CdnDave77
-
Posts
121 -
Joined
-
Last visited
Content Type
Profiles
Forums
Gallery
Events
Store
Everything posted by CdnDave77
-
I appreciate the input, Jason... but I can say without a doubt that my fuel pump does not (or did not) shut off in 5 seconds. Maybe we're not talking with the same jargon, but the fuel pump would continue to cycle (click) every 2-4 seconds with the engine not running, and there would be fuel running out of the overflow hoses. I watched it several times. Anyways... today, I replaced the fuel line with a brand new one. The inside of the hose at either end certainly looked sketchy, so the regular dosings of Seafoam may have hastened the breakdown and/or flushed some small chunks of former hose into my float needles. I drained the carbs, replaced the fuel line, shot a blast of carb cleaner down each inlet pipe, tapped each carb body near the float valves for good measure, re-opened the fuel valve at the tank, crossed my fingers, and turned the key... The carbs filled.. then the pump went silent. I checked each carb's overlow outlet.. all was well and good. Ok, float's seem to be doing their job again. I fired it up and let it run for 5 min or so.. everything still seemed good. So I put the airbox back on. No time for a good test ride as I had family commitments, and the weekend is looking wet. Hopefully this stops this issue.. but I have also been through this several times over the last couple of weeks. FYI : the floats I pulled were uniform colour.. no damage or soft areas. They floated with the same amount of bouyancy as the ones out of my spare carb rack that have been dry for at least 2 years. -
I used the standard Canadian Tire Carb Cleaner... pretty good stuff, won't eat anything it isn't supposed to. I check the valves under a magnifying glass & bright light, even asked Carl to double check. There was no deformation or damage anywhere on the tips/points. And my fuel pump has no such limit... if the floats are working as they should (as they have for the prior 2 years that I have owned it), when you turn the key on, it will click rapidly a couple of times then slow down and stop. Cycling the key on and off will produce no further clicks (ie: the bowls are full). When the float (or floats) are stuck, the pump will continue to push fuel, with a click about every 3 to 4 seconds ad-infinitum.. I suppose until the tank is empty and the bike is in the middle of a lake of gasoline.
-
I have both true bicycle shorts, and what they call triathlon or tri-shorts... and there is a difference. I have more than 5000 miles (not kilometers) on my race bike and I have quite a few pairs of each. In triathlons, you swim, then bike, then run.. all in the same pair of shorts (usually). So tri-shorts have a somewhat thinner chamois pad that does not absorb any water/sweat etc. Bike shorts usually have an wide foam pad sewn in, whereas tri-shorts tend to be a pile-type material, cut much smaller and narrower. They may not cushion your nether regions exactly the same as true bike shorts, but they are more comfortable over a long day. If you are going to a sports/cycling store anyways, I would ask to see a pair of both so you can compare. Both are intended to be used on a narrow bicycle seat... and a motorcycle seat is much wider, so the seams on the bike chamois pad may actually be more of an irritant than you would think at the side of your butt (wouldn't contact on a bicycle seat). All being said, on long hot rides, I have worn my tri-shorts under my jeans and I was more than comfortable for the day. If you are really concerned about having issues, there are products (likely at the same store that sells bike shorts) to reduce the friction between your posterior and the shorts. There is one called Body Glide (anti-chafing stuff in a stick like deodorant), and a wildly named cream called ChamButtR - which you apply to wherever might chafe. Both last quite a while, are non-scented and well worth the money. Good luck !
