GeorgeS

OK, that time of year again, ( Time for yearly service on the bikes ) ie: both of them. So, I as thinking, its been a long time, since replaceing batteries, So order a new Odyessy AGM, PC-545 for the Busa, and anew PC-680 for my #2 battery in the RSTD. ( that bat was the #2 on the old 89 I sold 3 years ago ) Ok, switched them out today, and was surprised to see the date on the Old Busa battery, 11/04 !! 10 years, ago !!! Wow, I havehad that bike almost 11 years, how time fly's as they say. I checked the voltage on the old Odyessy, 545, it was still reading 12.8 Volts. Hmmm ?? Interesting. Installed the new PC-680 Odyessy, in the left saddle bag on the RSTD, checked the old one, still reading 12.6 V So, 10 years service on the Odyessy PC-545, and about 8 years of service from the PC-680. Not to shabby. Frankly, its hard to believe ??? I guess AGM, dry cells are the way to go, as they say !! Well, if anybody is interested, or needs to replace an old Lead Acid, type ---- The two old batteries, are still good, so will use them to power some Ham Radio , equipment in the garage.

DEKA, brand, AGM type ---- I just got two new ones from " Battery Mart " Have two of them, in 2 bikes, that are 8 and 9 years old, they are still good, but getting weak. So, time to replace

I suspect many of the big old time Oil companies, are not to happy, a good chunk of oil business is going to small start up companies. But everything has changed. We now know that the muched talked about energy shortage, Just Ain't So !!! I been researching, and I found information that in West Texas area Alone, there will be more Crude extracted, then all the oil that has ever been pumped in the U.S. Also, Nat Gas production is going Up Up Up !!! Canada is getting ready to start feeding Nat Gas into the U.S. Nat Gas pipe distribution system. 8 or 9 supper tankers are being built to haul Liquified Nat Gas to China !! More new area's are being opened up to Fracking wells !! And, Nobody has been given a licence to do New Exploration on " Federal Land " !!!! Up to now this has all been on Private Land !!! The two major companies that build Railroad Tank Cars, are booked up solid , max production for over 3 years, and more orders comeing in !! I guess hay day's of OPEC, have come to an end. Sooner or later, Fed Land, will be opened up to more drilling !!! Hmmmm ??? ( Maby after 2016 ) . --- A Point to consider, in all this, Airlines,------ 30 percent of their operating costs are Fuel !!!--- Crude Oil, go Down, Airline Stocks go UP !! and Vice-Versa !! Its almost Instantanious !! And !!!! We can buy Many Many more gallons of " MOTORCYCLE FUEL " !!!!!!!!!!!! See, this posting is Motorcycle Related Ha Ha From what I have researched, the West Texas Fields, are just getting started . More to come,

Remove all 4 Plug caps, and do a Resistance check of all 4, ( number them ) to keep track of which cylinder it came off, of. Make sure all 4 are about the same resistance. You can take them apart and remove the internal Resistor. If this is a high milage bike. I higly recommend you get a new set of NGK, plug caps. And of course a new set of plugs can't hurt anything. Also, you might have a failed, or failing Ignition coil on that cylinder.

Well, the tires, the clutch, and maby a better seat. But that's about all a 2nd gen really need, as far as upgrades. You might put a bottle of " Ride-ON" in each tire (easy to do ) Keep your Carbs, Sync'ed. Install and AGM battery, next time you replace it. Keep a check on that big white plug between the Stator, and the Regulator. Drain your tank and carbs once a year. Hey, not really much else needs to be done to these bikes, Just Ride !!!

Good advice!! I almost ordered one of those exhaust back pressure gauges. Local store did not have one in stock. Again, the kicker in all this is " Who Knew " that Chevy Blazer, V6's have " TWO Cats " ??? I had checked my Chiltons manuel it said nothing about this ?? Does anybody know if any other car companies are doing this ??

Don't get the ones that come from China !!! Get the DEKA !!!!

Well first thing I did, was fuel filter. Then pulled out the CAT ( the big one ) 4 months ago, it was NOT plugged at that point, But I put in a new one anyway !! Key to all this, is that, at that point, I had no idea there was a Small PRE - CAT, in that fat spot in the pipe, 12 inches in front of the big main CAT. !!! At that time I assume it was about 50 percent plugged. And as testing , and work progressed, the darn thing was getting more plugged, and dumped it guts into the NEW Cat, that I had installed. This thing is the perfect Set Up, to make life miserable !!!! As I worked, nothing seemed to make any sence, cause I had already replaced the CAT. SO, I was looking for something else, I figured it out just in time, before pulling the heads, was almost to that point. -- Boy, did I get led " Down the Merry Path " as the old saying goes. However, been driving it around for a few days, and---- Darn the thing sure is running great, now if I do say so myself !!! Good for another 100 K Ha Ha, with lots of new parts , just hope the Tranny holds up till the 200 K mark.

