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frankd

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Everything posted by frankd

  1. frankd
    I've had my 1st. gens miss at full throttle sometimes, but this was caused by water in the gas. The fuel tank vent on a 1st Gen is right in front of the rear tire. When you are riding in a heavy rain, water can be sucked up the vent hose and get in your gas tank. Then it'll collect in the bottom of your carb bowls. When you open the throttle, the water can get sucked into the main jet and....water doesn't burn so the bike misses. With todays gas, (with 10% alchohol) the water will gradually be absorbed within a couple of gas tanks. With the gasoline we had 20 years ago, you had to drain the water out. In additioin to the gas tank, it collects in the fuel filter. When I'd pull the fuel filter and use a hose to blow into it, you would see water drops in the gasoline on the ground. When you would drain the carbs, yoiu could see the water coming out of the drain. Frank
  2. frankd
    Yes, if Earl had been inside the store he wouldn't have known, and if he'd been walking into the store, the damage to the bike would have been worse....but.... If Earl had his left foot on the ground and was in the process of getting off of the bike, he'd have been steam rollered. He surely was watched over from above. Earl, How is your back feeling? Frank D.
  3. frankd
    As Squidley suggested, you need to determine WHICH cylinder is not firing. Then check for spark at that cylinder. If you have spark, make sure you have a good spark plug in that cylinder. If you're OK to here, you have a carburetor problem. Because the bike did sit with gas in the float bowls, you probably have a plugged jet or two. BTW, you can check for a dead cylinder by starting a cold engine and then feeling the exhaust pipes carefully. If the pipe gets hot, that cylinder is firing. The other problems the bike may have are: 2nd gear jumping out of gear under load--this was fixed during the 85 model year, but a lot of us have rebuilt the transmission. Yamaha used a soft thrust washer and it after 25-75 thousand miles, it allowed slop and 2nd gear would slide out of mesh briefly. Mine started about 70K and I rebuilt it at 82K. It happens to most early bikes, but not all. 83's had a weak spot on the frame that allows the rear suspension to collapse. Mine broke @ 92K, and I replaced the frame. Some people have welded the broken section, but mine came apart so bad I wouldn't have trusted the repaired area. All 1200's have the zerk fitting to grease the shaft drive coupling, but it's completely innefective. If nobody took the shaft drive unit off and greased the coupling regularly (every 12-14K) the bike will have worn splines. Mine was ready to come unmeshed at about 50K. I replaced the shaft drive unit and drive shaft with one from a salvage yard, properly greased it every 12K and at 149K (all figures in miles) it's still looks like new. Frank D.
  4. frankd
    Earl, Glad you're OK. Really glad.... Frank D.
  5. frankd
    No, you need the 400 volt unit. It is a 12 volt device, but because the TCI switches the ignition coil primary, there are pulses that are higher than 12 volts. Have you found the correct capacitor yet? If not, I'll look in my parts stash. You also were wondering if your trigger coils were out of tolerance. One of yours is 126.5 ohms, and the specification is 115-125. I wouldn't worry about that. Did you measure them at the TCI plug or at the plug just before they go into the left side engine cover? If 2 of your diodes were open, you may have done some damage to the switching transistors. I would use an analog ohmeter (Simpson 260 or Tripplett 630 or similiar) and measure the transistor junctions. If you need help here, let me know and I'll explain what I mean. BTW, have you ever checked for spark at all 4 cylinders? Frank D.
  6. frankd
    Jason, I know that the noise in my headsets is indeed from the regulator. At idle it's perfectly quiet. Just above idle when the thyristors begin firing, I hear interference. If I turn on the driving lights and they draw the voltage down, the noise is gone until much higher RPM. Heck, if I switch on a turn signal, the noise is there when the lamps are out and gone when they're on. When I turn off the intercom (turn the intercom level control all the way down), the noise disappears. I know it's getting in through the microphone input because I powered the audio system from an external power supply and the noise was still present. When you get a chance, take a passenger for a ride and use the intercom and decide if it's a bit quieter with the new regulator. Thanks, Frank D.
