Just got a *Free* 1986 VF500

No JB Weld on anything. By fixed I mean professionally weld, drilled and tapped. Those holes have to hold quite a bit of torque. The guy that worked on it was a freaking ham fisted hammer mechanic. Not only did he break the case once he did it again!. As my old boss used to say "You can't build an engine with your head up your ass!"

 

Well for anyone following this who is curious, I think I figured out why they could not get the timing right on this engine I picked up...

Now I'm pretty new at this stuff, but it would appear as though one of the cams is in backwards... D'OH

 

Sure looks that way. Good find. With that mistake and not knowing the po or mechanic I think I would check everything on that motor and bike.

 

Your Interceptor is looking really great!! It's interesting that it found its way to you, with a mechanical engineering degree. Kind of like it needed you.

I enjoy bringing old bikes back from the dead, but I'm not skilled enough to be doing major motor disassembly.

 

This looks like a recipe for a bent valve. Check everything and then check it again. That is a complex motor, not a Briggs and Stratton and people screw them up.

 

Started Tearing Down Spare Motor

This spare motor is nasty, what carnage!! Ugh first things first when I drained what was left of the "oil" I found leftover milkshake... I pulled the side cover and found sheared metal (perhaps something was left in there while trying to run it?). Also in the sidecover there was a small gear on a chain that should have been bolted onto it's shaft, but it was floating free. When I was taking out the camshafts I discovered that one cam holder bolt head was sheared off. I pulled one of the heads and found, besides gobs of nasty orange sealant, a pretty nasty looking head gasket. So much for "New Head Gaskets"... although I guess it could be new, hard to tell though. Tearing the heads down wasn't very difficult so at least it's served as a practice exercise for me to build confidence for working on my engine.

Next step is pulling the other head, and then finally going into the low end. We'll see how the low end tear down/assembly goes. Based on that I'll decide if I'm actually going to tear into the engine that's in my bike. With so much wrong with it, I'm considering trying to find an entire other 86' vf500 bike in better shape and then using this one as a parts bike for it.

 

Hey I have a pair of 84 vf700F forks with 15k on them. not sure if you're still looking or if those would fit. Im pretty sure the casting of the engine years are all the same. My 86 vf500f engine has been rebuilt (prev owner) and one head has 85' written on it and the other has 84' written on it, but all the internals are 86. the "in arrow" on the camchain sheild points towards the intake side so i think thats right if thats what you were referring to. while you're in there check your tensioners too. You're in good shape since it was FREE!! Have fun!!

 

that oiling dripping issue could be a clogged PVC system too. I cleaned mine all out and put it in. The first time i removed my carbs I accidentally hooked the PVC vent to intake tube to a boss without a through hole next to the actual nipple which caused oil pressure to raise ALOT and oil sprayed through the head cover gasket. I removed my head covers and applied gasket sealer to the head cover gasket (it says to in the FSM btw.. not sure why it needs sealant and a rubber cover gasket but what ever) and that fixed the leaks and of course i hooked up the PVC tube correctly next time. the rear head is tilted backward right over the rear exhaust, same with the front head too. When ever there's a small leak in a head cover gasket its usually at the bottom end of the head cover gasket right over top of the exhaust where the oil pools in the head. Evidently oil leaks onto the headers and gets burnt.

 

Freed the part I need from the donor motor! Unfortunately I've run out of time to put serious full-time effort into this. I've been looking around for a "Gasket Kit B" or a full engine gasket set for the 86 and will continue browsing. I'm losing my nice 2-stall garage space, and I've just accepted an offer for my first job in Columbia, MD!

Finding a place in MD with a garage I can rebuild this in is going to be tough. So I'll be coming back and forth to NOVA (Northern VA) whenever I get time (weekends, etc...). I now have a smaller townhome garage, but I should have enough room for a motorcycle rebuild.

If anyone is interested in buying this bike from me and continue the restoration themselves, I'll consider it. Really I would just want close to my investment in it (~$650). I'm planning on putting some money down on a 98' vfr, or possibly an 07' vfr rwb soon. Message me if you have an interest and we can discuss it!

Edit: *I would take $550 to get it to a good home this coming weekend!

Details:
1986 VF500F
~27500mi on the clock

The Good:
-Clean/Clear Title in hand
-Runs great and strong (cleaned carbs and changed all fluids accept for forks)!
-Original Seat in great shape!
-F1 Cobra Slip ons (Have original Exhaust as well)
-Like new sprockets and o-ring chain

The Bad:
-Overheats when operated in warm weather at 20-30 mph for extended periods (could be running a bit lean, P/O installed a restrictive Fuel Filter and only has fuel running to one inlet, or could need a new thermostat)
-Drips coolant sometimes from around radiator cap (I suspect Hoses)
-Leaks oil from countershaft seal onto exhaust due to a bad countershaft bearing/seal
---Needs at least a low end rebuild, for which I have the part needed and an entire motor worth of spares except for the gaskets)
-Leaks Fork Oil From seals onto the front brakes (Will need new fork tubes and seals)
-Cosmetically rough with tank dents and various scrapes and scratches.
-Neutral Sensor is Flaky
-Petcock Doesn't work (Inline fuel shutoff installed, Fuel system could be re-worked as mentioned above.

Like I said, I have many spares for this bike including a beat-up aftermarket fairing which I have done some work to, beat up windshield, entire extra motor worth of parts.

I'm only considering selling at this point, I love the bike and want to finish what I've started but I'm running short on time, space, and money.

 

Anyone interested in her for $400? I've got to sell her, I just don't have the time or space. I picked up a Fifth Gen this weekend from my neighbor and she is all the bike I will need for many years. Thanks. I've got an ad posted in the the classifieds.

 

Sold it! To a neighbor/friend with a two stall garage who will fix it up with his son this winter. I will be sure to grab some pics when he's finished. Who knows, maybe he'll come here with questions. Regardless, until I can find one in better shape (and money and space to actually buy it), this beauty will be my new obsession:

 

Video of Bike + Updates on repair progress!!

Hey all,

I've been away awhile getting used to my new job and my new place. My 98' VFR has been great to me aside from some minor coolant system fun. Just rode it the other day with ambient temp ~20°F (heated gear).

Anyways, my neighbor who I sold it to has been casually working on the bike. He's done the forks, torn it down, and cleaned everything. Two weeks ago he had me help him split the cases (It DOES come apart without removing the cylinder heads first!). So we pulled the old shaft and the bearing was definitely toast. I uploaded a video of the bike running while I still owned it, and at the end added some footage of the wiggly, ruined bearing:

[video=youtube_share;VrQpXUuqa3w]http://youtu.be/VrQpXUuqa3w[/video]

Looks like it might all go back together and run again after all! If it does, I may have to see about buying it back...

 

Nice video! Uber Nice Neighbor. :thumbsup: GOod LuCk