1984 Interceptor in Vermont

Oh yea...that makes sense.

 

Thanks guys, I think it's a combination of off timing and stick piston rings. The psi skyrocketed when I added oil, but it still wasn't up to spec. A whole host of tricks to unstick these rings doesn't seem to be working, so I'm just going to tear her apart. I just negotiated a full set of piston rings from $98.50 down to $60.00 shipped with a seller on eBay, and am just waiting on them to get here. In the meantime I'm going to drop the engine and pick up a hone for the cylinder walls.

 

Keep up the good work! I appreciate your 'no holds barred' effort on getting this bike up and running. It sounds like you are gaining wrenching experience and you are keeping things positive. A good philosophy to have when working on vintage bikes.

 

You'll likely need one of these...

VF500 F Athena Engine Gasket Set

 

Speaking of gasket kits - I have seen a couple aftermarket gasket kits (Vesrah also makes kits) that list the '85 and the '86 models of the VF500F - though they don't seem to list the '84. Any thoughts why this would be? It has been my understanding that the '84/'85 share the same engine design - perhaps there are subtle changes between the two - with more obvious changes to the ’86?

 

Just got 3 of the 4 piston rings sets in today, more updates to come after the weekend.

 

In other news, this is what I've been doing every weekend instead of my finals/bike work (I'm #6/jumper):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-bA7uGcuTs

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ICENLtcL1gk&feature=related

 

Wow...just read the whole thread. My 2nd bike was an 85 VF500F...had it in college and sold it when I moved to Alaska. LOVED THAT BIKE. Good luck to you.

Funny you should show the rugby clips...I was going to ask what position you played. I played tight head prop and left side wing forward (flanker) in college (St. John's Univ in Minnesota) from 1985-1989. Are you allowed to move the scrum these days? I heard they "banned" it cuz of people getting hurt. Anytime we were within 10-15 meters of the try zone, we would just march the whole scrum in and let the scrum half or 8 man fall on it. If we were close, we'd just turn the scrum in a circle until the 8 man was in the try zone. Good times.

Are the third halves still as much fun as in the old days (I was often the anchor man in line outs). We used to go to a Mardi Gras tournament every year. Bunch of pasty white, drunk, MN boys in a winnebago...only burned one of them down in four years

Sorry to hijack the motorcycle thread...just brought up some good memories of both the 500F and rugby.

-Kevin

 

I started out as a prop, moved to flanker, and now I'm 8 man. I've never played a team that was able to move a scrum more than few feet or so, but it can still be wheeled. They usually collapse if they get moved in my experience. We play 2 40min halves, unless you mean the drink ups. Sadly we can't go to any of that, our school is all over us before, during, and after the game so we don't do anything awesome. We sometimes make it out though, this was Thursday at Das Beerhause in Burlington, Vt. Players have scored their first try are given their opportunity to drink out of my cleats. They was a lot of point debt to make up for the season:






I'm the blue moose polo, and we got kicked out of Das Beerhause, but we knew it was only a matter of time.

 

Well I just got another parts bike for my project. The bike is an 85 and has 7800 miles on it and has been in an accident. The frame is all intact, but all the fairings are smashed. I'm told someone tried to wheelie it and flipped it.

Anyways, as I'm taking it apart I notice the airbox is a little different, as is some tubes that run to the carb. Then I eventually get into the back end and see that its a VF500FF. Whats that? And do I need to use those CDI units or can I use the CDI units to the 84 VF500F?

 

Can you post some pics of the parts bike? Great find if the mileage is really that low.

 

I've already gotten a lot of the bike in pieces since the last post. It's too dark out for pictures but I'll get on it tomorrow in the late afternoon.

 

I just did a compression test on the "new" engine I just got into the bike. I did a wet test only as I didn't want the piston rings to break, the engine's been sitting for years. The results were the near the same as the compression test on the previous engine: all cylinders withing 85-100psi wet test. I discovered the clutch needed to be bled and did that- could that be a reason for the no start with the last engine on my bike? The "computer" or switch series could still detect that the lever was being pulled, and I had spark, but the clutch was not physically activated.

Has anyone else cold wet compression tested their vf500f? What results did you get?

 

Thanks Tink, that makes me feel a lot better about the engine. I think my problem may be a clogged jet in the carbs, or very poorly adjusted carb thats keeping the engine from starting or kicking. I cleaned the carbs, but I did not clean the portion that the manual (clymer at the time) tells you to use a self tapping screw to remove a cover off to clean. It's also very possible I damaged some jets by using a sewing needle to poke clogged bits out, but we all make mistakes. I have 3 complete carbs, one on the bike in possibly semi clogged/damaged condition, one in a million pices but clean as a whistle, and one compete carb that was exposed to the New England seasons for 6 years, its licked up, but the interior looks impeccable.

I'm moving from VT to Syracuse, NY on Sunday morning and haven't packed a single thing, so I don't think I'll get to this project until Tuesdayish, but I'm pretty hopeful about the whole process. That reminds me, I have an extra frame I could give away if anyone needs it:

http://vfrworld.com/forums/1st-2nd-...579-free-vf500f-frame-vermont.html#post261049

 

I just unpacked most of my things from my move from school in VT to my home in NY. I've been working on the bike all day and am still having issues. I re-cleaned the carburetor and it looks pretty good inside and out. Got everything installed, checked plugs/spark/fuel pump/ all the little things. Try to start it, won't start as usual. Give it a rest, try it again a few times, recharge the battery, no good. Now when trying to start it there is a screeching noise that occurs every few rotations of the engine that wasn't there before. I added oil to the cylinders and I believe that seemed to calm it down for a few seconds, but its pretty persistent, and LOUD. The only things I've done to the engine since I did the engine test, which was screech less, was re clean the carbs and bleed my clutch which was not working at the time (I didn't know it at the time). Screech occures whether or not the clutch is in however, and the bike doesn't start at all.

Anyone know what the screeching could be?

Also wondering if any members could help me with the ignition coils. I have the plug wires going to the right cylinder, but I'm not sure if the coils themselves are hooked up properly. If anyone could help me out that would be great.

 

I happened to have these handy - I had sent these files to Dyna when I was researching their coil upgrade kit. Hope this is of some help.

 

NICE!!! I( think this is what i was looking for.

 

Just figured out that the screeching noise is coming from a gear under my clutch cover. I can see rubbing where the gear sits, but the teeth look great. Not really sure why it's doing that though. I can't tell if I've overfilled my clutch lever reservoir because the eye is yellowed from age, I'll fix that and see if I still have an issue.

 

Glad the files are of help.

It is a good idea to bleed (replace) the hydraulic fluid in both the clutch and the brake lines.

It is best to know that the fluid is new and it is one less thing to have on the 'to do' clipboard.