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V7Goose

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Everything posted by V7Goose

  1. V7Goose
    Although Yamaha does say that 0 lbs in the rear shock is OK, I would NEVER run that. There are lots of different ideas about what pressure is good, and most of it depends on the weight of the load. Without going into all that, I'd suggest 30 lbs air as a good average starting point. I have found sole riding requires a minimum of 20 lbs, and two-up 35. You will be happier with too much air over too little, but you just need to do some testing to see what is right for you. Goose
  2. V7Goose
    You say the oil is definitely going out the vent, but I see no evidence of that in your post. You need to do a leak-down test on each cylinder to see what condition the rings and valve seats are in. Even if a lot of oil IS getting blown out the crankcase vent, the only cause I can think of would be significant ring blow-by pressurizing the case. Goose
  3. V7Goose
    Well, after 500 miles today, all I can say is Wow, the Venom front and E3 rear (both in stock size) seems to be a great tire combination! This bike has not felt so fantastic in over 20,000 miles. Goose
  4. V7Goose
    THAT's interesting - I would have never guessed that. But it just highlights how many strange things you can find with a TCI. Simple lack of advance is not going to cause misfire or sputtering, just loss of power, but if the TCI is getting an erratic or incorrect timing signal at a particular RPM (or vacuum level, in this case), then it can go all wonky with unpredictable results. Goose
  5. V7Goose
    Heading out for Phoenix in the morning - will probably stop tomorrow night somewhere between Capitan and Socorro NM. I know, I know - that means either Capitan, Carrizozo, or Socorro - there ain't nothin else! If anyone is around to say hi, give me a shout; cell number is Eight One Seven - nine three nine - nine one five five. Will be coming back on the 18th, so if you're in the area but tomorrow doesn't work, maybe then? On the way back, I'll probably stop somewhere between Capitan and Lubbock. Anybody in Phoenix wanna have a beer? I'll be there Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Goose
  6. V7Goose
    Make sure you check the timing advance before you tear into anything. Even if it is not adjustable (the 2nd gens are not), it is very easy to check and will mostly rule out any possibility of an ignition problem. Note that the shop manual only tell you to check it at idle, but you are particularly interested in seeing if the timing advances as you open the throttle. Your ignition timing is controlled by a "pressure sensor" from an intake vacuum port, so if you have a cracked or cut vacuum hose there, that could be your problem. Looks pretty easy to check from a quick scan of the shop manual. If you do not have a timing light, most auto parts stores these days will actually loan you one. Goose
  7. V7Goose
    FYI - I moved this thread to the Watering Hole. Personally, I will take the carbs on this bike over FI any day. Carbs are old technology, they are well understood by many, and they just work. You can change things with them if you want, but on this bike, there is absolutely no need to do anything except set the float levels correctly and adjust the mixture (both only needed one time). They are EXTREMELY reliable. All parts for the second gen carbs are available, and will be, by law in the US, for another 10 years minimum. That is a benefit of the exact same bike being made for since 1999! But I will also note that I work on a LOT of these bikes, including lots of carb work, and I have not yet ever had to purchase a single carb part! The carbs generally stay in sync very well, but checking and adjusting the sync is simple to do and suggested at every oil change. The carbs on this bike are quite a bit more simple in design than they were for the Ventures made in the 80s and early 90's. Almost no internal parts to replace, no need of rebuilds, just the occasional cleaning needed from today's fuel formulations. And if you ride the bike regularly and occasionally use a dose of Seafoam or Techron in your gas, you won't even need to worry about cleaning them in the first 100,000 miles. Goose
  8. V7Goose
    Seafoam is definitely good stuff - I use it and recommend it regularly. But it is not a replacement for proper maintenance and a good manual cleaning. Here's my story - Most everyone understands that the more a machine sits, the more varnish and other crud builds up in the fuel system from aging gas and evaporation. Even sitting for just a couple of weeks can sometimes develop problems with the crappy gas we have to buy these days with alcohol and other additives intended for emissions reasons instead of proper engine performance. Now my bike rarely sits a lot. I rode it every day when I worked, and even after I retired, it is still my primary transportation. My TRUCK will sit for 4 months at a time, but not my bike - I usually put 20,000 miles a year on the RSV. But for a variety of reasons, last year I only did about 5,000 miles, and it did sit a lot. This spring it was running absolutely horrible - wouldn't start without choke (never correct on a 2nd gen if temps are over 60), wouldn't idle correctly, wouldn't accept throttle, etc. Numerous tanks of Seafoam cleared most of that up nicely, and the bike performed pretty normal on the ride to Ohio for Don's maintenance day. I think most people would have thought it was a completely normal RSV and claimed the Seafoam fixed everything for them. But I still felt that there was a slight hesitation coming off idle- not enough to be sure, just kept nagging at me. In addition, there was just a sensation at speed that didn't seem quite the same as I was used to for the last 100,000 miles - no way I would have had any thoughts that something wasn't perfect with it if I didn't know the bike so well. So a couple of weeks ago I pulled the carbs for a look see; very glad I did. I had one pilot jet totally clogged, and the other three showed some slight deposits. In addition, one main jet had significant deposits in it. After proper cleaning, the old bike was back to 100%. So my point is, Seafoam did wonders for that problem, but it did not do EVERYTHING. Sometimes you just gotta get the wrenches out and do things right. One point to remember is that no fuel cleaner can remove deposits form a jet or passage that is completely closed with varnish - if the fuel isn't actually flowing through the passage or jet, at least a little, it cannot clean it. And clogged primary jets are easily masked just by cranking up the idle screw a bit to allow a little fuel to come through the main jet. The best indication of this is to check the vacuum reading at idle - if it is below the spec for your engine (11" Hg for a 2nd gen), then you probably have some issues with dirty carbs. Goose
