New ‘84 Venture Royale Owner. Couple questions...

[Coyle996]

Hey guys, I just got into a 1984 Venture Royale with 69,000 miles. On first inspection, it looked like it was going to be a big project. The more I dig into it, the better it appears to be. 

First question, is this a XVZ12DL? I haven’t been able to find the differences between the model designations, and Partzilla has 5 options...

This is meant to be a winter project to pass the time during the gray NJ winters. But I think I can get this together enough for a couple rides before the snow comes. Long term, it will need a bunch of seeping seals replaced, valves adjusted, and carbs gone through. For now thought I am doing brakes, tires, and a full service. I have a couple questions about two of the items on my hit list.

Front air suspension has a leak. Rear holds pressure fine, and the front will pump, but won’t hold pressure for more than a couple seconds. Question is, are there any common leak points on this to start checking? And how do we repair air leaks when the factory parts are unavailable?

The other question is about the choke. The lowest setting on the choke that has any affect brings the revs up to 3k. Is that normal on these bikes, or is there a choke cable to adjust, or is this a carb issue? Bike runs pretty well, but is having a tough time doing a low idle. It will eventually stall if you don’t rev it and have the choke off. I’m planning on doing the shotgun ,ethos I’ve been reading about, but was wondering if the choke issue is separate. Right now it has fresh gas and Seafoam in the tank.

Thanks in advance. I’m sure I will have tons of questions as I dig deeper, and just searching this forum has already been a great resource

[CaseyJ955]

Congrats! You got a blonde.

On the leaking air up front I would first check the hoses that deliver the air to the top of the forks. Mine was leaking there but I no longer use air in the front so I may have some spare hoses, I installed Progressive fork springs and they work great with no air pressure.  If your fork springs have never been replaced they are likely pretty knackered out, those Progressive replacements are about $100 off ebay and do wonders for the handling if in fact yours are shot.  If you have any weeping fork seals make sure to use OEM seals only.

These bikes are heavy, and heavily outdated but I kid you not I push mine around through the curves here in the Black Hills, once everything is sorted out they handle better than they have any right to at their age and weight. Check/adjust steering head bearings too while your prepping for first ride.

Not everyone has been pleased with the factory brakes, but there are some well documented, cost-effective solutions for brakes too. Mine is wearing R6 brake calipers front and rear with EBC pads with brakes de-linked (yea, they are linked, sorry bout that).  Right off this forum you can get brake de-linking kit which includes braided lines. I thought i'd save the money, but if I had it to do over I'd use the kit.

Many parts are still available, they made a whole lot of these things, plus lots of folks here, myself included, probably have totes of extra stuff.  There is a sight, used to be boats.net, but I think it changed, many many OEM parts for these still available outside the dealer network so I hope someone else comes along with the link.

While your riding pay attention to 2nd gear, there were a few years where that could be an issue. Mine does idle okay, albeit low idle is set to about 1100rpm. ended up pulling my carb rack, replacing diaphragms and setting float levels to the lowest end of the range, I live at 4000' and ride mostly up higher.  I figure with all the ethanol in the fuel (to be avoided as much as possible with carb equipped vehicles) many times these will have to be removed and the corn squeezings manually scraped and blown out. Best not to let it sit for any real length of time with ethanol in the tank and carbs. 

The chokes are actually just fuel enrichening circuits, if you pop off the faux tank (one screw below the gas filler and wiggle forward until it pops out of the grommet up front).  Loosen the boots and lift the air box out, you will then have access to the choke linkage and be able to see if they are all working the same.

A good carb synchronization should be done, I do it at least once a season just to keep it happy. Many folks here use the Morgan Carbtune, I got one and love it. Sounds like your already doing the shotgun.  When replacing carb parts, OEM Yamaha or K&L (Japanese aftermarket). The attractively priced un/misbranded online stuff is best avoided, just like fork seals.  Some of the symptoms your listing may be helped by a carb sync. If your doing your own wrenching then I would get one of those Morgans carbtunes.  I got mine on Ebay but even if you have to order one from the UK they are shipped and delivered pretty quickly.

