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V7Goose

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  1. V7Goose
    Unfortunately (especially after they worked on your engine), the mechanic that you spoke with is a fool. That hose is one of the carburetor vents (one for left side, one for right side). It connects to a rubber T between the carbs on the top. There is no clamp, you are just seeing the rings made by the ridges on the nipple. The vent hose is also where the gas gets pumped out if you have a stuck float (float bowl overflow). It is supposed to be routed through the rectangular cutout in the middle of the front carb frame to the little rectangular bracket just in front of the air intake. To get to it, you will need to remove the tank AND both air plenums above the carbs. Even if you get lucky and see the open nipple after you remove the first plenum, you will want to look at the other one to see if the moron left it off too! Factory stupidly crosses them, so if you have stuck float on a left side carb, you will see gas running down the inside of your RIGHT lower cowling! I always un-cross them and rout left hose to left intake, R to R. The worst news for you is that this vent hose being left off will in no way have a significant effect on how the engine runs - it WOULD have a big impact if it was kinked (diaphragms will not operate correctly) or routed down under the engine, but not if it is just left off. Maybe the other hose you have not yet found is balled up in there and kinked? Not sure what else to tell you about it not running smoothly - could be anything. Especially after a moron has touched it. And if that mechanic was soooo stupid to not even recognize the vent/overflow tube, or maybe just very dishonest and lazy, then I wouldn't even begin to trust him to do a carb sync correctly. That certainly was the right time for them to do the valve adjust, since everything had to be fully opened up anyway - would have only cost about 30 minutes more labor instead of the usual 4-6 hours. Unfortunately, you will never know just how lazy or incompetent that mechanic really was. Just keep your fingers crossed and do NOT miss the next regularly scheduled vale adjustment! Goose
  2. V7Goose
    It is unlikely that those intake boots ("manifolds") need to be replaced. We have seen a lot of these older RSVs with heavy cracking on them, and lots of visible flexing from the intake vacuum pulses, but they just do not seem to leak - cannot really explain why, but it is a good thing! To test it, make sure the bike is warm, then with the engine idling, spray starting fluid all around the boots and vacuum ports. If there is any leak at all, the engine will pick up speed. Carb cleaner will work too, but then you should wash the area good just to make sure there is no long term negative effect of the carb cleaner chemicals on the rubber. Goose
  3. V7Goose

