Prairiehammer

Indeed! OMG! That has to be the worst appearing TCI innards yet! Talk to Dingy.

Ben, I would stick with Genuine Yamaha caliper seals, 26H-W0047-00-00. At eight dollars per caliper, they are not terribly expensive and you wouldn't have a worry about (probably) Chinese made aftermarket parts on such a critical piece of equipment. The OEM seals are still available from Yamaha and your friendly stealer.

Doug, You should investigate the operation of the 'tip-over' switch. When the Venture is laid down like it did for you, the ignition should have been killed by the 'tip-over' switch. This switch is basically a pendulum within a small square box. When the weight (the pendulum) slides to the right or left because of a lay over, it should have disabled the ignition and killed the engine.

You can buy the Motus V4 as a 'crate engine'. I think the Motus V4 was 'inspired' by the LS1 V8, but I am not sure how many parts are interchangeable. Check out this article: http://blog.motorcycle.com/2013/07/15/motorcycle-news/motus-to-sell-v4-baby-block-crate-engines/ And here: "Let's focus in on that engine for a moment. Think of the KMV4 powerplant as half of an LS3 V8 from General Motors and you won't be too far off from the truth. Of course, there's more to it than that, but the basic specifications sound remarkably familiar to anyone well versed in modern Corvette speak. For instance, there will be two valves per cylinder, operated by pushrods actuated by a camshaft buried deep inside the aluminum engine block. The cylinders are arranged in a 90-degree V, just as you would expect. Delving a wee bit deeper, we find that many of the engine's internal bits and pieces (hydraulic lifters, fuel injectors etc) can be located at any GM dealer (or Pep Boys, etc) in the country." http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/12/motus-motorcycles-v4-engine-impresses-puts-out-over-160-horsepo/ [url=http://blog.motorcycle.com/2013/07/15/motorcycle-news/motus-to-sell-v4-baby-block-crate-engines/][/url]

While I am not sure if this example is what you were thinking of, but this owner, Steve Crossley (a member here) modified his First Gen body a lot.

Here is a pdf of the 1984 TSB about the air box drain. Note there are two hoses attached to the air box; the larger one evacuates crankcase vapors and it comes from the 'twinkie'. The smaller tube from the left front of the air box drains accumulated oil from the air box through a filter located near the lower front left engine to frame mount. The modification involves relocating the terminus of the smaller drain hose to a T in the crankcase vent line.

Welcome! If it is in fact a 1985 '1300' then some one has installed a later (1986-1993) 1300cc engine into a 1985 chassis. The 1985 would have been a 1200cc from the factory. EDI: Never mind. I see in your profile that you have a 1986. Indeed a 1300 from the factory. State the frame number (on a sticker below the brake pedal) and then state the engine number (on a striated boss on the crankcase, located above the middle gear cover, behind the removable black plastic panel). As for rebuilding the top end; what caused you to think the top end needed rebuilding? As Yammer says, it is pretty rare to require a top end (or bottom end, for that matter) rebuild on the Yamaha V4.

It seems the common denominator for most of your issues is the ground. Check the connector in the smaller wire from the negative battery post. Run a continuity test from that connector to the chassis ground.

If I remember correctly, the side stand switch has two contacts. Possibly, one set of contacts is working properly but the other is FUBAR? Also, some have 'jumpered' the side stand switch so that it still shows as down in the CMS, but it does not kill the ignition. Perhaps someone did that to yours.

The Seafoam apparently unsticking the rings is a very good thing. Just consider that there may still be a fair amount of combustion products trapped within the oil passages and crankcase ventilation galleries. This residual gunk may take a while to clear up. It is not unusual for there to be condensation emitting from the exhaust pipes. The same watery fluid emitting from the crankcase vent tube (that's the tube from the twinkie to the air box) is more worrisome. But, still, if you have a cold engine with moisture condensation in the crankcase, there may be some 'steam' condensing on the way from the warm twinkie to the cool air box. Possibly, I suppose, but generally, if a head gasket is leaking coolant into the cylinder, that coolant will be burned off, exiting as steam out the exhaust pipe. I wouldn't think it would make it to air box, but on the other hand, if there were leaky rings and a lot of coolant being injected into the combustion chamber past a bad head gasket (unlikely, since the combustion pressures are greater than the coolant system pressure) then OK, maybe. Have you experienced any evidence of combustion gases in the coolant overflow bottle? Gurgling? Oily coolant? The gaskets within the twinkie (there are a few) have been known to fail. Depending on which gasket/O-ring fails, you may experience oil in the coolant and/or emulsion in the air box.

