What did you do to your Vmax today? Part 2

VMAX  Forum

Help Support VMAX Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
This morning real early about 4 am I got to tinkering with the Vmax I picked up last weekend, the one that sat under a tarp for 15 years. Working out a temporary plan until I replace the lower case this winter to by pass the oil filter, the lower section of the case is broken off. Found a metric pipe adapter off a junk Toyota engine for the oil filter, the pipe threads right into the lower case where the oil filter bolt would go, next step is to either tap the return opening for the return oil or press fit a sleeve, JB Weld and possibly make a strap to keep it in place and just make a U turn of a hose so bike will run. Braze or tap a fitting to the pipe that does thread into the case. I might try to make a spin on filter plate that will also send oil back properly even under pressure.

Got lucky, no key to bike, both ign, side and gas cap all buggered up so it just takes a screwdriver to turn (looks like somebody tried to steal bike), gas cap did come off, about a gallon and a half of varnish looking fuel in tank, no rust but some very light discoloration. Pumped out as much as I can, will take a piece of wire with a shop towels to mop up sludge. Going to pull battery out, get fresh fuel in, see if anything is in carbs (unlikely) turn on ig with fresh gas, see if it all works, drain that fuel from carbs.

Then I will borrow the stator cover from my 83 venture thats still under restoration, its not going anywhere right now. Looks like somebody took parts off the crankshaft, its just the tapered shaft, I have replaced my stator on the 89 Venture Royale when I first bought it, piece of cake easy as can be so I believe there is a permanent magnet hub there. I have the replacement lower case and the full stator cover with a used stator in the mail Even got luckier still when a seller accepted my off of $65 for a nice front fender with the brace.

Clutch slave inoperative, bleeder froze solid, its soaking in PB blaster, filled with synthetic DOT4. Rear brake froze up, had basically the same issues with the 83 Venture last year, it was in a house fire, insurance totaled, put in a warehouse for 17 years, had to rebuild every single hydraulic component. No centerstand on bike. Just a single heavily oxidized Kerker muffler. So thats the plan, get it running to see if its savable before I invest and more time on it as I really want to take it down to the frame, powdercoat it, repaint engine and totally restore bike, good enough to enter it in our local custom bike show in Anchorage next spring.
 
There is a drain bolt at the bottom of the fuel tank that will help get the rest of the old fuel/sludge out and help flush the tank out.

Mike
 
There is a drain bolt at the bottom of the fuel tank that will help get the rest of the old fuel/sludge out and help flush the tank out.

Mike

Ya beat me to it, I was gonna mention that. If it has corrosion, you might want to try the electrolysis method of rust removal, you can probably do it w/what you have sitting in your shop. I haven't done it yet, but I have a rusty candidate exhaust I may try it on.
 
I saw the drain plug, easy to get to. All corrosion external, inside of tank is actually pretty clean. But what threw a big monky wrench in the gearbox of everything was a persistent toothache that grew so bad suddenly yesterday morning I had to leave work, I went darn near through half a bottle of ibruprofen, tried to find a dentist but all had left town for the holiday, so as I was driving home (barely) I saw one dentist office, walked in and within 15 minutes they had two bad teeth out, they were the best I have ever seen and I have had teeth problems for years. True professionals.

So now I am about to get up and start a new day, half my bikes are at work where I am using the back end of the shop, there is a 93 Goldwing I am reconstructing from an accident, an 82 Goldwing that will be customized for the next bike show, my 89 Venture Royale and the 95 Goldwing, and a couple others.
So one can see I am mostly into the big heavy touring bikes, the Vmax is however born from the 1200 V4 in my Ventures and I do know what the engine can do even with 95hp and a heavier frame.
If it wasn't for the fact of it being a low numbered VIN of the first year I would take that engine out and put it in my Venture, they have done it.
I have only seen three other Vmax bikes in Alaska, one new and on on Craigslist and another fairly new that a fella had that had sold me a 83 Honda Cx650. He was about my age late 50's and says he would not ride anything else but a Vmax, has two of them.

