dingy

Parts fiche shows that all four boots are the same part number. Gary

I looked again at the pictures you posted and noticed something else. In the 2nd picture there looks to be evidence of leakage running down the rubber hose that attaches to the thermostat cover. Maybe this is leaking higher up. Also looks like green fluid visible between the thermostat plastic cover and the aluminum body. Gary

Well, maybe everybody in the family wasn't happy about getting a Harley !! Gary

That is the outer main bolt on the right side crank bearing. You can remove one bolt at a time, clean all surfaces involved. Then apply seaer and re torque bolt. There are not any seals on those bolts between case & bolt. Gary

Attached are some service manual tech bulletins related to CB. Gary

I don't think the 83's had a stock CB, could be wrong though, happened couple of times today already. Gary

Haven't seen you on in a while Squeeze, you doing OK? Gary

Attached are a series of pictures I took of doing a butt connection type solder. Not my best ever solder job, but it's what I got pictures of. These are 12 gauge wires, so they are the largest wires on bike besides battery cable. Soldering large wires like this is where a high wattage soldering gun is very helpful. A small soldering iron will not heat wires up fast enough, heat will conduct up copper in wires and damage insulation by time joint is hot enough. I have a 230/150 watt gun that works fast. 1st picture is of stripped wires, crossed and ready to wrap. As shown, twist the copper wire to back and wrap around silver one, wrap the silver one to front around copper one. 2nd picture shows twisting completed. Smaller gauge wires are easier to twist and look neater. Do not use plumbing solder on electrical connections, acid core flux will corrode wires. I use a 40% tin/60% lead solder. I also use Rubyfluid soldering paste on connection before soldering. Preheat solder gun until it will melt solder when touched to tip before contacting wire joint with gun, do not touch solder to gun tip when applying solder to wire joint, let heat in wire melt solder. Ooh_Rah Gary

Attached are some pictures of a main 1st gen switch dis-assembled. 1st picture shows difference between smaller connectors, one with 3 wires is for a bike with a CLASS system (connector on right in both pictures). Gary

Here is a screen capture of main fuse area of schematic. Gary http://i1007.photobucket.com/albums/af193/gdingy101/Mainfuseon86-87venture_zpsc15fbf95.jpg

The main fuse is connected directly to the battery. Does not go through ignition switch. Problem is either at battery terminals, connection to main fuse, or where ground side of meter is at. Other than that it is ground side connection. Edit: Are you saying you got 10V at fuse, I may have misunderstood what you mean., If you got Battery voltage on both sides of fuse, then do what Bob said and go to ignition switch. I have a spare ignition switch I would part with. Tumblers can be changed in it to keep keying the same. Gary

If you suspect the kill switch is an issue, there is a fairly easy way to bypass it. Pull the side stand relay out of its socket, it is the only relay in the head light bucket with a blue base on it. With the relay pulled, the bike will not shut off when side stand is put down with bike in gear. Take a 12V jumper from the positive battery post on the battery and connect it to the R/W wire is the side stand relay plug. This will bypass the kill switch and the fuse panel. See if that makes a difference. Gary

Here is link to thread for cleaning throttle side switch on 86-93 bikes. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42433 Gary

Looking at Prairiehammer's 1st picture, It seems possible that you could swap the rear float bowl cover's on the right & left carbs, this would then have all 4 tubes facing rearward. I believe that the float bowl covers are interchangeable. It would require carb rack to be removed from bike to do this. Gary

The 4 wire switches were only used on bikes with factory cruise as far as I know. I didn't think the 83 model had cruise on it from factory. My 83 owners manual does not mention it. It could have been added by a previous owner though. Somewhat complicated changes to add it it. It was one of the first major changes I did to my 83. Wiring harness needs changed, both brake & clutch switch need changed. Below is a link to disassembling the brake & clutch lever switches for a 4 wire version. Titled 86-93 but they all 4 wire units are the same. The rear brake switch is a 3 wire unit with with cruise, 2 wire without. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=42720 Gary

I had an 81 XS1100, sold it when I bought my 1st 84 Venture. I thought I would end up doing bodily harm to myself with the XS. The Venture seemed a little tamer. Now I have a Venture that is equal to XS1100 performance, but I feel more comfortable with it. Gary

The 4 bent tubes on the carbs are overflow valves in case a float/needle valve sticks open, it allows fuel to exit bowls, there should be a rubber tube on each one routed back near front of rear wheel where the fuel dumps to ground. See attached pictures. 2nd picture is with fuel tank removed. The twinkie tube should go to the left side of the air box and also center via a tee connection. This allows the vacuum in carbs to suck the vapor out of block and reburn it through piston chambers. Tube on left side of air box is to allow excess oil that may accumulate in air box to drain back into block while bike is on side stand. Gary

Look at these two threads, zip tie trick works. After leaving lever pulled in overnight, cut zip tie, relax pull on lever, crack open banjo bolt at master, and let some fluid seep out, tighten banjo. pull lever in again, and repeat opening banjo bolt. Keep rags under so fluid does not get on paint. I have had to do this every time I bleed front brakes. Also helps to tap brake lines a little several times while it is zip tied, this encourages very tiny air bubbles to rise to top overnight. http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=47431 http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=47784 Gary

Your ground reading from radio to frame should read zero or very near zero, same as with two leads touching each other. Infinite reading indicates an open connection to ground, broken wire. Attach a clip lead from radio to ground, or a piece of wire and check radio. Gary

If you want to drain fuel, use pump as noted above and see if it operates correctly with direct power to it. Gary

Can you disconnect fuel line to carbs at fuel pump? Then put 12v + & - to fuel pump leads, after disconnecting from harness. Reason being is it would be interesting to see if fuel pump is funcioning as it should with power direct to it. Only way closing petcock could have any effect on voltage is that the plunger inside the fuel pump is not able to retract after it is cycled foward, this possibly could prevent the contacts from opening as they should on the return stroke of the plunger. There may be an issue in the pump solenoid windings that is drawing down voltage. Other than that, petcock & electrical systems are totally unrelated. Also the flapper valves may be malfuntioning in pump. Gary

They are rekeyable. Probably run you about $25. Gary

Would a fuel pump relay help you? I have I spare I will loan you. I opened it up a while back to see what was in it. Does bike have cruise control on it? If it does, indicator lights are fed from same circuit that powers pump relay. Turn cruise on and watch to see if lights go out. Set, Resume & On all have same 12v+ feed. Gary

The pocket for the seals is there, but no seals. There were upper fork boots on the 90-93's. Possibly Yamaha felt the boots were a replacement for the dust seals. I sort of thought they were to keep bugs and other stuff from sticking to the inner tubes and then damaging seals. P/N 3JJ-23191-00-00 At $74 apiece for the boots, the dust seals seem cheap. You would want item #8 in attached screen captue. Gary

Can someone measure an RSV drive shaft for me please. Need to within 1/16" to 1/8" accuracy. Going to get back to working on RSV Hybrid soon, and I want to see if RSV shaft is different from 1st gen MKII. They are different P/N's in fiche. Gary