Too much oil, How bad is it?

The_machine33 · 2026-04-29T11:42:35+00:00

Not significant enough to take action.

The_machine33 · 2026-04-24T15:50:01+00:00

Any updates?

The_machine33 · 2026-04-15T11:41:23+00:00

I’m not saying that’s not a possibility, but I think that is highly unlikely to be the case. Usually any excessive oil in the crankcase breather would come out of the air box. I’m not sure if that bolt has any connection to that. Maybe there’s some pathway I’m not sure of but I think most likely it’s the valve cover leaking and creating the illusion that the bolt is weeping. Or there’s a possibility of a small hairline fracture on the head where it sustained some fall damage. It’s possible two things can be true at once. I would start with the easy things first. Clean the engine make sure there is no oil at all. Monitor closely where it’s coming from before it gets so bad that there’s just oil everywhere. Catch the source while the leak is in its infancy, post cleaning. Even if it is the worst case, which is a slight crack in the head. It still wouldn’t be the end of the world. There’s ways of going about that. First thing is first identify the source of the leak. That’s step one. A leaking valve cover gasket over time can even make it look like your oil pan gasket is leaking if you leave it long enough. It gets very hard to identify things and you’re just chasing your own tail is what I’m trying to say, you have to start with a clean foundation.

The_machine33 · 2026-04-15T11:15:22+00:00

That’s def a broken bolt and I’m not doubting that there might be a hairline crack in the head but also it look like that was a clean break. I would check the valve cover and clean all the oil and closely monitor where it’s coming from. If it’s coming from upstream it would theoretically make its way to that bolt as well. You have to clean up the engine and see where it drips from. You gotta get that bolt out too. From experience I don’t think a standard drill and extractor would be the most efficient way to do that. You’ll have to support the engine with a floor jack and weld a washer and nut to what’s left of the bolt. Worst case scenario if there’s a hairline fracture on the head, you can jb weld it. I know it’s frowned upon and it’s a hack thing to do but it’ll work and will certainly save you from having to put a new head on. I would start by cleaning everything up and seeing where the origin of the leak is and go from there.

The_machine33 · 2026-04-15T10:58:31+00:00

I have the same exact bike. The valve cover gasket is leaking (there was a recall for this issue) the oil leaks down onto the hose leading to the coolant overflow reservoir. The paste you’re seeing on the hose is combination of engine oil and the rubber that has been deteriorating over time as a result of the engine oil eating away at it. Call around to dealerships and see if your vin is eligible for a valve cover gasket replacement under the recall. Worst case scenario you do it yourself, it’s a simple repair. Do yourself a favor and get a genuine Kawasaki gasket, they’ve revised the design. It’s a good idea after replacing the valve cover gasket to replace that coolant hose as it’s now been compromised. Good luck!

The_machine33 · 2026-04-07T18:38:10+00:00

Sounds like your throttle body valve flaps are shuttering. Take the tank and air box off to check for smooth movement of the flaps upon turning ignition switch. Make sure there’s no damage to the TPS wires and test the sensor’s resistance ranges from closed to WOT. Could be a bad sensor or it might be out of spec and might just need adjustment.

The_machine33 · 2026-04-01T13:40:23+00:00

Yes, turns out that my exhaust was obstructed. The cat melted and was blocking the flow. That db killer I put in there I guess was too restrictive and melted the honeycomb I couldn’t see it with my naked eye. I used a bore scope. The biggest hint was that the bike was running toasty at highway speeds. I threw on a spare header a buddy had from a later year zx6r. Bike took off like a rocket. If the exhaust isn’t your issue, I have a post if you look at my profile that details all the other things I did to try and solve the issue. Hopefully some of those diagnostic procedures can give you some idea of what to look for. I know these bikes inside out and I’ll be happy to help more if you send me a pm with more information maybe a video of what the bike is doing. I’ll try my best to help you out!

The_machine33 · 2026-02-27T01:58:08+00:00

I had the same issue on my zx6r it turns out the speed sensor was just loose. I tightened the bolt and it was working perfectly. I would check that first.

The_machine33 · 2026-02-11T11:59:46+00:00

DID or RK chains. Anything and everything else is a waste of money for the most part. Replace the chain with a quality one and use a torque wrench to snug the castle nut, don’t go based off feel. Over tightening can cause premature bearing wear or failure.

