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6m459

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Everything posted by 6m459

  1. 6m459
    I got caught in the rain last night on the way home. Had ridden the bike for about 25 miles in the dry, then stopped and did some shopping. When I came back out about an hour later, it was raining consistently, but not too hard, for the rest of the15 miles or so journey home. The bike started up great, but one cylinder was not firing reliably at first. Presumeably this was due to effects of wetness on the high voltage components, coils, plug wires etc. I got underway on 3 sometimes 4. Once she warmed up again, after a few miles, this went away but I am thinking I should probably address this issue ASAP 'cause it will only get worse on its own. As far as I know all my HV components are OEM originals and now are of course, 24 - 25 years old. Not bad lifespan but time to act, I think! So, whats out there and whats possible? What do replacement OEM coils cost? Any aftermarket stuff I should know about? Are the plug wires changeable by themselves, or are they integral parts of the coil assemblies ? Of course the cheapo side of me says AHH just coat everything with silicone grease and go for another 25 years of service. Whats the group's experience here ? Any one got a bike running like this with the old coils coated in silicone grease or similar ? Thanks, I am looking forward to reading your always sage advice. Brian H. Uxbridge Ont
  2. 6m459
    New spark plugs and the seafoam treatment seem to be paying off. She's running and starting better and better every day. My idle speed, which I had set a bit high on purpose to get around a stumble at idle, gradually got faster and faster, presumeably as the seafoam got working, so i was able to back it off too. Hope fully thats a wrap. Brian H.
  3. 6m459
    Shots of my stator jobs from last year are here: http://www.orbitonline.ca/~bjh/RMStator/ Incidently, the aftermarket stator I bought from RMStator (who resell product from electrosport) only lasted a month under not such heavy use commuting 80 miles to work each day. Electrosport honoured the warranty OK, but it took a month round trip. My bike would have been out of action all that time had I not had a used $15 ebay OEM one on hand to drop in while I waited. The ebay OEM one still in service today and the electrosport is on the shelf still in its box. Its available to any one who wants it for say $100 but I don't really recommend it. I'd go OEM if I had to do this again, or should I say when I have to do this again. The job is not too bad, having done it twice now, but not something I'd do for fun. There were some fitment issues as others here have spoken of. I had to get shorter bolts and the wiring harness didn't come off the coil in the right direction so I had to get creative there too. Nothing too big of a deal, but when they sell you something that is supposed to be a drop in replacement, I am disappointed by such short comings and time wasters. Good luck, you can do it! Regards, Brian H Toronto Ont
  4. 6m459
    OK 4 NGK Iridium plugs on board and running now. Took her round the block and all seems good but nothing outrageously better than before evident so far. Guess the proof will come next time I start her from cold. The old (4 or 5 years) standard NGK's all looked good, nothing fouled about them that I could see. All a nice beige / brown colour with no excessive deposits on the insulators or up in the plug body crevices. The RHS front one was disturbingly stiff to screw out and in again. Took courage but it all worked out OK. The LHS rear had a small amount of light brown dry deposit on the centre insulator. Other than that it was a piece of cake. Brian H.
  5. 6m459
    When I accellerate hard, sometimes my oil indicator comes on if my oil level is at the low end of the OK range. I surmise that all the oil gets pumped up and into circulation in the engine and there isn't enough left in the pan to keep the level sensor sfloat. How is your oil level ? Brian H.
  6. 6m459
    I though that the C clamp method was pretty standard till I did some work on a VW. VW aren't content with using ordinary brake pistons, theirs have to be retracted with a special VW tool that both pushes, like the C clamp AND rotates the piston at the same time. Gotta love those V dubs! Brian H.
  7. 6m459
    Good suggestion but, the fuel filter is less than 2 years old, and its a short season up here so that'll only mean a few thousand miles. Brian H.
