1988 vmax

[Fire-medic]

Good for you, you need to look at all the things which are suspect, and set them right. From your work to this point, it appears you've been busy doing just that.

I'd look at the thermostat to make sure it has one. I'd also look at the stator and rotor, you don't want the rotor to fly-off! Check all the exhaust fasteners too, maybe disconnect all the wire harness connections, and smear some dielectric grease into them and check for frayed wires, skinned wires, and loose connectors.

Have you done the 'crimp-fix' yet? (pic) You need to remove some of the wire loom wrapping to expose the brass crimp the factory uses. This gives more volts to the battery & etc. You can see for yourself, measure voltage w/the engine running & a meter across the battery terminals, for VDC.

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

I am going to use dielectric grease on all harness fittings also took back of key ignition off to use dielectric grease there and lucky I did it was bad. I don't know how the bike was running but I know why my Triumph Trident was beating it now. I just put some solder to that battery cable? It does have thermostat I had a leak there so took it off also cleaned it up and waiting on gasket and o-ring.

 

[Fire-medic]

I am going to use dielectric grease on all harness fittings also took back of key ignition off to use dielectric grease there and lucky I did it was bad. I don't know how the bike was running but I know why my Triumph Trident was beating it now. I just put some solder to that battery cable? It does have thermostat I had a leak there so took it off also cleaned it up and waiting on gasket and o-ring.

Yes, just solder the brass crimp. More electrons for you!

Some more easy work for your idle time.

https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/how-to-recondition-the-clutch-side-switch-pod.20783/
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/h...f-the-throttle-side-switch-housing-pod.17272/
https://www.vmaxforum.net/threads/how-to-recondition-the-ignition-switch.17281/
Thes are due to our friend ninjaneer, thank him. You will also see where other members contributed, Sean Morley, CaptainKyle, Patmax, alorio1 (Joe), who unfortunately has passed-on. Joe was an O.G. on the VMax, he had an '85 and was well into the 10's at the strip with it in stock condition. Ride well through the Elysian Fields' roads, Joe.

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

Have some parts painted after I painted them suck them in oven at 400 degrees. Waiting on the 16 bolts and rubber mounts for valve covers. Love the alumiblast paint, color is perfect.

 

[Fire-medic]

Have some parts painted after I painted them suck them in oven at 400 degrees. Waiting on the 16 bolts and rubber mounts for valve covers. Love the alum blast paint color is perfect.

It lies down very well for a rattle can (Alumiblast) it's durable too.

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

I was putting on front valve cover when the cam cap snapped in half where the bolt goes to hold down valve cover, WTF. Looks like it is going to be a problem finding one. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Again WTF. My ft lb torque wrench didn't fit well so I converted to inch lbs, manual called for 7.2 ft lb which converted to 86 inch lbs. HELP!!

 

[Fire-medic]

A couple observations.
Yep, I see where the camshaft cap has snapped.

I bet you could weld that up and surface/re-drill & tap that, if you had access to TIG. A quicker way might be to use a replacement camshaft cap. To safely use one of those, I'd use plastigage to see how the broken cap measures, comparing it to OEM specs, and to how the substitute camshaft cap measures. See chart below for camshaft to cap clearance (0.020-0.054 mm; 0.008-0.021 inch) which seems like a generous clearance dimension.




I suspect CaptainKyle or Sean Morley could supply one of those, but I would not just slap it in there, without seeing that the clearances are sufficient.

Checking Ron Ayres Yamaha, the camshaft caps are not available.

https://www.ronayers.com/oemparts/a/yam/50045c0cf8700209bc7942ea/cylinder-head
Se between part #'s 2 and 8, and 3 and 9, no part # is assigned to the camshaft cap.

Things could be worse, what I found on one used bike, not running well (but it was running!)

I used a camshaft from a parts bike to quickly repair it.

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

I did find a set of all 4 intake cam caps on E bay so I ordered them 30 bucks included shipping. I'll order some plastic gauge also to check clearance. I'll go and look up specs. Is there any thing I could do to clean up the surface where cam rides? Looks like I need the green plastigage would you agree.

 

[Fire-medic]

The plain bearing surface should be smooth, no gouges or imperfections felt or seen. have you removed the cap yet, I suspect that you may have? An unmagnified view of the cam bearing surface and the camshaft cap should be able to identify any serious imperfections. Use of a loupe or a magnifying glass to inspect any suspect areas may be needed to rule-out issues, or to confirm out-of-spec imperfections. You will need to remove the camshaft to check the cyl head plain bearing surface, re-install it, with the plastigage in-place and then remove the camshaft again without turning-over the crankshaft and cams to read the plastigage. I'd place one plastigage piece below the camshaft on the cyl head plain bearing surface, and another piece on-top of the camshaft, where the cap is.

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

Should I use the green plastigage? Camshaft broke on your pic?

 

[Fire-medic]

Yes, I believe the green is the correct color for the clearance range you'll be measuring.

Yes, a broken camshaft, which like so many pieces from mechanical things become paperweights and ashtrays, or Offerings to the Gods of Speed, as shown in The World's Fastest Indian.

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

OK Medic, everything is ordered. Thanks for the help......again!

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

Any thing I should be concerned about I believe around the oil lines, I think that's the breather assembly. I did install new hoses. I'd hate to get it back together and find out there's a leak there. I did clean it up a bit. Going to order new gaskets for breather assembly and new washers for oil line. Also do I need to remove cam tensioner to remove breather assembly? I did remove cam chain tensioner and breather assembly. New gaskets are ordered. Going to clean and paint while waiting for parts.

 

[Fire-medic]

Check the factory service manual for order of disassembly & what to do. I usually replace gaskets, washers on lines & O-rings. You could inspect the washers for deformities, and if none, dress them w/something like 320 or 400 wet-or-dry laid on a piece of glass, and anneal them w/a propane torch. Probably better to buy new.

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

I also ordered new copper washers for the banjo bolts. Parts are soaking in parts cleaner.

 

[wayne billings]

P.O.V. Color rite is the co. for stock paint and colors. Pricey but correct

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

What's the basic number of turn out for the A/F screws. I'm seeing 2.5-3.5? Right now mine are almost 4 turns.

 

[Fire-medic]

If it idles well, and is smooth on acceleration, I wouldn't be too-concerned about the 'close-to-4 turns out.'

 

[Pissed off Veteran]

Update: I raced my buddy who was riding my Trident 660 and it was no competition, vmax blew it away. Going to have to store the vmax soon here in Pennsylvania. I need to empty the carbs, can I unplug fuel pump power connector and let the bike run till carbs run out of fuel? Loving the vmax the more I ride it.

 

[dannymax]

Update: I raced my buddy who was riding my Trident 660 and it was no competition, vmax blew it away. Going to have to store the vmax soon here in Pennsylvania. I need to empty the carbs, can I unplug fuel pump power connector and let the bike run till carbs run out of fuel? Loving the vmax the more I ride it.

I'm just north of you outside Albany NY and keep the carbs full of treated gas all winter. Cycle the carbs every week or two to compensate for evaporation.
I have been using Stabile Marine Grade (blueish green) for several years without issue.