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frankd

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  1. frankd
    I've been using Avons for over 10 years myself, and the worst thing I can say about them is that the rear seems to attract nails. I've had 4 of them that I had to retire early because of this. Other than that they handle great, are quiet, grip good in the rain, and the ones I had that avoided the nails lasted about 24,000 miles. I've never had any cracking, and some of the Avons were on there 4-5 years. The last one I had on my 89 sucked a tiny nail within it's first 1000 miles. I put Ride-On in it and used it for another year, but I let it sit a month and it started leaking again. I was going on another trip and decided to change it the day before we left. All I could find was a Dunlop 591. I've got about 5K on it, and I don't think it's going to last more than 12,000 miles (just a guess). It makes a little noise, but not too bad, and feels good. My 89 had a Dunlop 404 on it when I bought it and it only lasted 8000 miles. However, it had a Bridgestone on the front. The PO had put about 7500 on it, and I've put another 14,000 and I'll probably change it sometime this summer. It feels good and is lasting just fine. Why is everybody so hard on "Brickstones"?
  2. frankd
    It feels the same after sitting. I also intend on changing the clutch fluid so I'll check that when I do. Frank
  3. frankd
    On my 89 with 45,000 miles on it, the cruise control works great.....if I hold the clutch lever all the way out with my hand. When I bought the bike 2 years ago, I relplaced the bushing, but that didn't help much. There is quite a bit of play between where the clutch cylinder quits pushing the lever outward and the end of travel where the cruise control senses that the clutch is released. It seems to me that maybe I want to replace or stretch the spring that is between the clutch cylinder and the lever bushing?? Anybody have any experience with this problem?? Frank D.
  4. frankd
    Well, my brother is riding my 83 (147,000 miles with 2nd gear redo and frame changed with an 84) and I'm riding the 89. Now it has 45,000 miles on it, but it only had 30 when I bought it 2 years ago. Sure hope that somebody comes out with a bike that fits me as well as first Gens do before they're all used up.
  5. frankd
    Shaun 1) When you rebuild the forks, make sure the bushings aren't worn out. I usually replace both the upper and lower bushings. It used to be that the Yamaha parts fische only gave the part number for one of them (I don't remember if it's the upper or lower). If you have any trouble finding the P/N for the other, I've got it written in my 83 manual. The manual is packed away, but I'll dig it out if you need the number. 2) My original 83 frame did suffer the cracking of the bracket that the rear suspension link and the center stand attach to the frame. On the morning before it let go, on the way to work it felt like I had a marshmellow between me and the rear tire. About 30 miles later, the frame broke. I installed an 84 frame (the area that cracked was much heavier on 84's and later) and my wife told me on her first ride that it felt a lot better than it ever did. I guess there was some flexing I never noticed in the original frame. I bought the bike new, and had about 90Kmiles on it when it broke. I'd tell you to check the frame, but the truth is that I greased the rear suspension bushings and checked the frame for cracks a week before it happened. After the frame failed, when I took it apart I checked the rear suspension linkage, and everything was free as a bird. Frank
  6. frankd
    Shaun, On the MK I's, you have to bleed the left front brake (actuated by rear brake lever) by opening the line junction that is just to the rear of the steering head. It's right against the top frame tube. I think you can get to it if you pull the battery and the battery box. I catch the fluid in a paper towel to avoid it getting on the frame tube paint. That will help the rear & left front feel better. On the MK II's, there is a bleeder in a spot that you can get to with only the tank cover removed. As for the front.....When my 83 got to where you could pull the lever to the handlebars, I replaced the brake lines with steel mesh lines (the old ones expand under pressure when they get old) and I also disconnected the anti dive valves. I have Progressive fork springs installed which are a lot stiffer than stock springs. The bike felt fine without the anti dive. BTW, I did this to BOTH front brakes. If you have Progressive fork springs, consider this, but with the stock springs the forks will probably bottom out when you brake hard without the anti dive system. Frank
  7. frankd

    Moonshine

    frankd replied to frankd's topic in Watering Hole

    Actually they don't call it a rally, but a "Lunch Run". You can read about it here http://moonshine-run.com/Moonshine/ Frank
  8. frankd
    Ditto on the E mails....got several yesterday. Frank
  9. frankd

