"AZZI" my Arizona scoot is fighting me every step of the way!

[VanRiver]

Finally got some time to escape the Canadian winter and head down to our place in Arizona where my "new" 1986 Venture Royale I picked up at Christmas for $250 has been waiting for me patiently. Her name is AZZI (professional named by my "brother from an other mother" @cowpuc). Well I came prepared to turn some wrenches and get AZZI in shape since she had been sitting for a while and the previous owner had lost interest.

 

So I have been cruising Ebay for parts and preparing to get my hands Dirty (should have named her "grease ball" instead!) Here is what I have done thus far:

 

1. Replaced Seat

2. Added a Ventureline drivers back rest

3. Replaced broken speedometer and cable

4. Upgraded all dash bulbs to LED

5. Replaced leaking and cracked valve cover gaskets

6. Replaced 4 diaphragms and got rid of those stupid philips head screws the slide covers

7. Replaced 4 spark plugs

8. Replaced very weak 2 brush starter with a V-max 4 brush starter

9. Upgraded to R1 "yellow dot" brake callipers front and rear

10. Replaced and moved TCI to top of air filter housing.

11. Replaced all fluids (oil and filer change, brake fluid, etc...)

 

Although I've been trying to help the old girl and get her in shape, she has been fighting me at every turn!!! Every bolt that could break has....Every gasket that could start leaking once I touched it has....and at every turn I find more that needs to be fixed. AZZI needs to get with the program and help me out as I have skinned every knuckle and said every swear word I know at least twice over the last 2 days of working on her.

 

Plus I don't have my usual assortment of tools down here in the dessert, so I have been making many trips to the local Harbour Freight store each day.....In the mornings I buys the tools that I need at HF....in the afternoon I break the wonderful China made tools ....In the evening I go back and get free warrantee replacements tools to hopefully finish the job!

 

This is what I still need to do:

 

1. Fix Thermostat housing leak....(need to locate a new plastic housing top and o-rings)

2. Waiting for V-max differential to be delivered and then to install it (first one I purchased had a broken pinion shaft - seller gave me a refund)

3. Sync the carbs with my good old carb-tune meter

4. Fix soft rear brake pedal (not sure what the problem is as the entire system has been bled properly (I think) but still requires 2 pumps to get full rear brake pressure)

5. try to polish scratches out of the windshield

6 Cylinder #3 is not firing while it idles but kicks in when you crack the throttle...It has spark so I think it is a dirty carb issue not TCI or coil related...not sure if I need to rip the carb apart or if my friend Seafoam will help.

7. Need to get new exhaust gaskets for the rear cylinders.

8. Put her all back to gather again!!

 

I'm getting tired of turning wrenches and I just want to ride......but without the much needed gaskets and assorted parts on order old AZZI will be staying in the garage.

 

[Yammer Dan]

Sometimes these old ladies need shocked. BerryMans Chem Tech is a little stronger than SeaFoam. SEa Foam is great for Maint but the Chem Tech really cleans! I don't like to use a lot of it but if I have a stubborn one I dump a whole can in about a 1/4 tank and it does great. Then use Sea-Foam to keep running great. THe rear brakes can be stubborn also. You have some air trapped somewhere. Just bleed bleed bleed. Ask the Frogman. He was doubting me..... Looks like you have a good one to bring back.

[cowpuc]

Well I think you got AZZI looking down right snazzy Riv!!! She is well worth all the lovin TLC my friend,, just think,, once ya get her all sorted out you will have one AWESOME scoot brother!! Keep on keeping on and soon it will be OPEN ROAD TIME!!!!:dancefool::dancefool:

[KIC]

What part of Arizona are you snowbirding in ?

[GaryZ]

I had problems bleeding my '85s front brakes. Someone here suggested that I pump them up and bungie cord the handle overnight. then bleed again.

IT WORKED

Maybe you can do the same on your rear brakes?

BTW: Have your brakes been de-linked?

[videoarizona]

James, wish I would have known earlier. I could have brought up my lift and tools. I'm up in phx for week!

Are you going to be around for a while? I'll be going back and forth for next week or two....

 

Also have a newish windshield as I just replaced mine with a larger one with vent...

@KIC, I think he's in Lichfield Park area... If memory serves.

[VanRiver]

What part of Arizona are you snowbirding in ?

 

Hi @KIC....we are located in Litchfield Park AZ just west of Phoenix. Looks like you are in Tucson, howdy neighbour!

