Would you commute on an 83 vf750f?

I guess I do need some before pictures. I guess I should throw the fairings back on take a couple of shots before I get too far.

 

I know a guy that sells watch crystals to replace the MC inspection windows. Just pull out the old ones and replace with Black RTV to seal.

Did it on my V45 Magna years before I sold it with no problems.

 

I reassembled the bike and took some pictures. I can post them in a few days, but I pulled the front cam cover and it looks like I have the dreaded pitting on one of the lobes. I have a picture of that too. By the way, what is the best way to turn the motor on this. Most of the bikes I have worked on have had a plug or small cover over the crankshaft bolt to turn the motor. This looks like the entire right cover need to be removed to get to anything to turn the motor. Just was wondering if I have missed anything. I probably need to get the cam cover off of the parts bike (if the deal works out to get the parts bike) and see what kind of shape it is, but then I will have a 700, unless there is an economical way to get cams for this thing. If the parts bike has bad cams, I probably need to bail on this project.

 

I did a search and didn't see anything about it, but will the magna cams work in the interceptor?

 

I'm sorry to here about your cams. I just replaced a the cams in my '84 750. Be patient and some will turn up. I got mine for $150 at a bike bone yard called 'Wisconsin Cycle Salvage' in Neenah Wisconsin and they look great. You might want to see if they have more, they weren't advertising I had to hunt them down.

 

Remove the left cover (stator/alternator) and the spark plugs.
About 1/2 cup of oil will come out - that's normal
Put a socket and ratchet on the crankshaft nut and turn in the direction indicated.

If the gasket tears, you can replace it with one you cutout from normal paper gasket and a hole punch. Upon install, coat one side with oil so it won't tear next time you remove the stator cover.

 

Here is the bike




Wonderfull glow in the dark paint. This had to be great in the eighties.



Here is the wired bolts and braided lines.



Here is the pitting. I have only seen it on one lobe. I need to pull the other cover and crank the engine around and see if there are any others affected. I am not sure if I will be able to get the parts bike or not. I still havent decided if this thing is going on craigs list or not if the parts bike does not pan out.

 

It looks like there is pitting on three of the four cams. I put the bike up for sale, but I have seen a lot of cheap 83 magna cams. It looks like they are not the same part number, as the ceptor cams, but I can't see what would be different other than the grind. I would sacrifice some hp to get the bike rolling again. If the motor has no other issues it would not take much to get this going again.

 

yes if its downhill both ways

 

I am guessing that no one here knows the difference between the cams. Elf, what are you trying to say?

 

thought i said it.. okay bike looks in bad shape you are already aware of problems with a cam lobe.maybe other probs piston ring ect.. usually the bikes that sit up for years then get sold are becuase the owner finally gives up on it. maybe you can save it??? but you are commuting on a dangerous highway 25 miles i think you would think of your safety and reliability to get to work on time without a breakdown....up to you but i still would like a hill both ways..

 

Send a PM to "masonv45". He'd know for sure, but I don't think Magna cams will work in a 'Ceptor.

 

I'm pretty sure they would not work as the heads are different. My PO put a Sabre head on my 'Ceptor. It fit, but bent the tensioner so there was no tension on the cam chain. Had to get a proper 'Ceptor head and tensioner.

If you want to ask an expert, shoot Dave Dodge an e-mail. He started in RC Engineering when Honda hired them in '81 to make a drag bike for them. He's been working with these V4's ever since. He may or may not have some cams for sale. He can regrind them too I believe.

Be patient, it may take him 2-3 days to answer your e-mail. He's a busy man.

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Thanks for the help. I sent him an e-mail.

I think it is funny how easily some people will give up on sport bikes and say they are not worth fixing. That is what everyone told me about my SRAD gixxer and it was only 5 years old at the time. I bought it for 1500 with custom paint, jet kit, full yosh exhaust, ect. because it had a rod knock and a little dirt on it. About three weekends and 283 bucks later it was a bike everyone wanted. I have reliably put 50,000 miles on a 65 VW camper over the last 5 years. Many times I will take a properly maintained older machine over a new one that has had many more cost saving/weight saving "improvements" made to it. I believe an 83 interceptor will probably handle better (be safer) than an 87 vt110 (that I currently commute on), probably handle better than many new cruisers for that matter. You are entitled to your opinion elf, but it seems somwhat disrespectful. I would not belittle someones elses attempts to do something just because you do not have the capability to do it.

 

Yeah!!! Some people have no vision. I've fixed up a lot of bikes, cars and boats that others said was a waste of time and money, only to have them want to buy it when it was finished.

 

The Magna motors are contra-rotating, meaning the cylinders fire in the opposite order of the 'ceptor, due to the shaft drive.

You should contact Dave Dodge(get his number at www.drp123.com), he may have some spares.

Although that bike looks like it would need a LOT of love!

 

The reverse engine rotation. I wasn't thinking about that. That makes a lot of sense. I couldn't see them changing the cam bore between the two motors.

 

That explains the oil grooves on the wrong side and the lobes being about just short of 180 degrees off. I stopped worrying about pitted lobes and just added an oil kit and the bike ran fine. Watch out for wear on the rockers as this happened to my number 4 exhaust. Put in a Magna rocker and now The cam lobe is worn, suspect still have an oil blockage problem (used a cheap filter and the paper blew out), the bike runs fine but not as strongly. Have obtained new camshaft on ebay, and will be replacing it shortly.

 

cam regrinds are the way to go. just had my 78' datsun 280Z done. got a much better grind on a cam that i know isn't on a cheap chineese blank and has proper heat treatment. all for half the price of a comparable new cam.