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Captainkirk

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  1. Captainkirk
    Whew! At least I'm not crazy.......
  2. Captainkirk
    .....but didn't you used to be able to view which members have viewed a particular thread? I'm sure that used to be a function. Did it go away, or has it somehow been disabled?
  3. Captainkirk
    Nitrogen contains far less moisture than compressed air; not a big deal on tube-type tires, but when running tubeless alloy rims, certainly corrosion is a real factor. The reason jet aircraft run nitrogen is twofold- first, at altitude, the moisture in shop air will freeze. This wreaks havoc on wheel balance, for one. Second, on a hot touchdown, the ice/moisture can actually boil, turning to steam and causing excess pressure and other problems. How does this affect your Venture? Aside from the corrosion issues, probably not at all. But, on the other hand, a tank of nitrogen, even a small one, would last most riders a lifetime of riding. Something to ponder.......
  4. Captainkirk
    The Colortune should, as mentioned earlier, burn a deep cobalt (Bunsen Burner) blue. If your flame is yellow-ish, you either have jetting issues (plugged, wrong size, etc) or an induction leak somewhere. What you just explained to me was that you backed the screws out to (and past) max richness adjustment, and you were STILL running too lean. Hmmm, maybe there's something to this ColorTune stuff after all? How are your spark plugs coloring after all the adjustment? If you're really too rich, they'll be black & sooty after a few minutes of idling time. Methinks there are other issues afoot.
  5. Captainkirk
    Say, don't I know you from somewhere?
  6. Captainkirk
    If you need one, Dan, I've got one.
  7. Captainkirk
    http://www.handyindustries.com/ My brother convinced me to go with the Handy Lift rather than a less expensive model when I started working on bikes, I'm glad he did. The thing is tough as nails and rock-steady even when extended; I've stood on the extended table next to a VR and didn't feel unstable at all. Handy also makes a larger lift than the one I have for touring bikes such as the Venture, and now they make one with a removable rear panel for easier tire changes. Highly recommended; what pushed me away from a cheaper or home-made lift was the thought of one of my motorcycles (or worse yet, a customer's bikes!) crashing to the floor in slow-mo. One dream (I mean nightmare!) like that was enough! The best investment I ever made for my shop! Yes, it set me back the better part of a grand, but that's what tax refunds are for! Besides, how many times in your life are you gonna buy a lift, anyway? Make it a good one!
  8. Captainkirk
    Glad you got it working! If it begins giving you error codes (it well may), this link in the tech section is a fantastic write up. It worked miracles on the CLASS unit I was working on, and wasn't that hard to to. Store it in your files; you may need it some day. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=493
  9. Captainkirk
    Hi, guys! Just thought I'd give you an update on this scenario...... Late in April our fine friend had called and, as I mentioned, requested some work......nothing big......some CLASS bugs (I think I know what the problem was). He said he's borrowed or rented a trailer and needed to drop it off on the weekend so he could get the trailer back.....I say, OK: but I'm gonna need a deposit; like, the $400-odd dollars you owe me from a year ago. OK, no problem! he says. Just like that. (I'm thinking maybe he got his "economic stimulus" check?) I tell him I'll be home after 3 on Saturday, and after noon on Sunday. He says Saturday is better. Obviously it wasn't. Nor was Sunday. Nor the rest of May; or June, or July, for that matter, because I never heard from him again. My wife is hopping mad at me now because she said he was planning on stiffing me yet again! And now, at the end of July, I'm afraid I'm inclined to agree..... I'm done with this joker. Chicago area Venture mechanics be on the lookout. I'd release the guy's name but I just don't feel it's good policy for the forum. Just don't say I didn't warn you......
  10. Captainkirk
    Such a very good point made here....nobody cares more about your safety and well-being more than YOU!
  11. Captainkirk
    A couple things to check for; 1) Make sure you visibly inspect the needle tips. They are Viton rubber and very durable, but over time can have a groove or depression take a set. So how do you check them? With the bowl OFF and fuel applied to the carb, you sould be able to close the float with your finger and see fuel flow stop. (Do this in a safe area, with a fire extinguisher nearby) 2) One frequently overlooked area is the float itself. Either the float pontoons catch the side of the float bowl, or the hinge pin backs out or binds. Check both carefully.
  12. Captainkirk
    Oooooh...you guys are MEAN! At least this hasn't been a total loss, thanks to those of you who have purchased some of the parts. VR Forum rocks!
  13. Captainkirk
    Just curious......how much cash will you be saving? Airbox/filter flow is a science.....and Yamaha has it down to an art. It affects mileage as well as noise (dB) ratings. Know how deep the water is before you jump off the bridge......
  14. Captainkirk
    I have seen gaskets "seat" themselves and the resulting leakage from the torque lessening....but NOT from the get-go. If your gasket is leaking now, I would do a re-torque on the bolts. If it doesn't subside IMMEDIATELY, a new gasket is in order.
  15. Captainkirk
    Hey guys, guess who called the other day? Requesting work, no less!!! (I think I'm all booked for the summer.........)