-
Not even sure where to start on this one... For some background, I ran the bike completely out of gas about 3 weeks ago... not far from home, so I was moving again in minutes. Anyways, since then I have been plagued with a sticking float or floats. We went to Marcarl's M&E a couple of weeks ago, and part-way thru the afternoon ride, I could smell gas (gasoline, that is...) and the engine was bogging. When the group stopped at a Tim Horton's for a break, there was certainly fuel coming through the overflow hoses to just in front of the rear wheel. I limped it home, saw that Carbs #1 and #4 were pouring fuel out of the overflows after I pulled the airbox off. I shut the fuel off at the tank and let the carbs empty themselves as I did a light drum solo on each carb body. I turned the fuel back on, hit the key, and after a few clicks, the fuel pump shut off with nothing out of the overflows. Good... problem solved. The next morning, I rode about 40-45 miles to Waterloo to pick up some friends on their bike, and escort them back to our place. My machine ran great. However, on the return trip to take them home, at least one float stuck again... same old issue : gas out the overflow tubes, and engine flooding. Got home. Emptied the carb bowls again, then let the pump suck straight Seafoam into the bowls. I let it sit overnight. Checked the next morning, and when I hit the key.. one click from the fuel pump.. no more. Good. That fixed it. Rode 2 days later... guess what ? Stuck float. Gas. Overflow. Expletives from me, disapproving eyerolls from wife. Redo Seafoam treatment. Let it sit 2 days. Fuel pump shuts off as it should. No fuel dripping anywhere. But, I ride for an hour. Smell gas. Engine bogging. Four letter words in abundance. Call Carl and reserve a space in his gorgeous shop last Monday. Bring my spare rack of carbs with me, figuring I can replace a bad float or floats, valves, etc. Remove carbs, finally get backs off of bowls - they are whistle clean inside. Valves certainly do not look damaged. Check the bouyancy of the floats.. all is well. Spray the seats of the valves liberally with carb cleaner, reassemble. All works as it should... the bowls fill, then the fuel pump shuts off. No overflowing fuel. Do little happy dance. Change plugs as the old ones have seen a lot of Seafoam and excess fuel. Seems to be running the way it should. Go for a ride tonight - and I don't even have to tell you to guess... I smell gas as I slow to a stop about 30 miles into my ride. Arrrrgh... One of Carl's (1 Gen's answer to Yoda) thoughts on Monday was that it could be the fuel supply line from the pump gradually disintegrating.. allowing little pieces of former hose to clog the float valves. It certainly could be... but why always carbs #1 and #4 ? The are diagonally opposite each other. I should be able to replace the fuel line tomorrow.. that is an easy thing to try and not expensive. However, before I run completely out of curse words, anyone else have any other thoughts if this repeats itself again ?
-
We have the latest and greatest Dyson upright as well. It does get an amazing amount of dirt/hair/etc out of your carpets and it quite easy to empty and shove around. It seemed pricey compared to some lower end models.. but a 10 yr warranty (in Canada anyways) is hard to beat especially with the performance of this thing. It's just my opinion, but it is a very good buy.
-
I certainly hope that the 3rd strike it is for a while. Best of luck with the insurance, as others have said. Our "No fault" coverage here is more of a money grab on both sides than a simplification. It applies in more cases than you'd think, even when there is obvious fault on a driver. If we ride in the near future, let's stick to some quiet roads... with no monkeys...
-
Well, I think I am going to just plunge ahead and wire it up. The only issue I am having is that I can't find a sealed pushbutton switch.... RadioShack doesn't exist up in these parts any more. Anyone have any ideas where I could get one ? Even the local industrial supply place was no help.
-
My Bike, being an 83 Standard, did not have the factory intercom or CB, and I picked up an Autocom Active Duo system last year from a friend who hardly ever used it. The intercom works flawlessly, and as well as connecting the MP3 player and cell phone, with seamless VOX operation for both driver and passenger. The Autocom has an additional Aux 4 connection for bike-to-bike communication, primarily for CB or other radio. The standard VOX operation applies to the CB as well, which is a bit of a pain, as the driver and passenger would be merrily sharing their conversation with everyone within CB range. Acknowledging in hindsight that this may be inconvenient, Autocom offered optional Push to Talk (PTT) cables for a fee. Long story short – as I have used it so far, my system works wonderfully and I am very happy with it, but I would now like to connect a CB for bike-to-bike... primarily so Marcarl can let me know when the next coffee/ice cream stop is coming up. The crux is that Autocom seems to have temporarily suspended business while new ownership takes over and their days of creating custom cables tailored to the specific CB (or other) radio you wish to connect to are over. However, how hard can it be ? I have the pinouts for the Aux 4 connection from the Autocom system, and I have the pinouts from the mic connection from the Uniden 510XL CB that I wish to use. The Uniden uses the mic button to switch the radio from “Receive” to “Transmit”, so I am thinking I need a Double Pole, Double Throw Push button to select between the two (using the COMMON or Screen), with Receive being the Normal position. The VOX on the Autocom should take care of providing the input from my headset to the MIC OUT pin which needs to go to the MIC pin on the CB. The CB has a connection for an external speaker at the rear... a 2.5 mm jack, which I need to connect to the SPEAKER IN on the Autocom. Can I do this ? At first glance, 2 output wires cannot both go to one pin. However, if one is a common or ground, then I only need to determine the hot wire, and connect it to the SPEAKER IN, correct ? Secondly, if the output of the CB through that jack is 7 watts, is there anything I can do to limit that so that the Autocom system does not get overloaded ? Sorry for not providing a wiring diagram but electrical drawings are not my forte... I can usually read them, but creating them is a whole other issue. Any input/advice would be greatly welcomed.
