My 83 Venture restoration saga.

[Silverado6x6]

Hello everyone on this forum, I'm new, first post, did a search your forum came up, you seem an intelligent group so here is my saga.

 

Bought myself an 83 Venture last night, its been in storage since 96 after it was in a house fire up here in Alaska, I have pics but they are over at the Classic Goldwing forums where I have another thread about "My free 81 Goldwing".

 

Well I own three Hondas, A Kawi and a newer Star cruiser but nothing like this Venture.

http://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/download/file.php?id=6381&t=1

 

http://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/download/file.php?id=6388&t=1

And the first pic is the actual Craigslist ad of the fire damaged right side, second one is the relatively undamaged left side as its still in my trailer when I picked it up in Anchorage, paid the man $350 for the bike.

Now I restore japanese bikes but the Venture seems to be a different breed, so far I am still evaluating all the damage, other than melted right side front fairing, windshield, and luggage and rear lights the engine is pristine, only 18k miles I believe, drained oil and no water, no fuel at all in tank, bone dry.

Gone power up, all the dash internals seem to work though it won't start, needless to say I suspect an interlock somewhere, I will find it eventually, but not until I fog the cylinders and install new oil, the engine will turn over in top gear so its not locked up.

 

I could use any suggestions, like any particular bugs about this beast, I am very surprised to see most plastic available on Ebay, and even the luggage. I especially need to figure out the brakes, seems to have something on the forks each side connected to the brakes, an anti dive dampener?

 

Anyhow if you all are interested I start its saga of restoration here, its got some kind of a pull on me this bike.

[Silverado6x6]

When I get back to my shop I will send some pics about what I am finding so far, I drive a concrete mixer during the day but I often arrive at work at 0 dark thirty and spend a few hours working on my barn finds, like the 1990 Kawasaki KZ1000 Police bike I traded a gold detector for saturday, or the gal who gave me an 81 Goldwing the week before.

[johnnycruiser]

man I wish I was a bike magnet like you are! I'm almost at the end of my '83 restoration. my bike sat for about 6 years. Bleeding the brakes was one of the hardest jobs because behind the forks is a high spot where the front n rear brake lines meet and u have to start bleeding there basically. Which requires removing the right side fairing but you'll have to do that anyway because of the fire. Just don't put any new fairing on until you do the brakes. I have original Yamaha blue fairing if interested private message me. Snaggeltooth helped me out an awful lot and i'm sure he'll chime in with some helpful advice. Everyone on this site is great and very helpful. There's threads on here for about anything u need to do to the bike. I had frozen brake caliper pistons and there's a thread that tells how to blow one piston out at a time. Another thread tells how to make ur own tools that u will need if u have to do fork seals. You might want to look at putting in progressive springs because the original springs just don't do it. At least mine weren't enough and my front end was real mushy. Anyway, good luck with all your projects and welcome to the site:bluesbrother:

[Silverado6x6]

http://www.classicgoldwings.com/forum/download/file.php?id=6361&t=1M first two bikes, started in 2009, on the left an 83 honda cx650 custom and to its right an 80 cx500 deluxe with a vetter i had just painted and clearcoated.

[johnnycruiser]

Your pics aren't coming through for some reason

[KIC]

I don't think he can post pictures as a trial member. Needs to join for that.

[Silverado6x6]

its trying too but its over sized, I am deleting it, will get a fresh one in the mornig straight from the tablet camera, these are pics that I posted at Classic Goldwings about my other project.

[Silverado6x6]

Just a small update, after 17 years of being stored, never ran or moved I was able to get it running, there was absolutely no gas in tank, no gas smell whatsoever. Changed oil and filter, cleaned a corroded kill switch, after a few tries I got her running, put a good dose of Marvel Mystery oil in fuel to help unstick any rings should they be not sealing.

It runs, not perfect but it runs and thats important as its now a green light, the rear brakes are dam near history, the actuator is frozen solid with a waxy sludge, all brake fluid has crystallized over the years, I have tried cleaning the rear brake master actuator for lack of a better description in my ultrasonic cleaner with various chemicals, may have to just find a new one.

Anything that moves is either corroded or stuck from the push pull cables to the pivot pin of the rear foot brake they were seized up, little by little with PB blaster some love taps and then lubrication I am getting things to work. Most rubber has cracked from the relay holders up front that have all broken to the top end gaskets the rubber is shot, gaskets on order and the holders are being fixed with a special splicing rubber tape I have.

 

Clutch master cyl cap screw positively will not come out, will dremel the head off, hopefully the slave cyl is good, again all fluids have disappeared.

 

Sorry if I don't post pics but when there was so little interest in my thread I just went back to my CX and Goldwing forums and have been running my updates there.

 

But I have been lurking here all the time gathering info from everything from the battery sensor mod to frame cracks, fortunately this poor bike was severely misjudged, sure it was in a house fire but the bike was never on fire, just melted the right side plastics and even that was minimal, worst damage is being considered an insurance totaled and then stuck in a warehouse for 17 years slowly desiccating itself. I have a guy in Anchorage that has an 89 Royale who may do a trade with me for some firearms, has some engine issues he says, and clutch is inoperative. I may be converting to a Venture person than a Goldwing owner. So I might be posting more often.

[reddevilmedic]

mine sat in a barn in Iowa for nine years before I got it. was running on 3 cylinders. the electrical gremins are a harrowing experience. def. do a fuse block upgrade asap, agm batt, clean carbs and inspect diaphrams for damage from heat. the cmu, in the dash, is also super sensitive. check for breaks in solder joints. pm me if you need anything. is it a "blonde"?

[Silverado6x6]

Blonde? Well its a standard I just found out, the warning module shows it checklist countdown correctly.