    Youth Helmets

    V7Goose replied to T.J.'s topic in Watering Hole

    I have two White Vetter full-face helmets in small. Both in like-new condition - you can have them for $20 each plus shipping. I also have a true child's 3/4 helmet (supper thick foam padding to fit just about any small head) in metallic red that shows the typical surface scuff marks from a kid's carelessness. I do not think any are actual scratches - they might all come right off with a little polish. You can have it for just the price of shipping. Goose
  4. V7Goose
    As Don Said, a carb sync can be done in about 10 minutes. If you are REALLY a perfectionist and have a bike that won't cooperate, maybe 30 minutes. There are about four different types of sync tools available, and of course, you will find lots of different opinions about them - the one that is most popular here, I think is junk. The only sync tool I recommend is the four vacuum gauge set (mechanical gauges). You can still buy them for about $50 or a bit less. LOTS of threads on this site with discussion of these tools, including links on where to buy. An exhaust leak anywhere from the header pipe connection all the way to the muffler slip-on point will cause an afterfire. Stock mufflers should have a silver asbestos (?) gasket inside the end, but when you buy something from the junk market, no telling what you got. That gasket is quite thick, so if it is missing or damaged, the clamp cannot seal the connection. But even if you find an exhaust problem, do not ignore those vacuum caps and lines. The caps do not last more than two years if the bike is being ridden - pull them off and bend them - ANY SIGN of cracking, no matter how small, means they MUST be replaced. That vacuum leak will always cause this problem. Do not waste time and money ordering new caps from Yamahaha - just go to any auto parts store and buy 5.5mm vacuum caps. Also remove the two vacuum lines and carefully inspect them near the end - many careless mechanics using pliers to try and pull them off will cut them around the end of the nipple. And if somebody has stupidly removed those vacuum lines and plugged the AIS system, then you are absolutely guaranteed that your problem is an exhaust leak, no matter what else is wrong with the bike. Goose
  5. V7Goose
    I have not looked at prices for a while, so I won't comment on that, but I strongly suggest you stick with the Star rack. It is the only one I know of that has the long chrome strips to go between the mounting posts, both inside AND out. These are important. If you crack the trunk lid, a replacement is a thousand bucks! Many people have bought the aftermarket gold wing rack (the one sold by JCW and most wing sites), and although there are plenty of people happy with them, I have seen quite a few reports of quick rusting and broken trunk lids. If you absolutely insist on cheaping-out on this part, make sure you use large fender washers on the mount posts to spread the load over more of the plastic surface. Max load for ANY rack on that trunk top should be 20 lbs. Goose
  6. V7Goose
    Yes, the pilot screws can be reached without removing anything (except the anti-tamper caps on them). You can see them with a flashlight from the opposite side of the bike, meaning you access the left side carbs from the right side. If the caps are still on, look for brass cone shaped nipples fairly close to the drain screws. If the caps have been removed, you will see brass screw heads with two flat slots in an X - even though these are not philips head screws, I find a philips driver works best on them because it will not slip off. Factory setting is between 2-2.5 turns out. Best setting will be between 3.5-4 turns out if your pilot jets are totally clean and the floats are set correctly (they are ALWAYS too high from the factory). If you are going to touch them at all, start by turning each one in to verify the idle speed drops - this will prove your pilot jet is not plugged. With a tach or sensitive ear, just set for max RPM on each cylinder; otherwise, set them at 3 and forget it. I suggest "3 out" in this case because you will have no way of knowing if the floats are set correctly - if they are still at the very high factory setting, then 4 out will be too rich. But, that is not the cause of your afterfire (99.875642% certainty here). And it is a bad idea to go cranking on the mixture screws until you are sure that the rest of the bike is running correctly. In completely stock trim, with all stock settings on the carbs, these bikes will NOT pop on decel unless something is wrong. This has been discussed in many older threads on this site, so you can get all the details if you really want them. The fact that you have less of a problem by cranking up idle speed suggests to me that you have some plugged pilot jets, and you are over-coming that problem by running more off the main jets. Another quick check of the pilot jets is how much vacuum the engine is pulling at idle - if the rings and valves are good, that engine should show 11" Hg - if it is showing less than 10", then the slides are being held partly open by the idle setting to compensate for plugged pilot circuits. On the other hand, it is very strange and quite uncommon if your bike did not pop with aftermarket pipes, but does with stock pipes. This suggests that you introduced an exhaust leak. Most common cause are (in this order): bad carb sync/dirty carbs vacuum leak - either from rotted caps or nicked vacuum lines exhaust leak from bad Y pipe joints, loose header bolts, or missing/damaged gaskets at slip-on points High resistance in the plug caps Bad spark plugs Dirty air filters Goose
  7. V7Goose
    Yes, that is exactly the problem. Goose
  8. V7Goose
    You do not need to just accept or get used to poor handling on an RSV or RSTD. If you have crappy Brickstone tires on the bike, then don't bother looking for any other solution until you get ride of them. I do not know specifically what thread you are looking for - I have discussed Leveling links and raising the rear of this bike in many many threads. Here is one: http://www.venturerider.org/forum/showthread.php?t=52281&highlight=leveling+links%2C+wow To find more, do an advanced search, use V7Goose for the user name, and "leveling links" (with the quotes) for the search words. Goose
  9. V7Goose
    All RSV seats mount the same. The only differences are in the padding and trim. Midnight seats have those girly studs around them, early RSV seats were more flat on the top - more like a typical motorcycle seat, and later models have the pillow-top seats. Goose
  10. V7Goose
    Before you test ride these bikes, be sure to do a little research here and look at the threads concerning power, performance and shift points. These bikes have LOTS of power, but if you ride it like a big twin, you will think it is a dog. Also pay attention to the tires on the bike. If they are Brickstone Excedras, the bike will feel ultra heavy and handle very poor at low speed compared to any other tire. I'm just saying do NOT form any opinion about how they handle if they have crappy skins! It may be tough to believe that the difference could be so great as I am saying, but keep an open mind until you ride one with either Avon Venom or Dunlop E3 tires. Also, avoid any bike that has a lowering kit on it unless your legs are just too short for the standard machine. You can quickly tell the difference by looking at the rear brake. Stock rear suspension is with the brake caliper above the swing arm - a lowering kit will move it below the arm. Good luck in finding what you want. Goose
