Bringing an 83 back to the street (hopefully)

[Prairiehammer]

was wondering if someone had a pic of the back of their 1st gen to show how the accessory rack below is mounted to the frame etc.

 

https://fbcdn-sphotos-c-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xtp1/v/t1.0-9/11061314_867775389932591_6933971462795711323_n.jpg?oh=aa039665450658a72ad4394ef4f16002&oe=559F8483&__gda__=1437216437_53918c7c13d18dadf73eb1b2485d3525

 

the trianglular piece in the lower left corner of the pic should line up with the hole in the frame part directly under the saddle bag mount, but does it go on the outside of the frame or between the frame and the rear fender?

 

It appears, according to the original instructions, that the chrome part goes on the inside of the frame tab, between the fender and the frame.

Instructions are in the accompanying PDF.

Trim Rail, Saddlebag, VentureLine, MKI, ABA-26HCD-08-01 instructions.pdf

Edited April 8, 2015 by Prairiehammer

[mcgyverit]

Thanks to some of the suggestions on the m/c I plugged it up and started there. Was able to get pressure there. Connected the lines back on and then broke the bleeders loose and fluid with bubbles came out. Bled all 4 and went through 2 pints of fluid but still no pressure . I am going to let it sit over night and try again tomorrow.

[Flyinfool]

When you go to try again after letting it sit over night.

For the first try bleed it at the banjo bolt on the MC. Don't pump it, just squeeze the handle and crack the banjo. Letting it sit over night, all of the air in the lines will rise up to the top. By pumping it thru you can whip it up into smaller bubbles that are harder to get out.

[mcgyverit]

will do.

[Vonwolf]

I had a hard time with my front breaks too, I could not get them to stiffen up at all same as you. I was thinking I had my seals in wrong so I shot some compressed air up the bleeder and the break was solid as a rock, that gave me a strange idea. If air worked going backwards maybe I could pump the brake fluid the same way, I filled an oil can with break fluid and with the top off the revivor I hooked the oil can to the bleeder valve with a rubber vacuum hose, pulled the brake lever in and filled the line up backwards. I don't know why but it worked, I had to do my clutch the same way I haven't gotten to the back breaks yet, but I'll probably have to do them like that too.

[mcgyverit]

Normally I wouldn't ask this question on here, but I didn't find anything related in my searches. I have the whole fairing removed to run the brake lines etc as listed in earlier posts. the other day I tried starting it just to make sure it would still run and thought I would ride around the house just to check the tranny without the fairing and its components on the frame.

 

finally got it started, but it is running really bad. now I remember letting it run/idle for long periods of time while checking cooling, electrical etc. with no issues. it was able to run without the battery connected on the charging system so that told me the charging system was good. now it will only run if the battery is hooked up and now the rpm's pulse, up and down 500 or so rpms constantly, dash lights change with the pulse.

 

did I remove something that was needed in the fairing for the system to work properly?

[mcgyverit]

well I think I found the issue - maybe. after doing some reading here on stator / regulator issues, I am thinking that is my problem but I am looking for some confirmation if possible.

 

5. Test the rectifier diodes, (Unfortunately there is no easy test for the regulator)

A. Disconnect all wires from the RR.

B. Set your ohm meter to either diode test (preferred) or its scale closest to 2K ohms.

C. Connect the black meter lead to the black wire of the RR.

D. Test each of the 3 white wires with the red lead of the meter.

a. They should each show continuity (low resistance) - I get an infinity reading for both black wires

E. Connect the red meter lead to the black wire of the RR.

F. Test each of the 3 white leads with the black meter lead.

a. They should each show no connection. - I get a reading of 469,474,467 for each of the white leads

G. Connect the black meter lead to the red wire of the RR.

H. Test each of the 3 white wires with the red lead of the meter.

a. They should each show no connection - I get a reading of 470,462,466 for each of the white leads

I. Connect the red meter lead to the red wire of the RR.

J. Test each of the 3 white leads with the black meter lead.

a. They should each show continuity. - I get a reading of infinity

K. If all of the tests in C. thru J. pass go to step 6

L. If any of the test in C. thru J. fail replace RR

 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/mcgyverit/venture%203%20wire_zps5scvd9o2.jpg

 

6. Test the stator. (All stator tests are with the stator unplugged from the RR.)

A. Set ohm meter to its highest scale.

B. Check from each of the 3 stator wires to ground.

a. The reading should all be open. - I get an infinity reading for all white leads

b. If the reading is a low number then the windings are shorted to ground. Stator is bad.