May have a weak coil, the rh front cylinder has a wet plug but at this stage it may just be the super dose of marvel oil I put in fuel to lubricate the pistons, end cap is clean, checked that, had a massive rats nest under cowl, still checking for gremlims.

[dacheedah]

A heavy dose of seafoam or techtron soaking in the float bowls of the carbs may help you

[Silverado6x6]

May be adding another Venture to the stable monday, an 89 Royale.

[KIC]

I have an 89 Royale. Love the bike. You have had over 269 views on your thread. You are in the 1st Gen forum so there is less "views" than if it was posted in the main forum. Your choice on the other forums, but nobody will give you the support and information that you will get here. Give it time and post some pictures of your rides.

 

We are a visual group. And we like ice cream

 

[charlie h.]

I have a couple 83's also, mine is a champagne gold and beige... (blonde) I have worked on this one a few months, it started as a black one but I have stripped several 'blonde' ones, and was able to put together a whole bodywork.

Your clutch Master cyl screws should be replaced with the same type, but with 2.5mm allen heads. they are available at Fastenall, I had to buy a whole box, but hey... saved alot of hassles instead of philips heads, and I have alot of Yamaha's and they ALL use the same ones. Your clutch slave cyl. will most likely have to be rebuilt, new seals and a proper honing or sanding with 600 grit wet/dry, followed by a polish of neversieze inside on the walls, helps the new seals from wearing, and they seal well. Not a big job, but there is only one way for it to drop out, and you will have to find it. Sounds like your venture's should give you many years of riding, I just sold an 89, two tone blue one, to a very good friend of mine, and he loves it. They are superior to a Gold Wing in almost every way, and I hope to have many miles more, God willing, on mine! Welcome to the Forum!

 

P.S. - I also have a sidecar for one hehe, painted to match the 'blonde'. it's a California Friendship with smoked windshield and brown tonneau cover!

[bongobobny]

Hello, you seem an intelligent group...

 

Boy, does he have a lot to learn!!!

 

Seriously, welcome to the family!!!

[Silverado6x6]

Was able to resurrect the rear master cylinder reservoir, full of crystallized brake fluid, no liquid at all, fill bolt was in the past a problem and Po torqued it so hard the whole section had broken off, after a thorough cleaning and a test of the float sensor which turned out OK and the scarce Ebay replacements I decided to JB Steel weld the fill section to the main part, successful. Same with freeing the rear actuator and proportioning valve, everything cleaned out so well I may not even need to get a seal kit. Painted actuator after taping off ports with VHT epoxy black paint, polished the proportioning valve so it was shiny and clear coated it for contrast. Will be using a clear hose from reservoir to actuator, its fuel proof. Will be using silicone brake fluid as sytem front and rear will be completely flushed of any remaining old brake fluids.

Removed rear caliper, it actually has the very remnants of fluid in it, pistons moved, flushed it out very well, wire brushed it and even the corners nooks and crannies with a Dremel rotary wire brush, taped off Yamaha logo and ports and also spray painted with VHT epoxy black, when cured I will take my rotary air tool with a fine scotch pad on it and take off the black of the raised fins, when they are smooth and shiny clear coat on them.

 

Bought a factory service manual on Ebay just a little while ago, a reprint in a binder, so many things I am unfamiliar with, like the integrated braking, a small flat rectangular box with a slide switch on it in the RH fairing box, no clue what it is. Rear pads look good, will be looking into any benefits of using a set of carbon fiber/kevlar pads I have seen.

[Trader]

a small flat rectangular box with a slide switch on it in the RH fairing box, no clue what it is.

 

 

That sounds like the switch for the 4 way flashers

I'd love to see pictures of the painted and clear coated masters etc

[pmelah]

i would like to see pics too welcome to the family its the best 12 bucks i ever spent and its saved me thousands of dollars

[Silverado6x6]

Should I start this in another forum?

Someone said it not in the right one.

[Freebird]

Maybe it was in the wrong forum and one of the moderators moved it, I'm not sure. But it is indeed in the right place.

[bongobobny]

You're not the first one to do that to the rear resovior!! There are several, fixed that way.

 

There is a 1st gen service manual etc here on the site for downloading...

[Silverado6x6]

I am debating the use of synthetic dot 3, dot 5.1 or silicone dot 5.

I used 5.1 in my other bikes and feels slightly spongy which isn't such a bad thing as it could prevent panic stop lockups, but the advantage of silicone interests me as it will not absorb water and will not hurt the paint.

The rear at this stage is bone dry and clean, so its ready for either as will be the front soon.

[Huggy]

I am debating the use of synthetic dot 3, dot 5.1 or silicone dot 5.

I used 5.1 in my other bikes and feels slightly spongy which isn't such a bad thing as it could prevent panic stop lockups, but the advantage of silicone interests me as it will not absorb water and will not hurt the paint.

The rear at this stage is bone dry and clean, so its ready for either as will be the front soon.

 

Just make sure the is no old brake fluid in as the two types are NOT compatible!!

 

[Flyinfool]

Are all of the rubber parts compatible with either 5.0 or 5.1?

[motorcycle.jockey]

I am debating the use of synthetic dot 3, dot 5.1 or silicone dot 5.

I used 5.1 in my other bikes and feels slightly spongy which isn't such a bad thing as it could prevent panic stop lockups, but the advantage of silicone interests me as it will not absorb water and will not hurt the paint.

The rear at this stage is bone dry and clean, so its ready for either as will be the front soon.

 

The drawaback of DOT 5 is since it does not absorb water any moisture that gets into the system will settle in the lowest point (usually the capliper) and start rusting.

 

If you change dot 3, 4 or 5.1 every year or 2 any moisture that it absorbs will not be an issue.