Care And Feeding of my 2000 RSV with Seafoam

Can anyone out there give me some tips on using Seafoam in my "new to me" 2000 Royal Star Venture?

I've done some internet research and watched dozens of "how to" clips, and have a general idea that Seafoam is either a cure-all wonder elixir, or a waste of time. Most reports lean to the positive, but I'd like to hear from people with the same or similar ride as to their experience with the stuff.

The bike was owned by the same couple for 17 years, and all indications are that they took REAL good care of it. Just over 50,000 miles on it, and it seems to run nice. However, when I roll the throttle on at a lower RPM (no particular gear) to accelerate hard, the bike seems to shudder. Not a violent kicking or anything...it seems like all 4 cyls aren't pulling together. A friend with a 3 yr newer model suggested Seafoam as a place to start, and I figured I'd ask "The Club" for some input as to how much to add, how long to let it sit before running, how much smoke is a good thing, etc.

I haven't checked the plugs yet, but that's on the to do list before I go too much further and a Carb Sync is in the works.

I'm not new to riding, having gone thru a variety of street and dirt bikes, but I've been out of the activity, sorry... lifestyle.. for over 30 years. This is my first limousine, and I'm looking forward to many miles in style. I've had a lot of compliments on it in the short time I've had it, and I gratefully agree with them. It's a classy looking bike.

Thanks in advance...

Papa Fred

I would throw half a can of seafoam into half a tank of gas, take the bike for a 15 min ride and then come home and park it for a day or two. Let the stuff soak/soften everything it comes in contact with. Then take it out for a ride at high rpms to flush the system. 3rd gear 60mph to run thru the remaining gas it tank. Fill her up with fresh gas add 2-3 ozs seafoam, put Iridium plugs in and sync the carbs. You mite need to change the fuel filter too if it hasnt been done recently. That ought to be a good start.

Craig

Can anyone out there give me some tips on using Seafoam in my "new to me" 2000 Royal Star Venture?

 

I've done some internet research and watched dozens of "how to" clips, and have a general idea that Seafoam is either a cure-all wonder elixir, or a waste of time. Most reports lean to the positive, but I'd like to hear from people with the same or similar ride as to their experience with the stuff.

 

The bike was owned by the same couple for 17 years, and all indications are that they took REAL good care of it. Just over 50,000 miles on it, and it seems to run nice. However, when I roll the throttle on at a lower RPM (no particular gear) to accelerate hard, the bike seems to shudder. Not a violent kicking or anything...it seems like all 4 cyls aren't pulling together. A friend with a 3 yr newer model suggested Seafoam as a place to start, and I figured I'd ask "The Club" for some input as to how much to add, how long to let it sit before running, how much smoke is a good thing, etc.

 

I haven't checked the plugs yet, but that's on the to do list before I go too much further and a Carb Sync is in the works.

 

I'm not new to riding, having gone thru a variety of street and dirt bikes, but I've been out of the activity, sorry... lifestyle.. for over 30 years. This is my first limousine, and I'm looking forward to many miles in style. I've had a lot of compliments on it in the short time I've had it, and I gratefully agree with them. It's a classy looking bike.

 

Thanks in advance...

Papa Fred

Ok only thing I would like to know is just how low are the Rpms? If your short shifting it will do that these bikes love anything above 2500 rpm.

I would throw half a can of seafoam into half a tank of gas, take the bike for a 15 min ride and then come home and park it for a day or two. Let the stuff soak/soften everything it comes in contact with. Then take it out for a ride at high rpms to flush the system. 3rd gear 60mph to run thru the remaining gas it tank. Fill her up with fresh gas add 2-3 ozs seafoam, put Iridium plugs in and sync the carbs. You mite need to change the fuel filter too if it hasnt been done recently. That ought to be a good start.

 

Craig

Thanks for the tips, Craig. I hadn't thought about the fuel filter. (eventually would have .....maybe.)

I'm new to On-Line conversations..(I remember using a corded phone that was screwed to the kitchen wall)...so I may have used the wrong field to reply to you. I hadn't meant to include YOUR reply as well. Practice, practice.

Cheers...

Papa Fred

Remember your driving a four cylinder not a twin, Don't roll the throttle when your in a higher gear 4-5 while under 30 mph. the v-4 rev's high. The "shudder" is really the engine below its torque curve trying to push the heavy bike, so you feel every link in the chain so to speak A couple thousandth here and there from the piston to the rod to the crank to the ouput gear to the inout of the trans thru the trans to the output to the drive shaft to the rear. Its not a lot but add them all together at one time! The low torque doesn't push hard enough so the rolling resistance of the bike push back trying to slow you down. Drop a gear! and watch what happens. I drive mine every day i rarely see 5th gear unless i have several mile of clear road where i can run over 60MPH.

Also keep the revs higher helps the vacuum operated throats on the carbs get better fuel efficiency.

Great info... Thanks. The last 4 cyl I rode was a Honda 750... typical in-line 4. Ran like an electric generator. The V4 is definitely a different animal.

Yep. Papa, these scoots like to rev.

Use seafoam as directed in can. I use it every other tank.

To clean, heavier dose.. Run it for a few minutes to get the treated fuel into the system then let her sit overnight. Next day or two, take off and zoom. Seafoam will not usually unplug a hard plug in a jet, but will clean out the carbs nicely.

Maintenance.... Change plugs and fuel filter once a year. Change oil and filter every year. Change clutch and brake fluid every two years. That's the basics with these bikes.

As far as age.... Sigh... There a are more than a few of us who have had grey hair for so long, we've forgotten what color our follicles used to be!!

Further consideration beyond the above - keeping the RPM up, cleaning up fuel system with Sea Foam - would be to sync the carbs. I add a few ounces of Sea Foam every other tank or so and sync the carbs a couple of times a season.

By the way:

Costco has Chevron Techron on sale in 6 qt box for $10.

That stuff is good too!

Thanks for the input, gentlemen. I'll b able to start the SeaFoam process this weekend, and plan to do the oil and plugs mid week.

Any thoughts on a simple tach install?

I'm in the it's a revver not a lugger camp. I'm also not much of a "fuel additive" kind of guy. If it doesn't run right the carbs come out. On my 99 with 10K when I bought it doing that found a diaphragm that wasn't seated in the body properly and fuggled float valves, fuel levels, synch needed, mouse nest in air filter. It ran MUCH better with all 4 contributing. But it really did run "fine" on just three!

I agree with what has been advised so far. Seafoam or your favorite cleaner. I like Gumout with PEA. Sync the carbs. And if that doesn't fix it, inspect the diaphragms. I don't know about the 2nd Gens but on a 1st Gen, you can remove the air filter and look into the carbs while the engine is blipped and see if they are working properly. If that doesn't fix it, I'd change the spark plugs and check the wiring from the spark plugs back for corrosion.

Thanks to all who have responded to my initial post. I had a chance yesterday to start tinkering. Added about a half can of SeaFoam to just over a half tank of gas. I let it idle for a few minutes, then took it out for a long-ish ride. (about 60 miles) Following advice posted here, and that of a friend with essentially the same bike ('03 RS Midnight), I changed my shift points. Turns out I was being WAAYYY too cautious. Holding back for that extra few (OK..more than a few) mph between shifts makes all the difference. As my buddy said.. " it was fun to see the grin on your face".

You guys were right... that V4 sure likes to spin quickly.

Appreciate the help getting my ride to come alive. Who needs a V-Rod when you're riding a Hot Rod!