tz89

Yes, over due.

There are posts. Basically, the idea is that if you spray near where an air leak is drawing in air toward combustion, the starter spray will be drawn in and you will notice the engine respond by speeding up a bit. This would be a good way to test whether your removal and installation of the carb set left a leak on either side of the carbs (airbox or intake). If you eliminate the air filter as the problem, and everything easy like vacuum hose and port caps, then it is time to try the starter spray test. My recent air leak turned out to be a port cap. I found that just by close inspection.

A wandering idle air leak is ahead of the cylinder, not on the exhaust side. Some use starter spray to determine. I've used a rubber hose like a doctor's stethoscope to listen in close. I don't know anything about the Uni filter but it is worth a try to install a stock filter. The leaking spot you point to on your pipes is close enough to the rear cylinder to be igniting - not sure if it is close enough to the front.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1987-Yamaha-Venture-Royale-XVZ1300-Y371-left-side-saddle-bag-storage-cover-lid-/231336034787?pt=Motorcycles_Parts_Accessories&hash=item35dcb3c1e3&vxp=mtr

If your idle speed is wandering by itself that suggests you have an air leak. Since you pulled your carbs that may be where the leak is. You probably are still lean. Setting up the idle speed means you are drawing from the primary circuit a bit and thus covering the lean condition in the idle circuit on one or more carbs. This suggests the idle screws need adjusting. But the popping could be from the new pipes, or an air leak from where they attach, or it could be something else. It is hard to isolate. In any case the air/fuel ratio is off.

Irish?

Yes do investigate air leaks at the pipes and carbs. Find em and fix em. I had a carb port cap that was cracked and leaking. The idle mix screws adjust the mix of the idle circuit. The bike runs on that at low RPMs and the circuit is part of higher RPMs too. You didn't say which way you turned those screws but I presume you turned them out 2 turns. That made your idle richer. You may notice that you don't need as much or any choke on a cold start. I'm glad you counted your adjustment - put them back. Adjusting these is more art than science imho and so if your adjustment didn't make the difference you wanted put them back for now. I do mine by 'ear'. If increased airflow has leaned out the bike then you will be rejetting or adjusting the slide needle shim height. I don't have a 2nd gen so I don't know exactly what you have to work with. Reducing shim to the needles on the slide leans out the primary circuit, and so increasing may make the circuit richer if it is possible to do this. I think this is true - we have carb experts on here but I'm not one of them. It is typical on other bikes to rejet after putting on new pipes. Popping is from air leaks or from the bike being too lean for some reason.

This time of year when I may ride or it may rain hard for months, I keep the tank full, with Seafoam. My petcock is mostly seized so I leave it on reserve. I've never had an issue with fuel draining down through the pump and uphill to the carbs. Could happen but it hasn't. No reason to pull carbs with normal care observed.

I forgot to close this off. Once the bike was synced it ran fine. Great even. For my pre winter projects I've now put on a new K&N air filter (the old filter was looking nasty), all new diaphragms (2 had pinholes), all new carb port caps (at least one was leaking), and a new set of spark plug wires (one was corroded). Plus a sync. Last nice days of fall riding here in Oregon. The bike is running strong. No wandering idle and no occasional missing. Maybe I'll do the fuse box next although I have to figure out what the extra wires are for - I think they're for a hitch that never got installed by the PO.

I switched to lamb when I want a hunk of meat. Supposed to be a bit better for you but I just like it better as long as its not prepared the English way which seems more grey than anything. And of course buffalo and many game meats are healthier than industrial beef. Yes, I marinate it in Seafoam.

Thanks for the photo. Apparently the filter was up on one of the alignment tabs, something that had never been a close fit before.

Thanks. I think I seated it correctly but there is obviously a problem so I'll try again.

The K&N is slightly taller.

I have the recommended filter YA-1283. But the air cover won't go back on because the filter stands too tall. Has anyone run into this? Am I supposed to just mash it down hard or something? Or do I have to go and buy a $200 billet cover (not)?

