Venture Warranty & not so good results

[CMIKE]

As some of you my remember I had a rear shaft seal go out on my 2007 Midnight Venture and lost a lot of final drive grease before I noticed it. When I went in to investigate I found what looked like the upper pinion bearing gone.

I was gonna change it myself but there were several special tools needed to get to that bearing. Plus the Warranty is still good till 2013.

I called the dealer and tried to get them to let me bring the final drive but no...no they had the have the entire bike, so I put it back together and borrowed a trailer, then hauled it to the closest dealer.

When I dropped it off they told me it would be about a month to fix it. I was sad but left it any way.

The next couple of weeks they called and said I had an engine oil leak on the #! cylinder that they were gonna pull the engine to fix it. They said the base gasket was leading? They were gonna replace the drive seal coming out of the engine also. Warranty would cover everything. Ok that sounds good to me.

Next week they call and say they waiting on the lower rear pinion bearings cause it came apartt when they removed the pinion to change the front pinion bearing.

4/20 I picked it up after almost 5 weeks at the dealership. Yah:big-grin-emoticon:

I hauled it in a short enclosed trailer so I took my windshield off so it would go in it. I also left the rear bags off and after market exhaust (put the stock back on) to keep this stuff from rolloing around in the floor of the repair shop.

I carried all the parts, since I was gonna ride it back home. I was putting my windshield back on when I started noticing stuff. Bad stuff..

I inspected the bike...

1. It had a fine coat of oil all over the engine and most of the rest of the bike.

2. The left lower wind vent was cracked.

 

We had some words and they claim that did not happen while it was at the dealership cause they did not work on the brakes. (they pulled the engine and had to disconnect the clutch)

I left after they had took some pictures of the "alleged" damage. I had to get out of there as I was heavly armed with lots of ammo and afraid there was gonna be a mass killing if I stayed there much longer.

On the way home the bike did not have much power at all (seemed like it had a potato in the exhaust)...the the left floor board seemed to be titled to the left????? The rear end or something is howling..sounds like a 5 ton truck again. Lots of engine noise...maybe valve clicking under hard acceleration.

After I got home after 95 miles of hard hard running.

I am sick... I cannot not believe this is happening to me. I smell some oil burning some so I immediately get a infrared thermometer to read the temp of the rear end. I read 145 to 165 'F. The exhaust in that area is no more than 120. Oil smell I later learn is coming from the valve covers blowing oil on to the exhaust.

I crank up to carry it to a local body shop to see what it is gonna take to get the paint fixed and when I put it into first gear, I notice the entire left floor board moves. I get off and see the bolts about the fall out. That is it...I am scared to ride it now.

I inspected the bike again...

4. The left floor board bolts about the fall out.

5. Two bolts missing from the exhaust.

6. Valve cover gaskets leaking at all corners...on even spraying oil on exhaust and left battery cover.

7. Left battery cover got a to the metal scratch about 1 inch long.

8. Clutch seems to be grabbing. Maybe needs bleeding.

9. Chrome clutch over on the right side has a scratch in it like they drug the engine across concrete. .

I was scared to ride it now due to all the loose bolts and no telling what else is loose.

Pull it in to the shop and start tearing it down. Mainly to get these valve covers to stop leaking and look the timing.

10. The right air filter mounting bolts were finger tight and backed out.

11. Rubber clamp on the air flter housing was loose and spinning, along with the rubber hose that connects it to the intake...these were spinning also.

12. LEft air filter mounting screw was finger tight.

13. clamp on the left front carb missed the carb mount completely and there was a gap you could put your little finger in on the inside of the cab.

14. vaccum line ran through the radiator fan...

15. Found the timing on the rear cylinder off by one tooth front was perfect.

I set the float levels in the carbs while I was in there also.

I think they might have mixed up the valve shims causing the valve noise, so that is still going on. I did not think to check the valve clearance (since i did not have shims to fix it. and I thinking the timing off was causing the noise...but the valve noise it still there after the timing was corrected. Bike runs a lot better with power now, but still noisy as hell.

I tore down the rear end last night and pulled all the exhaust off looking for exhaust leaks. I did the usually grease job on the rear end hoping to quiet it down some. Rear end feels fine and most of the bolts were tight on it... surprise...surprise...it had gear oil in it.

Hope to get it back together today to see what the outcome of that is.

 

The dealer wanted me to bring it back to them so they could fix it... and break some more stuff. I think the bike fell off the work stand to the left...left mirror was bad out of adjustment but not damaged. This would explain the broken wind vent and scratches on the edge of the front fairing along with the brake fluid damage. I do not like other folks working on my stuff anyway and I was debating to just swap out the rear end from a VMAX rear end when this happed any way. I may still have to do this to quiet it down anyway.

The dealer has agreed to replace the bolts missing as well as the broken lower faring vents but I have not got them yet. What surprised me about all of this...all the mechanics in this shop have gray hair...no kids working back there.

I am not sure I can trust this bike any more. I had a trip planned for Colorado but not so sure I can honestly feel secure with it on the road for a week. I believe I will worry about it the entire trip. I am just sick about the bike. So sick I might just sell it to get it out of my shop. I cannot stand to look at it.

As you can see in my signature...heavily sedated for your protection, and a certain Yamaha dealer...

