New To The Vision (Not really anymore, but working it out)

[inanecathode]

If NGK B8EA is what this bike uses (pulled it out with h2o) then they're gonna be kinda hard to find :o
I might try running by some yamaha/other stealerships to see if they've got the wire.

Edit: D8EA, not B8EA

[YellowJacket!]

I just pulled some out of my bike that are less than a year old (sept last year).  I changed over to the irridiums.
If you want my regular ones, you can have them.  I can get them mailed out this afternoon.  PM me the details if you do.

David

[h2olawyer]

Plugs are also available from auto parts stores - at least they used to be.  Got my last couple sets at Checker but it's been a couple years.

The plug caps need to have 5K ohm resistors in them.  Available from Dennis Kirk if you can't find them locally.

H₂O

[inanecathode]

Got the plugs, keeping the old caps (can't find em anywhere in that style), and got some resistorless wire (59 cents a foot!)

Got the plugs in, got the wires in, went to start it and!
... silence, not even a click.



Turned the key on, THEN tried starting it: "yaaaaamaaaaanaaa-click-POOF putputputputputput"
It's ALIVE! ... Again!
The accelerator shnozzles barely sputtered gas, so i didnt push my luck (or the weather) by putting the tank on, bowls are probably empty by that point. Both old plugs show conductance where there should be none. Once again, that's the weirdest thing i've seen in a while!
So it IS running now, again, quite well i may add.
I bet the carbs need to be sinked (synced? sinqued? cant spell today), and the air adjustments need to be.. adjusted i guess, and more vacuum leak tests.

So that's good :)
Hey h2o do you have a manometer or liquid electrical tape  :D?
Or a spare yikes box kicking around ;)?

[h2olawyer]

I happen to have 2 homemade manometers (thanks Professor Rex for the spare).  It's yours when I can get back down there - unless I end up riding the V.  Won't fit too well.  You can build one for about $10 or less.  The only spare YICS I have is on the parts bike.  It leaks but I'll get it fixed and can get it to you next week.  I don't have a spare chrome YICS cover, though.  May see if I can get it  sealed up without needing the cover.  At least you will have the box and can maybe locate the cover.  You can also contact samsr - he may have a YICS he's trying to get rid of since he's parting out that 82.

H₂O

[inanecathode]

Okey dokey! I'm off to get the idle mixtures right then :D

[ProfessorRex]

I happen to have 2 homemade manometers (thanks Professor Rex for the spare)...... You can build one for about $10 or less.

That's where that thing went!  Seriously I think I spent $3 on it, works like a charm.

[inanecathode]

Ok then, lets take a hard left turn here. Mechanical end of things are starting to shape up pretty nice. Now, as h2o can tell you, my vision is a bit... ugly. I would like to repaint it and or fix the rusty spots i have on the frame and the drive shaft tunnel. Should i just go nucking futz with a sander on the tank and plastics then take them to a body shop? Or dare i try to get some decent results with rattle cans?

[YellowJacket!]

I stripped mine bare and went nucking futz with a sander (lots of pics btw) and rattle canned the frame.  Turned out very good. Used Satin Black.

Tank and plastics were sanded and primed then painted with an air sprayer...not the greatest job for a first timer, but good for now.  My neighbor works in a paint shop and is going to do my tank and plastics over for me.



David

[Brian Moffet]

I painted my frame with a rattle-can of appliance paint, gloss black.

Looks pretty good, though if I bang the tank edge against it when I'm putting the tank back on, it will scrape the paint off.  I may have to put some padding there (being the frame right below where the tank "ears" are (what are those things called?))

Brian

[h2olawyer]

I used Krylon satin black Fusion paint to touch up a few rust spots on my frame.  Hard to tell the difference between those spots & the OEM coating.

You can get good results using rattle cans, but a more durable finish will come from a spray gun.  Pumpkin will be painted sometime this month - likely a "driveway" job with a spray gun.  The Silver V will get done professionally - at least the 83 tank & I'll have the fairing done at the same time.  The rest of the plastics on it are in pretty good shape.

Do what you feel confident with.  A mistake can always be sanded down & repainted if you don't like the results.

H₂O

[inanecathode]

That's true about the sanding part. I dont honestly think i want to, or can be bothered to, strip the bike totally down to the frame. If/when i repaint it i'll just do the tank/plastics and maaaaybe the fenders. For the rust (surface) on the frame and tunnel, most likely i'll just tape it off and brush on some black rust protector. Still looking for that unique color, i like to stand out! When we get a group shot of the visions this year i want mine to be the only bike of it's color :D!