  11. V7Goose
    100,000 miles on a Venture is just average - not high mileage at all. I cannot say from experience, but I would expect 200,000 - 300,000 miles out of this engine before significant internal work was required. Of course, that assumes the bike is ridden regularly and properly maintained and not left to sit and rot as many bikes are. Goose
  12. V7Goose
    Not in sizes for a 2nd gen, they don't. At least not from Avon. Can't list something that is not made.
  13. V7Goose
    I do not know where the tire info in your post came from, but I do not believe it is correct for Avon Venom tires. The information on the Avon web site http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/motorcycle/venom or http://www.avonmoto.com/products/cruiser-touring-custom/venom Shows that the only Venom FRONT tire they have in 150/80-16 is a 71H black wall They have two REAR tires in 150/90-15, an 80H and a 74V, both back wall. The tire with part number 4710010 is an Avon Cobra tire, which is a radial tire and not suitable for the RSV or RSTD. I generally buy my tires from either Jake Wilson or SW Moto Tires. For me, both have always had excellent service, fresh tires, and low prices. But SWMT prices seem to have been creeping up over the last couple of years. Goose
  14. V7Goose
    Unfortunately, the tires I want to use are not made in WWW sizes for both front and rear. I do not want the narrower front tire, nor do I choose to mount a rear tire on the front of a motorcycle. In the brands that do make a WWW tire in our size, I have not heard of any special problems with them. Goose
  15. V7Goose
    I know you have listed the tread depth, which is very good information, but I have not tried to calculate what your remaining tread is compared to a new tire. However, my experience is that I always get two rear Avon tires to one front (generally 14K/rear, 28K/front. I generally get 2 rear/i front in most brands of tires that I have tested, so the Avon Venom is typical in this wear rate. Generally, a tire with 1/2 life left really does not look too worn, so your comments make me wonder if your front is wearing much faster than mine do. It may be easier to just go ahead and do both at the same time if you do not want to have to mess with a single front change before the next rear tire is shot. Personally, since I change my own, I do not have any reason to change them before they are down to the wear bars. Goose
  16. V7Goose
    From what I have seen here, that dealer should be responsible for the fix. Goose
  17. V7Goose
    I'd love to meet with you and do some bench racing - come on down any time. I have somebody coming in for a valve adjust and steering bearing lube on the weekend of 10/21 - might be interesting for you if you can come by then. As for the coolant - no way I can say for sure how minor the leak is just from static pictures. I THINK it is minor, but be sure to check the level in the overflow tank every day after the engine has completely cooled (that's why I suggested every morning). That way you cannot accidentally get burned by engine problems from low coolant that the shop might try to blame on you. Goose
  18. V7Goose
    The most common coolant leak is from the water jacket plugs behind the fake fins - but that is not your problem. Your picture clearly shows where it is leaking - this is not a common location. It does not looks bad, so if your bike is still under warranty, I'd just watch the coolant level every morning and wait until you return to take it in for the shop to fix. Those tabs are broken on virtually every RSV - it is a stupid design. The fairing can be replaced under warranty, but they will break again in just a couple of weeks. See my article in the tech library on how to make some simple braces to fix the problem.. Goose
  19. V7Goose
    The AIS is a passive pollution control system that reduces the amount of unburned hydrocarbons that are blown out the tail pipe. Your pictures focus on the AIS induction port. It can have absolutely nothing to do with an oil leak. The only logical source for oil in that area is from the valve cover gasket. To positively identify the source, you need to spray the area with engine de-greaser and then hose it off good. After it has completely dried, use some spray foot powder and lightly coat the base of the valve cover in that area. Any leak will be immediately visible when it starts. You haven't bothered to tell us how old your bike is, or how many miles are on it, but a very light re-torque of the valve cover bolts could fix it for you. But be gentle - the torque spec is very light for those bolts. You can find the shop manual for free in the tech library. Replacing those gaskets is a relatively big deal, since getting the covers off is a LOT of work - if that is needed, just plan on getting the valves adjusted. Depending on the miles on your engine, that might be your best option anyway. Goose
  20. V7Goose
    7,000 miles in 7 years means that bike has done a LOT of sitting and rotting. It is actually surprising that it runs at all if it has not had recent work. ALL the fluids need to be changed. "Cutting out" would generally sound like an ignition problem, perhaps exacerbated by bad fuel mixture or fuel delivery. But since that is such a subjective term, it could easily be completely fuel related. The popping and afterfire is certainly caused mostly by the ignition problem, but even after that is all fixed, you could still have popping caused by a vacuum leak or exhaust leak. Do start by running SeaFoam in the next few tanks of gas. But if the carbs a pretty gunked up like they usually are from sitting, it is gonna take more than that. I think you got a good deal on the bike. Getting it fixed right will probably cost $500-$1,000 at a dealer. It is not particularly hard, but a lot of labor is involved. You are not too far from me - if you want to ride down here near Fort Worth, I will help you check out the total bike, change the fuel filter, clean the carbs properly, set the floats, check the coils and plugs, and sync the carbs and set mixture - your cost would be $200+parts (and being a paid member here). And you will learn an awful lot about your bike! If you want to do it all yourself, the information is all over this site - all you have to do is look for it. And the members here will do everything they can to help answer your questions and point you in the right direction. In case you need either, the shop manual is available for free download here, and the owner's manual is available for free download from the Yamaha/Star web site. Welcome to the tribe - I know you will enjoy that bike once you get it sorted out! And be sure to look up threads here about power and shift points - if you have not been riding a high-reving multi, I guarantee you that you are not riding this bike correctly yet (especially since it is not running well)! Goose
  21. V7Goose