  7. frankd
    When I bought my 83 brand new, I noticed what sounds like what you're describing. I took it to the dealer and showed it to the mechanic. He said that becauses I had 2 years of warranty, he suggested that we wait and see if it gets worse. 29 years and 149,000 miles later, it hasn't gotten any worse. I rebuilt the transmission when 2nd gear too the dump and didn't find anything that would cause this rumble. It bothered me also, but obviously the noise in my 83 wasn't a bad noise like it sounded. BTW, my 89 doesn't make this noise. Frank D.
  8. frankd
    Jason, Do you have any idea how they regulate the voltage with the Mosfet regulator. The stock regulator uses scr's to shunt the excess stator power to ground. The trouble I have is that the scr's firing is a bit noisy (electrically) and you can hear them fire in the headsets, especially if I have the intercom volume turned up. I was wondering if the mosfet might be a bit quieter? It's usually not too bad, but it's something that bothers me. I've tried filtering the noise but couldn't do any good. I believe the rear intercom cable is picking up the noise as it runs along the bike's wiring under the seat. Frank D.
  9. frankd
    Did these headsets ever work on your bike? What I mean is are you sure they're wired correctly? If so, you probably (and I mean probably because I've never done it) plug them directly in to the amplifier module and eliminate the bike wiring. Then you'll know if the problem is wiring OR the amplifier itself. Maybe you have 2 bad microphones. Try them on another Venture (either first or 2nd gens, they're both wired the same). Frank D.
  10. frankd
    Rumboogy, Thanks for the info about Stop'N Go, but I purchased the kit right after this happened. They do work as advertised. Frank D.
  11. frankd
    Sandbagger---I'm glad you made it to the shoulder safe and sound. That could have been very bad--you did a great job. You said that the truck in front of you was having a tire problem, then your bike started to steer sluggish. Is there any possiblility that something you both ran over cut the tire real bad? THe truck having a tire problem kind of suggests that's what happened. Is there enough of the tire left to tell what happened? The Avon tire for first gens. has a maximum pressure of 50#, but their web site says that on the Venture you should use 42#. That's because the weight of the front of a Venture is less than the Avon is rated for, so to keep the same footprint you use less air. I usually run mine about 44#. You noticed something that we all need to be aware of. You said your bike started to steer sluggish. 7-8 years ago, I had an Avon rear that attracted a nail when it was only a couple of thousand miles old. I'd used plugs before, and I only had relatively local trips coming up, so I plugged this one also. A couple of weeks later, my wife and I were getting on an expressway and I cranked the curves pretty aggressive and then ran the bike up to speed. 30 seconds later, I noticed that the back of the bike was going back and forth a bit. THe light bulb went off right away and I gently braked and steered for the shoulder. My wife wondered why we stopped, she didn't notice anything. The plug had blown out and the tire was almost flat when we stopped. If it doesn't feel right, slow down and get on the shoulder and check things out. Frank D.
  12. frankd
    I can't say if it's a problem that a lot of first Gens have or not, but on my 83 sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. I just got in the habit of using the position of the high/low beam switch as an indicator. On my 89, it always works. Frank D.
  13. frankd
    Ed, The temperature gauge sender is underneath the right side fairing lower. Remove the lower and near the the top of the opening you will see a 2 prong plug hooked to the sender. The single wire switch right next to it switches on the cooling fan. If you take a jumper OR a pair of needle nose pliers and short out the 2 pins (with the wires connected to the sender), the heat gauge should go to the top (key on run). If it does, you have a bad sender. Yes, 30 MPG is low. I ran my 89 about 102 miles 2 up today, some expressway, some stop and go when the expressway came to a stop, some city driving, and some 55 mph highway driving---it gave me 44.8 MPG. Usually when the mileage is as low as 30, you have a dead cylinder. Is your bike running on all 4? On a cold start, carefully touch all 4 exhaust pipes and see if one is cold. If it's running on all 4, you probably have carb problems (high floats, bad diaphrams, idle set real rich, etc.) Frank D.
