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Near disaster turns into an amazing ride!

Started by munkyfistfight, April 21, 2013, 11:15:26 PM

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munkyfistfight

Over the Winter here in Pittsburgh I decided to tear into the old "AKVision", to hopefully give it some love and much-needed appreciation. I took the motor out and checked the valve clearances (which appear to be within spec), replaced a few bolts here and there, and gave it a new battery, fluids, and the ever-essential carb rebuild. I even got some new side plastics to spiff up the ride.
The carbs were the priority after reading about the throttle shaft seals, which I managed to find and replace thanks to several resources. After my meeting with Tiger I decided to nix the YICS and thus removed a "weak link". After applying my newly scavenged MAC exhaust, new seals, and a clever y-pipe copper ring fabrication, I got it all back together and with some reluctance it fired right up. Everyone I know, including myself, love the sound of the MAC setup. I had some trouble with setting floats as one drain screw got stuck and the other drain tube was broken. I set them to the manual's specs and it's still running a little rich.....oh well. Using my $4 homemade sync tool with ease, I couldn't get the damn pilots set right.

F-ing pilots screws!!  >:(

I tried setting them by adjusting them a 1/4 turn at a time to no avail until I just decided to set them to what I had them at last year; roughly 4.25 turns out each. At this point I was so frustrated that I came to the conclusion that after much cleaning the carbs were still a little dirty. I threw in some Seafoam into a full tank and took it out on the highway to blow them out. I took the bike for a much needed 50 mile trip which seemed to do the trick. The bike idled decently and there was no stumble. I even took the bike on a second, shorter trip to make sure.

Today was the annual "Blessing of the Bikes" in Murrysville; a large gathering of Harleys and baggers that my vintage cafe friends and I decided to attend. My plan was to have the Vision ready for this event specifically. This was my due date. This was the deadline. And at 9am, I pulled the Vision out and prepared for a day of riding with my friends.
The initial startup was great. I let it idle and warm up and tightened a few loose ends. I even packed my backpack with tools in case of the inevitable. We agreed to meet up at a local gas station before heading out to "The Blessing". The gas station was about a 25 minute drive.....
Right off the bat something was wrong. It was backfiring like crazy, stuttering, and running like shit, contrary to the previous day's smooth ride. I had to keep the revs high just to go from stop. Something was wrong. I had to keep adjusting the idle screw just to keep it moving.
We arrived at the gas station and I looked down to see a small spring sitting on top of the motor. I parked the bike and immediately jumped off to inspect the situation. THE REAR CARBURETOR PILOT SCREW CAME LOOSE AND FELL OUT!!!!!
The miracle that happened here is that the screw and the spring were sitting gently on top of the motor and never got lost over 25 miles. UNBELIEVABLE!!! And the washer and O-ring were still inside the carb. UNBELIEVABLE!!!
I managed to get them back in and fiddled around with them for a while until I set them back to where they were. The bike still ran like crap. We decided to press on and head towards "The Blessing". I'm in disbelief. The bike is idling high and still running rough.
We get to a little diner called The Lamplighter on Route 22 to have breakfast. I'm just elated that I even made it that far. When we went back out to the bikes and started them up, the Vision fired right up and ran smoothly. No stumble. No idle issues. No problems. I kept my eye on the pilot screw and it didn't move an inch.
The Blessing of the Bikes was amazing. I had a great time hanging out with my friends and knowing that out of the thousands of bikes there I was the only Yamaha Vision in attendance.

From there we took a ride up to the Conemaugh Dam. The Vision gave me no troubles although a few small backfires (I think it's still running a little rich). From there I took my friends down some of my favorite backroads for a few hours and had the time of my life. It wasn't until about 140 miles that I had switch to the reserve to get me home. On one tank of gas I had the time of my life cruising the backroads on my favorite motorcycle.

So through nothing short of a miracle after losing my pilot screw on the ride I managed to have an amazing day on the Vision. It handles like a champ. I crossed 12,000 original miles and still runs strong.

I'm still going to pull the carbs and try to get them running right, but all in all I can't complain.

Wrench to ride.
Those who play by the book will always be beaten by those who write their own. -Travis Pastrana

munkyfistfight

I'm still the only running Vision in Pennsylvania......until someone steps forward.
Those who play by the book will always be beaten by those who write their own. -Travis Pastrana

fret not

Happy congratulations friend.  This is a GREAT time of year, isn't it?
Retired, on the downhill slide. . . . . . . . still feels like going uphill!

Tiger

HOOya buddy...way to go, nice one... 8)

Vision's do not like down time as it allows the gremlins time to settle in...and they can be buggers to get rid of!!!

Vision's like to be ridden hard and ridden often...it is the only way to get rid of the grems, well, that and some regular maintenance  :o ;D :D :D :D :D :D... ;)

Keep up the good work and enjoy the fruits of your labour my friend 8)

                   8) ....... TIGER .......  8)
Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well-preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, body thoroughly used up, totally worn out and screaming HOOOOYA lets go again baby !!!!!!

'82 Vision, Pearl Orange finish, lots of up-grades!!!

Rikugun

Nice, gotta' love a happy ending!  :D I wonder if 4 turns out on the pilot screw leaves very little tension on the spring causing it to come out? Now that you have the YICS and throttle shaft air leaks under control, maybe 1.5-3 turns out would work and still leave some preload on the springs?
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan

Rick G

Just stretch the damed springs  and set it where it will work best.
Rick G
Go soothingly on the grease mud, as there in lurks the skid demon
'82.5 Yamaha XZ550 RJ  Vision,
'90 Suzuki VX800, 1990 Suzuki DR350.
'74  XL350   Honda , 77 XL350 Honda, 78 XL350 Honda, '82 XT 200 Yamaha, '67 Yamaha YG1TK, 80cc trail bike

Rikugun

From info given in the first paragraph I wasn't sure 4.25 turns out was needed or just "settled" on. Carb settings outside the norm may be indicative of an underlying problem too but I agree stretching the spring could be an effective band-aid.  :P
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan

munkyfistfight

Yeah I'm not sure what the issue is. It could be the valves, but I swear that I triple-checked them over the winter and they were in spec. I could be wrong. I'm still getting a small backfire and it's not idling "perfectly". I still can't dial in the pilots but where their at is running strong and good. No stumble and no surging.

I checked on the screw all day and it didn't move once after I put it back, so who knows. I'll check the sync again before I take it back out on the road. I'd say "where it's running best" is going to be where it stays for now.  ;D ;D ;D
Those who play by the book will always be beaten by those who write their own. -Travis Pastrana

PwrManDan


don_vanecek

Wow, that is incredible!  My Vision was blessed by our then priest name of father Galas back in the late 1980's just before myself and my then teenage oldest son road it down to Kansas City, we had a great trip.  I have never even tried to take the plugs out of my carbs for the pilot screws.     

Rikugun

QuoteI have never even tried to take the plugs out of my carbs for the pilot screws

Now that's amazing! Yours must be one one the few Visions out there with the pilot screws still set to factory standards.  :)
It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is then to persist in delusion, however satisfying or reassuring.  Carl Sagan