My own stupidity?

[SPGixxer06]

Hey Im right across the bridge from you. If you get a service manual, I've got a degree and 5years in auto mechanics with some bike experience too (only on my own bike so far) none the less I'd be more than happy to help you out if you need it sometime. Let me know if your interested.

[S4R_GRL]

It is VERY easy to strip the threads even using a small socket wrench, and a $10 oil change could easily turn into a $100 repair to fix it.

done that

Although my son did it to my 03 ZZR6. After many attempts to re tap, I had the oil pan replaced! That plus an oil change just cost me $800.

[richw]

^^^ rubber plug 3.98

[stoinkythepig]

Valves scared me the first time and now take about three hours if everything goes smoothly. The kawi tool does help.

3 hours? Did you drill the spot welds on the igntion coil mounting brackets? That little tricks allows the valve cover to come off witout draining the coolant. Real time saver. Those exhaust valves can be a bitch, eh?

[S4R_GRL]

^^^ rubber plug 3.98

Where were you before I got raped for $800?

(Seriously though: oil leaks on a machine with only two wheels, makes me too
nervous. I know I went the "neurotic" route, but the peace of mind was worth
it to me.)

[e30addict]

3 hours? Did you drill the spot welds on the igntion coil mounting brackets? That little tricks allows the valve cover to come off witout draining the coolant. Real time saver. Those exhaust valves can be a bitch, eh?

If you have small hands you don't need to drill. Pop all the mounting bolts for the radiator. There's enough slack to pull it forward enough to give you better access without draining as well.

[e30addict]

3 hours? Did you drill the spot welds on the igntion coil mounting brackets? That little tricks allows the valve cover to come off witout draining the coolant. Real time saver. Those exhaust valves can be a bitch, eh?

If you have small hands you don't need to drill. Pop all the mounting bolts for the radiator. There's enough slack to pull it forward enough to give you better access without draining as well.

Whatever you do make sure you leave the feeler gauge attached to the set. or at least tie a string through the hole and loop it around your wrist. It really sucks if you drop it down the motor.

[kbroderick]

Hey Im right across the bridge from you. If you get a service manual, I've got a degree and 5years in auto mechanics with some bike experience too (only on my own bike so far) none the less I'd be more than happy to help you out if you need it sometime. Let me know if your interested.

For most of the common maintenance stuff, the Ninja 250 FAQ writeups are better than the service manual, IMO.

(Of course, the service manual is written for a different audience, i.e. people who work on bikes full time, but the FAQ includes a lot of tips and tricks that aren't in the manual.)

My ignition coil brackets will come off, and I haven't drilled anything. I don't know if a previous owner did or not; I know the owner previous to me didn't, as he didn't believe in regularly-scheduled maintenance.

And re: the exhaust valve, particularly the one closest to the cam chain: yeah, they get more fun on that side. Particularly if you overtorque a locknut, resulting in a broken rocker arm nib, and then have to remove and replace the rocker arm closest to the cam chain. On the plus side, I'm now pretty good at fishing a rocker arm out of the camchain well with a magnetic pickup tool.

And that reminds me, I need to pony up and get a good, 1/4"-drive torque wrench. $240 is worth it to not break another $%@# rocker arm.

[drowe531]

Thanks for all the tips and offers. I have been looking at ninja250.org many times but i guess i was just nervous because I am very much mechanically dumb. I may be taking up some of the offers to help out and again I appreciate it greatly

[Icehole]

as others have said: GET A SHOP MANUAL, fire up google & youtube...that's all you need...oh and possibly a wheel lift if you don't have a center stand.

Those bikes are over-simple to work on. Save yourself some serious coin, do it yourself & learn some cool things.