Droneh8tr

What great responses. You folks sure can come up with the pics and videos to help solve a question.. So I've inspected all my components and found them to be in good working order. I only replaced the oil and dust seal and so far so good, no leaks and a better feel in the front end. Now my only issue is the wobble at 70+ MPH.

Yes please, do let me know what you find. I'm going to pull apart the forks and take a look at everything and inspect. Thanks for responding.

Good info, thanks for confirming what I was already thinking. I'm thinking next Tuesday I'll start to take the front end off and start this project, thanks for the input.

Hey all, I hope you're getting your Ventures ready for the riding season. I am. I've noticed for quite a while that my front forks are leaking fluid badly around the dust seals. So obviously, I'm thinking the oil seals are gone. But my question is, should I replace anything else other than the oil seals and the dust deals? I guess what I'm getting at, are there any guides that keep the struts in alignment internally that I should be concerned about. I don't feel that there's any slop up there, but I thought I would ask. I've got 63,000 miles on it.

*****UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE***** ok, so in lieu of no other ideas, I went ahead with resoldering select connections. I don't know why, BUT, I've gotten the RPMs down to about 700 RPMs before the #2 cylinder drops out. So, I'm gonna put the bike back together, I've got wires rerouted all over, and run it on the road this weekend. HOPEFULLY, it will still develop proper power at higher RPMs. I'm still open to suggestions on what could be going on or what I could test, but for now I'll leave it as is, button up the TCI box, reattach it and go for a test ride. On an even more positive note, in past threads I reported that #2 and #3 cylinders didn't want to warm up properly at idle. Well, now their immediately getting warm and I believe it's idling better. I'm thinking I messed something up AND I fixed some connections with my exploratory surgery. Ultimately, as of now, I'm thinking things are better. I'll know better after I get it back on the road.

OK L&G, I switched number one and two coil, and spark plug wires, but the problem stayed with number two cylinder. This would imply to me that the coil is fine, it's something other then the coil that is failing. Can I test the pick up coil while it's in operation? Is there any chance the pick up coil is failing and that's what's causing the signal to the TCI to stop causing power to the coil to be cut off? I've asked about the transistor which could be the component causing the power to cut on and off to the coil. Does anybody know how to get a replacement? I'll wait for you all to respond. But, I'm also considering resoldering the transistor to the board to see if maybe I just didn't solder it well enough. Anything else?

Thanks for the reminder.. I forgot to try this. I'm gonna do it today. My garage isn't heated but I'm anxious to see what happens.

So KISA, do you have a story where you found one of your transistors to be bad and had to replace it? I would be interested in knowing if you tested your transistors only with an ohm meter and if you had to replace them what did you replace it with, make, model etc?

Interesting thought, thanks for contributing to my issue. I hadn't thought what your proposing, but what I thought was a low rpm was causing something to drop out of the system, for an unknown reason, a reason I'm trying to figure out. I don't think, necessarily, my TCI is dead, but merely injured. I'll keep soliciting input as well as reading about such issues with other bikes. I can't help but think that maybe a resolder of something or replacement of an electrical component will solve my problem. Either way it interests me to pursue an answer.

Thanks FLYINFOOL for the info.. please advise on this.. I connected the red wire of my voltmeter to the red/white wire of the coil = 12 volts, on this coil and the others, 1000 RPM I connected the red wire of my voltmeter to the orange wire of the coil = As Im getting volts to the orange wires of the other coils #2 cylinder wouldn't this indicate alls well with the other cylinders? Maybe my digital voltmeter isn't keeping up with the volt changes. When all the cylinders are firing it sounds smooth with good throttle response. You mentioned that their could be a switching problem. Would the "switch" be the 4 large, black, square transistors on the board, the ones with the aluminum tab with a screw and nut through it? I know I can buy an aftermarket computer, but its kinda fun trying to work out this problem.

Hey L&Gs... I have a question When the RPMs drop too low, #2 ignition coil power stops.. Could this be caused by the pickup coil failing at the lower RPM??? The Pickup coil tested OK, but whats baffling me is why do I loose everything to the ignition coil and the only other component I can think of is the Pickup coil.. Anyway, I thoguht of this while in a meeting at work and was wondering if this was possible, probable or unlikely.. Let me know please.

This is also good info.. this gives me an idea of what else I can test..

I think I'm gonna try swapping mine out with someone.. Good idea HHHMMMMM.. I wonder if anyone else has measured the volts on the plug to the ignition coils and what they got. I am getting 12 volts to the TCI. Now this is interesting.. I remember that their was pulsing involved, I just didn't think it would affect the voltmeter this way.. Interesting. I think I'm gonna try and borrow a TCI from someone.. I don't know how or where I could get an oscilloscope. Thanks I haven't given up yet.

