Spent some money today! .. Not a lot!

That's it! .. I've had enough! .. The engine is coming out!

I don't care what the book says it is IMPOSSIBLE to remove the rocker cover with the engine in the frame! I've spent over an hour wiggling and jiggling every which way and there is no way its coming out!

Time for a beer!

Well it does come out because I've done it . On my current model it simple lifts through the frame because it's wider to accommodate the bigger tank . Tea works better . This is a picture of my old A model .

That's it! .. I've had enough! .. The engine is coming out!

I don't care what the book says it is IMPOSSIBLE to remove the rocker cover with the engine in the frame! I've spent over an hour wiggling and jiggling every which way and there is no way its coming out!

Time for a beer!

Hopefully this is a daft question but you have removed the water pipes haven't you ?

That's it! .. I've had enough! .. The engine is coming out!

I don't care what the book says it is IMPOSSIBLE to remove the rocker cover with the engine in the frame! I've spent over an hour wiggling and jiggling every which way and there is no way its coming out!

Time for a beer!

 

Hopefully this is a daft question but you have removed the water pipes haven't you ?

Yep! Everything removed.

That's it! .. I've had enough! .. The engine is coming out!

I don't care what the book says it is IMPOSSIBLE to remove the rocker cover with the engine in the frame! I've spent over an hour wiggling and jiggling every which way and there is no way its coming out!

Time for a beer!

 

Hopefully this is a daft question but you have removed the water pipes haven't you ?

 

Yep! Everything removed.

Call it morbid fascination if you will , but I'm dying to see this ( alleged ) broken cam lobe . Oh by the way , if you decide to hand crank the engine it's CLOCKWISE which is somewhat counterintuitive .

Hopefully this is a daft question but you have removed the water pipes haven't you ?

 

Yep! Everything removed.

 

Call it morbid fascination if you will , but I'm dying to see this ( alleged ) broken cam lobe . Oh by the way , if you decide to hand crank the engine it's CLOCKWISE which is somewhat counterintuitive .

Well I still haven't got the cover off but I can see and feel the cam lobes! .. They're all good!

When I eventually get the cover off I'll check the valve clearances but I can't think that one would be so far out as to make the racket that it does.

Yep! Everything removed.

 

Call it morbid fascination if you will , but I'm dying to see this ( alleged ) broken cam lobe . Oh by the way , if you decide to hand crank the engine it's CLOCKWaISE which is somewhat counterintuitive .

 

Well I still haven't got the cover off but I can see and feel the cam lobes! .. They're all good!

When I eventually get the cover off I'll check the valve clearances but I can't think that one would be so far out as to make the racket that it does.

Jump to no conclusions just yet . Perhaps you could do a video of the engine being rotated by hand . I've got a few possible scenarios in mind but here comes yet another chance to air one of my favourite film quotes .

Finally! Got the rocker cover off. After another half hour jiggling it still wouldn't come off so if slackened te engine mounting bolts and supporting the engine on a jack removed the front bolt and lowered the jack a fraction.

It may have given me 1 millimeter more room or just been psychological but the cover slipped out.

Cams are sound and valve clearances don't appear excessive (can't check them properly as my son has nicked my feeler guages)

Manual cam chain adjuster should arrive by the weekend.

Time for a brew.

That's cheating ! That bike is mint . I paid £300 for this thing .

Would you be in the market for a handful of magic beans? I run the world's most thriving magic bean company, supplying magic beans to satisfied customers around the globe. Quote #TMBF25 to get 3% off your next magic bean order.

That's cheating ! That bike is mint . I paid £300 for this thing .

 

Would you be in the market for a handful of magic beans? I run the world's most thriving magic bean company, supplying magic beans to satisfied customers around the globe. Quote #TMBF25 to get 3% off your next magic bean order.

Fortunately I have the ability to see past the rust and the dirt . I'm riding this bike to the Outer Hebrides and then I'm going to sell it for a profit . And I'm going to enjoy every moment of the challenge .