  14. frankd
    Kinda counter-intuitive, but absolutely true. I dropped a gear at all speeds for a couple of tanks bc somenone here suggested it. Went from 38 ish to 44 ish (Imperial Gallons) in town and fairly hilly. These things love to spin and the efficiency point is fairly high on the rpms. __________________ Sure is counter-intuitive to get better gas mileage at higher RPM. The engine is pumping more air and creating stronger vaccum in the intake manifold AND the engine wastes more energy fighting friction the faster it spins. However, several of you have said you get better gas mileage if you run it a gear low. Now, both of my First Gens pull perfectly everywhere from 1500 RPM up to 7500+ RPM, but in town I usually run it in the highest gear that will spin more than 1500 RPM. On my 89, the last tank I finished was some expressway, some highway, the rest was stop and go city. I got 44.8 MPG, and the current tank looks a little better. On the highway @ 72 MPH (actual--on the GPS), I got about 41-42 MPG. These are both a little better since I fixed the vacuum advance. Because these bikes go down the road with so little throttle opening, the idle circuit in the carbs makes a lot of difference in gas mileage. If you've got the idle rich, your MPG will fall, especially at lower RPM. If I can find my official Heathkit air/fuel ratio gauge, I will pull the plugs in each exhaust pipe and see if I can measure the air/fuel ratio on all 4 cylinders. Another interesting test......if the bike is actually getting better mileage down a gear, it should go faster in the lower gear with an identical throttle opening. If somebody has a throttle lock (AKA Vanda Cruise, etc.) and they were on a flat road in 4th gear, they could lock the throttle and see how fast the bike levels off at. Then without changing the throttle, **** to 5th and see what happens to the speed. If it goes down in 5th, the bike will get better gas mileage a gear lower. Frank D
  15. frankd
    Jason, FIrst off....the Venture doesn't have a 'charge' light, only a voltmeter. I suspect you mean the battery alarm in the panel on the dashboard. What that means is that your battery is low on water. Fill the battery and the light will turn off. Of course, if a battery without a port for the sensor has been installed, you'll have to force that alarm off. If this is the case, you can do a search for eliminate battery sensor, or I'll just tell you how to do it later. Stuck in first gear--any chance you put the linkage back together backwards when you had the stator cover off? Try pushing the foot pedal down a click for neutral and see if it's backwards. As for cranking for a few seconds and then everything went dead==that sounds like you have a dead or bad battery. Try charging it and see what happens. Another possibility is a loose battery lead connection or ground cable, but check the battery first. Do you have a voltmeter or a 12 volt test light? Measure accross the battery and see if you have about 12.5 volts. If so, turn the headlight on and measure it again. If it goes way down, you've got battery problems. Of course if the water level is REAL low, that could be your problem here too. My brother is riding my old 83---it's got 148,000 miles on it and it still runs great. It's had 2nd gear rebuilt and the frame replaced when it cracked (now the state thinks it's an 84), but it is still a reliable motorcycle. I'd change the oil and head out on a trip on it anytime. So no, it's not time to give up on it. Good Luck Frank D.
  16. frankd
    Brian, I'd like the part number when you can get to it. Frank D.
  17. frankd
    Jim, You may have saved me from ordering one....why don't they work on a 1st Gen.? Is it because you can't see the window? I do know that the idle mixture can make a big difference in your gas mileage. When my 83 was a couple of years old, my mileage got a lot worse. I was talking it over with my dealer, and he suggested that I bring it in and have the idle mixture adjusted and the carbs. synced. When I would pull a plug, it'd be dark, indicating a rich mixture. They hooked their emissions tester (probably O2), adjusted the carbs (yes, they all were rich) and my gas mileage was back to normal. I was wondering how they all got rich and wondered if the floats needed adjustment, but no----things stayed the same over a lot of miles and years. I'd like to verify if I have the idle screws in my 89. I peaked up the idle speed with the mixture adjustments, and turned them a tiny bit inswards (lean), but I'd like to have a way to tell if they're OK. Frank D.
