Vickersguy

never mind, it worked...

Did my best, followed the instructions, no sign of any e-mail address on my profile. Email deleted by Freebird.

Hey Saddlebum, yes, and also cleaned the connector plug for the pick up coils! It is 100%. There is also a thread that is of interest, in a generic way, giving an overview of sorts to the rebuilding task. https://xjcd.org/node/1537

Finished the last checks. The electrical system, outside the black box, is fine. Good voltage, good grounds, 1.6 ohms resistance from the + battery lead to the input of the box. I have 9 coils to work with and they all ohm out the same plus/minus an ohm or two. Bike idles like a dream but once the situation in the cylinder changes everything goes sideways. Next, I have to get out the box. I think I want a zipper on the fairing for this nonsense. I have the diodes and power npn transistors ( ST901T ) en route. A fading spark could mean a bad capacitor. I may be changing out some if I can find replacements. I don't know if I can check caps with an oscilloscope. Have to check with my ham radio electrical buddy. Here's a link to the data the XJ yamaha guys dug up on their black boxes that used the same transistor we have in the early Venture boxes. https://www.xjcd.org/TCI_transistors

Replacement power transistor is ST901T

OK, not my first rodeo. I've done the checks, swapped coils ( Have 9 on the bench to pick from ) checked the grounds, voltages, pressure sensor, pick-up coils, etc. all seem OK. All spade connectors are clean and tight on all the circuits. Kill switch, side stand switch etc. OK. New plugs and plug wires. I'm down to the TCI box. To my horror the pics from the threads relevant to TCI repair, seem to be gone. I think I want to try the repair, change out the diodes and probably some caps and the power transistors. Without those pics I will not know what is what. I did the repairs of the instrument cluster board and had great success. The relevant observations: The bike ( '83 ) has a perfect idle, even heat on all pipes but stumbles and looses power on the road. Spark is barely visible in the shop and when cranking in the shop, the first and sometimes the second spark are hot and bright. By the third revolution it has degraded back to wispy red/blue. Even with a fully charged new battery and two battery chargers on the battery, to prevent voltage drop, the spark degrades. Some help with pics and information would be awesome as I can't go forward without them. That means I can come up with $20 for diodes but the Igntech is kinda out of reach even though it is still available.

I'm reluctantly parting out a '86 Royal. I was going to restore it but I'm looking down 70 years old and I have a nice '83 . Trunk, bags and side covers seem in fair/good shape. Front end fairing is not as good, but parts of it are.. Has a class unit, TCI, CB, all those cruse control bits. Bike has 125k miles so the carbs need more than a casual cleaning. I'm running off with the coils and some other bits. The balance will go to the dump. Color is blue/black. I just started taking it apart. It might be a bit in the summer heat to get to a part but I will. Rust might be an issue. Shoot me a note for what you need. Shipping is from the east coast USA.

The MKI Venture is known for " chirping ". There are lots of opinions and locations for the various chirps. The speedo cable chirps, the clutch chirps and some folks find a chirp from - who knows where... I think I found the answer for one source of the noise. A few years ago I adjusted the valves on my '83 and was surprised at how out of spec they were. I dutifully followed the clearances in the manual and put about 260 miles on the bike. The motor had a screaming chirp at 3500 rpm and it was audible other rpm's as well. Then "stuff" got in the way of riding for a couple years. Now I'm back. I was never happy with the chirping sound and went back to the manual and my notes and gave them a good inspection. I decided to redo my valve adjustment to see if somehow I screwed it up. Got the covers off and all was as I set it. So where did the chirping around 3500 rpm come from ? Did I have a plugged oil line or something ? I went back to the valve clearance tables and suddenly I saw it. The intake valve clearances are looser than the exhaust valve clearances in my factory manual. Really ? I checked on line for later models and this is not the case. So in my YAMAHA Factory Manual the intake and exhaust clearances are reversed. I redid the whole thing and POOF, all the chirping is gone. It also explains one common thing I see on engines offered for sale on e-bay where they explain that the compression is bad on an engine with only 40K miles. If you've got a chirp from the top end, check your valves . Just a head's up.

My bike was built in 3/83 also. This might be IT.