I've set the valve clearances, the exhaust on number 2 was a little out, so I'll close up and see how it sounds now.

I also had a disaster with my spare engine! .. While fiddling about some clumsy sausage fingered oaf(me) dropped a locating dowel which slipped past the cam chain and has gone down into the workings.

Looks like I have to do a complete strip down to get it out!

A couple of quick questions for those who know.

1: Are the screws on ER5's Phillips or JIS?

2: Can I fit the rocker cover with blanking plates and dump the pipes and gubbins that go with it?

No you won't have to do a strip down . It will have gone straight down into the sump which is removable . I wouldn't rotate the engine though just in case it's lodged near the crankshaft sprocket . Only problem is , you've got to invert the engine to get the sump off and then it's anybody's guess where it will move to . You can definitely chuck that rocker cover away and use the blanked off one . I've already done that on mine . Re the screws ,what screws ? Mine are all bolts which I will replace with Allen Bolts anyway .

No you won't have to do a strip down . It will have gone straight down into the sump which is removable . I wouldn't rotate the engine though just in case it's lodged near the crankshaft sprocket . Only problem is , you've got to invert the engine to get the sump off and then it's anybody's guess where it will move to . You can definitely chuck that rocker cover away and use the blanked off one . I've already done that on mine . Re the screws ,what screws ? Mine are all bolts which I will replace with Allen Bolts anyway .

Thanks fastbob! .. I was hoping it would have gone to the sump(fingers crossed).

I'm taking off the starter motor and I have to undo the chain guide screws. I don't have the correct size driver, mine are too big or too small so I need to buy one.

No you won't have to do a strip down . It will have gone straight down into the sump which is removable . I wouldn't rotate the engine though just in case it's lodged near the crankshaft sprocket . Only problem is , you've got to invert the engine to get the sump off and then it's anybody's guess where it will move to . You can definitely chuck that rocker cover away and use the blanked off one . I've already done that on mine . Re the screws ,what screws ? Mine are all bolts which I will replace with Allen Bolts anyway .

 

Thanks fastbob! .. I was hoping it would have gone to the sump(fingers crossed).

I'm taking off the starter motor and I have to undo the chain guide screws. I don't have the correct size driver, mine are too big or too small so I need to buy one.

I know the ones . Why do they need to come off ? The cog just slips back onto the splines as far as I can remember .

The Nuremburg defence .. I was just following orders! https://www.manualslib.com/manual/375061/Kawasaki-Er-5.html?page=302#manual

Before you go stripping the engine to find the dowel get yourself a telescopic magnet pen and have a poke about down the cam chain tunnel. You never know you may pick it up. Ive used this method before on a multitude of things and it can get you out of trouble.

The screws are JIS so a set of JIS screwdrivers will fit better.

Bingo! .. I can see it! .. Lodged itself on the cam chain so I should be able to pick it out with a magnetic tool. More shopping!

I think this may be the problem that was causing the noise?

I think this may be the problem that was causing the noise? 20201020_154900.jpg

F**k yeah ! What's the corresponding cam lobe like ?

I think this may be the problem that was causing the noise? 20201020_154900.jpg

 

F**k yeah ! What's the corresponding cam lobe like ?

Surprisingly the cams are fine.

A skim of polyfiller and that will be fine.

Here you go . I've put it on FB as well . https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353162679325

Here you go . I've put it on FB as well . https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353162679325

I've got my eye on those .. They're 10 minutes down the road from me.

I'll take the head off tomorrow and check the pistons and barrels to make sure there's nothing else wrong.

Here you go . I've put it on FB as well . https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/353162679325

 

I've got my eye on those .. They're 10 minutes down the road from me.

I'll take the head off tomorrow and check the pistons and barrels to make sure there's nothing else wrong.

Wise move . Mine looked ok from the top until I pulled the barrels off .

Couldn't wait 'till tomorrow .. So the head is off and the pistons and barrels look really good.

I know that feeling.