  8. 6m459
    I thought about going for a more expensive battery but I figured if I pay twice as much and it lasts twice as long, am I really any further ahead? I cheeped out and bought a $90 battery, but from a reputable battery supplier NOT Can Tire! I used to bring my m/c batts in the house over the winter, but lately I have got lazy and just leave them on the bike plugged into a Battery Tender all winter long. Seems to work OK. Anyone know why I shouldn't do this ? Thanks, Brian H.
  9. 6m459
    OK so since the weather has been crap here so far, the old gal hasn't been used much this year. In fact according to my gas log, I filled her up last A MONTH AGO! She has become a bit hard to start from cold of late: She doesn't seem to want any choke till she fires then likes about half way for about 3 or 4 mins, and then stumbles if I don't take the choke off but runs and idles fine so long as I do. The battery is brand new, and I have 4 guage battery & starter cables installed already. The starter clutch still needs replacement but is less of a problem since the new battery went in. It was approx 15 deg C last evening and 5 deg C this morning and she gave me exactly the same problems at both temperatures in her nice dry garage. Well I have ordered up 160ml SeaFoam / tank of fuel STAT, for the next few tanks. All good stuff, lots on hand. While riding along though, I thought perhaps I should splurge on some new plugs for the old gal too. Seems to me I have read here that there are some super platinum, forked electrode etc plugs that these bikes really like. Whats the consensus guys, what are the best plugs for these old bikes? What would make her real happy ? Thanks, Brian H.
  10. 6m459
    I get green snot in my airbox too. I suspect that it comes up from the "breather". As the bike goes like stink otherwise and since the "breather" is so hard to get at, I have decided just to keep an eye on it and not worry too much about it. Summers are short up here after all. Hope this helps, Brian H. Uxbridge Ont
  11. 6m459
    From what you describe, I suspect that the high voltage is finding a shorter path through the damp and not delivering spark as it should. How's the condition of your HV components like plug leads, coils etc ? GE makes a silicone grease product that I have used to good effect on such problems on car engines to water proof ignition wires etc but the real cure would be to replace the deteriorated damp sensitive parts with good new ones. I have also used an electric paint stripper type heat gun to selectively dry ignition components one at a time to identify which one is the problem, you could try that too as a diagnostic. Hope this helps & good luck! Brian H. Uxbridge Ont.
  12. 6m459
    I had the same problem this time last year. In prep for the repair job, during the preceding winter, I had bought a used stator & cover on ebay for $5 or so just to get a look at the parts. When I came to do the job, I bought an aftermarket stator from RMStator in Quebec. Wisdom and marketing propaganda said that a/m was the way to go, extra output, heavy duty, yada yada yada. Fell for it hook line and sinker. Not to mention that local Yam dealer wanted $400 Cdn for the OEM part! I installed the a/m stator and got about a month of good service out of it when it failed. I phoned the RMStator people & found that they were reselling stators made by www.electrosport.com in the USA. Electrosport honoured the warranty directly and replaced the failed unit, no arguments at all, BUT IT TOOK OVER A MONTH for the round trip. In the meanwhile I had a big (and partly dismantled) paper weight parked in the garage, so I thought what the heck, I'll put the $5 ebay stator in and see what happens. Long story short, the bike is still running on the $5 ebay stator to this day! (Knock wood now) The replacement a/m one is in my parts bin. I'll part with it for $100 Cdn, but don't really advise it. Oh, and BTW, you can see some pix of my stator swap work at: http://www.orbitonline.ca/~bjh/rmstator/ Hope this is of some help. Brian H. Uxbridge Ont
  13. 6m459
