What to do with my 87 700 vfr

I've got to decide to put more money then I want in this bike or part it out to you guys who I know are having hard times find parts for these bikes. The bike is in excellent shape, I've painted all the fairing, so that they look all new. The tank is dent free, all primed. I'm just wondering, parting it out if I could recoup my money to buy a newer one. I'm not a gear-head, I like to just ride. What I'm asking is before I start tearing her down to no return, is there enough demand for these parts out there.

 

Watsammata with the old girl ??

 

put a new headgasket in, valve adjustment. Got 60 psi.

 

IN all holes or just one?? Sure the cam timing is correct?? Will it run ?? Did you test correctly, on a warm engine, with all plugs out, throttle held wide open ???

If the headgasket went bad there was a cause.....overheating ??

 

It doesn't want to stay running, chocks and puck for a few seconds. I checked only one cylinder, the one that was bad before the gasket repair. I'm not sure if it's the timing. I should check the other cylinder to see the psi, that would say would tell me that it's probably a cracked head or worst a cylinder. The back ones are 150 psi. Front are a bear to get to, without taking the radiator off. Hoping it's the timing.

 

Thats hard to do to those motors. What happened?

I say keep her alive. Someone on here was giving away a 700 motor. do a search.

If you part her out, you can expect (in my experience)to get between $500-$1000 after you have taken pictures, packed, shipped, paid fees, ect. If you have a FOX shock or other goodies, expect more.

 

You need to pin point your failure.If the timing is correct ,back the valve adjustments off and pressurize the cylinder and locate the source of the leak.At 60psi you should easily be able to tell if it is valves or bore.I do have several spare heads with valves you are welcome to if needed.

 

Update: I got 120 psi on appositive cylinder.I put a shot of oil in bad cylinder and it got up to 90psi. Any suggestions?

 

Could be broken piston ring/s.....usually a result of overheating.

 

What test or procedure could I do next?

 

Either pull the cylinder and see if a simple replacement of rings will do you (I don't know if you have to pull the engine for that), or just sell the thing on Craigslist and take a beating. What extra could you make if you parted it out? What's your time worth? If you are an old fogey like me, the calculation is something like "I don't have time to fuss with this stuff, and I don't care about a couple hundred dollars." If you are young and stranded on a desert island with nothing to do, you have all the time in the world.:wink:

 

Update: Toe cutter has been helping me out on pin pointing the problems. With no lift or pressure on the valves I put slight air pressure in the cylinder, and I heard a leaking sound thru the timing hole and oil filler hole. That tell me it's either a piston, ring or cylinder problem correct? It was giving me 60 psi with compression test which leads to bad rings. I want to say that the bike was running great before all of this mess. The reason that I'm at this point is I was servicing the fluids and when I drained the anti freeze it had oil in it. That where it lead me to a blown head gasket. Now I don't know this bike at all, I bought it as is. Not sure if some one put oil in the reserve tank by accident or what. Hard telling not knowing. But what reasons would there be to have oil in the cooling system? And a 60 psi before new head gasket and after? Remember I squirted a few drops of oil in the cylinder the psi bumped up to 90psi. Is ring job a major deal? Looks like engine has to come of frame. Split the whole casing apart??

 

SO....when you had the head off, did you see any vertical scratches on any cylinder walls ???


Ring replacement requires total strip-down, but if cylinder walls are scored, you're screwed cuz the cylinders are part of the engine block.

 

Get the head back off and inspect or just go ahead and get the engine on the counter and pull it down......sounds worse than it really is but.......I do have to give a time estimate in the multiple 18 pack range and not just single beers this time. Sorry.

 

Ok I've pulled the engine and she going into my shop tomorrow, it wasn't such a big deal. I pulled the carburetors and found what I think is issues. First of all the butterflies don't all open evenly. I took some pictures showing this. I'm thinking this can't be right. Trying to get some up close pics of the linkage, on the center where the linkage meet each other, there is a small spring (about the size of a spring in a writing pen) on one side and a set screw on the other.Looks like their missing on the other two places where I think should have them. I'm I right? When I open the linkage It hits against the one spring but the other linkage to the butterflies is delayed cause it has to bottom out to two plates that where I think should have springs. I'm I explaining this right? If these springs are missing where do I get them, and I tried looking on Honda's carburetor break down, can't find a part no. Can't remember how to post a picture, sorry let me go figure it out.

 

Ok I think I've got it, here we go. The red circle is the small spring I was talking about it's missing on the other linkage.The yellow circle indicate the difference in the opening of the butterflies. Also look at all the dark tarnish on the carb on the right is this indicating a leak of some sort or is it because the butterfly was opening more that it was spewing gas out in that area? One more question: Is there a way to check if the o- rings on the plastic rails good before I put the assembly back in? There must be a rebuild kit for these carbs. or are they to old?

 

Will have a update and some pictures of the tear down maybe this week. Hoping it just needs rings. If worse, time to part out the old girl, that will be a sad day.

 

Whatever evil, oil stained beast last worked on your carbs fucked up, probably lost the springs when he inadvisedly removed the airbox base from the carb set.

'The stains indicate a leaky float bowl gasket and/or float needle.

 

you can pick up a set of carbs for a tad over 100 bucks... I got mine for 180 ( but I live in Cali)I thought it was a fair price..