    Moonshine

    frankd posted a topic in Watering Hole

    Is anybody else planning on going to the Moonshine (IL) rally next week Saturday? If the weather permits, Barb and I plan on going down Friday, going to the Chille dinner Friday night, and then to Moonshine Saturday. Frank D.
  10. frankd
    The Mark I's (83=85) came from the factory with the temperature guage showing just about to the end of the green (almost to the red) when the fan came on (215 degrees F I think I remember). In other words, it's normal to see the temperature gauge get almost to the red and hear the fan come on. This is NOT abnormally hot for a water cooled engine. With a 50-50 antifreeze/water mix and 15 PSI, the coolant won't boil until 265 degrees. When my 83 was approaching 80,000 miles, the engine had some crud on it from oil leaks over the years and when it was over 90 degrees, it'd be on the verge of the fan coming on running down the expressway at 65 MPH. When I pulled the engine apart to fix 2nd gear, of course I cleaned up the cases before I put it back together. The first 90 degree days, the gauge stayed about 2-3 needle widths lower. Make sure your engine (especially the bottom and front) are reasonably clean. For the Mk II bikes, Yammie re-calibrated the temperature gauge so that it only shows about 3/4 of the way through the green when the fan comes on. Put the thermostat back in (remember to switch on the thermostat bypass valve for a couple of minutes when you start it back up to get the air out of the engine) and don't worry about it...it's normal. Frank
  11. frankd
    Mark, Well, I was thinking about coming up with something to brace the gooseneck so it wouldn't warp more, but it's been a b*tch of a week at work and my mind is on overload. Thanks for your brainstorm!!! I will cut one out before I re-install the thermostat housing. I replaced the gooseneck last year, but the new one didn't go together quite flat and this should straighten it out. Thanks again, Frank
  12. frankd
    My 83 was that way.....only leaked a little when it was left outside on a chilly night but the 89 is a bit different. It's leaked quite a bit a couple of times, and even had a big puddle under it on a gas stop. Then it'll stop for a month or two. I'll take it back apart again and check everything again. Maybe something will show up. I've even been thinking on finding another thermostat housing and just changing it. FrankD
  13. frankd
    I've been fighting with the cover on the thermostat housing leaking on my '89. When I bought it 2 1/2 years ago, it had a small leak. I took the thermostat housing off and changed all 4 O rings. Everything was fine---for a little while. A month or two later it started leaking intermittantly. Usually when left outisde in the cold, but not always. Last winter I pulled it off again and replaced the O rings again, and also the housing cover because it was mentioned here that they do warp from the exhaust pipe heat. BTW, I put it together with O-rings I purchased at my dealer. It was OK all last year, but this winter it started leaking again. The coldest my garage gets during the winter is about 32 degrees F. When I took it apart, I found that the O-ring was damaged (it looked like it'd been nicked). I remember that it was real hard to get the top on the housing last year and the OE O-ring is 2mm dia., so I installed a 1/16" O-ring. Now it seeps a little bit when it starts to warm up, but when it's hot it's fine. BTW, 1/16"=.0625" 2mm=.079" I will pick up a Yamaha O-ring tomorrow, but I think that something else is wrong because it's happening so frequently. I cleaned up the main housing surface that mates wtih the O-ring so there shouldn't be anything keeping the O-ring from seating. With the 1/16 O-ring, the top felt snug. When I use a 2mm O-ring, it is TIGHT. I'm pretty certain that on my 83' I used a 3/32" (.094") O-ring, but there is no way I could get that to fit this bike. I used a coating of Vaseline to keep from damaging the O-rings when things were assembled. Any ideas?? I'm thinking of heating up the aluminum portion of the housing (in hot water) to get it to expand so that the top will go on easier and not damage the 2mm O ring. Frank D.
  14. frankd
    You could also try warming up the area around the plug with a propane torch. Don't get it too hot though or you will discolor the paint. I'd also use a good hex bit socket and a ratchet or breaker bar. When you put the plug back in, don't over tighten it......they all get hard to remove. Frank
  15. frankd
    If the exhaust leak is at the top of the back of the motor, the information in the previous answers is spot on. In additoin to this, I have had the welds crack where the back exhaust pipes go into the exhaust chamber and this caused an exhaust leak. If this is the cause, just pull the exhaust chamber (you have to pull the front cylinder exhaust pipes, the mufflers, and the two mounting nuts at the front of the chamber) and have them rewelded. Frank
  16. frankd
    I found this information about new lithium-ion battery technology and how it may apply to electric vehicles interesting. http://oilandglory.foreignpolicy.com/posts/2011/02/07/how_the_us_may_win_the_battery_race
  17. frankd
    Switch your meter to ohms and measure from ground (like the engine case) to one of the stator wires. If it's grounded, the stator is bad. You only have to measure to one of the wires because they have continuity to each other. If you'd rather use a test light, connect the lead to the positive battery terminal and touch one of the white wires with the probe----if the light comes on, the stator is grounded. Now I can't say that being grounded is all that ever goes wrong with stators, but the bad stators that I have seen were all grounded. Also check the condition of the stator to regulator plug and make sure there aren't any burnt pins. Your battery has to be good and fully charged to test the charging system output voltage. If the battery is discharged or has a bad cell, the voltage will be low. Frank
  18. frankd
