Beau-Kat

So did you find your problem? Rusty

See Skydoc's fix for that. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/photopost/showproduct.php?product=62&title=second-gen-heavy-duty-clutch-spring-26amp-3b-full-disc-upgrade-kit&cat=17 Had the same issues with mine with around the same mileage as yours. Used Earl's stuff (with his detailed instructions included). Fairly straightforward installation. No more clutch slippage problems for me. Rusty

Cool! But to be authentic to the breed...it just has to have a cassette player.

Sounds like you've done your homework. I had a 2002 VStar650 Classic for several years. I regularly maintained it and it ran great. Sold it a couple years ago and after about 700 miles the pickup coil went out. The new owner bought the part and I installed it. No problems for him since. The VStar 650s had lots of problems with the pickup coils. A really big problem was with the rear diff going out. Due to insufficient factory greasing (and I think poor design), the pinion gear teeth shear off at the driveshaft coupling. Ask me how I know... The VStar 1100s have a different/better lubrication means for that area. Hope you find your spark issue.

Good info. Thanks. I've only had one Vmax. My Vmax is a '98 that I've owned and maintained since Dec. of '99. Bought it with only 342 miles on it. I've ridden all over the eastern US, but have always owned and ridden several bikes at the time. So the Vmax only has 25k miles on it now. I've read a lot about the O ring issue before, but haven't been in the pan to check. So, I wonder if it might have the updated design? Guess I'll have to take a look. I was looking back at the guy's "down to the last nut and bolt" rebuild. But I didn't see where he replaced the brake or clutch lines. I would have thought that he would have done the stainless steel line swap. Looks like he just cleaned up the ends.

If you have some time, this is a restoration project with lots of photos. This guy went to extremes. The cool part is that even he, being meticulous as he was, had a few problems like a lot of us have when trying to do things ourselves from time to time. http://www.bikersassociationofnorthdevon.co.uk/projects/Vmax-renovation.htm Rusty

Oh well, I see that this post was started several years ago and that ctraylor has an expired membership. I was gonna suggest he read through this thread of my troubles. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?101878-Engine-won-t-rev-past-about-4600rom

Have test run the bike a few times with my old TCI installed and then swapped to Dingy's borrowed one. No difference between the two. With either TCI, runs dang near perfect to me. Can't sense a miss or a bog. Plenty of smooth power all the way to redline in any gear. And I haven't even installed the new plugs yet. Problem seems to be solved. Have received the Ignitech in the mail, have the new plugs on the bench, and a new spade type fuse block to swap out the old glass fuse one on the bike, but had to go to Kentucky over the last few days and just got back. Hopefully, gonna try to get it all straight this week.

Sadly, we missed the opportunity to catch up with y'all. We went through Franklin Tuesday, but our family schedule did not leave us enough time to stop and visit. Hope your trip is enjoyable and your ride back home is safe. Rusty

Waiting on mine to arrive tomorrow!

Y'all can see my troubleshooting and repair update in the first gen tech section under bike won't rev past 4600.

Got a lot going on right now, but would like to try to make it over there to see y'all. I live in SC only about 80 miles from there. We'll be in Robbinsville for the day visiting family on the 7th. Rusty