  18. frankd
    My bike is also missing the "extras" on the gas valve, and only the stem is there. I know mine's on reserve because I've put over 5 gallons in and run over 200 miles a time or two. It looks like you need to turn the stem full CCW to put it on reserve. Frank D.
  19. frankd
    Well, before Snagletooth put his message in, I ordered it from SWMT. The price was only .04 less than JW, but the thought of getting a newer tire convinced me. Hopefully it comes within a week---however the bikes not in dire need of a new tire, it's just getting close. Thanks all for your input. Frank D.
  20. frankd
    Is Jake Wilson's the best place to buy new Avons? They want $121 for a new front tire for my first Gen. Frank D.
  21. frankd
    Squidley, I agree with Carl. The first test I do is from any of the 3 white stator wires to ground---should be infinite. I look at the stator to regulator plug (both halves) and make sure none of the leads have burnt. If one has been hot, cut the plug off and twist, solder, and then tape theleads. If the stator and plug are good, the regulator would be the next thing to look at. You can measure all 6 diodes by connecting an ohmeter (preferable an analog meter, but if you use a digital make sure you use the diode test position) between 1 of the white leads going into the regulator to the battery cable plus then the negative terminals. Each white wire needs to be tested and all 3 should test the same. You should see a diode between each white regulator wire and plus (red) and negative (black) battery terminals. You can have the battery disconnected for this test. To test the diodes, hook the ohmenter up one way and then reverse the leads. One way should conduct, the other should measure open. I did have a diode open up on a first gen. Judging by your readings to ground, you'll probably find the stator is grounded. Frank D.
  22. frankd
    I pulled the middle gear cover tonight expecting to see the stator or ignition trigger coil leads leaking, or maybe the gear switch falling off. Nope. Everything the middle gear cover hides is dry. The more I look at it, the more it looks like it's just the stator cover seeping a bit. I also changed the oil tonight, so before I put the covers back on, I'll start it and let it run for a while and see if I can narrow it down better better. Frank D.
  23. frankd
    Any speaker can only convert so much electrical energy into sound. Putting a larger amplifier on it won't make it any louder. The speaker cone can only move so far. 100 watts per channel is a lot of audio power. Also, audio amplifiers are only about 50% efficient. If you are running the amplifier at 100 watts per channel (200 watts total), that means that you'd have about 400 watts of input power (14 Volts dc times 28.5 amps) or just about everything the bikes alternator can produce. Turn off the lights, I want my music loud. How much power is the 2nd Gen. radio rated for?? The 1st. Gen is rated @ 12 watts/channel. Now, I did have a 45 watts/channel amplifier on my XS750. However, that had 5" speakers and the radio only put out about 4 watts/channel by itself. The amplifier made that bike sound a lot better---but I still couldn't hear it well at highway speeds. Frank D.
  24. frankd
    Lee, Glad you got your idle fixed. The only problem I see would be that you can only see 1 cylinder at a time. When you adjust any of the individual carbs, the speed of the engine changes, which changes the vacuum @ the left front cylinder. That's why I like 4 gauges--so I can see all 4 cylinders at one time. Frank
  25. frankd
    Twice (on 2 different 1st Gens) my bike developed grounded stators while I was on trips. The first time, I noticed that the voltmeter was real low at idle, but at speed with nothing on but the headlight it would charge a tiny bit and the voltmeter would gradualy rise some. We still had a couple of days left on the trip and we got by and made it home OK. Last summer, I didn't notice the voltmeter and the first thing I noticed was that it was cranking slow. The next morning when we left the motel, I turned off the cruise, the radio, intercom and CB--nothing extra turned on. We traveled for 3 days and had no problems. We got by on the tiny headway that the charging system could make at highway speed. On both first gens, I also forced the clutch lever full out to make sure the switch kept the starter off and then pushed the start button in while we were going down the interstate. This turned the headlight off and lowered the bikes required currrent and the voltage would shoot back up to normal and the battery could charge better. Do 2nd gens turn off the headlight when cranking? To get by, you need to limit slow speed operation. If you made it from Greenville SC to Western TN your charging somewhat. Charge the battery and head for home. Fix it there--it's far easier. Frank D.
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