Here's the latest. i used a voltmeter on the wires going to the ignition coils. I have no idea if these numbers are correct, but, they were consistent with all the coils.. 1500 rpm.. @ .8 2000 rpm..@.75 2500 rpm.. @ .9 i did see the voltmeter go up to maybe 2 1/2 volts at idle.. Mind you the rpms weren't very stable so my reading tended to jump around a little. Heres my biggest observation- when I was measuring the volts for number 2 coil, when the rpms dropped below @1400 rpms the cylinder stopped firing, the volts disappeared.. 0 volt reading to the coil. The others floated near the 2 1/2 volt area. So my question is, when the RPMS drop below @ 1400, why would this cause the volts to the coil to stop? I've checked the connections and they seem ok. This seems to me to be a TCI problem. But why below 1400 RPMS? I'm thinking I'll need to go back inside the TCI and make sure I've good solder joints specifically associated with number 2 cylinder. thoughts?

Im gonna start this today... I hope this helps.

UPDATE***UPDATE*** OK, it's snowing here in Richmond Virginia, but I wanted to keep working on my VR to see if I can figure out better what's going on. The vacuum sensor Off of number two cylinder checked out at 2.16 volts... PERFECT When the bike idles at about 1400 RPM, no choke, it purrs like a kitten. But, if I let the idol get any slower it sounds as though one or two cylinders drop off and it starts running rough with a little bit of backfiring. Also, once it drops below 1400 RPM the tachometer stops working. So I understand the tachometer runs off of number two cylinder, but why would the cylinder have such issues below 1400 RPM?

I'm laughing at myself for not including that... 83 VR

So, a few weeks ago number one cylinder stop firing. I tested the ignition coils, pick up coils, spark plug boot, spark plug wire, and any connection I could find. So I decided, what do I have to lose if I take the TCI off and check inside. I had already replaced the diodes and a capacitor. Of course, when I looked inside I didn't see anything obvious. So I decided to re-solder the entire board. Well, when I plugged it back into the motorcycle and pushed the start button the number one cylinder fired beautifully. 😎Unfortunately, I appeared to have done something to the Spark advance as I'm getting quite a bit of backfire and the tachometer is kind of bouncing around and dies sporadically and it won't idle very well at all except with the choke on. The motorcycle idled fine prior to the re-solder of the board, so I really have no doubt that my soldering is what's causing the timing issue. But to be on the safe side I'll test the timing advance box and make sure the vacuum hose isn't damaged or disconnected or something. Hopefully, I didn't damage something when I was resoldering. I tend to think not because it was a pretty easy process and I don't think anything got very hot. I'm thinking maybe I just didn't solder something properly or thoroughly. I'll go back over it with a multi meter and see what I can see.

During my extensive tear down, that was one of my projects. So I have done the diodes and a capacitor. Thanks for reminding me about them though. i think I recall seeing the procedure for testing the TCI. I'll try to find it.

Interesting.. I thought their must be a voltage amount going into the coil.. Ill try that tomorrow. Now, as for the TCI. Can the TCI be repaired? I suspect the answer is no, but, maybe something inside just needs to be unsoldered and a new electrical component installed. Whats your thoughts on this?

So I started my Venture the other day, noticed it didn't sound right or idling quite right. The left rear cylinder wasn't warm. Pulled the plug and thought it was pretty dirty, so I switched it out.. Still no spark. Primary and secondary coils tested OK Pickup coils tested OK Removed/cleaned the plugs to the TCI, NO CHANGE, still no spark Switched the spark plug boot with another one, NO SPARK Nipped the ends off the spark plug wire, NO SPARK Shouldn't I be able to read a voltage from the TCI to the coil from the orange and red/white wires? If so, what should it be? Any other ideas?

Excellent info.. I'll check a couple quick things, pressure being one of them, and give it a test ride.

Good List.. I'll be getting on these things.. I'm going to do 1 at a time, test ride, do another. I would really like to determine what caused this. Could be just the tire though. Yeah definitely gonna do this. Thanks for responding

This was exactly my thought.. Yeah, MAYBE it wasn't assembled or seated properly.. I'm gonna get into this and see what I come up with.

83 VR so I put a new rear tire on, Shinko, now I have a "sway" starting at 65 MPG. But let me be more descriptive.. At 60 and below my ride behaves like its tracking a rail... At about 65, the whole bike feels like the tires move to the right then back. Not violently, but very noticeably. I didn't notice any pulling or pushing of the handlebars. I felt that it was coming from the rear. It was as though I was the point of pivot, so I didn't feel I was moving, but the bike moving left and right under me. My intentions are to: Torque the head tube Torque the swingarm torque the rear axle, probably do this first then test ride if still no success with these items, I'll probably progressive spring the front forks with new seals and consider upgrading the fork brace. So, any other ideas of what to look for? All of this happened after replacing the rear tire.