[VanRiver]

Hey @videoarizona , yes I thought about reaching out to you sooner but didn't want to bug you. I'm in town until Friday. Are you around on Thursday sometime for maybe a "meet and eat", my treat? Would be great to finally meet you in person! If not, no problem we will definitely do it in the summer while I'm down here for a longer period of time. I'll PM you my cell phone number if you want to chat about a place and time.

 

 

Yes I would be interested in the windshield if the price is right. How much you asking for it? The wife is already complaining that my $250 bike is turing into a much bigger investment! :8:

 

 

Cheers!

 

 

James, wish I would have known earlier. I could have brought up my lift and tools. I'm up in phx for week!

Are you going to be around for a while? I'll be going back and forth for next week or two....

 

Also have a newish windshield as I just replaced mine with a larger one with vent...

@KIC, I think he's in Lichfield Park area... If memory serves.

[VanRiver]

Thanks @Yammer Dan

 

You are right on my friend about "Bleed, Bleed, and Bleed it again"! I actually caused my own problem (brain fart by me) as that R1 Calliper was not designed by Mother Yamaha to be bolted on the rear of a Venture. As a result, when bolted in on the rear the Bleeder value is located on the low side. I had some air trapped in the high point that would not find it's way to the much lower bleeder valve location. Long story short I simple needed to tip the calliper up to a position it was meant to be and 3 pesky air bubbles popped out. I now have a firm brake peddle. Yippie!

 

Here is a pic of the R1 front calliper installed on my rear Venture location and showing how the bleeder valve is on the low side which caused my bleeding problem and trapped air even though brake fluid was running clean and clear while I bled it.

 

 

Thanks for the support, and insight into BerryMans Chem, I will give it a try!

 

Sometimes these old ladies need shocked. BerryMans Chem Tech is a little stronger than SeaFoam. SEa Foam is great for Maint but the Chem Tech really cleans! I don't like to use a lot of it but if I have a stubborn one I dump a whole can in about a 1/4 tank and it does great. Then use Sea-Foam to keep running great. THe rear brakes can be stubborn also. You have some air trapped somewhere. Just bleed bleed bleed. Ask the Frogman. He was doubting me..... Looks like you have a good one to bring back.

[Yammer Dan]

Can see how that would do it. We learn every day. If I'm having trouble with carbs and Sea-Foam don't cure I use the BerryMans very strong but don't leave it in there like I would SeaFoam. I mix the BerryMans about 1/2 and 1/2 with gas and pull line to fuel pump and put it in that way. Run it a while and see what it does. If it don't cure quickly leave the mix in carbs overnight and see what happens. BerryMans is a somewhat harsher cleaner and I don't like to use it a lot for fear of damaging something. Once you get them working right SeaFoam is great. I don't ise as much of it as I used to because of rising cost. I use Marvel Mystery Oil for steady Maint. It is another great cleaner that you can feed to them often.

[videoarizona]

Hey @videoarizona , yes I thought about reaching out to you sooner but didn't want to bug you. I'm in town until Friday. Are you around on Thursday sometime for maybe a "meet and eat", my treat? Would be great to finally meet you in person! If not, no problem we will definitely do it in the summer while I'm down here for a longer period of time. I'll PM you my cell phone number if you want to chat about a place and time.

 

 

Yes I would be interested in the windshield if the price is right. How much you asking for it? The wife is already complaining that my $250 bike is turing into a much bigger investment! :8:

 

 

Cheers!

 

Sent PM

[BlueSky]

Can see how that would do it. We learn every day. If I'm having trouble with carbs and Sea-Foam don't cure I use the BerryMans very strong but don't leave it in there like I would SeaFoam. I mix the BerryMans about 1/2 and 1/2 with gas and pull line to fuel pump and put it in that way. Run it a while and see what it does. If it don't cure quickly leave the mix in carbs overnight and see what happens. BerryMans is a somewhat harsher cleaner and I don't like to use it a lot for fear of damaging something. Once you get them working right SeaFoam is great. I don't ise as much of it as I used to because of rising cost. I use Marvel Mystery Oil for steady Maint. It is another great cleaner that you can feed to them often.

 

When I looked at the list of ingredients in the Berrymans, I noticed that it had acetone in it. Acetone is known to chemists as "The Universal Solvent" which basically means it will dissolve anything. It's nice to know that it won't hurt anything in the carbs during a short soak.