New oil leak and other progress on my '83

[jeffg]

I've found this forum to be extremely helpful...payment was made last weekend and I'm now a supporting member.

 

Slowly but surely, I'm knocking out the to do list on the 83 Venture. Unfortunately, new things are getting added to the list too. It's also a little inconvenient for me to work on the bike during the week. My garage is chock full, so the bike is at a friend's house. All the pictures here have been resized small for quick loading even on dial up or smartphone users. As of now, including purchase price, I've got about $450.00 invested in the bike.

 

The newest thing that got added to the list is another oil leak. grrrr. Attached is a pic of where it's coming from. It's leaking at the plug just behind the sight glass for the oil level. I've snugged it up a little and the leak has slowed down. According to the microfiche, it's part # 4H7-15189-00-00 (15 on the diagram). What the diagram doesn't show is if there is anything under the plug. If I pull this plug to replace the o-ring, am I going to have parts come flying out at me or am I going to have to re-align something, or am I simply over thinking the issue.

http://www.3cyl.com/jeff/venture/oil%20leak3.jpg

 

Next on the original list was electrical. The fuse box was shot, so I replaced it. I just need to get a buss bar for the accessory circuit. Currently I just jumpered the only wire attached to the buss to the accessory fuse (green wire on new fuse box) I need to cut a piece of aluminum to the size of the original fuse box, drill it for the hold down screw and then attach the new fuse box and buss bar to it in order to securely mount it in the stock location.

 

http://www.3cyl.com/jeff/venture/fuse%20before2.jpg

 

http://www.3cyl.com/jeff/venture/fuse%20after2.jpg

 

On the original list was brakes. They were shot and the rear master cylinder was frozen. Got the rear master cylinder cleaned out and working, fortunately without the $70.00 rebuild kit, and now I just need to get the system filled and bled...ran out of brake fluid last Sunday when I was working on the bike and the auto parts store was closed by the time I found out that I needed more brake fluid.

 

Also on the original list, but something that I didn't think was overly important is the computerized monitor. I know that it's somewhat important because of the oil pressure and other indicators, but since everything appeared to be functional, I didn't have it high on the priority list...until I noticed that the headlight wasn't working all the time. I thought it was a dirty dimmer switch or a loose connection. Reading on here that the headlight runs through this monitor, this has moved up on the priority list. I'll pull it apart and resolder everything. Hopefully that will get it working correctly. If not, the bike is getting a mechanical oil pressure gauge and the headlight will be straight wired through a relay. I know the idle speed is low. The bike has developed a miss in the front left cylinder at idle, but it clears up once the RPMs hit about 1500. I have new spark plugs and wires for it now...just have to put them in.

 

http://www.3cyl.com/jeff/venture/dash%20error2.jpg

 

My friend George, whose garage the bike is in, will be doing the bodywork soon and I'll do the painting. I just have to decide on the color. It's currently Harley Davidson Orange. I hate orange. I'm leaning towards a medium/light blue or grey.

 

 

http://www.3cyl.com/jeff/venture/body%20parts2.jpg

 

It looks pretty rough without it's clothes on

 

http://www.3cyl.com/jeff/venture/naked%20venture2.jpg

 

I want to get this bike done and rideable by the end of March. I have 2 other projects that I want to get done before summer...

 

My 73 Suzuki GT550 needs a top end and a repaint....

http://www.3cyl.com/jeff/venture/gt5502.jpg

 

And George's son has a 72 Kawasaki S2 that I need to go through and get running...

 

http://www.3cyl.com/jeff/venture/s22.jpg

[GaryZ]

I added a pair of temporary front turn signals and rode my '85 for almost 2 months without plastic. I wanted to give it a good 'shake down' before re-assembly. We got a lot of looks and the bike seemed more agile. The dash panel provided as much wind protection as the windshield on my sport bike!

