cowpuc

Unc,, I have used a beat up, underpowered (6hp) old pieced together Craftsman tin boxed leaf vac for decades to do my leaf picking uppin - I payed a 50 bucks for it in beat up and unrunning (needed a diaphram in the carb and the valves lapped) condition and it is still doing a great job and has actually been used on 3 garden tractors so far.. Since purchasing it, I actually landed a similar, really nice unit similar to the one you are showing for 200 bucks and instead of keeping it and using it to replace my beat up old Craftsman,, I resold it for 700 bucks - pretty could profit margin IMHO.. Yes,, they can be a pain if your not patient in use and set things up properly.. What I do first thing is sharpen the mower blades so the leaves get chopped up real well going in.. I also use low winged/mulching type blades so the blades are not ramming the leafs into the suction line leading to the vac. Next thing I do is always do first pass across the leaves with the deck up so only the dry leaves on top are chewed up and sucked in.. Once I get 1st pass done, I find that the wetter leaves under the dry ones are dried out enough that I can go back over them with deck down and not have jams.. Doing it this way, the leaves in the vac are mulched very fine.. Enough so that when removed (I have used the dumper on my Craftsman very little,, normal MO for me, Johnny (my tractor) and the vac are that I shovel the mulch out and toss it across the floor of the woods out back and by spring its all turned to dirt = works awesome!! I also have salvaged some eroded hill sides in the backyard with this mulch!!) it only takes one season to turn back to dirt saving me any need to transport or burn leafs!! I agree 100% with the comment on the steel vs plastic vac turbine housing.. DO NOT GO PLASTIC IMHO.. Also,, I have found it best to walk the area I am going to pick up leaves and remove branches, rocks and any hidden pieces of steel pipe.. All can cause issues.. way it happens with me Puc P.S. - I have a leaf blower too that works great but I only use it in tight areas around the edge of the house where Tippy grows flowers.. I like to take really good care of Tippy cause she is my best friend,,,, plus,, she cooks wayyy better than I!! LOL

I have found online parts fiches like this to be exceptionally helpful when my backs against the wall in situations like you describe.. Maybe this will help: https://www.yamahapartshouse.com/oemparts/a/yam/5004416ef8700209bc78e88d/fender

@Patch ""These are common issues on these 4's"",, [/color @Patch ,, what did you think of these poll results? Interesting?

It looks like you were totally able to figure out how to post here Barn cause your post looks perfect IMHO!! GOOD job on your 1st post!! YOU DONE GOOD!! Concerning your scoot, I have never owned or worked on a model like yours but I have fired a few shots in my own V-4 struggles with my earlier models and spun a few wrenches doing battle with Murphy on modern day cars so maybe I can help.. If not,, I am sure one of the clubs guru's will gladly straighten me out.. To my knowledge, your bike does not have a sensor fed computer spitting out repair needs information like a modern day auto or like a computer controlled EFI bike would have.. That said, I think you may have to go back to basic human logic to rectify your bikes engines issues.. If it were mine, I would begin by simply making sure I had fuel in the tank as it sounds like a fueling situation,, next I would check flow to the carbs to see if the fuel pump is working properly and that the inline filter is not plugged,, next I would drain at least a couple bowls on the carbs to make sure the carbs are filling accurately.. Next,, and I would have probably started here if I had let the bike sit for a long time - say more than 6 months - without running it - I would pull the slides/diaphrams out of the carbs and make sure all was well in their operation and that the main jets were open and clear.. It doesnt sound like a low speed jet circuitry issue as you state it runs great and on all 4 pots when idling (this is assuming you know it is running on all four). Thats where I would begin..

Chuck, I am sooo sorry to hear about the loss of your brother. Wasn't long ago that I lost my one and only little brother too.. Talk about tuff stuff. Having gone thru such deep sorrow myself may afford me some insight into how to pray for you my friend, rest assured - I will be doing exactly that. I will also be praying for and thinking of your family at this time too! Something that helped me was focusing on the good times Doug (my brother) and I had together as kids,, this still helps me during the rough days now. I truly hope and pray that somehow you find such a method of assistance too Roller! May you find Gods tender grace sufficient at your time of need my brother! Prayers UP Puc

Is a do over like a sleep over ? If so, here in Michigan they are highly illegal Bubber,, all the MK1 Ventures and the 1st Gen V-Maxes all the way up to end of their production were 1200's ... Not sure I ever met Fred and Barney,, were they VR members from your area a while back,,,may have heard of them attending the pig in the pine? By the way,, the MK1 1200cc Ventures were the fastest and most comfortable to ride Ventures ever made.. Next fastest was the MK2 1300cc, then the RSV 1300cc and the slowest is the Gen 3, 113inch/1850cc V-Twin Venture currently offered.. I know,, I know,, shake your head and call me crazy, makes no sense,, seems backwards - especially if you dont by into the idea that HP matters like some of the lop eared varmints around here..