P.S. Looks just like mine except mine has some road rash and corrosion that you don't.

Scrap the brake lines. The Mk I has weak brakes anyway and switching over to braided stainless lines will firm up the system. 40 year old brake lines are not to be trusted.

I have no wish to hijack this thread from new member Brook. I do have some observations and some questions which closely parallel his inquiry. Replacing the old caps, plugs and wires is clearly necessary for any older bike. The second step is to accept the fact that all the connections in the ignition system should be checked and cleaned, at the TCI, coils, and the grounds for the system. My question is to the persistence of the "week spark" condition. My observation is that the original spark plug, the NGK DPR8EA-9, has a built in 4800 ohm resistance, the original plug caps had a 9500 ohm resistance, total 14500. This is the OEM design. New NGK caps are 4800 ohms. So now the ohm total is only 9600 ohms. My spark has improved greatly now this maintenance has been done, from almost non existent to pathetically weak, wispy, and thin. My coils look intact, have a 3.3 ohm primary and the secondary windings are in spec. All contacts and connectors are squeaky clean, grounds are 100%. I do have a 2.5 to 3.3 ohm gremlin in the kill switch which is my next target but what about the ohms in the cap and plug. Cow Puc says he's run 5000 ohm caps for years so this is probably;y not an issue, but it might be. Just fishing on my part to unwind this weak spark condition. My suspicion is a low voltage condition, or a failure to completely ground the primary when the spark is triggered, resulting in an only partial collapse of the primary field. Input appreciated....

That Harley front fender won't be much good, but it would be awesome for trading for what you need. Nice score.

We did ok in Oriental, little damage, small flooding.

Well, if it takes the western track, the eye should be about 27 miles from my house in Oriental. So far, so good tonight but it's still early. It's been quiet so far with gusts around 35 mph.

Finally found Freebird's A/C voltage check for the regulator output. I will check this in the A.M. Voltages never go higher than 13.8 volts regardless of the rpm. It even drops to 13.2 volts at 3500rpm from the high of 13.8 at 2000 rpm.

I've had a battery drain for some time. If left for a week, the battery need to be charged to turn over the bike. Also, the battery does not seem to be charging. The search method was to disconnect stuff till the voltage between the battery ground wire ( disconnected from the battery ) and the negative terminal on the battery, was zero, with the key in the off position. Before I disconnected any circuit, the voltage between the ground wire and the negative terminal was around 6.8 volts DC. First thing I unplugged was the battery probe on the wet cell battery. That drove the voltage at my digital meter to 12 volts. Put it back in, it went to 6.8 volts again. Popped the fuses in the fuse box ( original ) and there was no change. It stayed at 6.8 volts. Then, I checked the stator and all resistances were good and no shorts to ground on the three stator wires. Then I unplugged the voltage regulator and the voltage dropped to zero. I've had intermittent battery warnings on the LCD monitor and the voltage on the voltmeter in the interment pod has never gone anywhere near 14 volts, at best I've seen 12.5 on that display. I ohm-ed checked the regulator and it seems OK but I didn't fine a good thread on properly ohm-ing the regulator out. I suspect I've got a bad regulator as the stator has the cooling ring and it seems electrically sound. I did not check the body of the regulator housing to the pins on the regulator plug. Perhaps there is a short there. I'd appreciate any thoughts or direction anyone might have. Even though a used regulator is only $16 from pinwall, I'd rather not have another spare part I don't need and digging out the regulator is not a job I really want to do unless necessary. Tomorrow I will fire it up and see what the voltage is across the battery terminals while running at 2000 rpm. It might be fine at 14 volts or close but if it is, it still doesn't address the battery drain.

Mental illness is just what it is. Mental illness. If you refuse to recognize that it exists, this tragic event is the result. This country has turned it's back on this issue for a very long time. It's not the Law. It's not the guns. It's the road blocks that prevent us from dealing with the reality that some folks just aren't right. No federal or state law can replace responsible adults that could have intervened in this young man's life arc. I'll light up this comment later. I have to get to bed.