Welcome!!

[BlueSky]

Blonde is my favorite color for these bikes!  Congrats!  

[Patch]

Just a couple of off the top.... The enricher may not be the problem if the rpm climb that high while cold/too quickly. I would suspect a vacuum leak.

Also a possible reason for not holding idle if running to lean. Now if the enricher was not a suspect we could just point to the idle circuit, which is common issue.

And attempting to fine tune with additives in the tank is pointless, get it running well enough to burn that tank, then tune with fresh pump gas, and that should be regular not high octane

[Prairiehammer]

On 10/18/2020 at 9:21 AM, Coyle996 said:

 

First question, is this a XVZ12DL? I haven’t been able to find the differences between the model designations, and Partzilla has 5 options...

While the 1984 XVZ12DL was the color of your Venture, so was the 1983 XVZ12TDK. Outwardly, they appear identical. But there are some differences electrically.
The VIN will tell definitively what model and year. See my "sticky" at the top of this forum.

 

[Coyle996]

Thanks for the insight Patch! I’m thinking this is more the case now that I have spent a few days with it. It's too sporadic and irregular when on choke for it to be some gummed up jets. I’m going to start at the tank and work my way forward replacing all the old lines. Does the line after the pump need to deal with any serious pressure or is normal carb fuel line ok? I'm assuming it is just a transfer pump to get the fuel uphill, but would like to be certain. And HOW do we get that fuel filter out? Looks like that might be annoying? 

As for vacuum, is that mostly accessible from the top with the airbox off? 

Thanks for all the great info CaseyJ955 ! I found my air leak, it seems like the diaphragm on the left fork anti dive unit is leaking. How difficult will it be to find one of those in good shape?

Parts question for everybody: This bike came with all the chrome bits. Probably 75lbs worth of bumpers and covers and air dams and floor boards that I have removed. None of it is perfect, but it is mostly alright. Are people looking for these parts? Are they worth listing or scrap metal? 

Thanks guys, this basket case is coming together faster than I had suspected. 

[Patch]

The fuel lines are low pressure less than 5 psi. Where needed tho I would use proper gas clamps over regular gear clamps.

Don't forget the electrical EH, who knows when those plug/connections have been cleaned and lube last: may as well bend down and take a close inspection of the stator to rectifier white or yellow wire connections.

The filter stuff I'll differ to the guys that know the model best

 

I enjoy floor boards on few bikes but I would not of considered them for the MKII I ran, these gen I's can hunker down thru a twist pegs is in my opinion the better choice

[Patch]

4 hours ago, Coyle996 said:

As for vacuum, is that mostly accessible from the top with the airbox off? 

WOW EH, just highlight and then prompted to quote just that section as above; nice feature!

Anyways Coyle I forgot to address the above: In general we refer to vacuum as any air leakage after the air box orifice ! Breaking that down is not hard to catch and understand. Today in modern mechanics we use the term "unmetered air flow" well that is a vacuum leak by mapping standards. These carbs are C.V. types, so keep this in mind: all tho the engine hasn't a "mapping" the carbs are mathematically designed for lows and highs. They are designed around Volumes and Constant Velocities  and thus the jets are set to those potentials..

Basic vacuum leaks on these setups fork the whole balance off just as they need to be synced and each effects the other, a vacuum leaks throws that wrench into the mix. So any leak below or aft of the air induction is a leak that should be hunted and sorted out.

A word of caution, the engine will misbehave if you rev it without the Velocity setup assembled that means air box Velocity Stacks lid and filter, so tune as you expect to run it. Take pics and post them such as the carb as is, the diaphragms the piston/slides the enricher bar when choke is off... The more we see the more we can help

The slides/pistons are essential in the proper operation to these carbs. They not only put the Constant in the CV they meter as well, don't ignore what is easily addressed... And have fun