-
Anyone interested in a day long ride around SE Ont?
CdnDave77 replied to 6m459's topic in Watering Hole
Like others have stated, it all depends on the day... but I should be able to arrange to be free. Very nice route... my inlaws are in Peterborough and I have ridden up that way a few times. I'll be checking back ! -
Okay, since I am still unemployed, I gota be good for something so I took a few quick pictures which hopefully will help you. The slider & needle assembly shown is WITHOUT the diaphram... no need to remove your diaphram if it is in good condition (ie: no holes). Just undo the center holding screw and remove the needle, spring and washer. If your '83 is the same as mine, your needles should have adjustable slots in them so you can remove the little e-clip and reinstall in in a higher (away from the sharp tip of the needle). This will allow the needle to sit LOWER in the main jet, and lean it out slightly. This dramatically improved my mileage, as well as quite a few others on here. Again, good luck.. & let us know how you make out.
-
My '83 wasn't the greatest on mileage when I first got it. It took new plugs, plug caps, and multiple carb synchs to get it consistently running on all 4 cylinders and up to 33 mpg - which is not good by any means. I also removed the YICS chamber (should be irrelevant to fuel mileage tho). If you search on the "Needle shim Mod", you will find a few threads which talk about lower the needles in the sliders of your carbs. If your '83 is like mine, you're actually ahead of the game because the actual needle has adjustment slots - no shims or other parts required ! Just remove diaphram & slider as a unit, and remove the needle from the slider. Move the e-clip one rung (to start) UP (with needle hanging down) so that the needle will sit LOWER (further out of the slider, and therefore further into the carb main jet). Do this to all 4 carbs. It leans out the mixture once the main jets kick in, but these carbs seem to be set very rich from the factory. My mileage jumped from 33 mpg to 42 instantly. Could I get more if I played with it ? Maybe, but I am good with averaging 42.. I sometimes get as high as 48. If you need more info or can't find the previous threads, send me a PM. I have a spare set of carbs here and I can take some quick pics for you. Good luck !
-
The 6 pm start may be a little tight to make, as the boss doesn't get home until about that time, and (at least technically) I am in charge of the young'uns. But I'll be sure to be present for a few outings.
-
Welcome to the world of Venture a la four-speed. There are some great write-ups on how it can be fixed, but it is not necessarly an easy task. The parts are not expensive, but the labour and effort required (if you are doing it yourself) is intimidating. Second gear was out of my bike when I bought it - even the slightest acceleration in 2nd will cause it to pop and lurch. However, these machines have more than enough torque to allow you to completely bypass 2nd, go directly into 3rd and carry on without anyone being the wiser. I have put more than 25,000 km on it that way and I am sure some members here have exceeded that. Would I like second gear ? Sure, who wouldn't ? But do I really miss it ? No... I don't even acknowledge the loss. Maybe someday when I have unrestricted access to a heated shop, and plenty of time to dedicate to it, I would love to take the engine out, tear it down, and fix it properly, but for now, I am content to shift up twice coming out of first. There are no ill effects that I know of other than a rattle when the bike is idling when resting on the sidestand. I am sorry it happened to you, but rest easy.. it's certainly not time to panic. Good luck !
-
... to several good places I know. I'll be in to sample the wares a few times ! Ice cream is healthy, right ?