OK guys. Here is an update after borrowing a good TCI from Dingy and doing some testing. I had already checked all of the electrical connectors that I could identify as having to do with ignition. All checked, seemed, or tested good with no corrosion. So I was getting stumped. After going through all the connectors I could think of, I had #4 showing poor spark and then the problem switched to #2, and then other crap started happening. It was like chasing a rabbit down a hole. The problems kept moving. Then, last night, I discovered I had more than electrical issues. So, here's where I stand: After swapping Dingy's and my TCIs back and forth a few times during testing, I got spark on all cylinders with both TCIs. It must have cleaned up those connectors a bit with the plugging and unplugging. So that tells me my TCI is good. But bike still ran crappy and still had sooty plug on #4 and cold pipe on #2. Drained my carbs again last night. Saw fine black specks in all of them. Had just serviced all of them and done the valve service too a few months back. Figured the specks were caused from manipulating the old deteriorated fuel line during carb service. I did not replace the old fuel line at carb service because all the fuel line I had in stock was too large. Lessoned learned for next time. So, I pulled the carbs last night and went back through them. Found this with #2 carb: Somehow, I failed to screw the low speed jet in all the way, so it was loose in its port. I must have gotten my small screwdriver down beside the jet instead of in the slot in the top of the jet, turned the screwdriver and felt the jet get "tight", and quit screwing it in. Only it wasn't all the way installed. I had also put the low speed's black rubber plug in the dummy port on the other side of the main jet port instead of in the low speeds port. Don't know what effect that might have had on operation. Found this on #4: Debris in the tiny air port for the diaphragm (the one at 6 0'clock with the o' ring that is visible with the diaphragm cover removed). Go that cleaned out. Thoroughly cleaned and blew out all ports on all carbs to get the black specks out. Checked all float levels and found them to still be good. Although my diaphragms looked good and were supple, I installed all my brand new diaphragms. Installed new fuel line and new filter. Tested pump operation. Started bike. It started quickly and is firing on all cylinders now. #2 pipe getting hot like the others. Synched carbs. Bike seems to rev fine on the lift. Haven't test ridden it yet. Note: After the exhaust gets hot, when revved to about 2.5 to 3k for several seconds, bike starts blowing black "rich" smoke from left side exhaust. I think this is residual fuel smoldering that built up in the exhaust system during all the time #2 wasn't firing. Did the same thing from the right side exhaust, but that cleared up. Remember, I had trouble with spark on #4 cylinder for awhile also. I think the left side smoke will probably clear up during my riding test. I'm gonna get all new spark plugs tomorrow and install them. As soon as I can get a highway test with my TCI and then Dingy's, for comparison, I'll be sending his back to him. I can't thank him enough for the loan. However, I'm gonna get an Ignitech anyway. I'll keep the old TCI for a "just in case", but want to install the new unit for peace of mind. I want to thank all of you for your responses and good suggestions while I sorted through this issue. Rusty

I'll be looking for it. Appreciate it.

Thanks Gary. PM sent.

Hey folks. I've been having running issues with my otherwise well-maintained, stored inside, 22k mile 1988 Royale. I'm suspecting a failed TCI, but not sure yet. See my troubles and the trouble shooting I've done in my post in 1st gen technical under "Bike won't rev above 4600". So, if anyone has a good spare TCI unit, I'm humbly looking to borrow one to test my bike, then quickly return it. Thanks for any consideration. Rusty

Good idea. Gonna do that. Thanks. Rusty

Sounds kinda like my Ist gen issue here: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?101878-Engine-won-t-rev-past-about-4600rom

Bump. I know somebody on here has gotta know the answers to these questions...??

I've seen where others had that happen when they had a TCI issue. But I have never seen my tach jump around, and I've watched it closely since reading those posts. Still looking for answers about whether a failed TCI will cause weak spark or just no spark at all for any cylinders.

I know, this should be in the links to classified forum, but I thought it was relevant to this thread. http://www.ebay.com/itm/yamaha-xvz1300-XVZ1200-venture-exhaust-chamber-collector-83-86-87-88-89-16458-/191598416417?hash=item2c9c27d221&vxp=mtr

OK. Haven't cut the cover off the TCI yet because I have a couple more questions. Can a problem in the TCI cause weak spark? Or is it all or nothing, as far as spark goes? If the TCI has failed, would I still have spark to all plugs or would spark be totally absent for one or more? I do have spark to all plugs, but it is weak to at least two now. Like I said before, I've ohmed out and tested all other ignition parts and connections (I think I got them all). All tested good.

O.K. Got my tci removed and opened up. Looking inside, it looks great to me with no visible water intrusion or corrosion damage. But that's the side I can see. However, I don't see how to remove the circuit board from the housing so I can flip it and view the components. I removed the center screw, but it still seems stuck. I saw some photos on here of TCIs opened (and directions on how to carefully accomplish that) up but can't seem to find them now.

bump