:clap2::dancefool: Ok,,, I can hear some of you lop eared snowed invarmints screaming NOOOOO PUC,, what are saying!! Thing is,, I LOVE FOOL'S little WWW man!! Sit back and watch him go thru his job of completing his art work and maybe you can see why this is!! Watch what happens when he picks up his can of paint! Rattle rattle rattle,,, and his whoville like hair-do shakes with each rattle of the can.. WOWZY what detail!! THAT detail has got my dear friends Fool written all over it :dancefool: Proof again that our Fly-in-the-ointment-fool is NO fool!! TKS JEFF!!

BEEN A WHILE, time for another fun VR MC Club Poll!! Multiple choice!!! Complete as many as apply to you please!! THANK YOU for your participation!! PS!!! The last Poll option that reads "I have never heard of a 1200 or 1300cc Yamaha" should read ""I have never heard of a 1200 or 1300cc Yamaha V-4 having any issues with any of 1 thru 7 above".. Please respond accordingly! My bad!!!

I just take the gear ratios of the shaft drive unit and convert that ratio to a chain drive sprocket combination that matches the shaft drive ratio I have to work with. Then I plug in those chain drive ratios into the equation on the site requiring those figures and BINGO = works perfect!! Been doing this for a good while.. Remember BOKO,, necessity is the mother of invention .. By the way,, works just as well with belt drive too.. Just have to know the OEM ratios and your off to the races,, those ratios are available on any worthy spec sheet..

Yep,, my little brother is ALWAYS :witch_brew::stirthepot:!! Dont tell @YamaMama though,, she still thinks her little frenchy is a perfect

Genius shines brightest when necessity becomes the mother of invention - Puc

EXACTLY!! Matter of fact,, I have always enjoyed that auto guys call in radio show emensly,, only difference between our VR Chat is our family has wayyyyyy more guru's to answer questions who, IMHO,, are also wayyyy more talented in fixen than those car guys in that show ever thought of being!! Learn something new EVERY TIME you convene a chat Mama!!

Yep,, says right at the end,, CANCELED DUE TO WEATHER .. That must of been a tough call for @Flyinfool and his http://WWW.. I also got the impression that his love for flying was right on par with his love for torturing the planet with his evil :cold: machine.. Having always leaned on the old saying of "no one can serve 2 masters",, guess now we know which master Fools heart serves !! Hey Jeff,, as long as you got us all stirred up here,, how's about a little show by that little WWW rattle can man? (WWWRCM!!) Personally @saddlebum,, I would much rather be up there watching those AWESOME Canuckian SNOWBIRDS!! JUST BEAUTIFUL!!:thumbsup::thumbsup:

Sorry to read this TuffTom, you and your family have my deepest condolences for your great loss.. Prayers Up my brother!! Puc n Tip

Soooo much fun:crackup:!!!! Love you my brother:happy34:!!!

Jeff!! Glad I twisted your night up a little.. Thanks for correcting that for me brother!! Short vid showing location of solenoid if anyone ever goes lookin and cant follow our fun here

Last call on doing the Poll little brother.. If you dont do it I am going to!! I aint scared!

So a guy walks into a doctors office and says Dr.,,, I feel like others are just smarter than me.. The Dr. says I got just the thing for you and hands him a brown RX bottle.. He tells the guy they are Smart Pills and tells him to take 1 pill 3 times a day.. Guy comes back a week later and tells the Doctor he is not feeling any smarter.. The Doctor ups the dosage to 2 pills at 3 times per day.. The guy comes back a week later and says still nothing.. The Doctor ups the dosage one more time to 4 pills at 3 times per day.. The next week the guys came back, says he still feels no change but then makes a comment to the Dr. that those little round pills are starting to taste like Rabbit poop.. Dr. says,, you are getting smarter Patch my little brother,, your getting smarter

You tell em Mama!!! Here are pictures of us helping just to prove we know our business!!

A leak down test uses compressed air to see if the compressed air will leak past combustion chamber components so a good leak tester can easily used to skip the step of using a compression tester in the first place.. Years ago I stuck a spark plug in a lathe and knocked the center out of it and installed a shrader valve in to it,, roll the engine up to TDC on the compression stroke,then I would screw the plug into the head of the unsuspecting engine - hit with compressed air like filling a tire using low pressure (careful if doing this to a lawn mower - watch the blade if your hanging onto it - it will instantly take off and can get ya) and listen.. I found many bad valves/seats/rings/blown headgaskets and on and on using that cheap little tool.. Got to the point I very seldom used my compression tester..If I suspected compromised compression I just grabbed one of my altered spark plugs..

Noooo,, not kidding at all!! You take that Poll yet? Dont make me do it little brother,, you know how that will turn out!!

