What is the threaded hole behind the fake fin covers on the left front cylinder

[cableguy]

What is the the threaded hole behind the front left fin cyclinder cover. I noticed a little bit of antifreeze pooling around that area and i just wanted to know what is was. I may have just dropped a little splash of it. But would still like to know what that is there. The back side of the fake find has a solid little circle piece that goes over it.

[CMIKE]

What kind of bike? 2nd Gen? Vstar?

[cableguy]

Sorry it's a 96 ROYAL STAR

[tazmocycle]

there are rubber plugs that has antifreeze behind it. if it's weeping antifreeze you can tape or silicone a dime on the faux fin and it will push the plug in enough to seal it off. i think the screw thread is ti remove it from the block. you can get new plugs if you can find them, but you will need to drain the antifreeze and refill.

[cableguy]

SO are they like freeze plugs

[99silver]

Yup, a soft freeze plug. Screw the top threaded end of a spark plug into the plug and give a pull it will come right out.

[cableguy]

Do i need to replace it or should i just let it ride. If so how hard and basic procedure

[gunboat]

its easy i just screwed a spark pulg with the top tip removed into the threaded part of the rubber freeze pulg. pulled the rubber plug out. cleaned it up and pushed it back in.

i belive steve w. glued a dime to back side of the cylinder fin where the circule is. this puts a little more pressure to keep the plug seated.

don c.

[abdiver]

JUDT REPLACE (2) OF MINE ON LEFT SIDE - GOT NEW PLUGS FROM DEALER, APPLIED TEPHLON SEALANT TO NEW PLUGS, REMOVED OLD PLUGS QUICKLY, PLUG HOLE WITH FINGER & INSTALL NEW PLUGS, STUCK A PENNY ON BACK SIDE OF NEW PLUG, REINSTALLED THE COVERS, TOPPED OFF COOLANT, ONLY LOST APPROX 1/8 OF A CUP OF COOLANT. RUN TESTED & RECHECK, ALL GOOD NO LEAKS.

[Mike6541]

Sorry all,

newbie here to fixing up the RSV ('07)- been dealing with the antifreeze I'm finding as of late with removing the radiator to pressure test for leaks... only there is no leak in the radiator. Someone suggested the plugs behind the fake cooling fins, and well, I'm not sure what they are... So if someone would be so kind as to post a photo of each, I'd be indebted. Second year of owning this RSV and new to its maintenance other than checking fluids, changing the oil, and basic tightening of the bolts when loosened.

Thanks for your time!

[dingy]

Sorry all,

newbie here to fixing up the RSV ('07)- been dealing with the antifreeze I'm finding as of late with removing the radiator to pressure test for leaks... only there is no leak in the radiator. Someone suggested the plugs behind the fake cooling fins, and well, I'm not sure what they are... So if someone would be so kind as to post a photo of each, I'd be indebted. Second year of owning this RSV and new to its maintenance other than checking fluids, changing the oil, and basic tightening of the bolts when loosened.

Thanks for your time!

 

Picture is sort of what is going to look like when you remove cooling fin cover.

 

This is a 1st gen block, so it is somewhat different. There are 2 rectangular, unpainted areas directly below the heads on each cylinder. The lower outboard hole is where the plug would go. It will be a round rubber object, with a small threaded hole in it. The tip of a spark plug will screw into hole and it can be pulled out. Coolant will run out of hole, you can collect it with a plastic pop bottle. Many have put a dime size shim over plug, taped it I guess, and replaced fins. Plugs cost about $5 each.

 

For the record, these are not freeze plugs. They are Yamaha's way of draining the cylinder coolant jacket.

 

Gary

[Monty]

http://www.venturerider.org/classifieds/showproduct.php?product=4299&title=diamond-cut-cylinder-heads-and-motor-mounts&cat=7

[rougeray]

Sorry all,

newbie here to fixing up the RSV ('07)- been dealing with the antifreeze I'm finding as of late with removing the radiator to pressure test for leaks... only there is no leak in the radiator. Someone suggested the plugs behind the fake cooling fins, and well, I'm not sure what they are... So if someone would be so kind as to post a photo of each, I'd be indebted. Second year of owning this RSV and new to its maintenance other than checking fluids, changing the oil, and basic tightening of the bolts when loosened.

Thanks for your time!