    SeaFoam

    V7Goose replied to Ozlander's topic in Watering Hole

    Techron has a very good reputation in many circles. I have used it some, but not in the type of situation where I could clearly say it made a huge difference. I guess the most telling thing for me is that when I have been faced with a moderate problem that may or may not be a carb or injector issue, I have tried the "other stuff", but every time I have been certain that the issue was a carb problem, I went to SeaFoam, and every time it made a difference. I guess I'm just going to have to force myself to try the "other stuff" first when faced with those bad situations if I am ever going to get a better comparison! Goose
  22. V7Goose
    Unless your roads are newly paved with freshly broken glass in the macadam, your commute means nothing. Tire wear is more related to speeds, the condition of the bike, and the rider's specific interaction with clutch, transmission, throttle and brakes. Goose
  23. V7Goose
    The wear PATTERN on your front tire is completely normal for all countries that drive on the right. The AMOUNT of wear, however, is quite abnormal for 7,000 miles (on both tires). In that brand, the front should last a MINIMUM of three times that (and really four times), and thre rear should last twice that. Goose
  24. V7Goose

    SeaFoam

    V7Goose replied to Ozlander's topic in Watering Hole

    B-12 Chemtool may, or may not, be a good product; I do not have an opinion yet. I have used it several times, but have not seen any noticeable result, either good or bad. HOWEVER, it is NOT equivalent to SeaFoam! The label seems to imply that it is much harsher, it specifically says it cannot be used in a diesel engine, and I do not recall seeing anything on it that says it works as a fuel stabilizer. It is certainly cheaper than SeaFoam, but it is not the same at all. I will continue to test it in different situations to see if it seems to clean as well. But based on what I have seen so far, I do not suggest that anyone add it to the fuel and leave it soak long term like we sometimes do with SeaFoam. Goose
  25. V7Goose
    From everything you posted, I would first suggest that you have a loose or corroded connection. Besides the cables on the battery itself, do not forget to check ground cable on the engine case. If you have completely checked those out (including physically scraping the cable ends and battery terminals), then you have a bad battery. Goose
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