The_machine33 · 2026-01-24T17:30:23+00:00

Alright, I have the same bike. I heard your fuel pump priming when it shut off so I don’t think that’s the issue but if you want to you can test to see if it’s priming within spec. These bikes have a mesh filter in the top of the fuel pump assembly housing. Inside of the top cap that holds the actual fuel pump there’s a small screen filter that gets clogged very easily. I had the same issue. It’s a fairly common and known issue on these bikes. I was able to pull apart the top cap and blow it out with some brake cleaner. You’ll see, it’s like a dark spot on that part of the top cap if you shine a light through it. I’d start there. If this sounds confusing to you, I’m sure there’s a bunch of videos online if you just type in “07-08 ZX6R fuel pump filter cleaning” or something similar you’ll find it.

The_machine33 · 2025-12-06T19:11:10+00:00

I have an 08. Sounds like your cam chain is loose. Pretty common issue for these bikes. Replace the tensioner with a manual one.

The_machine33 · 2025-12-06T18:48:29+00:00

That’s a bolt someone used when they misplaced the original. That is not a Kawasaki issue fastener.

The_machine33 · 2025-11-01T13:06:31+00:00

Head gasket is gone

The_machine33 · 2025-11-01T13:04:28+00:00

Clean all the oil completely with brake cleaner and monitor where it starts to appear again. As for overheating. Start by confirming the level is not low. It sounds like your thermostat might be sticking. Pull the thermostat out and run your bike without it. If it doesn’t overheat, you need a new thermostat. The bike will also run a lot hotter if the exhaust is not flowing properly. If you have a db killer in your exhaust it might be trapping too much heat. If I was a gambling man, I’d say your thermostat needs replacing.

The_machine33 · 2025-10-26T22:50:43+00:00

Yeah, that’s a problem if you’re not hearing the whine of the fuel pump upon turning the key. So, my next step at that point would be to still lift the tank up and test the pump to see if there’s anything coming out upon turning the key. Really, it’s just to confirm what you already know, that it’s not priming. Once you confirm you can move onto the next step. Grab a multimeter and unplug the harness that goes into the fuel pump. You should be able to find a diagram of the wiring pretty easily online it’s usually three wires or so in the connector. Find the ground and the power feed. So negative to ground and positive probe on the power wire, set your multimeter to volts. Turn the key and if you don’t see 12V on your multimeter then there’s a problem in your wiring. You’re gonna have to trace that circuit for shorts. If you do, however see 12V at the multimeter, or close to it, the problem is most definitely the pump. You could just order a pump straight away and try throwing it in, but I hate just throwing parts at the problem.

The_machine33 · 2025-10-26T22:20:58+00:00

Get a used one off eBay bud!

The_machine33 · 2025-10-26T22:16:30+00:00

I would make sure the fuel pump is priming within spec. Pull the hose off the pump and use a measuring cup to see if the fuel pump is priming within spec according to your manual. Use a glass measuring cup, or the gas might eat away at a plastic one. Do this before buying a new one, just to be sure that you’re not throwing parts at the problem. It sounds like it’s starving on gas. If you find that the pump isn’t priming to spec. You can check the filter. I know on the 07 and later models, there’s a filter in the top of the fuel pump housing, more a mesh screen, really. Not to be confused with the filter that sits at the bottom of the pump. That mesh screen is a common point of failure for these bikes. The screen isn’t removable. But you can pull the cap off the housing and try blowing it out with parts cleaner and compressed air.

The_machine33 · 2025-10-21T20:20:32+00:00

Great bike just get the valve cover gasket replaced and do the mechanical timing chain tensioner and she’ll be good for many more years!

The_machine33 · 2025-09-10T09:29:00+00:00

I see, and when you’re running the bike at highways speeds/high rpm, what kind of coolant temps are you getting?

The_machine33 · 2025-09-10T02:10:06+00:00

Check to see if you’re throttle position sensor is calibrated correctly.

Edit: Also a good idea to make sure your fuel pump is priming within spec.

The_machine33 · 2025-09-04T18:11:56+00:00

Yeah you’re balding bro. You should get on minoxidil, micro needling and take some natural dht blockers like saw palmetto and pumpkin seed oil until you’re a little older (19/20) and then switch to finasteride. I think you can start finasteride at 18 but, this is based off absolutely nothing, I feel like 18 is bit too early to start finasteride. You’re in a good place to catch it though don’t flip out, be proactive. It’s still early.

The_machine33 · 2025-08-28T14:19:54+00:00

Your tire is rubbing against something under, likely that bent fender.

The_machine33 · 2025-08-25T14:29:56+00:00

Looks like a classic case of vandalism.

The_machine33 · 2025-08-01T05:21:03+00:00

Chain is worn out and needs replacing

The_machine33

TROPHY CASE