  9. V7Goose
    It would help to tell us exactly what model of Royal Star you have instead of just waiting for us to guess. I do not have any significant personal experience with Royal Stars other than the RSV and new model RSTD. I have never worked on the carb linkage for the 90's Royal Stars, but when I have synced them for others I noted the linkage was very different than the RSV. But nonetheless, I have a very hard time imagining how any linkage could be "worn and no longer able to sync." Those parts just are not generally subject to wear. But maybe that is why they changed it for the RSV in 1999? I do not know. As to your question, if no one has an answer, I'd suggest you start by looking at the part numbers in the parts breakdown for the intake manifolds between your bike and the RSV. All model years of the RSV are the same. Goose
  10. V7Goose
    If you cannot get more than 10,000 miles from a FRONT tire, I suggest you have a significant problem with your bike (whatever bike you have). Tire cupping generally indicates a suspension problem or balance problem, but bearings can contribute also (both steering head and wheel bearings). Any fast wear can come from an alignment problem or dragging brakes. Low air pressure will also wear tires very fast (thanx for that reminder Sylvester!). I generally get fairly average tire life on my RSV when compared to the majority of other 2nd gen owners: between 8,000 - 16,000 per REAR tire (depending on brand), and 20,000 - 28,000 per FRONT tire. These observations are based on around 120,000 miles on the RSV and a fair amount of specific tire testing. Usually I will get two rear tires out of a single front tire of the same brand. The E3 is the exception for me, as it is the only set where the Front tire did not last as long as normal, and it is also the ONLY front tire of any brand that has developed abnormal scalloping in the tread. I won't be running any more E3 front tires. Goose
  11. V7Goose
    Yes, it does change the trail, but not by much. The difference in total height between the new Venom and worn out E3 was about 1/4", so I'm guessing the max difference between new tires would be about 1/2", which would translate to a 1/4" lower front axle height. I think the faster roll-off on the sides of the tread probably have a much bigger impact on the better handling. Goose
  12. V7Goose
    You said "probably" not ignition related, so I can't jump on you too hard, but I'm gonna disagree with your disagreement anyway. The OP specifically used exact RPM numbers in his post - not "around" 5200, but "at" 5200. If he really meant to be that specific, then I think it strongly implicates the ignition system on an engine with a TCI. I do not know if the 1st gens have a fixed pickup coil and electronic ignition advance like the 2nd gens do, but if so, then that REALLY opens the possibility of a bad TPS or TCI. Actually, the more I think about it, I think the throttle position sensor (if there is one on that bike) is a prime suspect right now. That even fits with the idea that the carbs were cleaned, thus the idle point on the throttle was probably set lower to compensate for more fuel through the pilot circuits, and that would change the exact RPM point for a throttle position issue with the advance curve in the TCI. Goose
  13. V7Goose
    Whoever you paid to work on those carbs was either a fool or a crook, and probably both. I say he is a crook because he took your money and won't stand by his work. Unless you just took the carbs off yourself and took them to somebody, there is no excuse for any qualified mechanic to work on them and then tell you what he did. If you took the bike in and told him you wanted the symptoms fixed (instead of just saying you wanted the carbs cleaned), then it was his responsibility to find the problem. Frankly, I wouldn't trust someone like that to ever touch my machine. But unfortunately, you still have the problem, and you are going to have to pay somebody to find and fix it. What you describe absolutely CAN be caused by the carbs. Partially plugged main jets will do it, as will holes in the diaphragms. And it doesn't have to be just the jets that are plugged - if there is old varnish built up in any of the passages, partially clogging them, that will work just like dirty jets. Another common cause of sputtering at WOT and high RPM is float levels set too low or dirty fuel filter (including clogged intake screens in the tank) - both of those will cause the engine to starve for gas when it is trying to suck it real fast. Other possible causes are obstructed air intake, extra dirty air filters, or bad TCI module. I would have listed plugs and plug wires too, but you said you just replaced those. Good luck getting it sorted out. I'd start by finding a qualified mechanic based on the recommendation of others who have first hand experience with the person. Goose
  14. V7Goose
