BlueSky

It seems some are using Rotella in their autos too. If I remember correctly?? the reason auto oils don't have zinc any more is because it is not good for the cats and rotella has zinc which a high revving motorcycle engine needs. Auto engines can get by without zinc now because they all have roller cams that don't have as much friction. In fact if you fill a newly rebuilt flat tappet engine with modern oil, it will wipe out the cam. You have to use special breakin oil to avoid that.

From what I've been reading the last few years, Pennzoil is one of the best oils. There is a guy on the F150 forum who works in an oil co. lab and he thinks it's one of if not the best. A member of the LXforum has a 2005 Dodge Magnum Hemi with 375,000 miles on it and he uses Pennzoil Platinum and runs it 20k miles sometimes. He has it tested along the way. I suspect all modern oils will do the job these days.

Way back in 1971, I bought a 59 Chevy Impala 4 dr hdtp 283 cu in engine for $100 mainly to have a car to work on and as a second car. Anyhow, when I bought it, it smoked like a freight train. It had about 105k miles on it and the PO had used non-detergent oil in it the last 50k miles. Then he switched back to detergent oil. He said it leaked oil at the valve covers and he had not been able to stop the leak. So, one of the first things I did was to remove the valve covers in order to replace the gaskets. Oil gushed out when I removed the covers. The valve cover was almost filled up with sludge from using the non-detergent oil. And the oil drain holes in the heads were plugged causing the oil level in the valve covers to get higher than the valve guides and run down the valve stems into the combustion chambers. Switching back to detergent oil had started breaking up the sludge which caused the plugging of the drain holes. I removed the intake manifold and removed a bucket full of sludge from the heads and under the manifold. Afterwards, it didn't smoke any more. I highly doubt that any modern day oil will not keep an engine clean if changed regularly.

My first wife's father was a mechanic and if you mentioned quaker state oil, he would go on a rant about how it sludged up engines. I'm sure it isn't that way now but I've heard about quaker state sludging up engines many times in the old days.

According to my 07 RSV owners manual, there is 0.92 gallon of gas when you hit reserve, 5.94 gallons when full. However, you can't fill it all the way easily. Like I said, mine held 4.5 gallons after going to reserve and riding about a mile.

One reason I buy old bikes. I can't rationalize the money for a new one with the expenses that go with it. I just buy liability insurance so if I crash it, I dispose of it if it costs too much to repair. But, I'm also not a serious rider like some of you.

Yep, bleeding would be the first step to determine the problem. Also check the brake lines for swelling.

there is about a gallon of gas available on reserve.

I don't remember the details but I remember Condor posting information about a bleedback hole in the master cylinder that if clogged the pressure on the slave cyl can't be relieved. Might be worth checking.

Just don't make a spark when you punch the holes or it might be a bad day.

Welcome to the forum! I'll be following your build with great interest!

Harley Davidson Closing Plant Due to Declining Sales Apparently the Baby-Boomers all have motorcycles. Generation X is only buying a few, and the next generation isn't buying any at all. A recent study was done to find out why. Here are the reasons why Millennials don't ride motorcycles: 1. Pants won't pull up far enough for them to straddle the seat. 2. Can't get their phone to their ear with a helmet on. 3. Can't use 2 hands to eat while driving. 4. They don't get a trophy and a recognition plaque just for buying one. 5. Don't have enough muscle to hold the bike up when stopped. 6 Might have a bug hit them in the face and then they would need emergency care. 7. Motorcycles don't have air conditioning. 8. They can't afford one because they spent 12 years in college trying to get educated. 9. They are allergic to fresh air. 10. Their pajamas get caught on the exhaust pipes. 11. They might get their hands dirty checking the oil. 12. The handle bars have buttons and levers and cannot be controlled by touch-screen. 13. You have to shift manually and use something called a clutch. 14. It's too hard to take selfies while riding. 15. They don't come with training wheels like their bicycles did. 16. Motorcycles don't have power steering or power brakes. 17. Their nose ring interferes with the face shield. 18. They would have to use leg muscle to back up. 19. When they stop, a light breeze might blow exhaust in their face. 20 It could rain on them and expose them to non-soft water. 21. It might scare their therapy dog, and then the dog would need therapy.

I went for a ride today on my new to me 07 RSV. The gas gauge was on 2 or 3 bars when I started it. It took a while to warm up and after riding it a few miles the low fuel indicator light came on. A few seconds later, it started sputtering and died. I coasted to a gravel driveway and stopped. After looking at the fuel valve I switched it to reserve, allowed a few seconds for the carbs to fill up and rode to a gas station. It took 4.5 gallons to fill. It will be nice to know in the future what to expect. I'm undecided whether to keep the fuel valve in the reserve or on position. With the gauge and warning light I suppose there is no reason to keep it in the ON position.

Great to hear from you! The MH sounds like a great project. A MH is on my list of desires but as long as the wife still has a job, I can't justify one yet. Take care and keep us updated. It's great to have members with your skills.

While driving by the Honda motorcycle dealer today in Wilmington NC, I noticed a white RSV sitting outside with their used bikes that are for sale. Wonder if someone traded it for a new wing?

What's up yamagrl? Whatcha been doing? Long time no speakee. Are you still riding two wheelers?

If you upgrade the starter to a 4 brush, do you still need the larger cables?

speaking of oil, I was in Walmart yesterday looking at the labels on the Rotella oils. The dino version T4 and the T6 synthetic oils have the JASO MA spec listed on the label but the T5 synthetic blend has no JASO MA spec listed. Curious?

I'm against legalizing it. It is just one more step in the degradation of the USA in my opinion. I tried it a couple of times way back when and decided I'd rather have a beer. My son admitted that he smoked it as a teenager and he also dropped out of high school when he was staying with his mother for a semester due to my transient situation. I thought I was moving back to where his mother lived but ended up not being able to sell my house. He worked a a few non-inspiring jobs for several years after quitting high school before quitting smoking pot and got focused on his career. He taught himself how to scratch records and asked me to support him while going to Full Sail, a school in Orlando where he could learn his chosen profession of music recording. I didn't know whether he would apply himself or not since he had not in high school but I agreed to support him. He worked hard in school and afterwards and now he has recorded and mixed most of Beyonces last 3 albums and won a grammy for his work on her second album. So, I'm really glad he quit smoking pot.

Any brand that meets the JASO MA spec and the viscosity recommendations of Yamaha.

Some car owners disconnect the vacuum hose connected to the brake booster and put a can of seafoam into the intake manifold and let it sit over night. When the vehicle starts, it will smoke a lot because of all the crud that breaks loose in the dirty intake manifold. From what I have read on the F150 forum, Seafoam can harm the catalytic converters and Ford only recommends Chevron Techron.

You may need to clean the carbs. I'd put a bottle of Gumout for high mileage engines with PEA in the gas and run it for a few minutes every day and see if it clears up. Most members like Seafoam but I've found that Gumout does a great job.

When were the valve clearances checked? I'd put a bottle of Gumout for high mileage engines with PEA in the gas and run it through. Have you confirmed the float levels?

Well, I decided to buy a new Kohler replacement engine. The replacement was not the exact same spec engine. When I tried to order it, I found out it wasn't available. But, the short block is, so that is what I ordered. So, now I have to install it when it comes in "5 to 7" business days. $478.26!!! for a short block!

Briggs sells an "Intek" engine that is designed to replace the Kohler courage for about $555. One guy who said he had been repairing engines since 1972 said it was the worst designed engine he had ever seen.