You absolutely can jumper across the solenoid without being in danger of doing damage to any of the circuitry external of the starting system,, have done it numerous times on both the V-4's and many many cars/bikes/boats thru the years.. What will probably be damaged if you do it on the solenoid posts though are the post themselves due to the amp load. It will also damage the ends of a pair of needle nose pliers or screw driver tip to as they instantly think they have become part of a welding process when you use them as jumpers.. Perhaps a better way to test it this way would be to disconnect the negative side of the battery, move the cable on battery side of the solenoid over to the starter side of the solenoid, now use the disconnected negative battery cable as a contact point for testing the circuit.. When you touch the negative cable to the negative post on the battery the starter should roll whether its in gear or not so beware.. Use this just for testing,, not for starting the bike with the key on.. Also,, just an FYI,, you can use any solenoid (I used a lawn tractor solenoid once to get me home on a month long journey out CTFW in the west - worked fine) as replacement.. Neighbor got a garden tractor? PS - you can also pick up 12vdc off the battery side of the solenoid to hit the 12 volt coil inside the solenoid with 12v to see if the solenoid with close.. I am sure you know this but others reading here may not realize it..

See little brother,, there ya go again,, making another claim I simply do not subscribe to... Have I ever dealt with a stuck ring,, of course, but never ever in one of my V-4's - no common issue there IMHO. Have I ever experienced rings gone to high limit or had valve lash gone tight, dozens of times but again,, never ever on one of my V-4's - no common issue there IMHO. Frankly,, this is one of the reasons I chose and have ridden the V-4 Venture as my CTFW cross country family go-to bike since 1987.. Besides never needing to spend more than a grand for one (less than 1/2 that for a couple just cause they were already missing 2nd gear) and getting well over 200,000 miles out of that thousand dollars coupled with the durability of these machines has just been amazing!! IMHO,,, most of the sync jobs on these V-4's end up being just that,, a simple sync job (because they do go out of sync due to the mechanical nature of the carb linkages).. My advice,, pick up a set of vacuum gauges or a Carb Tune or make a set of Manometers (used to have and used a mercury sticks but those days are longgg gone) or what ever and learn to just do a simple sync job.. Your scoot will love you for it!! ,, you ever make a Poll little brother? Its kinda fun!! You should make a Club Poll asking how many of these lop eared Yamaha V-4 riding VR club varmints have experienced stuck rings or worn out to high limit rings or valve lash gone tight (If I had to bet money, I would bet that the valve lash going tight will have wayyyy more positive votes than the ring wear as, even though I have never needed to do one in any of my bikes, I have read of numerous occasions of varmints setting their valves) just to see exactly how accurate your claim above is!! Unless your skeered too:witch_brew: :rasberry:

Boko,, here is a free tool for your tool box that, as I, I have a hunch you will really enjoy!! https://www.blocklayer.com/rpm-gear-bikes.aspx Not long ago, I posted a thread about this tool and that read is found here,, thought you might get a kick out of it too.. Here is a link to that thread: https://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?144839-Something-refreshing-to-think-about-Wayy-cool-FREE-tool-for-that-tool-box!!

It's a copy/paste from a recent thread asking similar questions, I hope you find this applicable: [h=2]Re: To Kreme or not to Kreme[/h] Having been in the restore business I have tried many many different methods for restoring tanks including electrolisis, acids, sand and bead blasting, rattling bolts in a paint shaker for rust removal/prep for sealing.. Best of the best I have found for prep is White Vinegar - straight strength - filled to the brim and let the tank sit for a week.. Rinse good with water and dry with a heat gun or sit it in the sun.. I welded pipe for years, both Tig and Savick and also did a fair amount of shop tigging/shear work and applied those skills to both restoring tanks and building new. Unfortunately,, with vintage tanks, repairing and repainting takes away from their value.. I learned many years ago the Kreme Coating was not for me. I got pretty good with the stuff but had serious failures with tanks lasting out past 10 years.. The coating would always separate and cause issue with leaking again and get really ugly.. I did a bunch a tinkering with inventing my own coating and had good result using Seal All (yellow tube) as a base and MEK as a suspention/liquifier.. I actually had much better results long term with my homemade coating than I ever saw out of Kreme Coat.. Then I discovered Red Kote ( https://www.ebay.com/itm/Red-Kote-Qu...4AAMXQ1PNRauxA ) and WOWZY,, my tank restoration/repair process was changed for ever.. This is some SERIOUS stuff that I have used very successfully for many years!! Because I never did have access to the Zinc process that large manufacturers use to protect the inside of the new tanks found on all modern steel tank bikes (what happens when a bike tank rusts from sitting is the inside of the tank that is coated with Zink looses it zink, this is why after you acid a tank out to prep it it rusts again very quickly - IMHO of course) I always strove to get the tanks as rust free as possible for adhesion of the coating.. I discovered that this was not necessary with Red Kote.. A simple handful of bolts in the tank, shake it some to knock off the stalagtites,, a quick rinse with vinager and rinse with water, dry with heat gun,, apply the Red Kote and its done.. Complete job in just a couple hours. ANother extremely valuable thing about Red Kote is that it actually makes a tank within the tank and this is HUGE.. NO more patching/welding needed as the coating fills the holes/leaks so you can keep the OEM paint job intact.. I now have bikes out there that I built/restored using Red Kote with +25 years on them and still going strong!! Thats all I know about that Unc! Puc