    I just replaced the front E3 on my RSV after 21,600 miles. This is not near as many miles as I get from a Venom front tire, which seems a bit odd when you consider that I get about 3,000 miles MORE from an E3 rear tire than I do from a Venom rear. I have never been as satisfied with the Dunlop E3s as I am with Avon Venoms; I think the E3s are better than most other tires out there, but not quite up to the performance of the Venoms. I have a relatively new E3 on the rear (just 7,000 miles on it), and I put an Avon Venom on the front to see how that combination works. While changing the tires, I noticed that the Avon in stock size is considerably shorter than the E3 (smaller diameter), even when comparing a new Venom to a worn out E3. In addition, the Venom has a more rounded profile while the actual width of the tire from tread edge to edge is identical. I suspect the profile and smaller diameter contribute a lot to why the Venoms handle better for me. This new combo of the Venom front and E3 rear felt great today when I put about 50 miles on it to check out the new tire, but that is pretty early to tell. Gotta head back out to Phoenix this week, so after that 3,000 mile round trip I'll be able to give you a much better report on them. Goose
  15. V7Goose
    The pilot jet on that carburetor is plugged. You can check this by simply pulling off the vacuum line from the port and spraying a little carb cleaner or starter fluid on that vacuum port right after you start the bike - if you have spark, it will immediately pick up the RPM. Goose
  16. V7Goose
    We do not agree on what is easiest. Straight MEK, like acetone or water, is too thin to effectively apply and keep on only the work area. To use it properly, you do need to mix up powdered plastic to make a paste. The commercial pipe solvent has enough thickeners in it to make it very EASY to apply just where you want it, and a small can or tube at the hardware store is even cheaper to buy than straight MEK. Everyone is welcome to use what they prefer, but for a recommendation to someone who has never done this before, I personally think the pipe solvent will provide a much more satisfactory experience. Goose
  17. V7Goose
    The overflow hoses are supposed to be routed forward to just in front of the air filters. I know of absolutely nothing that would dump gas "out on both sides of the crank case". The video posted by mtuckner shows exactly what it looks like when a stuck float causes gas to be pushed out of an overflow hose. I went into great detail on how to fix a stuck float in post #11 above. Goose
  18. V7Goose
    http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=55024 http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=26888 http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=18145 http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=15079 http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=28626&highlight=rotella and about a thousand others . . . One update that may not be in those threads - Shell Rotella oil is now officially certified for JASO-MA. Rotella 15w-40 dino oil is my personal choice for 4,000 mile oil changes.
  19. V7Goose
    http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=56649&highlight=overfill
  20. V7Goose
    Excellent; very glad you found it. But now you need to find the cause. It is extremely rare for a fuse to blow just 'cause it felt kinda old and tired - something caused a high current flow to pop that sucka. I'd put my money on a wire rubbed raw on the light bar where it enters it in the middle. There is supposed to be a rubber grommet all the way around that oval hole, but it is a cheesy POS that does a poor job (and probably is missing altogether). If it is not there, I'd suggest wrapping the wires with a bit of electrical tape, then using some RTV or silicone and insulating the wires form the edges of the light bar. Electrical tape generally does not last due to the heat and weather, but if you goop up the hole with silicone that will seal everything up. Goose
  21. V7Goose
    Put good oil in it, do not over fill, and use an excellent filter. Can't go wrong if you do those things. Yes, I know that is a flippant response, but each of these things are discussed in great detail in many other threads on this site. If you have specific questions that the other threads do not answer, I'll be happy to tackle them. But I'm not feeling too much like just retyping lots of information that we have already provided. Goose
  22. V7Goose
    Exhaust leak where the new mufflers clamp or the mufflers are just too short and open. Goose
  23. V7Goose
    Your assumption is exactly how many of us operate. We just leave the petcock on reserve all the time and rely completely on the three other indicators (fuel gauge/warning light/trip meter) to know when we are on reserve - just like you were doing. My gauge is very consistent, and I know when the "F" trip meter first comes up I have a minimum of 1.5 gallons left, which is 40-60 miles, depending on my speed. So having to move the petcock from regular to reserve provides zero value to me unless I happen to be riding with my eyes closed. Goose
  24. V7Goose
    I have no idea what kind of bike you have, or what kind of lights, so all I can do is guess. Very unlikely that you lost both bulbs at the same time. Did you check the switch? The RSV light kit comes with an inline fuse that is installed in the fairing, and I assume the RSTD light kit uses one also. Your problem is probably either a blown fuse or bad connection. Goose
  25. V7Goose
    All the information has been in the tech library for 5 years: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=302 But thanx for making me go look at it - I'm gonna edit that thread - it seems to have some bad info from several posters. Here are the significant points: NEVER NEVER NEVER drill! Not only will that dump metal shavings into the tank, but all drill motors create sparks! When you use a punch awl, just put the tip in contact with the filler neck and hit it enough times to make the hole as large as the awl shank (not just a little hole from the tip). You will need a MINIMUM for four large holes to make a big difference. I have no idea if wax paper provides any value at all, but it can't hurt. I also suggest putting a thick towl or something over the tank near the awl head so you do not accidentally slip and mar the tank with the hammer. Several folks have said to do this with a full tank - I disagree. If it is too full, the vibrations from the hammer blows will splash gas all over you. If you have to do it with a full tank, place a rage over the opening. I think that any level below the filler neck is probably OK. Goose
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