Have to ask, have you " Synced " the Carbs??? Do you have the tool to do the job. ??? Do you know how to do it ??? If not, when you get the tool, one of us here will be glad to talk you thru the job, on a phone call if you need help. Its very important to " Sync " the Carb linkage assembly on these engines !!! Out of Sync, linkage, can cause a lot of problems. But do the Sea-Foam first, as above, Drain each carb bowl, and let pump run some gas thru each bowl. I also suggest you Completely Drain your fuel tank at the Petcock, ( remove hose ) and run a hose from petcock into a bottle, Completely drain it!!! These Tanks Collect Water in bottom, as we NEVER ( well hardly ever ) run them Dry. There might be some very OLD, crude in the tank. Also, run engine at night in dark, check for Plug Wire Arching. Another check to do, is Remove Each Plug Cap, and do a Resistance check thru the cap, it has a Resistor in there, which MIGHT, be OPEN Circuit . Make sure all for have similar Resistance. On left side of bike, near the fuel pump, find the Large White plug, with 3 #10 wires going thru it, Open the plug, and inspect for Burnt, or damaged pins in that plug, also pull on the wires, make sure they are crimped in place. Red, Run/Stop Switch !!!! Open up the right handle bar switch housing, and Clean the contacts of the Run/Stop switch. That switch can cause a lot of problems. Inspect your " Ignition Fuse " on the fuse block, make sure the tangs that hold the fuse in place are making good contact . Open up your " Main Fuse " Just to left side of battery, ( Plastic thing with rubber over it ) its a 30 or 40 amp fuse, It has 2 each Phillips screws, holding the fuse element in place , Make sure they are Tight !! Check your battery Studs, They come loose !!!!! Check the Black Battery cable where its connected to ground forward of the water pump, pull that bolt out, and clean up the stud on end of the black cable. ( not sure if any of this will cure your problem, but these are ALL, " Good Things To Do " !! and besides, it fun Ha Ha :cool10: )

Be sure you do NOT use the air hose at the gas station to air up the Fork Tubes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Just in case you did not know that. You can easily blow the seals, of the shocks with a high pressure tire air hose Get a hand pump, for airing up the front forks, and rear shock !!! You can buy one at almost any Harley dealer . Only use this, hand " Zero Loss " air pump on your suspension system !!! Also, if you your bike has OEM Bridgestone tires, get them replaced with either, Avon's, Michileans, or Dunlop E-3's !!! The Bridgestone's are , well, $%^&*@# if you get my meaning .

Yes next thing after the first new CAT

Not motorcycle, but Mechanical, if you have a Chevy. Might be of interest. I have been battling a power loss, bogging down, problem on my 2003 Chevy Blazer, V6, 4WD. For about the last 4 months. ( has 104,000 miles on it ) It started bogging down, would not go over 30 MPH, about 4 mo ago. Research indicated that CAT, was a prime suspect. So I pulled it out, it looked OK, clean, and could see thru it. So I Replaced it with aftermarket unit, and a new muffler. Did not fix problem, so it progressed to replaceing fuel pump, fuel injector sypder, a rebuilt distributor, MAF, MAP, Throttle position sensor, idle air control, Plugs, Wires, Rotor, Ignition electronic unit, Ignition Coil, fixed a few small vacuum leaks, replaced gaskets on intake plenum. Eliminated all vacuum hoses, as to being bad. Ran lots of Sea-Foam thru fuel, and some in oil. AND A NEW COMPUTER, --- NO HELP All NO Help. As the last 3 months progressd, problem got worse, and the Intake Vacuum, would only hit, about 12 inches, and was decreasisng and got down to 5 inches 4 days ago !! What the heck is going on ??? --- Last week, I decided to change timeing chain, from supposed expert advisor, did not help at all. !! --- In desperation I pulled the intake plenum again, and pulled the Intake Manifold !! AH HA, Bad gasket on right side of intake manifold, At least is looked pretty bad, so maby Anti freez getting into cylinder, Replaced with new gasket set. NO HELP !! I did find that the Throttle Position Sensor, Return spring did not work, and new one did. -- Also, replaced Crankshaft Position Sensor- No Help New Distributor also has a new CamShaft position sensor, no help. At this point I am thinking, it looks like will have to be pulling the heads OFF !!! ?? BUT, I ain't buying that as yet. I redo Engine compression test all cylinders, Dry, and with Oil added. Only One cylinder is below 200 lb. compression with oil squirted into plug hole ???? I pull valve cover to look at valve springs for the cylinder with low compression springs, all look OK. ( Only 180 PSI wet, on cylinder #3 ) OK, Yesterday I quit working on it, with ONLY 5 INCHES OF VACUUM, AT IDLE OF 600 RPM !!! ????? Engine will now only run to about 800 rpm and die out, NO VACUUM in intake . No leaks, Tried Propane testing, Nothing happened. --------- OK, last nite I'm researching internet, and find reference to something called a """Pre-Cat""" on Chevy's and other vehicals. What the heck is that???? say s I , I know about the CAT, but my Chilton Manuel for Chevy S-10 Says nothing about a Pre - Cat. ???? Then I remember the fat spot, in exhaust header 4 1/2 Dia, 7 inches long. !! Hmmmm ?? Sooooo, this morning I cut a hole in it, and peak in !! Wa La , its Empty, looks like a resonator, Hmmmmmm ??? Clean as a whistle in there !! So I pull out the new CAT, that I installed, 3 months ago---- guess what, The Guts from the Pre - Cat, and completely ( well almost ) plugging up the CAT !!!! Engine No Can Breath !!! Cause Exhaust can't get OUT the rear end ! Ah Ha !!! ( Time for a Beer !! ) No Can Make Power !!!! Point in Case------------ If you have a Pre - Cat, on your car or truck, it, can Self Destruct, and dump lots of crap into your main CAT, and plug it up, and pretty soon you are dead in the water. I know, this is a " Boreing Story " !!! But what the hey, nuttin else to talk about, Rideing season is almost over. So now you all know my sad Catalic Converter Story !!! Sunshine in Seattle tomorrow, Going for ride, as soon as the NEW CAT, is Installed !! In the Old Chevy ---- :whistling: P.S. And in the middle of all of this, the Radiator Started leaking, had to replace that !! ( not related to the main problem ) But noteworthy Ha Ha Also, yesterday the water pump started leaking, but I can Fix that !!!