-
I received my diaphrams in 2 days via Canada Post. The only issue I had was that one of the sliders split open (huge lengthwise crack) redering it useless. One of the prior 6 or 7 owners of my bike had used some sort of adhesive on the locking rings for the diaphrams. I was able to get another slider, installed the remaining diaphrams and VOOM ! Away it went. A very quick sync and it has never run so well.
-
That is always a hazard... that's why drafting in triathlons is illegal.
-
I ride a mountainbike too, just for beating through trails and towing the kids in the bike trailer. But I don't think I want to be hooking them up behind my Trek... the workout would be good though ! The suggestion for Seafoam is noted, but I think this is one instance where it can't be a cure-all. The motor runs on 20 oz of Gatorade/hr @ peak output (I can average 40 km/hr on flats and modest hills), and temporary boosts can be had with PowerGels and bananas. Once it is parked though, the motor screams for beer and potato chips.. obviously an issue with carbs (-ohydrates).
-
With the fine spring weather we have had here this week, I have forced myself to get on the other two-wheeler that I own and I have been neglecting for far too long. I did 62 km on Tuesday (40 miles or so for you non-metric folk) and another 50 km (30 miles) today. It's much, much lighter than the Venture but at the opposite end of the spectrum as far as comfort goes. It loves going downhill, but the motor seems to falter a little on the steeper climbs. It's almost like it is out of gas... I am hoping more riding will straighten that out on its own. Note the drink holders (1 in front, 2 on the back of the seat post), spare tube, folding spare tire, and CO2 inflation system if I get a blowout (and they do happen, 90% of the time in races). With all the quick-change stuff, I can fix a flat and be moving again in under 10 minutes, whereas the pros can be done in 3). I am hoping this doesn't cut into my other riding time too much, but I want to get back into racing this year. I do wonder what the heck I am doing when I see all kinds of nice motorcycles cruising by me as I huff and puff my way through the backroads. PS: If you do come up on a cyclist, please give'em a wide berth... cracks in the pavement are bad enough for motorcycles, but they can flip you over the handlebars without warning on a roadbike. Cheers !
-
A few maintenance questions
CdnDave77 replied to Karl C.'s topic in Venture and Venture Royale Tech Talk ('83 - '93)
My '83 had a cracked mirror on the right when I received it... and the left was completely missing. I was more interested in getting it on the road than sticking to the original factory mirrors so I bought a standard chrome pair of aftermarket motorcycle mirrors at a local shop, re-tapped the one mirror mount for a left hand thread (10 mm I believe), and mounted them as seen in the picture (sorry, the then-2yr-old in the pic is not for sale... kinda attached to her). Total cost was about $22 Canadian. -
Hi Brian.. I am fairly sure that no one except for a real die-hard would notice an '84 trunk on my '83.... plus that gives me an excuse to go for a good 2 hour run now that we have nice weather. If it isn't spoken for yet, I think I could put it to good use. May have to paint it white tho... Please let me know. Dave
-
Ahhh, see now ? If I stay away for a week (ie: do not "help"), stuff gets done ! Looking very nice...
-
I started with a 1977 Honda XL75 (used) at the age of 9... living on a farm in Southern Ontario meant you either had a mini-bike or a pony. I went to a rather unmarked Suzuki 125 motocross, then had a Yamaha 250 Exciter for my first street-legal bike. Then to my 1983 750 Maxim, which I had for 19 years (just sold it last summer), and now the 83 Venture.
-
Carl failed to mention that he took the ladder away from the "new" loft when I was up there until he could get his camera...
-
Best of luck, my friend... I just got the same news myself last week. It does seem bleak out there, but I will say that some parts of the economy are indeed recovering. A little patience, a lot of faith, and everyone will be just fine. Take care..
-
I have had a 1983 750 Maxim since 1990... and I love it. It is mine for another 3 days, and then it passes to it's next owner. Great bikes, love to get past 6000 rpm. I restored mine after 12 years of storage, with a lot of help from the xjbikes website. A great crew over there (very similar to here), and there are tons of owners everywhere willing to help you if you're stumped. There is an online manual somewhere on that site, if you can't find it, send me a PM and I'l figure out how to get you my copy. If there is anything you want to ask, I can't guarentee I know the answer, but I might... Good luck.