    I was looking at my '84's rear exhaust header this weekend. Seems that at just under 50k miles, I have an exhaust leak that suddenly appeared, late last year, on or in the vicinity of the aft, port side exhaust header. First clue was the noise, she used to be nice & quiet but now is noisey from the rear lhs cyl's exhaust port area. If I put my hand in below the pipe, I can feel the hot gasses escaping there but I cannot see where they are coming from even if I slide a mirror in for a better look. I managed to tighten the wrap around clamp at the join just behind the exhaust port but that made no difference as far as I could tell to the noise or amount of escaping exhaust. I got my 8mm allen wrench on the outboard exhaust port nut but couldn't see any way to get a tool on the inboard nut. I looked for a way to use a Ujoint adaptor or perhaps a long extension down to a rachet wrench in the rear wheel well but just couldn't see any convenient way to put the tighteners to the inboard exhaust port nut. Didn't even consider the starboard side aft exhaust. How is it done? How the heck do you bring tools to bear on the rear exhaust nuts ? BTW, I have a spare rear header (that I'd love to install if I could figure out how). I notice that on the spare, in the region where my leak appears to be coming from, there are some welds in the inside of the bend in the pipe. I suspect that one of the welds might have blown out on the header on the bike. Is this a known phenomenon with these old gals ? Advice welcome. Thanks and best regards, Brian H. Uxbridge Ont
  14. 6m459
    OK thanks, I see how its done now. Guess I'm off to the auto supply store for a proper puller first. Brian H
  15. 6m459
    Ok so I have decided that its finally time to do my starter clutch. I've lived with it slipping & clattering for several years, but now its just causing too much 'will it start' anxiety these days when ever I go anywhere. I'll probably end up doing it my self. I did my stator coil last year so I know my what into the fly wheel. My question is, do I need a special puller tool to get the flywheel off? I have a big puller that seems to be up to the job but I am worried that the hook ends on it might not fit between the fly wheel and the starter clutch gear. Is a special tool needed or recommended for the pulling of the fly wheel, or is a common garden variety puller likely to be useable? Thanks, Brian H. Uxbrige Ont
  16. 6m459
    Brand new Metzler you say ? I'd take it back to who ever installed it and say WTF ? Bet they will repair it gratis for the good will etc. Hope this helps, Brian H.
  17. 6m459
    Hi, I have an intermittent problem with my brake fluid indicator on the dashboard computerized diagnostics screen. Have verrified that my fulid levels are ok but sometimes get the dash (0) brake fluid low indicator coming on. It seems to happen vaguely associated with steep left turns but not all. The one pulling away from the stop sign at the end of the road at my dads place seems to do it. I winter the bike in my dad's garage and it has happened other years where first time out of there I get the indicator on at that turn. Usually it goes away on its own next ride and doesn't turn up again till the following year. This year however it has been happening more frequently. As I say I have the fluid levels all up to snuff. So I look in my bike manual at the schematic wiring diagagram and it shows the two brake fluid level switches are wired in series with one another to black which I assume is ground. Then in the trouble shooting section I read that to test the switches one should remove both from the master cylinders and test continuity across them. It says that when the swtich units are standing upright (picture shows wires at the bottom) in no fluid there should be zero ohms across them and when turned upside down (wires at the top presumeably), there should be infinity ohms across them. Unless the switches mount upside down, (manual doesn't say) I don't see how both things can be true. Logically, in a series circuit, you'd need both switches closed when all is well. If either of them sense low fluid they should go open interrupting the circuit. Yet the description seems to show the reverse. I tend to beleive the diagram. Any one know for sure which way is up? Any one have similar problems with brake fluid indicator ? I hear that the back of the computer monitor dash board thing is a common place for broken solder connections, I suspect that is where my trouble is, any thoughts? Thanks, Brian H Uxbridge Ont
  18. 6m459
