Fixing my VF500F

I decided to make a thread about fixing my bike since there is so much work to do on it. I didn't want to spam a thread for every problem I run into. This is the first time I take a bike apart to this level, never did carbs before.
I will post pics along with my progress. There also seems to be a shortage of good info about fixing things yourself on the internet so this is my contribution.

So, bought this 1985 VF500 with supposedly 3000 miles on it... at least that's what the owner and the ODO said. Runs like crap, idles at 3000-4000 RPM, overheats and doesn't run without choke. Guy said he bought it from his wife but she never rode it and it sat for a long, long time.

He did some work himself like change the fuel tank but it still needs quite a bit. The bike is complete.

So far I plan on:
1. cleaning the carbs
2. removing the rust from the tank
3. do an oil change
4. do a coolant flush

There seems to be a problem with the chain as it tic tocs when I move it. I'm not that worried about it right now my main focus is to get the engine running right. If that won't work then there is no point in fixing anything else.

First thing decided to take the carbs off and inspect them. I though they weren't so bad after taking only one apart then found a broken pilot jet needle on #4. That actually makes me happy because I couldn't figure out why the bike was running so bad. This may be it.

The procedure for taking out the broken needle was to use my compressor to blast air from the other side and catch it with a cloth.

Below are 2 pics of the bike taken apart and the broken pilot needle with a dirty floater.

Obviously the question now is: where do I get another needle?

 

I've been swapping the jets in the 1 gal carb cleaner can every day, and washing some of the gaskets and the diaphragms with mild soap.

Today I decided to start de-rusting the gas tank, even though it's not that bad. I guess I need something to do while I wait for a pilot needle.

The first step was to degrease the gas tank after draining all the fuel out. I grab a can of brake cleaner and half way through the spray the damn plastic tube shoots out of the can and into the tank

I spent the next hour or two trying to get that thing out. I tried shaking the tank hoping it would fall out, then filled it with water hoping that tube would float. None of that seemed to work. With the gas tank upside down I tried "fingering" and shaking it and eventually I could feel the tube right up against the lip but couldn't pull it up and out. I tipped my finger in some lithium grease and stuck it to the tube then gently and carefully lifted it up and down through the fill hole. Phew!

I resumed doing some real work like filling the tank with water and the de-rusting agent I bought the other day. Gonna leave that to sit until tomorrow, then clean it up using the solution provided and then some WD40 to prevent flash rusting.

So far so good.

 

Go here for carb kits (canadian funds)
Motorcycle Parts
go here for hard to get parts
http://www.cmsnl.com/
hope this will help your build.:thumbsup:

 

Hey thanks for the info, I'll add that to the list of websites. I talked to the guy I bought the motorcycle from and looks like he's gonna send me a spare needle for free. What a champ!

 

Your tank should be coated if it shows any rust.

"Fuel tank sealer" from Plating Kits Electroplating Kits Aluminum Anodizing Kits Powder Coating Systems Metal Polishing And Buffing Supplies - Caswell Inc.


$40 kit is easy to use!

 

squirrel whats the deal!? your not going to tell him to quit wasting his money and time.....hahahahaha..she looks good what you have listed isnt going to be hard to do just keep asking questions :thumbsup:

 

Back together, runs, new oil, coolant

Got a needle couple of days ago and managed to put the carbs back together. The gaskets were kind of worn so I put some silicone under them. Few pics below. I used some temp, gas, oil and water resistant silicone from Honda. I was worried that it would have been messy but it came out nicer than I was expecting. I gave them 2 days to cure before mounting them on the bike.

Yesterday I mounted carbs and had some trouble with fuel. There was nothing coming through the line so did some troubleshooting and found the problem: the fuel pump. Maybe it had air in it maybe it was bad, I took it out completely and routed the hose from the tank to the carb directly. The bike ran afterwards to my amazement. I thought I would be spending days trying to get it started.

Later I installed the filter too. I know some people say it's not high flow but it pumps gas at the same rate when I crank the engine so w/e.

Changed the oil and coolant afterwards and now the bike is in semi working condition. I need to get the carbs synched. I just called a shop and they quoted me around $400. I think that is a bit steep. For that kind of money I can buy my own tools. Gonna keep calling shops maybe I can get a better rate and also try to get independent mechanics. If that doesn't work I'll buy my own tools and do it myself.