C. Set ohm meter to its lowest scale.

D. Check the resistance between each pair of white wires, ie 1-2, 2-3, 3-1.

a. The readings should be 0.36 to 0.48 ohms at 68°F (20°C) - all my readings are .56, .54, .54

b. The readings should all be very close to the same.

c. Readings outside of the range indicate a bad stator.

1. This test is not always a 100% indicator of a bad stator since many less expensive meters are not sensitive enough to measure this small of a resistance accurately.

Edited May 11, 2015 by mcgyverit

[Flyinfool]

Since all of your reading appear to be reversed, are you sure the red and black wires were plugged into the correct ports on the meter?

[mcgyverit]

I could have transcribed them wrong, will go through again tonight one more time.

[mcgyverit]

double check everything and got the same numbers. here is how I had the meter hooked up:

 

http://i36.photobucket.com/albums/e48/mcgyverit/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpshfousiwd.jpg

 

black lead on the red wire of the regulator, red lead on the top spade of the white wires

[mcgyverit]

ordered a new regulator and an 86 front m/c and calipers so time to move forward with some of these set backs and make some more progress

[mcgyverit]

I got the front brakes to work finally by swapping out to an 86 master cylinder.

Edited May 23, 2015 by mcgyverit

[mcgyverit]

I also purchased a new r&r from Ricks. Any suggestions on how to mount it? Anyone have pics? Right now it is just twist connected so that I Could try starting it and I managed to flood the plugs out. So drying them out right now and hopefully later today try it again.

[Prairiehammer]

I also purchased a new r&r from Ricks. Any suggestions on how to mount it?

 

Some have mounted the larger R/R in the same general location as the stock. Others have mounted it up front on the left side below the "shin cowling" (lowers) and one guy put his in the chin cowling (1986 and up.)

[dna9656]

any hints on where to find a fuel sending unit?

 

looked at the popular online parts places with no luck, saw a used one on Ebay, but that is really about it.

 

Yep; that's about it.

[mcgyverit]

so today after work I sat down and was going to try and get this beast running with the new R&R. charged my donor battery, and got down to it. the problem seemed to be that the plugs were getting flooded for some reason. went through them and made sure I was getting fire at all 4, some seemed to have a bigger/brighter spark than others. went up and got 4 new ones just because. began cranking and it finally kicked off. YES!

 

so let it run for a long time and it took a while, but it finally smoothed out but just would not idle for some reason. it died a few times, but would start right back up. slipped the seat on, tied up the R&R, opened the driveway gate. got on it and sat there with some hope that it would go into gear and not die or leap out from under me and cause bigger issues.

 

slowly rode down the driveway and onto the street. went up and down the street in first gear and was pretty satisfied that it wasn't going to fall apart on me even though there was a lot of parts not on the bike. managed to shift into 2nd a couple of times and no issue there either. but then it started running erratic, tach bouncing up and down until about 2K rpms. lights were flickering again similar to the reason I swapped the R&R which was a little disappointing. managed to get it back into the garage and shut it down.

 

just a couple of things that I still have to get resolved.

 

this electrical issue. I did feel the R&R and it got really hot, is that supposed to happen? if not the R&R, is it the stator? the volt meter gauge was reading just at 12

 

feet position. wasn't really comfortable where the foot pegs/controls are located. anyone move the controls forward?

 

fuel selector knob - what a POS. is there a better knob out there?

[zagger]

anyone move the controls forward?

 

I moved the controls forward about 24". No problems with the operation or feeling. I used ball joints on the ends of the extended linkages to avoid alignment problems.

An example:

https://www.google.com/search?q=ball+linkage&es_sm=91&tbm=isch&imgil=a4Afz_eMQwvByM%253A%253BvZKVczn51VvFQM%253Bhttp%25253A%25252F%25252Fwww.tradekey.com%25252Fselloffer_view%25252Fid%25252F3580632.htm&source=iu&pf=m&fir=a4Afz_eMQwvByM%253A%252CvZKVczn51VvFQM%252C_&usg=__-DDk3YQO9_SPo4a2OZVmyHWNlQ0%3D&biw=1781&bih=898&ved=0CEwQyjc&ei=jy1lVZL8CcbosAW2toCIDA#imgrc=a4Afz_eMQwvByM%253A%3BvZKVczn51VvFQM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fimgusr.tradekey.com%252Fo-B3197135-20091025225946%252Frod-end-clevis-ball-joint-linkage-part.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.tradekey.com%252Fselloffer_view%252Fid%252F3580632.htm%3B200%3B162

 

The shift linkage needed a secondary rotating pivot to produce the correct motion (the foot control has a linkage to a rotating piece which has another linkage to the actual shift lever). Works fine.

