Replaced my 86 VF500 engine with an 84

Hi all...I can't find the post I originally read in this forum but the question was asked if an '84 engine can be put into an '86 VF500f...and the answer was basically "yes we think so"...well I finally got my '84 junk yard engine running in my '86...so yep it definitely can be done.

The physically logistics were pretty much the same as taken out the engine and putting it back in but what bit me in the butt was the electronics of the starting system...so if you don't feel like reading this entire post...remember to switch out the CDI units...in my case, the coils too...although you wouldn't know that from the parts fiche.

You'll also have to decide which carbs you are going to use...cuz your '86 wont have an electrical connection for a fuel pump that was used in conjunction with the '84 carbs which only have one gas inlet on the left side...the '86 used two inlet that feed into the back of the carbs.

A little background...after restoring my '86 for a couple of years...my engined siezed this summer...still not sure why but black smoke pouring out the back and alternator that won't turn pretty much confirmed its spent...funny too, the oil pressure must have been building up because a hole sprung in the little oil connecting pipe between the cylinders heads last fall...which i dutifully replaced this spring only to have it blow up.

The '84 engine was found in a bike sitting in a junk yard...supposed it had an "electrical" issue which turned out to be a battery because I got it running right there after that a few other adjustments...of course if you do this...remember, you've just RAISED the price of the bike...I'm fortunate cuz the selling ending up selling for the original asking price.

After running the bike, which looked like it had been dirt raced...the engine ran like a top but was dirty and muddy...also someone had drilled out some of the flanges on the crankcase to get the left crankcase cover off quick i guess...geez, really did you have to that?

So after swapping engines out I couldn't get her to run in the new host bike...I tried swapping carbs but realized it had to be timing not fuel...when i realized there was a difference in CDI...I swapped those and still nothing...then i swapped the pulse generator...no go...finally, the coils...and she started...so hope this helps someone...thanks, Ron.

 

Good work, Ron, but why not just step up to a newer gen VFR instead of investing all your time into something you've discovered is essentially fragile and unreliable ??

I'd bet you haven't done a compresion test on that junkyard engine, right ??

More a collector bike than a regular rider. You'd need ride on a a gen 2 for comparison to see the improvement in both performance and reliability without too much weight increase.

 

I'd like to, step up that is...and no I haven't...my compression testing equipment doesn't seem reliable...it was really a shot in the dark to salvage all the previous effort on this bike...cuz I totally understand what your saying...vintage bikes are cool as hell but like you say, not really reliable and this generation might be especially so...but money issues really, my time is free and I just didn't want to part her out...I'm trying to fix up what's in my garage to sell and then buy something much newer to your point

 

omg ...ur in Buffalo?...that's my hometown...visiting there this weekend...too funny

 

Well done Ron, good feeling after that work to get it up and running again

 

So should we meet up at the Anchor bar or Nietzies sometime ??

 

Yes but I'm still in shock i finally got this to work...waiting for it to start disintegrating in front of my eyes somehow...but hope to get the synchronization kit of the tool drawer and tune her up soon.

 

Thanks Squirrelman for the invite!...my time is going to be short and family visits are going to be long...I have two sets to visit in two days...I'd really like to see your bike collection but probably only manageable if your around Tonawanda or Kenmore...but thanks maybe sometime we could meet at a bar...I'm trying to get back more often cuz one of my close relatives is getting old.