Rod, The tip-over switch is pictured below:

Rodney, It sounds to me that the fuel pump relay is not getting the signal from the Ignitech that the engine is running. The fuel pump will have power for five seconds whenever the main switch (ignition key switch) is switched to ON. After five seconds the power to activate the fuel pump relay is switched off unless there is a signal from the TCI that number 2 cylinder is running; the number 2 pickup coil. Perhaps, Dingy can help diagnose this problem, if it is a Ignitech settings issue.

I'm sorry Mama, but if it don't include sex, I don't do the online chat scene.

LOL Good 'un!

Et tu, Joe? http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=88644

Larry, Larry... This was an April Fools Joke from April 1, 2012. http://motorcycles.about.com/b/2012/04/01/mega-merger-announced-by-japanese-motorcycle-manufacturers.htm?utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=shareurlbuttons "...eight-cylinder touring bike for less than the price of a maxi-scooter."

The K&L Universal Point kit 18-4615 is available here for $24.43: http://www.powersportsuperstore.com/K-L-Supply-Universal-Fuel-Pump-Point-Switch-Kit-18-p/4606031.htm

Back in 1975, my buddy and I were on a tour of Big Bend region, when I had a major accident near Marathon, Texas that almost destroyed my CB750 (and me). Leaving me sitting in a motel bath tub full of ice water, my buddy rode 525 miles to his home near Dallas, rented a U-Haul trailer and came back for me in his Mustang. We drove back to Garland, where I managed to return the bike to a ride-able condition for our ride back to Fort Riley, Kansas. The accident had demolished the left engine cover and stator. I was able to replace the cover with stator, but the end of the crankshaft had been bent and the rotor was rubbing on the stator coil. The stator was not charging as a result. Of course, tearing the engine apart to replace the crankshaft was out of the question due to time constraints (our Army leave was nearly over and being AWOL was not an option.) So we returned to Ft. Riley (500+ miles away), swapping batteries all the way. It was very fortuitous that he was also riding a CB750.

Is there anyway to adapt this to your V-Strom? http://www.ebay.com/itm/301303731561?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

I discovered a complete set of nearly new Venture carbs for $25 less $6.85 in eBay Bucks for a grand total $18.15 plus shipping of $11. These carbs still had the inked part number on them (26H) and the factory installed anti-tamper pilot screw plugs. I opened up the bowls and there appears to never had fuel in them. Yet, they had never been cleaned, because the inked '26H on the bowls is washed away as soon as the carbs are cleaned. I found these carbs outside of the normal eBay Motors venue. The seller had listed them as 'Mikuni carb' and mentioned the '26H' in the description (that's how I found them), but did not know what the carbs were for. I was the only bidder.

Here is a pic of Nacho's 1991 with the helmet locks on the saddlebag guard. However, MY 1991 has them under the trunk.

OK, I apologize Jeff. You DO make it seem like a major undertaking. And an undertaking that has to be timed just so. I can see it now. Sorry. Mea culpa.

Jeez! TWO, I repeat, TWO screws removed and the bulbs can be replaced. What am I missing?

There were originally two helmet locks attached to the rear of the trunk carrier, just like the '85. However, I have seen some of the '91s with helmet locks attached to the forward part of the saddlebag guards. If you can't find them, then someone removed them.

Most of Snaggletooth's comments and advice are spot-on, however, the Venture 'flywheel'/rotor is indeed on a tapered shaft. THAT is precisely why the damn thing is so reluctant to disengage itself. And here is an example of what probably has happened to your existing starter clutch (aka sprag clutch):