If you still have the " stock " fuse block, be sure to check the fuse holder tangs, for the " Ignition Fuse " This is a common trouble spot. Deffinatly, open up and clean the Kill switch with contact cleaner. Also, check the Large white plug between the stator, and the voltage regulator. Check for burnt pins, in this plug. This is Very Common, on 1st gen models. And, of course, double check your battery post connections !!! Also, you should pull both plugs out of the TCI, and Clean the contacts. Might also, be dirty contacts, in the ON/OFF contacts of the ignition switch, however this is not usually a problem on 1st gens, ( only 2nd gens , which is very common ) Find the Barrometric pressure sensor, Fwd, and Above the left front carb. pull the rubber boot off the plug, and check for water, and crud, in the rubber boot. Clean the contacts on that plug. Its hooked to the voltage, from the Igniton Fuse. That plug, can effect ignition !

Replaced rear 2 mo ago, had 17K on it, and still good for couple thousand, but I don't push it . Replaced front 2 weeks ago, had 23K on it, still good, but planning a trip, and that would be pushing it, Rain ??? Hmmm, I ride in rain all the time here in Seattle, no problem that I can tell. ??

After the work you have done, take it out for a run, and drive it " Hard " !!! Burn a half tank of fuel with heavy dose of Sea-Foam, then see what you have. A dose of " HEET " also, just to make sure NO water in the tank.

Pull up the Maintenance section on this web site, Read EVERYTHING that is posted there !!! When its new tire, replacement, time, buy Dunlop " E-3's " !!!! Use " Ride On " in your tires ( its a good thing to do !! ) Start checking into an aftermarket seat, sooner or later you will know why !! Handling, is improved with a One Size, narrower Front tire !! ( lots of articles posted on this subject ) Add, a can of " Sea-Foam " to fuel 2 or 3 times each rideing season . Keep, reading this site, you will find more information !!!

Hmmm ?? does not change with speed ??? Sounds like a " Real Mystery " !!! --- Let us know what you find ---- :confused24: If " Condor" is stumped ??? Same here ---- ?????

1. Loose wire on temp sensor 2. Bad temp sensor 3. Defective Gauge assembly. Most likely the wire is loose on the temp sensor !! :detective:

The material the diaphrams are made off, is Very Thin. Over the years many of us have found the material Torn, or Ripped, and also many small holes develop in the material. It happens !! Whatever the reason for it. Mainly on the old 1st Gen Bikes. I am not sure about the 2nd gen carbs, they are different carbs. If you have an " Old Venture " Check the diaphram covers for the " tamper proof " screw, ( one of 4 ) If its still installed, then the cover most likley has never been removed. And the Original diaphrams, are still installed. Bottom line, is , The material fails !! thats just the way it is !! Irregardless of any Engineering Practice's !!! IF, you have bad diaphrams, you can tune and adjust till the cow's come home, and you " Ain't " going to get it running correctly . :whistling:

Been retired now for about 10 years. I was thinking about this a couple weeks ago, I have only done " Nothing " for maby 2 entire days since re tireing !! I have been thinking about looking for a job, now that I am 71, I need to get some rest !!! Just to darn much work to do around the house :whistling:

You need to clear your message folder, Its Full !!! Tried to send you a message, and would not go thru. you need to clear your message folder !! :no-no-no:

Suit up. and go !!!! you only live once !!! as they say Of course, I'm from Seattle, so thats easy for me to say !! Ha Ha

Good luck with it, I had one of those back in 1955, my first set of wheels !!! Ahhhh !! the memories !!

this might be for some device that only the Calif. bikes had installed. ??? as part of the " emissions control " systems. I know the calif bikes did have some device's that all others did not have installed.

Auto parts store--- buy an " In Line fuse holder " Buy some #18 or #20 wire . --- roll, of black tape Something to stirp wire with. And a pack of 15 amp fuse's that fit the in line fuse holder. Cut wires each side of fuse holder, and make a tempory installation of the in line fuse holder. Will work OK for the trip, untill permanent fix is completed !!