Progressing along

Well, here I am, slowly getting my Blue Bomber in shape to ride again. I have done a lot to get it this far, the engine is finally complete and ready to spin, the clutch hardware is installed and working well, the front headlight mounting bracket is replaced, newer starter installed, new solenoid installed, footpegs replaced with good ones, front brake working perfectly, all turn signals working well.

Down to the last few things to fix. Wiring at the front needs attention, lots of cut wires I have to trace, need to install the new exhaust, replacing the rear fender and license plate mounting, and getting a new battery. Once all that is done, I should be back on the road, zipping along, wind in my hair, feeling free again.

More to come, I am going out to work on the wiring issues.

 

Well, after yet another all nighter, got the wiring pretty much figured, but for some reason it looks as if my brake light is on all the time. I checked the front handle and it seems to be activating the switch, and the rear switch seems to work as well. I don't have a volt meter to tell for sure, maybe one is internally shorted or something. The right rear turn signal isn't working either, checked the wiring as best I could, can't find any breaks and the bulb works for sure, but it doesn't light up and the front blinks too fast. Left works perfectly.

Now for the hard part, borrowed a battery from a SeaDoo, yes, it's a bit bigger, but it worked. Got the bike started and it runs on choke, and after it warms up if I released the choke all the way it dies. Also, I can't use any throttle or it dies, not sure if it is too lean or too rich with throttle but it dies fast.

I am too tired to do any more right now so I will go take a nap and see what I can do later, if anything.

 

It looks like my options are to try to adjust the barbs with them still in the bike, pull them out again and static adjust them, or reinstall the original carbs after cannibalizing the carbs that are in it for the parts the originals had. Fun decision.

Don't know what to do about the wiring, but I can back burner it for the time being.

 

I would actually pull wiring harness and re-wrap it inspecting all insulators and connectors. Have you check fuel lines and fuel filter to see if there clear? No magician with carbs but seems plausible.

Good luck

PS: You know we won't believe your working on your bike without pictures right?

 

If it weren't so hot out there right now I would be working on it instead of writing here, lolol.

All fuel lines and filters are good or new, fuel pump works perfectly and the petcock flows well. It has to be in the Carbs somewhere. I am more an R7R mechanic, never much for diagnostics of any kind. I am relying heavily on my Clymer manual here, more so than I would had this been an early 70's SOHC 750.

I know I will have to resort to the wiring harness sooner or later, but that is a job I want to put off til last if at all possible, electrical is my Achilles's heel.

 

carbs

Carbs are a common issue when they have been sitting.http://vfrworld.com/forums/mechanics-garage/22449-cleaning-carbs.html#post170019 . Heres a link that should help, if you have problems let me know. Easier than you think.:thumbsup:

 

Dust, Toecutter told me we're really close. I live in Collinsville just over the water. PM me and we can get together sometime.

 

The Saints

Dust hawk invited us to the Saint's bikini bike wash. Had to go. Worth the ticket price.....trust me. Will never miss another and thank you Dusthawk, good to have met you as well. We will get that bike on the road soon.:thumbsup:

 

Really glad you could make it TC, had a great time. Didn't win the 50/50 but was close, LMAO.

Don't forget, Bethel Island 50's bash tomorrow, come one, come all, lol.

I'll be vending there all day, look me up.

Tex, PM sent.

 

I am so happy, I got tired of trying to deal with the heat and the carbs on the bike so I took the originals back out of the parts pile, pulled off the bowls, and cleaned cleaned cleaned. Oh, Man there was a lot of crud in those bowls. They are all spic and span now, all jets are clean, needles are in very good condition, and pilots are adjusted. I then pulled the corbs off the bike before it got too hot and took three springs and the idle adjustment knob and screw from that set and replaced the missing and broken parts on the originals. How does someone break the idle adjust knob???:crazy:

I then found that another spring was placed wrong and corrected that, then I adjusted all the carbs so they are all doing the same thing at the same time. Once I went over everything, making sure it was all there and together and tight, I reinstalled the carbs onto the Blue Bomber, hooked everything up, grabbed my loaner lawn tractor battery, pulled the choke, gave it a quater twist, and hit the starter. Started instantly, first time, though I had to adjust the idle, it wouldn't idle without choke, lolol. Got it to idle, then tapped the throttle, RPM's jumped and it Growled! It Roared!! It Screamed!!!!! My Landlord came running over cuz I was whooping and hollering!!! I borrowed a tie down strap to hold the battery in place, it is twice the size of the battery I need, and took it out for a spin. The Blue Bomber loves to eat asphalt, chews it up and craps it out like nothing!, lolol. There is a straightaway on my road and I got it to 5th and 70 in like 2 seconds from 3rd gear, it literally jump as if it was stung on the tail, LMAO.

I rode up and down the street a bit, brought it back home, and then noticed something weird, the battery was almost dead, just enough to barely keep it running. No lights, no signals, nothing, couldn't even tell if it was in neutral. I did not have the headlight in at the time, still working on spaghetti on the nose, but will mount the headlight tomorrow to see if the charging system is tied in with the headlight like it is on some models of Hondas.

Pics soon, hopefully of me riding.

 

Congrats Dust

 

Well, today was a great day for the Blue Bomber! I started out by checking the Reg/Rec only to find a hack job on the wiring and the connectors were melted partially. I swapped out the Reg/Rec from the parts bike, removed the old connector from the Stator and spliced in the better set from the same parts bike. Went together perfectly, and cleaner, lolol. Then I swapped out the kickstand(missing the rubber tip and had a sheared bolt in the mounting hole), replaced the shifter lever(bent and ground down from scraping), and replaced the footpeg rubber(usual wear and tear). I also found out why my neutral light wasn't working, the fuse had blown for the neutral and oil for the dash, replaced with a new fuse.

How about this for a question, Why does one of my 1985 VF700F bikes have glass tube fuses and the parts 1985 VF700F have the blade type?

I also did some fine tuning to the idle when I first started it up. It was a bit low, about 900 so I brought it up to 1100. Book says 1200 is best but I think it's just a wasted of gas, not much, I know, but it's the principal. Once I brought it up, it smoothed right out and purred. I can't wait to hear what it sounds like with the new cans I have, maybe tomorrow I will mount them up, today I had other things planned.

I had expected a craigslist posting to sell today because someone called last night and said they would come by this morning to buy it. When they got here they tried convincing me to donate it. I told them I couldn't do that, as much as I regretted it I need the funds more than I need good Karma. Since he didn't buy it, I couldn't fill the tank like I wanted to, so I had to limit my trip to around the island. I was able to squeeze out 2 gallons of gas but it was so low it didn't even register on the gauge, and yes, the gauge does work, lolol. I had also planned to ride out to the Honda shop for a battery with the money from the sale, but I have to continue to use the lawn tractor battery and tie down strap, lol.

All that said, I put almost 30 miles on the bike today, roaming here and there around the island, just going where ever the front tire led me, enjoying the sun and wind, smiling happily all day.

 

Glad to hear it Dust. :thumbsup:

 

:thumbsup:.................

 

Ride on!

Nice job Dust! Glad to see you get the bike on the road.
It's an inspiration to finish my last few items(bleed or repair clutch slave cylinder and tune the carbs) and get my 1st. gen on the road as well.:thumbsup:

 

Today was 10 times better than yesterday was. I barely had to put on the choke, it started first tap of the starter and purred like a Tiger. If I didn't dislike Supertrapps so much I would keep them on, but I have a set of brand spanking new cans I want to install. I was going to today but a neighbor had to drain his tank on his truck so he brought over a couple gallons of gas he filtered out and put it in my tank. So, even though tags are from 97, I went for a three hour ride all over the island several times. I started with one road, and moved around the island, driving every road I could get to several times, and through a few trailer parks as well, LMAO.

I put almost 80 miles on the bike today so in honor of that achievement, as I was wrapping up the ride, I had a long stretch of open straightaway and got it up to 80 MPH. I could have gone faster but I didn't have my leathers on and didn't want to risk anything til I was properly outfitted, and with a full face helmet, lol. All I have now is a half helmet, chromed with flames, LMAO. I don't even have goggles.

