectively filtering some of the air before it even reaches your air cleaner element. Set these ducts off to the side for now so your hands are clean for handling sensitive stuff.

Side note:
*This could conceivably affect the acoustics, airflow and therefore performance of your bike, but I'll wager that for every quarter of a horsepower you sacrifice, you'll gain another 10,000 miles out of your engine.

With all (5) of the 10mm mount bolts loosened and the ducts removed, the airbox should lift off easily.
I also like to coat the inside of the airbox with foam filter element oil. The more filtering surface area you exploit, the cleaner the air that makes it into your carburetors and chambers

Side note:
Unfortunately, I put too much of the air filter oil the last time, and the engine heat caused the oil in the airbox to liquify, spilled it out the tiny drainage holes , making a sticky mess on the front of my engine (see below.)


Yugh! Sticky, filthy foam-filter oil. Ah well, it's still easier and cheaper to clean this benign mess than to rebuild an engine that wore out prematurely because a few too many dust specks got into your chambers.

 
ZX9R Valve Adjustment - I | II>>| III>> | IV>> | V>> | VI>> | VII>> | VIII>> | IX>> | X