Another hard left here, my brother just bought a 1979 CB650 for 500 bucks, and MAN OH MAN! Is it beautiful. Not a single scratch, rust mark, faded anything, even the seat is perfect. I mean, even the guages are still red, grips are still squishy, all the pin striping is there, and the engine makes intel jealous with cleanliness!

[inanecathode]

Alrighty then! Got my liquid electrical tape, and all my riding stuff should be here today. Might be the first (legal) test drive today!

[inanecathode]

Eek! Oil leak! At first i thought it was the crank split (omg no) but, after a bit of engine-gunk (r) cleaning, it appears that it's just the oil drain plug. Any ideas on how to seal it?
Got the intake boots sealed up hopefully fully, and the final drive oil changed!
Anyone have suggestions on what kind of oil to oil my air filter with?

[kwells]

As I understand...don't use a detergent oil, it can break down the foam over time.  Your oil plug leak could be because you don't have a plug washer.  Those can be found at just about any parts store. 

[h2olawyer]

I agree with kwells - you need a new gasket for the oil drain plug - or maybe try tightening it just a little more, but be careful - you don't want to strip the threads.

I use Yamaha foam filter oil on my Uni Filter.  You can run it dry for a while as long as it's not too dusty.  There are several brands of filter oil.  It is generally thick & sticky stuff.  I found the K&N oil I use on my truck's filter is too thin.  It oozed down into the airbox & made a real mess in there.

H₂O

[inanecathode]

Right on then, i'll be in town today anyway, probably just swing by the yamaha stealer and get some filter oil.
Looks like i'll be needing a throttle cable, i've freed up the routing on the one i have, oiled the heck out of it and the slider and it still wont return to the idle stand off unless i hold it down with my finger :/
Also i'm on the lookout for a petcock rebuild kit, or a petcock that will match the V tank (honestly, i think i can handle turning the fuel off when i park it o_O)

[inanecathode]

Alrighty then!
H2o came over today, and after a bit of adjusting, syncing we went for a ride! First ride for me on this bike, and first ride of the bike for probably around 2 years.
It just WOULD NOT idle right, acted real odd, choke modulating rpm... Turns out i forgot to plug in the vacuum line to the petcock. Not only was it starving of fuel, it had a mass vacuum leak. Pretty uneventful ride to Black Hawk and back. I'll tell ya though, that front brake is spooky. Its either crammed with air or super low on fluid, its either right up against the grip or half an inch in, never know where it'll be. I managed to strip one of the screws holding the master cylinder cover on, so that'll get done when i can find a screw to replace it. Something is up with the rear brake as well, the pedal is hanging down, and upon adjustment it pops back to where it was.
Overall it was a good ride, good yunch (burgahs), and it barely even rained! The throttle cable seems to be doing much better, and upon opening it we found that it works MUCH better, it actually snaps back to the idle stop, cool eh?

Edit!
Alright well, found out what was wrong with the front brake. It was both super low on fluid, packed with air, and the brake fluid in there resembled milk. All of that's flushed out, and now the front brake is hard. (might need a rebuild kit for it though, if you jam it, or just use it regularly its hard, but if you sneak the handle in real slowly it'll go all the way to the grip)
Found out what is (sadly) wrong with the back brake. The part that sticks out with the splines that hooks up with the lever is totally wiped out, maybe not totally theres a few splines left, but whats there is almost totally smooth and wrapped around quite a bit. The lever itself is also pretty screwed up. I'll be needing both that spliny piece and the rear brake actuation lever dealy.

[Brian Moffet]

It just WOULD NOT idle right, acted real odd, choke modulating rpm... Turns out i forgot to plug in the vacuum line to the petcock.

When I put my bike back together after doing the carbs, I forgot to plug the YICS back in, so I had two leaks.  It would run for a little while and then die.  Run for a little while, then die.

Welcome to the club  ;D

Brian

[inanecathode]

It just WOULD NOT idle right, acted real odd, choke modulating rpm... Turns out i forgot to plug in the vacuum line to the petcock.

When I put my bike back together after doing the carbs, I forgot to plug the YICS back in, so I had two leaks.  It would run for a little while and then die.  Run for a little while, then die.

Welcome to the club  ;D

Brian

I'm of the 'no yikes' club at the moment!