Anyway, let us see what tomorrow brings, maybe I can keep myself from riding and finishing the work I want to do, changing out the exhaust, rechecking all the bolts and nuts everywhere, etc.

Still tying to work my schedule around Toe Cutters to hook up and fix the wiring.

Hopefully pics soon, lol.

 

And today was the best yet. Sold the 4 into 1 and supertrapp exhaust and have a brand spankin new battery installed. Took the set of F1's and put them on til I can get to a muffler shop to have a couple of extension pipes made for my chrome cans. The Blue Bomber is so quiet now, hear the engine noise more than the exhaust now. It doesn't growl down the road anymore, it hums. But, it really gets up and moves, took it to 90 with no problems and had plenty of throttle left over.

I think I solved the Fan problem, will finish it tomorrow. Then I just need to dig into that dog gone wiring to figure out why I still have no tail lights. I also found I have no dash lights as well, maybe same circuit???

Those carbs are dialed in and running smoother than polished silk. I am so happy with this bike I just can't believe my luck in getting it. I think my bad luck streak is finally coming to a close. Once I finish the Blue Bomber I am going for a long ride, probably along the coast or something, maybe up into Napa Valley or something.

I have to keep reminding myself to adjust the drive chain, heard that rattling today on my ride, lolol.

More to come, of course, LMAO.

 

Well, it has been a busy few days. I am so tired I can't see straight. Last night was yet another long one. I couldn't sleep so I finally threw in the towel and got dressed and went out to the Bomber.

I started by removing the rear brakes from the parts bike only to find the pads almost as thin as paper and the pistons dangerously close to being fully out. I made sure the cap was on tight and slowly, oh so slowly, worked the pistons, one at a time, back into the caliper.after half an hour of slow and steady work, they were as far back into the caliper as I dared take them, and then I cleaned everything top to bottom. I then went back out and pulled the brake system from the Blue Bomber and to my delight found almost brand new pads! I disassembled that set, cleaned the pads of road grime and dust, and mounted them into the caliper, checked movement, and found I needed just a hair more clearance to get it onto the rotor. I grabbed one of the bad pads and used my C clamp and moved the pistons that extra millimeter or so and reinstalled the new pad, then went and remounted the entire rear brake system. It was a great learning process, simple but great. Step by step everything went together like a puzzle, and one installed and torqued, worked perfectly. Here it was, 3:30 or 4:00 in the morning and I was standing next to the bike beaming like a new Father, LMAO.I was so jazzed I threw on the helmet and went for a quick ride, just to test the brakes of course, lolol. I also fine tuned the rear end, tightened the chain and axel, measured the yaw of the rear tire and got it perfectly aligned, adjusted the rear brake light switch, rerouted the positive cable to the starter so it wasn't hanging out, and adjusted the headlight. Finally got back to bed feeling like I really accomplished a lot.

Today was another good day, filled the gas tank for the first time, only to find the fuel gauge only shows half full. Need to figure out how to calibrate it. I did some buying today at a local parts store and got a bunch of needed tools, including a new multimeter. Now I can finally trace down that darn break in the wiring and get the running lights working again. I got the fans working, the ground wire had come loose because I had forgotten to tighten the Nylock nut, so the bolt and nut were replaced, ground was installed, and found the fuse had blown. It was a tiny 3 amp fuse so I replaced it with a slightly more beefy 10 amp. I want to make sure it always has enough juice to run both fans, and 3 amps just didn't seem enough.

It is 1 in the morning now and I am going to bed, try to catch up on some of my missed sleep, lolol. More to come later. And pics too.

 

Get yourself some riding gear, it's much more important than having a running bike!

If you need any parts, let me know and I'll see what I can send you from the pile. You can get rid of the connector between the stator and Reg/Rec, just solder the wires directly, order does not matter(really!).

 

Awesome to see someone giving some love and new life to a previoulsy abused and forgotten bike.

Bravo!