Tracking cost on my 89

[mbova]

So I'm going to use this post to track what it cost me to get the 89 up and running.

 

So the bike cost me $500 at an auction, and another $250 in tax title and deal fees.

 

I paid $130 for the battery.

 

I paid $30 on the fuse box upgrade.

 

$80 on a 4 brush starter.

 

I know I might have a starter clutch issue.

 

I need a new wind screen.

 

air ride controls don't have power.

 

Radio comes on but no sound.

 

Forks need some work I think.

 

Might need a new stator but bike won't start to trouble shoot.

[Yammer Dan]

Wax that Windshield with some spray wax. You will be surprised how many scratches go away.

 

Push Mute button on radio. If it is muted you won't hear

 

Clean connections on stator

 

Air ride only works when switch is on Acc.

[Yammer Dan]

Progressive springs really help forks

[Yammer Dan]

Can you put bike on center stand put in gear and turn wheel a little to move flywheel a little? Then try starter.

[bongobobny]

A good running '89 should sell in the $3000 range, give or take depending on mileage and cosmetics. For it's age, low mileage would be under 75,000 miles, these bikes go for 200,000 miles plus...

[mbova]

Progressive springs really help forks

 

Thanks that what I was thinking about.

[Flyinfool]

I would get it running and ride it some before throwing money at upgrades. Your springs might not be that bad. I still have the original springs in my 88, with a set of progressives that have been sitting on the shelf for about 4 years now.

 

I have restored an OEM windscreen to looking almost like new by sanding it with 400 wet, then progressing thru all of the grades to 2000 of wet paper, then using several grades of polishing compounds. You have to be super careful cleaning it after this because it will scratch very easy, You just removed the protective hard coat from the factory. As long as you are not real abusive this will get you a couple of years good service out of it.

 

And what Dan said about the rest of the stuff.

[Yammer Dan]

Gotta disagree with Fool on one thing. Try the wax on the shield first. Makes a lot of difference if scratches aren't too deep. You can always start sanding later.

[mbova]

Can you put bike on center stand put in gear and turn wheel a little to move flywheel a little? Then try starter.

 

So I did that and the bike fired right up. So that makes me believe that it is the starter clutch.

 

I also found out out some interesting things. Air ride says 0psi and E4? Tested voltage on battery with it running and voltage never got above 12.8. I let it run for about 15min, shut it down and tried to restart. It was very slow to start and dragged a lot.

[Yammer Dan]

Make sure the battery is fully charged. What type battery did you get? Cables will really give it a kick. Clean connections. Air ride not sure and book is in garage W/no lights. I'll try to remember to look that up tomorrow.

[mbova]

Battery was charged, it was on tender for two days. I bought a battery tender lithium ion phosphate battery. I found a thread on here about the class error. It seams that it is a connection issue. Going to change the starter wire to a #4 gage this weekend.

 

I really like this bike and think I'm going to change as much as possible to new. It only has 33,000 miles on it. Ordered the regulator rectifier and stator today, I also will be looking into the guy on here fix to the starter clutch.

 

Radio on on bike is a 6 disk CD changer, but only one speaker works.

[Flyinfool]

E4 error code is almost always a bad solder joint on air ride controller board, simple resolder of the connector pins.

 

There are 3 wires that need to be upgraded to #4 . Factory ran #10awg to starter.

 

Here is info on testing the charging system.

http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?81297-Testing-for-a-Battery-not-Charging

[mbova]

 

I was pulling the battery to put on the charger and noticed this wire not connected to anything. Anybody know what this goes to?

[Flyinfool]

If that is a fairly heavy gauge black wire with a single pin connector, that is your frame ground. You will want that connected to the battery negative.

[mbova]

It is actually a thin light color wire. I took another better picture that I'll post.

[bongobobny]

Ahhhh!! Does it have a stripe on it?? It may be for the battery acid level sensor, and the PO long since removed the sensor itself when replacing to a newer battery, and did the resistor mod to keep the battery light off...

 

Sorry, haven't looked at my 1st gen in several years, just taking a stab in the dark!

[mbova]

It does have a stripe on it.

[mbova]

Changed the stator, resistor, starter clutch, starter to a 4 brush, upgraded fuses, fixed the air ride, and replaced the battery. Swapping out the fluids tomorrow and it should be good to go.

[bongobobny]

It does have a stripe on it.

Then it's most likely the wire for the battery probe. Probably someone removed the battery, and instead of pulling the probe from the battery, they unhooked the probe from the connector. Does your battery warning icon and the red warning light come on??

[mbova]

Then it's most likely the wire for the battery probe. Probably someone removed the battery, and instead of pulling the probe from the battery, they unhooked the probe from the connector. Does your battery warning icon and the red warning light come on??

 

Yes the battery light stays on along with the warning light.

[bongobobny]

OK there is a fix for that and it's documented somewhere on this site!! The fix is to take a resistor with a value of somewhere between 2,000 (2K) to 5,000 (5K) ohms and connect the resistor in series from the probe line to switched 12 volts, like the accessory fuse line. Do NOT connect the probe line directly to 12 volts, you will burn out the sensor circuitry!! The probe, which was used to detect low battery acid, was hooked to one of the cells about in the middle of the battery. The circuit is looking for a logic "on" command which is around 5 volts to 8 volts. 12 volts is too much voltage, in electronic terms that is known as "rail" voltage which the IC does not like and causes it to short out! The resistor acts as a voltage divider to lower the voltage to the proper level for the logic chip. Sooo, march yourself to your local radio shack and buy a resistor somewhere in that range, the wattage rating can be as low as 1/8 watt, the circuit does not draw much current...

[KIC]

These might help. The E-4 error fix is really simple, sound intimidating to those of us electronic ability deficient but I have done it to two bikes so if I can do it, anybody can. The battery wire is also a quick fix. Good luck.

 

I love my 89. ( just finished changing the oil in it )

 

CLASS repair.doc Battery Warning Bypass.doc

[mbova]

OK there is a fix for that and it's documented somewhere on this site!! The fix is to take a resistor with a value of somewhere between 2,000 (2K) to 5,000 (5K) ohms and connect the resistor in series from the probe line to switched 12 volts, like the accessory fuse line. Do NOT connect the probe line directly to 12 volts, you will burn out the sensor circuitry!! The probe, which was used to detect low battery acid, was hooked to one of the cells about in the middle of the battery. The circuit is looking for a logic "on" command which is around 5 volts to 8 volts. 12 volts is too much voltage, in electronic terms that is known as "rail" voltage which the IC does not like and causes it to short out! The resistor acts as a voltage divider to lower the voltage to the proper level for the logic chip. Sooo, march yourself to your local radio shack and buy a resistor somewhere in that range, the wattage rating can be as low as 1/8 watt, the circuit does not draw much current...

 

Seems simple enough. I will stop by radio shack today. I corrected the E-4 error following the steps on the website.