 

zag

Edited May 27, 2015 by zagger

[Flyinfool]

Lights flickering and tach bouncing up and down is a bad electrical connection in the main power supply.

The tach is powered off of the #2 coil. Ignition and lights are on separate fuses so the problem is in the main power.

Check Pos wires from the battery to the fuse block and all connections in between especially the main fuse. Check the ground side from the battery to the engine and check the smaller ground wire that comes off the battery, and all of its connections.

 

It could even be a wire that is pinched or rubbed and intermittently shorting.

 

The RR does get fairly warm.

 

With the engine at 2000 or higher you should read close to 14 volts across the battery. Do not rely on the voltmeter in the dash.

[mcgyverit]

thanks flyinfool, that will give me somewhere to start

 

on a side note, to anyone that has replace the R&R with an aftermarket, what did you do with the brown wire that is no longer required? what purpose did it provide?

Edited May 27, 2015 by mcgyverit

[KenP]

I used to have an '84 a few years back, and went with a Mosfet R/R, which is cool to the touch. Mounted mine up inside the fairing, rather than back on the rear part of the frame.

 

Ordered it from this website: http://www.roadstercycle.com/

[mcgyverit]

I went back through and checked all the connections I could find and put a wrench on them. all were tight. and just so that all the information is out there, I do not have a good battery on the bike, so I jump it off a car battery to get it running. then once running disconnect the jumper cables and I assume that it should be able to run on its own. the new r&r is connected with wire nuts right now as I didn't want to solder them just yet until I determine where/how I was going to mount it on the frame.

 

so before I started removing parts for further testing, I decided to check what I was getting at the battery terminals while running. revved it to 2k and was reading about 11.5v, the higher the revs the lower the volts which seem logical I guess because the motor is needing more power right?

Edited June 3, 2015 by mcgyverit

[Flyinfool]

I went back through and checked all the connections I could find and put a wrench on them. all were tight. and just so that all the information is out there, I do not have a good battery on the car, so I jump it off a car battery to get it running. then once running disconnect the jumper cables and I assume that it should be able to run on its own. the new r&r is connected with wire nuts right now as I didn't want to solder them just yet until I determine where/how I was going to mount it on the frame.

 

so before I started removing parts for further testing, I decided to check what I was getting at the battery terminals while running. revved it to 2k and was reading about 11.5v, the higher the revs the lower the volts which seem logical I guess because the motor is needing more power right?

 

11.5 V at the battery is not good regardless of the RPM including zero.

If you are only getting 11.5V with the engine not running, either you need to charge the battery, or the battery is toast. A good, charged battery will read 12.6V with no load.

As you rev the engine the Stator puts out more power and the voltage across the battery should go up to around 14V.

[cruiserlover]

please, dont leave me hanging, is the bike sorted out yet?

[mcgyverit]

sorry, thought I posted an update, but guess I forgot to hit the post button..

 

I checked the donor battery that I jump the bike with and it is good. I was moving around the bike yesterday, looking at how to remove the coils so that I can make sure they are good. previously had the known bad battery that came with the bike in the bike and connected to the + and - cables. this time I removed the battery as I started the process of removing the coil mounts etc.

 

I decided to try and start it again just to confirm everything previously stated. connected my good battery to the + cable and - cable the with no bad battery in place and started the bike with no issues, not running very well though. this time when I removed the jumper cables the bike just dies.

 

my thought is that the stator is bad, not sending enough current to the R&R. I remember reading somewhere the method for checking the output for the stator, just have to refresh myself with that and do that.

[Karaboo]

What were the jumper cables connected for if you were using your good battery? These bikes (any bikes I know of) will not run without a well charged battery in place. If the battery voltage drops they will spit and sputter and eventually die. That would be an indication of a charging system problem or a battery that has a weak cell (or possibly just bad wire connections).