 

 

Mike,

I have an 07 RSV and I have antifreeze leak also. It only happens in the winter time when the day temperature is relatively warm but cools off at night. Say 60-70's in the day and 30-50's at night. This is not an issue with the plug behind the fake fin. I do believe it is some where around the radiator filler cap or radiator connection. I have yet to take the time track it down as it only happens when the night time temps drop and it only leaks a small amount of antifreeze. I live in Baton Rouge and as the temperatures are in 70-80's with night time lows in the 60's so it is not a problem now. I bought this bike new and I notice this the first winter I had it. I also thought it was a radiator leak initially.

[aharbi]

For the record, these are not freeze plugs. They are Yamaha's way of draining the cylinder coolant jacket.

 

Gary

 

Gota give Mike credit for reading the forum posts to hunt for his answer.

 

Geez Gary, didn't have to take mine down that far to change the little rubber plugs.

[dingy]

Gota give Mike credit for reading the forum posts to hunt for his answer.

 

Geez Gary, didn't have to take mine down that far to change the little rubber plugs.

 

I like to be thorough.

 

Gary

[Mike6541]

Well, initially going through and searching out how to remove the gas tank to get to the radiator cap (these forums are pretty thorough when you search it out on 'bing' but not so when your actually in search on this site) I found photos on how to do such. With the replacement of the original radiator back onto the bike (that lower hose clamp is a pain to get back on and tightened!) and the tank removed, I found a couple of possible issues- at least they may be issues... Refilling the radiator (after taking photos of the potential issues, I found what looks like oil coming out of a plastic piece with what looks to be a foam filter of some sort sandwiched in between- only on the left side of the bike as you sit on it). I cleaned up what I could, replaced the tank, and started her up. She ran well, waited till the fan kicked on and then shut her down for a bit while I went in to change for a Little ride to see how she ran. All is well thus far with a one gallon pail under her while she cools. If there is more antifreeze, then I didn't do well enough. I did as suggested by other members and looked over the plugs under the fake cooling fins, no issues there.

So, here comes the questions regarding the following (I hope) photos... As I was removing the fuel line from the fuel cock, I couldn't get the fuel line off without a little bit of tugging, and thus doing so, I pulled out the metal brass tube inside the fuel cock... Quickly realizing this may be an issue, I took a photo for later reference and replaced it, pushing it back into place, while removing the fuel line from the lever. Second issue was as described above with the oil...

Any suggestions would be welcome. Sorry folks, tried to upload the photos and can't.

[M61A1MECH]

Mike

 

I had the same think happen to the petcock on my 98 Royal, I just tapped mine back in, I do not remember it leaking, but it would pull out when ever I needed to take the hose off, back in the day, you could buy the petcock for about $35.00 as I recall, but I see they are over $60.00 at Yamaha Sports Plaza. You could try to expand the end of it a bit with a smooth round madrel and then pesss it in maybe with some fuel resistant adhesive applied to the sides of the tube. One thing to remember when ever you are taking any rubber hose off of a fitting, twist it back and forth before tying to pull it off, that will normally break it loose so it can be removed easy.

 

Your descripton of the oil soaked foam gasket is a bit skecthy, but I think what you are describing is the foam gasket that goes on the cross over plenum on the air boxes, see item 22 in this link http://www.yamahasportsplaza.com/oemparts/a/yam/50045f8af8700209bc794e6c/intake

 

They do not show the little Mickey Mouse foam gaskets in the parts break down so they may come installed on the plenum. The left side being the low side of the bike when parked on the side stand always gets the major portion of oil that collects in the sir boxes. The emmision system sucks oil fumes from the crank case into the intake system so the fumes will be burned with the fuel air mixture in the cyclinders to reduce the emmissons from the bike, some of those fume condense back into oil before they are sucked thru the engine and then cling to the inside of the air box. If the bike has ever been operated with the crankcase overfilled, that is oil above the line on the sight glass, there will be a good bit of oil in the left air box region, both thses could be why the gasket got oil soaked.

 

I found the same condition on my 07 this past week when I had the fuel tank off to replace the fuel sensor. The foam gasket just crumbled when I touched it.

 

I am not sure this is a good idea, but it was the only one I could come up with at the time. Not having any sitable foam to cut up and make a gasket, I took some graphite plumber's rope, about 1/8" diameter and put two wraps around where the foam was and fixed the air box and plenum back in place. The grapite rope is soft and pliable enough that you can "mold" it into shape and stuff up the gap. I am just not sure how robust it is, it may not take to the heat and oil fumes, I will check it in a few weeks after I have some time to do some serious riding, then I should know if it is suitable.

 

Hope this helps

[Freebird]

Just wanted to point out that the search function here works very well if you use the right one. When you click on search, at the bottom of the popup is "google search". Use that one and select "venturerider.org" and it works better than any other way that I've tried.