A quick Google search says that in 2013 about 500,000 motorcycles were sold in the US. 2/3rds were Harleys and only a few were attributed to Yamaha (less than 2%). The Motorcycle Industry Council sells access to its more reliable data but I'm not paying. So what Google reports may be wrong. I often wonder when thinking about RSVs and if I would buy one is why does Yamaha keep making them. Surely they can't be selling many. The tooling is all paid for and I suppose they don't have to sell many to keep the line going to see where the market goes. It is my observation that these heavy two-up touring bikes are sold to the now aging baby boomer market. I just don't see many younger guys on these bikes except for those who are dressed head to toe in HD logo gear. I think its not so much a bike they bought but something else. But even the big HD's seem to be ridden mostly by pensioners. There are exceptions of course but that is the rule that is observed by me. I love my 89 but if I had to replace it it would be tough. I'm thinking of lighter bikes. I'm thinking more about cruising than distance riding. But I'm a tail end boomer and really wonder why buy another bike at all even though I can and there are many I want. It wouldn't be an RSV. I looked hard at an 09 Road Star Midnight Silverado that was sweet and priced right recently. My eye is looking at the Valkyries. My lust is looking at the Moto Guzzi California touring bike and I'm thinking about ordering one for 2015.

Do you mean it idles really well once warmed up, or it runs at speed really well when warmed up? From what you say it sounds like you need to turn the screws in a bit, but I'm not convinced this is only an idle jet adjustment issue. btw - it would help if you could tell us how many turns out each screw is set. Gently turn in each until it seats counting the turns.

yeah that

Great. I'm glad it's working out. I'd keep Seafoam in it pretty continuously for a while. I would also carry a set of fresh plugs with their gap set. There's a fair chance you will still foul as goop works itself out, and you might as well make it easy on yourself if you are out on the road.

A successful test of my current board on my bike today. Also, I was able to use a hall sensor to detect spark plug wire pulses - so RPM is doable. My new board design goes to the fabricator this week. Then I'll build one or two, test and post.

Don't forget to join.

There's a pre-made set you can buy on Ebay that I used and so have others with success. http://www.ebay.com/itm/261611171173 You can buy the NKG resistor caps and good wire cheap and make your own easily. Don't buy an automotive set. OEM? I guess but why spend more. The originals eventually go bad - or not. I had one bad wire when I tested after doing the replacement. Some people just clip the ends of the existing wire and or replace just the caps.

No. While its all apart like that I would do everything you can. Test the coils and replace as need be. Take a good look at the TCI. Plug wires will be easy when it's apart like that. Good copper core wire, resistance plug caps. Just don't lose the cap and o-ring from the coil end of the existing plug wire. You need two straight and two 90 degree NKG plug caps. Heck do the improved ground cable mod. Definitely visit all the cable harness connections and clean and use dialectic grease. All documented on the site. You won't necessarily see gas look like molasses. It's the lacquer that builds up on things when the bike sits. Bad gas can turn to goop or seems like it in the bowls.

Step 1: go ahead and join. Best $12 ever spent, plus a great bunch willing to help. Step 2. Seafoam. If changing out the pump got it to work until the next day, there is probably still a lot of gunk to disgorge. Buy some Seafoam, fuel filters and spark plugs. Step 3. Drain the fuel bowls. Step 4. You need to work a bunch of Seafoam into the system. If you've stripped your bike I would let the fuel pump draw straight Seafoam until the bowls are full then try to start it to get some moving into the carbs. Let it sit over night. Put a Seafoam into the tank. Try to get it running and run it a while. You might need to point a house fan at it to help it keep cool. Step 5. Actually step 2. Read other opinions and suggestions which are sure to be added to answer your question. This is just mine. The clues I'm working off are bike was sitting, fuel pump failed and refailed, fouled plugs. Sounds like a fuel system problem to me.

Youtube has a number of videos on abs plastic welding, repairing and even rebuilding the plastic tabs. They are worth a few minutes of your time. In some they use a cheap wood burning iron to tack broken cracks together. They show using sticks of abs to weld cracks together. And they show using store bought or home made abs 'putty' to fill a mold (and how to make that mold). I've only worked on nicks and cracks. My brother bought a sheet of abs and made a fairing tab and welded it on - it held. For some of the pieces though you should look on ebay for replacements which even if not perfect or the right color may be a better starting place. There are lots because so many years are interchangeable. If it makes sense take everything off (take pictures), fix (take pictures), repaint and put her back together. Can't wait to see the results!

When I was doing the bulb thing the advice was to get a bulb made for motorcycles and not the wally mart bulbs like the silverstar ultra which is bright but doesn't last as well. Apparently they have a less rugged filament and are susceptible to the more extreme road vibration that motorcycles experience. But constant blowing sounds more like a electrical problem, a regulator spike, bad switch or a bad ground.