Edited August 15, 2011 by CMIKE

[Squidley]

Seems bad dealers outweight good ones too often. Zipcode just got his RSTD back and had issues with how they put it together and called me for some help. Loose battery connections, missing fuses, shotty workmanship. I hope you can get some resolve and get the confidence back in the bike....

[SilvrT]

Dang!!! that really SUX big time Mike. I'm a pretty "laid back" kinda guy but something like that woulda put me over the top for sure. Hope ya get her all fixed up and you can feel good about riding her again.

 

Question for you.... you mentioned timing being out by one tooth. I've always wondered about timing on these bikes and this is the first I've heard of someone adjusting it so, where exactly do you adjust the timing "by one tooth"???

[BuddyRich]

Lawyers guns and money. Well, Start talking to the lawyers to have it fixed properly somewhere else before pulling out the guns cause its gonna take a lot of money to get you out..

[wes0778]

Lawyers guns and money. Well, Start talking to the lawyers to have it fixed properly somewhere else before pulling out the guns cause its gonna take a lot of money to get you out..

 

 

Also 1-800-"Yamaha"

[RedRider]

Dang!!! that really SUX big time Mike. I'm a pretty "laid back" kinda guy but something like that woulda put me over the top for sure. Hope ya get her all fixed up and you can feel good about riding her again.

 

Question for you.... you mentioned timing being out by one tooth. I've always wondered about timing on these bikes and this is the first I've heard of someone adjusting it so, where exactly do you adjust the timing "by one tooth"???

 

Yeah, that caught my attention also. Please expand on this. Are you talking about the timing chain/sprocket setup?

 

If so, you really got deeply into this engine to fix the BS the dealer left you.

 

BTW, I had the pinion nose bearing go out on my pumpkin last year (at 80k-ish miles). Bought another pumpkin from someone on here that triked their bike. Sounds and works great now. I would expect the noise is from them not properly setting the lash between the pinion and ring gear. Does it 'thump' when you let off the throttle?

 

RR

[Reddog170]

Man that just sucks!! If it had been me I may not have held my temper as well as you did. I found a shop in Iowa City that seems pretty good and another one that wont even order parts for my Venture saying it is to old to be on the road. So before you give up talk to another shop. Shaun

[ediddy]

You need to call Yamaha. If you will pm me I will get you the contact info for a district service manager. I can't believe yamaha wouldn't get a factory rep to look into this.

[Eck]

Word of advice,

Take a camera with you (like your cell phone) when taking your bike to the dealer for service or repairs.

 

Take photos before you hand them the keys...this sends them a sound mesage

 

When they say they are done do not accept your keys back until you go out and inspect your bike with someone from that establishment..if you see damage, take more photos..

 

no need to worry now....if there is damage in an area where there wasnt prior to you handing them the keys, they dont have a leg to stand on...

 

 

Same as a Valet parking lot...always walk around your car with the Valet driver and take a few photos with your cell phone camera...this sends a message to the driver you mean buisness and that he better be darn careful with our car..If you pick up your car and drive off the Valet lot, they are not responsible for any repairs..

[BigBoyinMS]

Man, I feel for you, Mike!

Last year I was tempted to take my RSV in to the dealer (same dealer I'm thinking) to let them warranty the rear shock for me because of it groaning. (No fat guy jokes! ) Although I was still considering it, this was enough to make me decide to run it till it takes a dump and pay the money for a new one. If I can't just give them a shock and get a new one back in a box then it just isn't worth it to me.

[midnightventure]

I am a big pro gun person but if you seriously thought about shooting someone over this you need to quit carrying.

[TearlessTom]

And I thought I was having problems with my dealer not getting the job done correctly...I feel much better now but my bike is still in the shop.

[CMIKE]

I am a big pro gun person but if you seriously thought about shooting someone over this you need to quit carrying.

 

You misunderstood. As you probably know we have to hold ourselves to a higher standard when we carry... We have to be in control of our emotions at all times. We cannot show any aggression toward other folks while armed. If I got into a shouting match with the owner and managers after they told me "they did not work on the brakes so how could they get brake fluid on the fairing" (they removed the engine and the clutch takes brake fluid also)..."That must have been done before it was delivered to them"..."and they did not break the lower wind vent...I must have done it unloading it from the trailer"...and they called the law...I would be big in trouble.

So I knew I had to get out of there before I started SCREAMING AT THEM IDIOTS THAT SCREWED UP MY BIKE and I lost control of my emotions.

Nobody thought about shooting anybody yet. You just cannot act like a heathen while armed, you must set an example for all. An armed society is a polite society.

[marinakorp]

Small world.

 

I am in the philly area (king of Prussia) and am a supporter of our 2nd ammendment rights.

 

I would like to know which area this Yammie dealer is located.

 

There are some good ones outside the city. (montgomeryville cycle and cycle max)

 

There are also some decent independants out there.

[TearlessTom]

Small world.

 

I am in the philly area (king of Prussia) and am a supporter of our 2nd ammendment rights.

 

I would like to know which area this Yammie dealer is located.

:confused24:

There are some good ones outside the city. (montgomeryville cycle and cycle max)

 

There are also some decent independants out there.

 

I think he is in Philadelphia Mississippi, not Philadelphia PA

 

Thats just a bit south of the Sweet Tea Line

 

Oh and by the way, I am from L.A. (Lower Alabama)

Edited May 8, 2011 by TearlessTom

[DavidD]

I hate dealerships. All of them

[CrazyHorse]

So much for the Five Year Warranty