Jim's $400.00 1986 VF500F

Discussion in '1st & 2nd Generation 1983-1989' started by Jim McCulloch, Jun 25, 2019.

  1. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    Or the "Bee's Knees" LOL!
     
  2. sixdog

    sixdog Member

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    ha ha ha ha
     
  3. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    Getting bored waiting on parts so decided to tackle the turn signals. I wanted to stay with OEM but the prices on used crap on EbaY were crack pipe so I moved on. May revisit this later but I a not going to invest $150.00 for OEM turn signals. Went with the old China specials.....

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    BEFORE...........................

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    AFTER.............sorry not all that exciting but I like it.
     
  4. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    I believe those look much better tucked in. Who cares where they are from, as long as they work.
     
  5. straycat

    straycat Member

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    CLR will do it
     
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  6. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    Thanks, I thought they may have been too small but they grow on you. I did the fronts also but no pictures as everything is apart on that end right now. Will add pictures when I get the fairing back on.
     
  7. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    VALVE ADJUSTMENT....I have about 70 miles on the rebuild and I am taking the radiator in to have it boiled out. While waiting for it tp return, I am going to take off the cam covers and inspect the valve lash. As it is an 85 engine, the Honda manual said to set the lash at .004" Intake / .oo5" exhaust. The book also said the '86 model was to be set at .006" In/Ex.

    I know the '86 has some significant changes to the heads but why would this effect the valve clearance? Should I set the '85 lash at .006"? Any advice on proper valve lash setting would be appreciated. I set them originally by the procedure in the book, but I remember back in the day that Honda had a special cam tool (used on the 82-85 V4's including the 500/700/750's) to install before setting the lash. I think it either lifted the cam or depressed it, can't remember. Does anyone remember this tool?
     
  8. Colddevil

    Colddevil Member

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    Not an expert, but I did a lot of research before adjusting my valves. It seemed like the consensus was that the cam holder (lifter) didn't accomplish it's intended purpose and that it may have actually been detrimental to setting the clearance. I decided to go with 0.005" intake and 0.006" exhaust instead of the 0.004I/0.005E recommended in the manual because I found several of mine tiiiiiiiggghhhhtttt after 20,000 miles. Both intake and exhaust.

    Interested to hear other people's thoughts on this as well.
     
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  9. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

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    I've used the cam holder tool in the past at the dealership, but I don't use one now for my personal stuff. I stick to FSM recommendations of lash, but use two feelers at the same time on the forked rocker.
     
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  10. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    Well it turns out I will have to wait a little bit before adjusting the valves, it seems I just blew the head gaskets on both banks.

    I actually saw this coming. I had taken the upper block to my machine shop and asked if he could skim it. He said it would be very difficult to set up and I just let it drop. I should have pushed the issue because I am now sure it needed to be skimmed. I had the heads skimmed so I know they are good. I hope it is not the head studs are stretched. I have another set but no way to know if they are good either. I have had this head bolt issue before on other Honda automotive engines I have rebuilt also, so this is not uncharted waters for me. Had to go with ARP studs in some cases.

    Question...I am not a machinist, but how would you set up the upper block to skim it?
     
  11. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

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    We had a machinist we used for some stuff years ago. He called himself "The Great Seymore". He had a big belt sander table behind the counter. A mechanic took a head to be skimmed. He turned around, slapped it down with his hand, skimmed it, turned back around and put it back on the counter. The mechanic nearly lost his mind!
     
  12. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    Oh shit, sounds like something I would try!
     
  13. raYzerman

    raYzerman Member

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    When you do it that way, you can use two layers of duct tape for head gaskets, LOL.
     
  14. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    OK since my name is now "Mr. Bad Luck" going in for a 3rd round or self-flagellation. Started tearing it down. I am going to do a leak down test before I go any further. I pulled the plugs and they actually looked pretty good, and there was no water in the cylinders either. I pulled off the silencers and did not see any water in the collector canister under the engine. Not sure why I was seeing water weep out of the silencer drains yesterday. Weird. Maybe it's ok after all. NAW, I never get lucky when it comes to this particular nemesis.

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  15. NorcalBoy

    NorcalBoy Member

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    We're in the same boat, my friend. At face value, it doesn't sound like anything is seriously wrong with your top end.
     
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  16. raYzerman

    raYzerman Member

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    I used to get concerned when I fired the bike up and let it idle, (usually in the spring cool) found little puddles under it and wondered WTF why that rusty water..... yep, exhaust drain holes letting out condensed water. Hope that's all it is....
     
  17. Colddevil

    Colddevil Member

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    Not sure you'll get lucky, but you might take some solace in knowing I'm seeing a similar thing. For the first 5-8 minutes when I fire my bike up from idle, I notice the a puddle forms under my right exhaust. We have different exhaust systems, but my puddle is under the spot where I was having issues aligning my V&H muffler, so it doesn't seal perfectly. As soon as I first saw it, I was freaked out. I put a piece of paper under to collect it and it's just water--not oil, coolant, etc like I expected. And it stops as soon as the bike is warm. I can't see any way that moisture would escape, so I suppose it would just normally stay in the pipes until it got hot enough that it moved out.

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  18. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    Yes, that is exactly what is happening. It has not done this before but I have not ever let it sit and idle this lone either(15 minutes or so). I only have about 70 miles on it so it may be condensation as you said.
     
  19. Jim McCulloch

    Jim McCulloch New Member

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    Man I hope that is it. I just did a leak down on #2 and no problems at all. No air bubbles coming out of the radiator neck either, I let it sit with pressure on it for a while. Going to move on to the other cylinders.
     
  20. Captain 80s

    Captain 80s Member

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    Pretty sure it is condensation. All of my bikes can do it as they are warming up. Little more prevalent certain times of the year. That's why Honda puts weep holes towards the front of mufflers.
     
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