So I am thinking of certain ideas of what best to do with this Vmax, leave it pure stock, update it with HID, LED, belly pan, windshield, vinyl wrap etc. Or get a little radical and take the luggage racks off my 83 Venture, mount them as they have the removable suitcase like side bags. I am in Alaska, limited buyers market here, almost everyone owns a Harley or a Goldwing, very few crotch rockets, just big touring bikes and cruisers. Make it into a super touring bike? probably what it will eventually become is a museum piece like a bike from Jay Lenos collection, all run but never sold, kept for the uniqueness of its design.
 
Put together this cup holder for Woona. Redneck as all fuck, but it works! May not be as pretty as Kuryakyn's piece, but parts from Home Depot are a LOT fucking cheaper!

10534129_10203406660942575_3739647414475904095_n.jpg
 
Finished going through the fuel system on the project bike. got the carbs and airbox put on. It turns over but won't start. It doesn't even sound like it's trying. I'll leave it on the battery tender until later tonight when I'll go see if it's even sending any spark to the plugs. I also have one stray wire coming from the R/R area. I can't figure out what it connects to. it's even got a single female spade connector in a nice plastic housing. I'm sure it's supposed to be there, I just can't find it's mate. Probably more on that later.
 
Nice Cupholder. Attempted to remove clutch master cylinder from handlebars for rebuild and became frustrated with the complexity of the project so I went back inside and began drinking heavily again. surprised I can type this. Was it spelled right?
 
After the fireworks, I rode to Walmart to get milk and other perishables that NEED to be frigerated. On the way home, I stop at the 24 hour Dunkin Donuts to get my large dark roast iced coffee that is actually 3/4 espresso... and there are four EXTREMELY HOT college chicks in there... ALL wanting to go for a ride on Woona.

And I had to get my stuff home... which is probably a good thing, cause these girls were ANNOYING AS FUCK!!! As in blonde valley girl on Redbull, crack and meth type annoying.

But STILL!!! DAMNIT!!!


someone shoot me now...
 
Finally got around to taking pictures of what my gauge light mod looks like at night. Two short LED strips mounted to the plastic behind the gauges looks pretty mean (I think).

Also shown is the $5 volt meter I installed in front of the gauges so I can nerd out on how well my charging system works after swapping everything to LED and doing the crimp fix, lithium battery upgrade and r/r upgrade. That's the battery voltage shown with the bike not running, after just getting home from a spirited ride on the freeway.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20140703_115325.jpg
    IMG_20140703_115325.jpg
    28 KB · Views: 44
  • IMG_20140706_005444.jpg
    IMG_20140706_005444.jpg
    38.7 KB · Views: 50
  • IMG_20140706_005456.jpg
    IMG_20140706_005456.jpg
    37.8 KB · Views: 48
After the fireworks, I rode to Walmart to get milk and other perishables that NEED to be frigerated. On the way home, I stop at the 24 hour Dunkin Donuts to get my large dark roast iced coffee that is actually 3/4 espresso... and there are four EXTREMELY HOT college chicks in there... ALL wanting to go for a ride on Woona.

And I had to get my stuff home... which is probably a good thing, cause these girls were ANNOYING AS FUCK!!! As in blonde valley girl on Redbull, crack and meth type annoying.

But STILL!!! DAMNIT!!!


someone shoot me now...

Could have at least got some pics with girls on bike think about some of us thats been married for 30 years...:bang head::biglaugh:
 
Picked up a cigarette lighter style power port, which has two USB style ports as well, that I shall wire into my ride. (to include a toggle switch to kill power. I think this one has the LED which tells you it's live)

I also picked up a portable air pump which plugs into said power port, and a tire repair kit, just in case.

Lastly, I picked up primer and paints to match my ride, so I can make my helmet match the bike. Later on, I shall paint the lower portion of the windshield to match.
 
I removed the carbs and started the clean and rebuild for the first time. They look much nicer all cleaned up and I hope it purrs to life when I get it back together, it's my first time, yikes!


Matt
 
finished rebuilding all 4 carbs and got them bolted back together. Tomorrow I'll reinstall them and see if he starts, fingers crossed.
 
I swaped my Venture pumpkin out to a stock one for a while. The Venture was starting to leak from the front seal. I've wanted to
anyway, since modding my carbs. Time to let her rev.
 
Back
Top