    I get a similar thing but its more like green snot than what you picture. I thought I had some pix posted here from last year but I can't find them now. The vaguely petrolium smelling snot doesn't come up as high as my OEM air filter, but remains down in the bottom of the box, well below the level of the carb intake rubbers. It seems to emmanate from the PCV breather tube that enters the aft end of the airbox at the centre line. (IE immediately in front of your crotch.) I was quite alarmed at first, wisdom here had it that I had a blown head gasket letting coolant into the oil. Trouble is that there is no evidence of coolant in the oil when I drain it at oil changes and the bike goes like stink! Other than loosing some coolant to parts unknown, she seems to run fine. I don't think I have a gasket problem. I have wiped it clean a few times but it comes back. I conclude it comes up from the oval breather device down in the V between the cylinders as a sort of frothy residue of the crank case breather process. My manual documents this device very poorly so I don't really know what goes on in there. Have been tempted to buy one on ebay to dismantle but prefer just riding the old gal. Basically I am ignoring this issue till some other symptoms show up that I can add to the diagnostic mix. I am writing off the regular coolant top ups as a cost of doing business. That attitude got me through last year and she's still going strong (knock wood). If I find those pix, I'll post them. Hope this helps. Brian H. Uxbridge Ont
  19. 6m459
    Hey, thanks for the offer of help, I just might take you up on that some day. So far (touching wood) my 2nd is OK but it might just be a matter of time. I only have 46k miles and change on the clock so far. Glad to hear you are enjoying your ride. Great pix in your photo gallary btw. Best regards, Brian H. Uxbridge Ont
  20. 6m459
    Thanks for the tip about the orange O ring, I bought two at my local Yama dealer for less than $1.50! That soaring Cdn $ rocks! All I need now is a spare hour or so to install one. Cheers, Brian H.
  21. 6m459
    I have done mine twice. I put some pix up at http://www.orbitonline.ca/~bjh/Rmstator/ so you can see what the job is like. The tricky part is keeping the starter motor gears in place or putting them back in if they fall out. Not complex but a bit frightening when they fall out on the floor. I don't know about the Buckeye one you mention but my experience with an ElectroSport after market "high output" one was that it lasted exactly a month. Mid May to mid June of this year. Then I was limping along again and just barely made it home from work. Fortunately I had a used OEM one I bought on ebay for $15 c/w cover, which I put in to get me going again. That was fortunate as it took ElectroSport most of the rest of the season to follow through on their warranty replacement. I never installed the E/S replacement one as I can't trust it. It is for sale if anyone is interested BTW still in its factory packaging. The used OEM stator is still in place and working perfectly, without it I would have been out of action most of the season. Also, E/S don't seem to have the concept of "drop in replacement" figured out completely as there was some wire re routing and cable clamp modifications required to get the E/S one to fit in with the mounting holes lined up with the screw holes in the cover. There was nothing in the docs about this before hand, I had to call support to get the instructions and a dispensation from warranty violation in order to do this. A bit disappointing I thought. If ever I have to do this again, it;ll be OEM for me. Hope this is helpful, Brian H.
  22. 6m459
    Hi, Is there a drain plug for the coolant somewhere on these engines? Or does one have to improvise like on a VW where they tell you to pull a rad hose to act as the drain? Also, I think I need a new O ring for the coolant by pass valve as I have a leak there now. Any suggestions for a non yama solution? Thanks, Brian H.
  23. 6m459
    Here is a pic of my replacement fuse block http://home.powergate.ca/~bjh/pix/P0002238.JPG It is a pair of Littlefuse part #03500417XP's ganged together and has been in service for a year or two now. Gives me lots of space for extra fuses as I add stuff. Sits neatly on top of the battery and is just tall enough to touch the inside of the cover which helps to hold it in place. Hope this is useful. Brian H.
  24. 6m459
    Hi, Where do folks customarily mount the compressor for an air horn system on these bikes? I got tired of wimpy electromechanicals and bought some WOLO air horns but the compressor is tough to fit in. Where's best? Thanks all and best regards, Brian H.
  25. 6m459
    I have a similar problem, except my coolant disappears into parts unknown. I also suspect the oval thing which I believe is part of the crank case vent system. I sure would like a picture or two of what this baby looks like when it is apart. Would it be possible for you to post some pix? Thanks, Brian H.
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