    Wizzard, I would put the two mounting nuts back on---you need to pull the front pipes first before you remove the nuts. PB Blaster evaporates pretty fast, so to soak the pipe connections you could try some other type of pentrating oil.....I use Kroil. It stinks, but it works great. I also use PB Blaster for most applications, but Kroil doesn't evaporate and works good also. After you soak them overnight, grab one of the pipes and start moving it around. I wiggle it side to side and pull out at the same time. After you get it to move a little, just keep working on it and it'll come. BTW, make sure you have the clamp bolts loosened quite a bit in case the pipe to collector gasket is stuck to the pipe. After the front pipes are out, remove the 2 nuts (I gather you have the mufflers off already) and then pull the back of the collector down and rock it. You may have to use a prybar to help. Then unbolt the rear pipes from the engine--I seem to remember you can leave them in place when you pull the motor. The motor is in the chassis pretty tight. Some people pull the shaft drive hub out for a little more room. It does help a bit. Some say they pull the valve covers, but I didn't have to do that when I did 2nd gear or the year later when I replaced the frame. Frank
  19. frankd
    Well, I do have a new set of plug wires in the parts cabinet and they ones on the bike ARE original. I've kept an eye on the plug connectors and the last time I checked they were still good (they measure about 5K ohms--just measure from through the connector to ground). I will replace the wires and connectors when Mark brings the bike up next spring. Also his battery is trash and that undoubtadly was making things rougher even though we were jumping it off a car. It's not an issue of 1 bad cylinder. When it starts it fires up on all 4 cylinders right from the beggining. I plan on pulling both the 83 and the 89 TCIs and replacing the diodes. I'll be able to get to mine soon and his when he brings it next spring. This problem with the 83 was refreshed in my mind yesterday....Mark couldn't get it started to run the Stabyl into the carbs. The carbs are in good shape and I didn't want to see them infected with green slime so I drove down (190 miles), got it started and drove back home. That was a lot easier than cleaning the carbs come springtime. Frank
  20. frankd
    I bought my 83 in 4/83 and rode it until a couple of years ago. I gave it to my brother when I found a low mileage 89, but I still maintain it for him. As long as I can remember, if the battery was a little weak, you'd have a heck of a time starting it because the spark was weak when cranking. If the plugs were getting old that made it a lot worse. Mark doesn't ride it as much as I did, so he has this problem a lot worse than I did. The battery on my 89 is going bad and it doesn't have the same problem. The last time I rode it (before it snowed) it'd been sitting about 3 weeks and when I cranked it, it hardly went arouind BUT it fired right up. The spark seems to be a lot hotter on the 89. Do others with 83's notice the same problem?? How about other years?? We all thought the only difference between the 83 and the later TCI units was how the vacuum advance was connected. Maybe there was another difference. Frank
  21. frankd
    Dan, What does the temperature gauge on the dash say? If the thermostat is stuck open, it'll stay at cold. If you're smelling anti freeze, check the level ASAP. BTW, which motor do you have?? My 97 is at 145K with the original thermostat, heater core and water pump, and I have the Vulcan motor (145hp. OHV) Frank
  22. frankd
    As Venture jobs go, this is real easy. Drain the oil and remove a bunch of allen head bolts and the wire for the low oil level switch to remove. You may have to tap the old pan with a soft hammer to get the gasket to release the pan. Clean up the gasket surface and put the new pan back on. Probably about 45-60 minutes.
  23. frankd
    Zane, it sounds like your stator is still OK. Check the plug that connects the stator to the voltage regulator for burnt pins. You could check the diodes in the regulator as I've described above, but I've only seen one go bad and I bought my first Venture in april of '83. BTW, don't trust the on board voltmeter to be super accurate. You need to take an accurate voltmeter and measure the voltage across the battery terminals with the motor running about 3K. You should read between 14.0 and 15 volts....most Ventures read on the low side of this. If you can see the headlights get a little brighter as you rev up the motor everything is probably working fine. Frank D.
  24. frankd
    Sarge, Charge the battery, and start up the bike. Run it about 3K and measure the voltage across the battery. If you are charging correctly, it'll be between 14 and 15 volts. Most Ventures are just a little over 14 volts. If you are reading way less than 14 then make the following tests. The procedure given in the Yamaha manual doesn't mention this, but you need to dig out the ohmeter again and check from one of the stator leads to ground......It should be open (infinity). All of the bad Venture stators that I've seen have read good phase to phase, but read a couple of tenths of an ohm to ground. The stator should NOT be grounded at all. If the stator isn't grounded, inspect the stator to regulator plug for burnt wires or terminals. If they are burnt you can eliminate the connector by connecting the stator directly to the regulator (the 3 white wires). I twisted one of the wires from the stator to one from the regulator ( it doesn't matter which stator wire you connect to which regulator white wire), soldered them and then carefully taped the connection with good electrical tape (Scotch 33 or 88). If your connector isn't burnt up, you probably have a bad regulator. You can check the diodes by testing from each white wire to ground and also the battery positive connector. Test all 6 diodes and verify that they still conduct in one direction and are open in the other direction. Frank D..
  25. frankd
    There is also a possibility that your hard drive is going belly up. If you reload it and it works OK for a little while then does the same thing all over, the hard drive is probably the problem.
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