( WARNING, NOT AN EXPERT ON THIS ) There are some folks who know better than I do, but I've been poking around with the same question. I think, if you use the drive shaft you have, it should fit into the yoke of a 1300 engine. The swing arms are not the same length. While the engine will fit, the electrical system is different. This is not a bad thing. The electrical components of the '83 are unique and expensive. You would need the carbs, the "black box" ignition module , probably the coils too, and some other assorted bits. The pic-ups on the 1300 engine require the newer box. Perhaps the Instrument pod with the speedo and tac would be required. It can be done but a project that should be done where you are in the rebuild process, rather than one to do later. As for wanting to ride this summer. It's a good goal. I've managed to do this after a fashion, but there are always little things that pop up after you have a few miles on that will require additional attention and you will be down for a bit. I've had the fairing off twice since I've "finished", had the cabs off once, and this coming winter, will tear out the whole fork system for a rebuild. Right now, with 60 miles since I got "done", I have a problem with the right front cylinder ignition that I've got to sort out. That means the fairing, battery box, air box etc. again. For the third time. Any shortcuts you take will come back at you. I know you have the skill set for this and skipping the second gear fix is a personal choice. I would fix the gear because I like second gear. Not having second gear compromises the overall quality of the bike and affects drivability. If you want a great restoration and have an original machine with all the quality it should have, there is no other option. The great plastic which makes a restoration look so good, is makeup on a pig if the machine underneath is cobbled together. I've seen your work and I think the more you compromise the less satisfied you will be with the end result. After all. look at the frame you've just done. You didn't just weld in a couple pieces of strap irn and hit it with rustolium, did you ? The job you did was awesome and I'll do the same when the time comes. I think I better have some breakfast. Later !

I'm always late to the party. Happy B-Day Puc.

Ah, you must have gotten the blue one. The carbs look lots harder than they really are. The key to getting them apart and back together is just having an organized approach. Number or mark the carbs or do them one at a time. Take tons of pics on your cell phone when you take them apart, to help with the re-assembly. Remember to replace everything, so you don't have to go back again. The only thing I don't like about doing the carbs is getting the crankcase breather tube back on the air cleaner box.

I stole the first half from Alfred Tennyson, a favorite poet of mine, whose words lift my heart . The second half is also from my heart and I wrote it myself... Use it all freely. I support you in every way I can. I will think of your families in the coming weeks. They are fortunate to have your steady hand and great heart at the helm in this difficult time.

We are not now that strength which in old days Moved earth and heaven, that which we are, we are; One equal temper of heroic hearts, Made weak by time and fate, but strong in will To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. Though time will lead us all to ruin, It will never win. Through our love for one another and out faith in Jesus Christ we shall live forever. May God bless you and your family, my friend. Know you and yours are in our hearts this day.

That's a generous offer for sure. Made2care is about 8 hours drive from you. He would be wise to take you up on your offer but it might be a bit before he could come get it.

I'm sure I have the wrong oil, Castrol GTX 20W-50. I just put it in for a short while, kind of a flush for two weeks of use, to clean out the debris. It really is awful in the trany. The bike shifts notchy and hard. I have some Rotella T-4 to try, with the MA rating, but it's 15W-40. I live in the boonies and will have to order some Castrol 20W-50 Activa motorcycle oil through Walmart. There is nothing available here in under a 55 mile round trip for motorcycle oil. There is no question the springs could be replaced. I really like the feel of the clutch engagement but I could get used to the "end of throw" situation if it comes to that. Right now, other than the oil change, I'm going to have to leave things as they are. The resources for chasing motorcycle mechanical issues have totally dried up. I have a great long list of stuff I'd like to do to this Concrete Blond, but they will have to wait. The only thing I'll pull the trigger on right now, if I see one, is an original, Gold uncracked left fairing lower that has great original paint. I hope to find a really nice left muffler. Mine has a 2 inch long rust bubble under the chrome that is on a weld seam. I've left it alone as I'm sure poking a screwdriver in it, it would be an instant hole. I have the stator wire oil leak. Both handlebar mounted master cylinders should be rebuilt. They work for now but need cleaning. The clutch slave cylinder is also on the rebuild/replace list. I need to bleed the rear/front brake again. The brake works but the throw on the pedal is huge. She's ready for local riding as is, with an oil change next week.