My Brother-in-Law gave it back.

[MasterGuns]

I sold an 83 Venture to my BIL in 2006. Just before selling it to him, I had completely repainted it, rebuilt the carbs, installed a new stator assy, put new tires on it, had the seat redone. It was in a outstanding condition and ran really well. With the new paint job it looks really bada$$, too. I was visiting him a few months back and the bike was parked in his garage and covered. I could tell that he hadn't be on it in some time. So, I asked him when was the last time he rode it. To my bewilderment he had put only a little more that 300 miles on it since he bought it from me. He also stated that in had deteriorated somewhat since he hadn't been on it much. He hadn't even started it in over 5 years. Since he now has spells of being dizzy (he is 76 now) and can't ride he offered it back to me. I really wasn't interested because I have trouble keeping one bike up properly and surely didn't need a second one again so I told him I wasn't interested in buying it back. He said he didn't want to sell it to me but that I could just have it for free if I just got it out of my garage. I accepted.

 

Since the bike has been back in my possession, I have installed a new battery, and gone through the carbs twice, cleaned out the fuel tank, changed oil and all those other necessary maintenance items. The bike again runs like a top; quiet as the day it was made. It even has 180 on all four cylinders. The only issue I now have and can't figure out is the rear brakes.

 

I have read there is a third bleed valve up around the steering head somewhere. If there is, I surely cannot find it. Apparently after all those years of just sitting there, a rat or mouse or something ate a small hole in the brake hose; the one from the reservoir to the actual master cylinder. I replaced it and have been trying to bleed the rear brake system for over a week. My question is; did all 83s have that third bleed valve? I now do not get any air bubbles from the front bleed valve, but have gotten air from the rear bleed valve for probably over 100 bleeding attempts. What is going on? Any ideas will be greatly appreciated.

 

Thanks

[utadventure]

Herb-

I can't answer if all '83s had the third bleeder valve but I had trouble finding mine on the '86 at first.

 

Remove the false tank cover allows you to see it up near the triple tree. I initially thought I was was seeing an air schrader valve.

 

Hope it helps.

 

Dave

[Venturous Randy]

To my knowledge, none of the 83's had the bleed point at the top of the loop near the tripple tree. I think it may have been an MKII thing. I have found that on my 83, to bleed the brakes to the front that I need to move a lot of brake fluid, fast. I have just opened the bleeder valve and use my finger as a check valve while someone else pumps the rear brake. If you do not bleed fast, the bubble will stay in the loop at the top.

I had the local bike shop order some speed bleeders, but I have not picked up any yet.

RandyA

[dna9656]

The second thing (after the clutch) I did to my 84 was the brakes. I re-built the calipers and bled the brakes. My bike doesn't have the bleed valve on the triple tree(soon though along with the divider to make the front right independent of the rear brake) so it was a major PIA.

After checking for leaky brake lines this what I would do:

Get a vacuum bleeder, the kind you squeeze with your hand, it has a gauge on it, it should come with a jar so you can apply a vacuum to the caliper bleeder and draw the air out.

After FLUSHING all the old fluid out all three brake lines I did the following: MAKE SURE THE RESERVOIR IS FULL and KEEP it that way! On the rear caliper I got a CLEAN, clear hose and fit it on the bleeder screw, inserted it in to a CLEAN jar half full of CLEAN brake fluid and opened the bleeder. I put my bleeder tool (with the jar between the caliper and pump) on the left front caliper, pumped the brake pedal a few times till it firmed up, applied a little vacuum and opened the bleeder, got some air (as expected) out. Keep pumping the pedal and re-filing the reservoir. Like shampooing your hair, refill and repeat as necessary. The rear caliper was getting fluid too and as I released the brake it would (or could) draw air back into it self if the bleeder was open but since the hose was in clean fluid the air inside bubbled up into the jar but clean fluid was drawn in the caliper instead of air. You will have to tape the jar in the rear to the bike as you want to keep that little hose as short as possible.

The right front: The right front bleeds independent of the left front. Get a bungy cord or some duct tape to hold the front brake handle in the applied position to allow the front brake line to "gravity" bleed the night(s) before. Then I used my bleeder pump to suck out any remaining air through the bleeder screw on the front calipers.

This is a simplification; it took a lot of fluid and time, I used the vacuum pump on the front before I learned about holding the brake handle open for hours on end to let the fluid find it's lowest level (thus driving the air up and out) and I got downward flow of bubbles to the bleeder but never ALL of it.

I think if you have a reservoir cap and put a fluid coupling on it, connected THAT to a reservoir of fluid, PUMPED the fluid into the master cylinder you would power fill the system and drive all air out. the rear master cylinder would only need a fitting in the fill hole. I suspect this is how it's initially serviced at the factory but what do I know? I believe this is how car MFRs do it on the assembly line.

[Yammer Dan]

Fill Master. Push pedal all the way down and trap it there somehow. forget how I did that. I think with long screwdriver under bike and weight on end of it to keep pedal trapped down. Leave master lid loose and leave sit overnight. This does the same as the tying handle in against handle bars. Air will work itself out. Call me if you don't understand this. There are several here that didn't believe this would work.

[KIC]

Fill Master. Push pedal all the way down and trap it there somehow. forget how I did that. I think with long screwdriver under bike and weight on end of it to keep pedal trapped down. Leave master lid loose and leave sit overnight. This does the same as the tying handle in against handle bars. Air will work itself out. Call me if you don't understand this. There are several here that didn't believe this would work.

 

It worked for me !

[Prairiehammer]

Additionally, although the MKI has no bleed valve at the steering head, you CAN break the connection to the metering valve (located at the high point of the system, near the steering head) to help with bleeding.