dna9656

Well besides following the instructions on the can with no joy, adding an entire can into a full tank, both accomplished several times; just what is the "Correct" way:)?

I was just digging through my OM for the specs on my 47T motor on the 83/84. The book doesn't list horse power or torque that this motor makes. Anyone know where I can find them?

How fast does a Harley Davidson 883 Sportster go? 0-60 mph 6.4 sec. 1/4-mile 14.70 sec. @ 88.69 mph Horsepower 44.8 hp @ 5950 rpm Torque 48.5 ft.-lb. @ 3400 rpm Top speed 104 mph I am not impressed. My Yamaha XS 750 would do WAY better than that.

I did all that, ran several cans of Seafoam through my bike and my carbs still have plugged pilot jets. Don't count on "mechanic in a can" fixes. Many times the only fix is to get into those carbs with a .009" guitar string reamer and see what comes out of the jets OR just buy new jets.

Car Tires have little or no tread on the side walls, that's where you need tread if you do much banking (not the $$$ kind of banking) when turning. Low, wide, (slow) baggers could use car tires IMH, (un-informed). Those bikes are heavier, carry heavier loads in equipment & larger riders. It looks cool running a 60 series tire I suppose; but car tires are not made to be used in a bike application. I understand the loads on a car tire (when used on a bike) are much lower; however the direction these loads come (when used on a bike) from may not be compatible with it's design. I have never had trouble using car tires on cars, truck tires on trucks, and motorcycle tires on motorcycles. Funny how that works. I will always run the factory spec'd tire on my bikes UNLESS some one whom I trust might suggest another size but it would have to be for a very good reason. In my case running a lower profile tire would help me get my feet on the ground, I have 1 foot flat on the ground if I lean the bike to one side; otherwise I am on my toes. If I were to go to a smaller tire it would upset my speedo (which is reasonably accurate; so far I have no speeding tickets) and negatively impact my gas mileage; a BIG reason I ride to work year round WX (weather) permitting. The road has to be ice free and not snowing. All this conjecture applies to 2 wheeled bikes, I know only that a 3 wheeler handles all differently from a 2 wheeler so those tires would have a different mission (more like car tires) than 2 wheel bike tires.

I got my hand in to the coil area, replaced the wires and fed them through the same route the originals took on my 83-84.

OLD GUYS RULE:cool10:

Randy on one of the forums (here or ventureres) I read something about getting that yellow off. I think the motors were polished then sprays with a clear of some kind. Lacquer would have to be buffed out; so it's dome kind of enamel?....Anyway if it's the clear that's yellow you can strip that off with some aluminum approved (easy off oven cleaner might work but you got to heat up the parts) stripper and lots of paper towels. Just make sure it's aluminum approved as you don't want any fires.

I left the 83.5 in "park" position took out the key and went to work; the battery was grave yard dead when I got back to her, the switch was running the "parking lights".

What is "SL"?

Check my posts for a ATO fuse box I bought on the 'net. With the CLASS disconnected I have 2 spare spaces for other items. PM me for pics if the pics are gone on my posts.

Before I left Miami, FL. for AK. I had an epsisode of bad grounds in my 65 Suburban. The bad ground was the socket portion of the rear blinker housing. The housing was aluminum, the socket steel, so the resulting corrosion created a bad ground. When I was got to Fairbanks, AK. (with the USAF) I ran into another electrical problem with the 65. My right head light went out. I picked up a new one, plugged it in and it didn't work, tested both lights, both tested good. Checked for voltage at the light plug, a good 12VDC. So what is the problem? The problem was green stuff growing in the wire. The wire would carry voltage but not amperage. I would replace the starter main wire with AWG 4 FINE strand wire, like good jumper wire. Maybe you got the green crud growing in your wires that comprise the troubled circuits....

Huh?

Watch E-bay and the for sale sections in the forums.

The new one available through links on this forum is a lot smaller....

REAL DIYers install the new ignition wires without removing anything, (my bike does not have the lower fairings installed) you CAN do it by reaching up through the bottom of the fairing by the fork tubes. I put regular rubber grommets on the BACK side of the screw caps (they screw onto the coils) to keep the screw caps from sliding back down the wire into Never Never land (never to be seen/never to be used again). It ain't easy but it's a LOT faster than removing all the stuff that's in the way.

Kill/starter switch overhaul/cleaning is covered in the tech section on this or the Venturers forum. Lots of pictures and such. Have a CLEAN and well lit area to proceed. I have a 83.5, parts for my model # are in the 84 parts catalog (XVZ12KCD2) so the switch on my bike (and maybe yours) is different than the one(s) used in the tech article but the info still applies. The Left switch on my bike has the choke on the aft side of the switch going around the handle bar, the one in the book has the choke on the bottom of the switch (for example) so your right hand switch may be different. I haven't checked the parts catalog to verify this.

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/dna9656/IMG_0326.jpghttp://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/dna9656/IMG_0327.jpghttp://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/dna9656/IMG_0328.jpghttp://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/dna9656/IMG_0330.jpg In my garage I have a older computer (that will need to be replaced sometime soon depending on the motorcycle parts market) that I keep copies of my digital service manuals on. I obtained a used 42" flat screen tv for a good price. I use it as a monitor. Those lousy pictures Yamaha has in the manual are way more clear when you make them 14" X 17". You can also read the text from about 20' away too....the image never falls in an oil pan, get carried away by the wind, gets stepped on, or have to be weighted down with a wrench or other tool. I'm sure there are some TVs like this at the local good will or on craigslist....

Tech Spark (ebay) offers a GREAT manual, it's Yamaha, no new info but it's clear and well done.

I noticed that the air cooled engines (like my Road Star 1600AL) like and take the 20W50 as opposed to the more car light weight of the liquid cooled Venture motors. Some one told me a long time ago all bikes use 20W50 but that must have been the air cooled jobs....

OK what I SHOULD HAVE said was this: When I add the 3.7 qts. of oil the oil covers the sight glass completely; after running the engine to check for leaks, fill the filter, and to distribute the new oil the level AT FIRST again covers the lens because it's draining but settles down to the high mark on the sight gauge. The FSM says the oil should be between the high and the low mark, when it's full (that's 3.7 qts w/filter change IAW the FSM) the oil will be at the high mark on my bike. Your bike might be the same or different. I recommend you follow the FSM for your bike and the good advice available here.

When I change the oil I pour in the stated quantity in the FSM, After I start the bike to get the oil pumped to everywhere it has to be I check the site gauge. The gauge has oil to the top of the glass, maybe a little above. If you are showing the oil level half way up the glass your low on oil; so when you "get on it" the oil travels to the back of the engine/trans and your light comes on. Get the oil level up where it's supposed to be and do it again and see what the light does then.....

http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/dna9656/IMG_0321.jpghttp://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk195/dna9656/IMG_0322.jpg

I will look on ebay and see what the going $$ is; I'm sure we can beat that all to pieces.

I have no idea on reliability. They both come on but no sound which really doesn't mean anything on this bike. I have been chasing bad wiring practices since I got her.