  16. Captainkirk
    I have one from an '84 VR. Not sure if it's the same P/N? PM me if interested
  17. Captainkirk
    Here are a few photos you might enjoy; I had them saved to my hard drive. The Casino I bough brand new in '74 as a sophomore in high school...still in great shape and the pickups sound so much better with age! Hardly a scratch on it, either! The '65 Strat I bought in pieces and rebuilt it, puting in all new wiring, a DiMarzio Fat Strat in the lead position, new pots, Schaller tuners and dressed it up with the chrome pickguard and Tele knobs. It was quite the look in the seventies. I s'pose now you could call it retro? It's been rode hard and put away wet, like an old cavalry horse. Rory Gallagher would be proud...... The Mexican Strat is in perfect condition with the exception on the fretboard, which has quite a few areas of finish worn off. I get my money's worth. I compared it to an American Standard, but honestly couldn't hear or feel $500.00 worth of difference! Anyway, enjoy! CLICK ON THE THUMBNAILS FOR LARGE PIX
  18. Captainkirk
    Too cool...looks like you all had a blast! Really great pix, as well! I'm somewhat of a "strat cat" myself, owning a '65 as well as a new '05 Mexican Strat amongst my Epi Casino and 6 and 12 string acoustics, so I can really identify with this trip. Hope the memories last a lifetime!
  19. Captainkirk
    I would recommend synching multi-carb bikes AT LEAST every 6 months. Most of the owners of the bikes I work on don't listen and come back to me once a year. And the carbs almost always are out of sync. Do the math!!!! And yes, spend the darn money and time to do it yourself. You'll soon become very proficient at it and will find it's a snap. Some of the kids working at the dealerships know less than you do about your motorcycle, trust me.
  20. Captainkirk
    You are adjusting two different things. The adjustments you do with the carb sticks alters the amount of throttle butterfly valve (not the main slide opening!) opening from fully closed. This setting is altered via the throttle plate synch screws on the throttle shaft (see your Venture manual for an extremely well-detailed description). In theory, a properly synched bank of carbs will have all four butterflies open the same amount at the same time and flowing the exact amount of air through the venturis, creating (again, in theory) equal vacuum readings on your carb sticks. Naturally, these readings are affected by the "pumping ability" of each cylinder (which is why it's so frustrating to set up a motor with low compression on one or more) and the oscillation caused from the (for lack of a better description) suck-and-blow of the piston (now you know why those restrictors become so important-they dampen out the dancing mercury (or other media) columns so you can actually read them!) The idle mixture screws, on the other hand, affect fuel/air mixture settings through the pilot jet (or "slow jet") a.k.a. your idle circuit. This is what we adjust using the ColorTune. Typically, initial settings are made around 1-1/2 to 2 turns out from closed, and each screw adjusted for highest RPM (lean peak) setting at the optimum vacuum reading. This "tuning by ear" process is vague and difficult for the inexperienced tuner. The ColorTune gives a visual cue that is easy to follow. If you have ever viewed a gas dryer or furnace burner, properly adjusted, you know a properly adjust burner flame is a nice cobalt blue, with lean going from light blue down to orange in extreme-lean cases. So, in essence, the procedure is to synch the carbs and stabilize idle speed at the correct vacuum range, then fine tune the pilot circuit via the pilot screws. Did any of this make sense?
  21. Captainkirk
    I was gonna mention Code's books down the line here, but they're a little advanced, plus more tailored towards track riding than street riding. Still, enquiring minds want to know. And there's plenty to learn in both of them! Another good read; Total Control; Lee Parks ;Motorbooks Some of the photos are sorta goofy, but the guy knows his stuff.
  22. Captainkirk
    Apparently Kitesquid is correct! I bought my carb sticks a few years ago, but have seen them on the M/P website recently. They have been replaced by the next generation "mercury-free" carb sticks... http://www.motionpro.com/motorcycle/tools/syncpro%3Csup%3Eandtrade;%3C-sup%3E/ Looks like the EPA got'em after all! Any way you look at it, that's not a lot of money spent for a tool you should use every 90 days.......very few things are as important to a multi-carb bike as well-synched carbs.
  23. Captainkirk
    I purchased a set of Motion Pro Professional series Carb Sticks (mercury manometer) and have excellent luck with them. The down-side is, of course, the mercury; EPA hates it and is trying to ban it. Fortunately it is still available. Another device you might try in conjunction with the carb sticks is the Gunson Colortune, which is essentially a replacement spark plug with a clear glass window that actually allows you to view the color of the flame burning within the combustion chamber as you adjust the needle. It works, too! One ColorTune plug will do all four cylinders (one at a time, naturally) and is fairly reasonably priced.
  24. Captainkirk
    I'd like to recommend a couple of books; they are- 1) Proficient Motorcycling, David Hough- Bowtie Press An excellent read for both beginner as well as experienced riders, never a dull moment with this book. I could not put it down! Lots of photos and diagrams, very well laid out with thorough explanations. Very highly recommended! Four stars. 2) More Proficient Motorcycling, David Hough- Bowtie Press Not as good as the first, nevertheless a good read, although without reading the first one a lot is lost. Still all-in-all a very good read. Highly recommended. Three and a half stars. For those of us still held captive in winter's clutches, :bighug:a great way to kill a few evenings.
  25. Captainkirk
    1984, brown metallic
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