Anyone have any experience doing this? How hard is it?

 

Way to go guy!

Keep up the good work.

I wanna do this to my Interceptor but I don't have a garage and I can't stand the downtime of not having a bike to ride.

 

If your bikes starts well, idles smoothly, runs well at low speeds with small throttle opening, then your synch is probably close enough and you don't need to spend $$$.

you can get synch very close by lining up the all the throttle plates exactly to the holes in the carb throat......

silicone is not fuel-proof,andtheremnissomerisk of itbreakingoffandclogging jets.

 

Dito:crazy:

 

yeah well it said it is gas resistant on the tube so i trust it to some degree. as far as idling i think i got it to idle right at some point but i fiddled with the pilot screws and now it won't idle below 3000 again. is there a procedure to follow that can get it pretty close?

 

Well I found that the pilot screws are supposed to be 2 turns out. So I did that and got it to idle at around 1300. I took it for a short ride noticed some hesitation when throttling. After coming back the bike wouldn't idle anymore. It was a little hotter. What the hell is going on?

It idles at 3000, then when I crank the throttle it goes below 3000, and eventually dies. The throttle cable is not sticking. I'm gonna lube it just to make sure, but what else could it be?

 

Some more info:

It seems that temperature has something to do with it as well. When the bike gets hot and the temp needle is in the middle it won't idle it will die.

Also the idle at 3000 RPM is related to the idle at 1300. When I try to bring up the idle up (using the idle screw) to keep it at 1300, and then throttle up to reset it won't go below 3000. If I drop the idle again it goes all the way down past 3000, hangs around 1000 for 5 seconds then dies.

It seems like it's either 3000 or nothing.

 

Go here for carb kits (canadian funds)
Motorcycle Parts
go here for hard to get parts
Honda Motorcycle Parts, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha Motorcycle Parts - ATV, Classic Bike, Dirt Bike Parts
hope this will help your build.

 

take alookatsparkplugs.

ifthey(oneormore) lookblack,you mayhavepoorlyadjustedfloatsorbadfloatneedle.


uhaveHondaservicemanual??

 

yeah i have the service manual. i hope its not the float bowls i really don't wanna take that thing apart again. gonna take a look tomorrow at the spark plugs. how long do i have to run it for them to foul up so i can tell?

 

More fun times




Well this just keeps getting better... Only bad news to report today. I took out a spark plug. Someone tell me, does it look fouled? Probably, yes. Which means I now have to take the carbs apart again and check the float level. I didn't do that before cuz I thought, hey 2000 miles why would someone mess with the floats? Now its pissin me off cuz I have to go through all that silicone goop I put on there.

I'm also beginning to think this bike has a lot more than 1881 miles on it. How can it have so many problems if it was supposedly only run for 1800 miles?!

As that wasn't bad enough, I found out my spark plug tool can't take the other 3 spark plugs out, 2 are too close to the radiator and one is in a hole that the tool doesn't fit in.

While I was checking spark plugs I found that one of the cables is really f***ed up at one end. 2nd pic below. Now I need to find that as well, and it will probably gonna cost me another 20-40 bucks.

I'm starting to hate this bike. For a little bit more money I could have bought something that actually works.

I dunno what to do now, should I keep working on it myself or take it to a shop and get financially raped.

 

"theolderthebikeyouhave,themoreuneedtoknowaboutmechanics":me

Theplugisnotfouled.Lookonlkyatthecenterinsulator.itlookslikeit'srunningverylean.

You'reconfirmoingwhatiusuallyrecommend:getthenewestbikeyoiuanafford.Itwillsaveumoneyinthelongrun.

seemsthemainreasonpeoplearebuyingVF500sandVF700sisthattheyareavailablecheap.....latertheproblemsbecomemanifestandplentiful.

thehigh-tensionleadisavailableatNAPAassparkplugwire(buyoffbulkrool)getsolidwirecore,notresistancecorewire......

 

welcome to owning a vf500f :crazy:

 

You can make your own plug wires. 7mm solid core wire at any auto parts store like NAPA. Use the stock ends and rubber washers.