Re: [Co-OhVinmoto] Yamaha XV920RH Bargain Alert - Craigslist

[Wade Dunham]

Here's a second update on the XV920RH:

I haven't been working on the XV a lot lately. A couple of weeks ago I tried to start it. I had cleaned the carbs but had not found a reliable source for the float height (Yamaha specs a fuel level) so I left them as-is. It cranked and cranked but didn't fire once. It had spark and had fuel at the float bowl drain screw. Checking the fuel level with some clear fuel line, it had just enough to say there was some in it, as it was about an inch low. It made sense that it didn't fire without fuel.

I removed the carbs and set them up on my fuel level rig (carbs bungeed to an old gallon carb cleaner can). It took several tries over several evenings, but I finally got reasonably repeatable levels for both carbs. I was confident it was going to start. I cranked it over but nothing more than a few pops and backfires. I pulled one plug to test for spark and the other cylinder ran for a couple of seconds. I put the plug back in and tried again. After a few seconds it quit cranking and would not crank any more. I thought maybe I had overheated the starter. Checking the fuel levels to see if they had changed since I reinstalled the carbs, I found one a little low and the other too high. I was pretty frustrated.

Over the next couple of evenings I did some troubleshooting on the starter as it did not crank after sitting overnight. I came to the conclusion that I had a bad starter relay. I bought a new Yamaha relay on eBay for a good price and had to wait a few days for the relay to arrive before I could try it again.

The starter relay came last Thursday and I anxiously installed it. Same result, no cranking, more frustration. I reinstalled the old relay, disappointed in my diagnosis and the apparent waste of money on a part I didn't need.

Friday night I was doing more troubleshooting and found that no power was getting to the starter. The lights, signals, etc. were working. Then I found no power at the starter relay. When removing the cable from the battery to the relay to check for continuity, I noticed that there was no cable attached to the connector. The cable was hanging behind the battery having fallen out of its poor non-factory crimp.

Saturday morning, after looking for a good spare cable but finding none, I pushed the cable back in the fitting, crimped it with the vise, and reinstalled it. It now had power to the relay, but still did not crank. I reinstalled the new relay, hit the starter, and it came to life! One cylinder started to run, then idle. I nursed the throttle open a little more and the second cylinder started to run. I revved it a little and it sounded pretty good. Turned it off, then hit the starter again and it started almost instantly. I let it warm up for a bit then turned it off. After it cooled down I checked the fuel levels and found both to be a few millimeters low, so the carbs are coming off again. The front plug looks good but the rear looks dark and wet, so it needs some tuning. Also, when it was running, I shifted through all the gears (on the centerstand) and they seem to be OK.

So, it's a runner, but needs more work to be rideable. I started cleaning the tank and petcocks yesterday. My shop help returns today from the Mecum auction in Indianapolis. :-)

Wade Dunham

[Bruce Truxall]

That's great news, Wade.  I'm starting to feel a bit guilty for getting you into this thing to begin with.

I haven't done much work lately; just finally fixed the flat rear tire (Original! Still looks and feels good so I put it back on) on my '74 XL250.  It ended up being more of a job than expected (like usual), and of course I had to take the extra time to really clean up the wheel and associated while I had it all apart.

So I rode it to a Throttle Co. Friday night on the 14th.  That's the Royal Enfield dealer on West Mound st, across from the old Clippers stadium.  Really cool old building if you've never been there, and nice folks.  Pretty good turn out, though not so much vintage stuff.  I think they have a gathering every 2nd and 4th Friday, 6-9pm.  I will go to more this summer.

The Nutter Hardware guy was there, and confirmed there will be and event at Kingsdale this Thursday the 27th, 6pm.  Weather report looks good, and I plan on going.  Hope to see you and and "shop help" (if you can spare him) there.  I'm all vaccinated, and enjoying getting out some now.  I could bring some cold beer if I knew someone would help me drink it.

Bruce

---

From: co-ohv...@googlegroups.com <co-ohv...@googlegroups.com> on behalf of Wade Dunham <waded...@gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, May 24, 2021 7:42 AM
To: Columbus VinMoto <co-ohv...@googlegroups.com>
Subject: Re: [Co-OhVinmoto] Yamaha XV920RH Bargain Alert - Craigslist

 

--
http://www.vinmoto.org/gallery/v/VinMoto-Garage/CO-OHVinMoto-Garages/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Co-OhVinmoto" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to co-ohvinmoto...@googlegroups.com.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/co-ohvinmoto/CAMT83Bs8RB86rZXRZ_SV3qq-1Z7Syu2P9kdTn9UyYa-B2qW7iw%40mail.gmail.com.

[Wade Dunham]

No worries, Bruce. It's not like you twisted my arm or anything, although I told my wife that you did.  :-)  I forgot to mention in my last update that I saw a nice seat on eBay about 3 weeks ago and couldn't pass it up. I had planned to spend as little as possible until I got the bike running, but it would be hard to find another one this good.

I think it's been a couple of years since you offered to let me take a ride on that Honda. I'd like to take you up on that offer.

I probably won't go to many of the Friday night gatherings. After doing child care all week, my wife looks forward to some adult conversation. Since Andy's gone a lot, I'm the closest thing she can find.

I may go to Nutter tomorrow and Andy said last night that he may go, most likely neither one of us will be riding a bike.

Wade

[cle...@gmail.com]

Hey Wade if by chance you need a set of forks for the XV920 I have a set in pretty good shape.

Chris L

Sent from my iPad

--
http://www.vinmoto.org/gallery/v/VinMoto-Garage/CO-OHVinMoto-Garages/
---
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Co-OhVinmoto" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to co-ohvinmoto...@googlegroups.com.

To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/co-ohvinmoto/CAMT83BvDfj3yvqfDN2rD41rw%3DrJbVCDzqGPTn%3DmvO5qp%2BM%3Dtgg%40mail.gmail.com.

[Wade Dunham]

Thanks, Chris. I'll keep that in mind.

Wade