[dingy]

 

The newest thing that got added to the list is another oil leak. grrrr. Attached is a pic of where it's coming from. It's leaking at the plug just behind the sight glass for the oil level. I've snugged it up a little and the leak has slowed down. According to the microfiche, it's part # 4H7-15189-00-00 (15 on the diagram). What the diagram doesn't show is if there is anything under the plug. If I pull this plug to replace the o-ring, am I going to have parts come flying out at me or am I going to have to re-align something, or am I simply over thinking the issue.

 

 

There is nothing behind this plug. It goes into the oil galley.

 

It can be removed with nothing flying out.

 

Gary

[jeffg]

There is nothing behind this plug. It goes into the oil galley.

 

It can be removed with nothing flying out.

 

Gary

 

Thanks Gary.

 

I remember when I pulled the "drain" plug on my first bike. I got lucky and was able to find, in the gravel parking lot, the little steel ball that was the neutral detent. I didn't want to take a chance on that happening to me again.

[Venturous Randy]

Putting an oil pressure gauge on your bike would probably worry you more than make you feel good, especially at idle. The icon you see referring to oil is an oil level indicator, not an oil pressure indicator. These bikes usually don't use much oil and as you know already, you look at the glass. The best range is at the mid point down to the lower mark. If you fill to the upper level, you get oil being blown into your air box. Also, when you check the oil level, make sure the bike is setting level, as sitting on the center stand.

It looks like you have your hands full, but when you get it done, you will have a great bike.

RandyA

[jeffg]

Putting an oil pressure gauge on your bike would probably worry you more than make you feel good, especially at idle. The icon you see referring to oil is an oil level indicator, not an oil pressure indicator. These bikes usually don't use much oil and as you know already, you look at the glass. The best range is at the mid point down to the lower mark. If you fill to the upper level, you get oil being blown into your air box. Also, when you check the oil level, make sure the bike is setting level, as sitting on the center stand.

It looks like you have your hands full, but when you get it done, you will have a great bike.

RandyA

 

Thanks Randy, that makes me feel better that there isn't an oil pressure indicator on the computer. I don't think that the bike is using any oil other than what is dripping out as the only visible thing coming out of the exhaust so far has been a bunch of acorn shells Plus the motor isn't making any noises, and I have run it for well over an hour so far, so I am comfortable assuming that it has sufficient oil pressure. I remember reading, in several places here, about not overfilling the oil.

 

There really isn't a lot of difficult stuff to do on the bike other than the bodywork, which is why George is going to do the prep work. I really suck at body repairs, though I am pretty good with a paint gun. Other than the TCI, everything so far has been a bunch of little stuff, but nothing that I can't do fairly easily once I have the info on what's wrong and what attaches to what. Between the Forum and resources here and the parts fiches I downloaded, I have been able to get most of the things figured out. The questions that I've asked are what I haven't been able to easily find answers for. I think that the bike's biggest issues are that the previous owner didn't take care of it, neglected maintenance, and that it's got 30 years worth of corroded electrical connections. I do know that the original owner took care of it, but didn't ride it much. The mileage showing on the odometer is the actual mileage.

 

This Venture has a LOT more stuff on it and a lot less space to work in than the old 2 strokes that I'm used to working on. Tracing lines, hoses, and wires is taking me a lot longer than I'm used to on a bike. I can rebuild the whole top end of the Suzuki with the motor in the frame in just a few hours, and the main wiring harness of my '72 Kawasaki has a grand total of maybe a dozen wires in it. The Venture is more like working on a car than a bike, at least to me...and it doesn't have all the bells and whistles like CLASS and the audio system.

Edited February 12, 2012 by jeffg
spelling

[KIC]

Regarding the headlight not coming on all the time. Make sure your starter switch is not sticking, even just a little. If it has a little grime in it, it will not fully return and the head light will not come on.

 

Happened on my 89'

[dingy]

Attached are links to the wiring diagrams for the 1st gens.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42384

 

Also in this Tech forum are some other articles to help with electrical gremlins.

 

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=68

 

Gary

[jeffg]

Regarding the headlight not coming on all the time. Make sure your starter switch is not sticking, even just a little. If it has a little grime in it, it will not fully return and the head light will not come on.

 

Happened on my 89'

 

I'll check that. Thanks