$200 VF500F find and restoration.

well guy, if you got the carbs off, you are 3/4 of the way to having the engine out.

If you aren't feeling like you are nearing the edge of your comfort level, you may want to consider removing the engine and going ahead with a valve adjustment. From this point, to remove the motor, all you have to do is remove the drive sprocket cover, drive sprocket and chain (you probably do not have a master link in the chain), radiator hoses, maybe two electrical connectors, the removable side frame, and three motor mount bolts.

It's much easier to do the valve adjustment with the motor removed. It's tight space and fine adjustments on the tappet screws to get a good adjustment.

I don't want to push you over your comfort level. But the valve adjustment is an important part of maintenance. I'd hate for you to get your carbs all cleaned up, put back together, and decide you can hear a good bit of valve train noise. Then you'd just have to tear it all apart again. Besides, you have time and are waiting for a tank right?

 

That's your call. I'm sure others will have an opinion too. I don't remember you saying how many miles were on the bike?

If it were me, I'd adjust the valves but I've done them many times. Maybe you should read up on the process and find some photos of it to see what you think before deciding to take it on? I don't think it's very tough at all but some people just aren't comfortable with it if unless someone holds their hand the first time.

I would do the adjustment more from the standpoint of knowing its done and not having to wonder later what kind of condition they are in. I know there is a maintenance interval in the book for adjusting them but I don't recal what it is.

 

Good choice. It's easy to take stuff apart, not always so easy to put it back together and have it work as intended right? :smile: I'd hate to encourage you to go beyond your comfort level and then not be there with my own hands to help put it back together!

I have a Clymer manual.

Gotta go eat dinner so I'll have to leave you to it for now...

 

Alright, here is the short version of the valve adjustment. If you decide to take it on, we'll get into more detail later.

Following the brief overview of what's left to remove your engine (I think I neglected to mention exhaust as one of the things you'll have to pull off), you'll be left with an engine on the table like this:



You can see the valve covers right there on top and easy to access. 4 more bolts and they are off. What you will see inside will look like this:



As I recall, this is a close up view on my #4 intake valves. This is a 16valve overhead cam engine. Each cylinder has 4 valves, 2 intake and 2 exhaust. When you remove a valve cover, you will see two cam shafts with a lobe on each end. One cam runs the intake valves and one cam runs the exhaust. Each lobe operates 1 rocker that has two adjustable tappets - so one rocker drives both valves simultaniously.

If you aren't following this, I'll have to get out my microsoft paint again and start drawing all over the pictures.

Anyway, the gap between the end of the valves and the tappet is (I'd have to look at the book again...) .004 of an inch for the intake valves and .005 for the exhaust. Improper adjustment (to the plus side) will cause a loud ticking sound and eventually mushroom out the end of the valves or (to the minus side) can cause loss of power after warmup and eventually burnt valves.

While you are in here, you are looking for signs of wear on the peak of the cam lobe surfaces. These engines were known for poor upper end oiling under certain circumstances. Nothing to panic about, as you can see there are lots of folk here running these bikes still after 25yrs. But it might be a good thing to know while you only have $200 into this bike so far. If the cam has wear, they can be replaced with one from a junkyard for between $50-$100. I wouldn't expect you to find pronounced cam wear in your engine if you had it running and didn't hear a pronounced ticking sound.

photo of cam and rocker removed from engine for illistration only...

 

Don't intermix parts between carbs. Certian models had different main jets and emulsion tubes (main jet holders) between the carbs.

Don't overlook the filter screens behind the needle/seat. Unscrew the seat and you should find a screen that needs to be checked.

 

Like I said, don't let me talk you into it. You are aware of it now and you can make your own decision. I don't think anyone would blame you a bit if you wanted to just get it running and put a few miles on it.

There are two frames of thought. One says, "I'll go thru it with a fine tooth comb and see what I got." The other is, "I'll just get it running first and see what I got." One isn't more right than the other.

Hey - and for the record I have to throw out an appology for giving matt a hard time about his corning picture. He's done a lot of work with his ride and deffinately rides it harder than I do on mine. I only intended to give him a litte ribbing and as for the posture I was picking on him about, he was probably nearing the exit of the corner and positioning to bring the bike back up.

 

Turbo - I just remembered something. Learn from one of my mistakes, while you have those carbs out, look at what slow speed jet and main jet are installed in each carb. Write the number down and put it in a safe place. You can also get the carb model number by looking around the lip where the float bowls fasten to them. There will be a approximately 6 characters stamped on the carbs and you'll be concerned with the first three (i.e. 57A or 31B etc..)

Later on down the road, if you are having any problems or are not happy with the performance, one of the first things people are going to ask is, "what jets to you have in it?"

 

clutch slave and master cylinders available here off an '84. Pretty sure it's the same....

They are pretty proud of some of their parts

Statewide Cycle Salvage - Honda Parts

 

Is there a battery box in that thing? Hard to tell from the picture. That's one extreamly dirty motor. Are you sure you didn't excavate that thing out of someone's back yard?

Looking good, keep the pictures coming!

Tomorrow I should have some new pictures of my latest project. Adding a power point 12v recepticle to the bike for powering my GPS. You can see in your fuse panel there that there are two "spares", I added wiring to one of them for the power point.

 

I will start one tomorrow. I wanted to make sure it was going to work as planned before embarrasing myself :biggrin: