Got a bike again :)

[thepretender]

It's been longer than I'd like to admit how long I've gone without. I had a Fazer that needed carb work but no money at the time, months went by then years, keep saying to myself gonna get that thing back on the road some day. 14 years later I got the money got the itch look at the Fazer and can't even get the gas cap off. This is gonna be bitch to get running again I ask myself whats on CL? Look at some Shadows and such then go look at a Vmax, was beet to hell but I could tell by my pulse I had to have one. This has always been the bike I wanted. Look around a bit and found a 2002 seemed to be in great shape go down to San Diego and sure enough its a beauty. Stock everything carbon fiber picked her up on my birthday and smiled all the way home

Hot hot on the way home fan didn't seem to go on. I was worried I got took. Called and previous owner told me the fan was working fine. I looked around on the forum and felt a bit better these things run warm, fiddled with the wires and connector to the switch took the fuse out and put it back. Next day take it out for some gas fan seems to be working fine and 40 miles later my trip to the gas station was over guess I got a keeper after all

First day and already this forum helped out. By the way name is Doug and I'm a Vmax nube and loving it.

 

[usmc-vmax]

Welcome to the best VMAX forum on the web. Congrats on the bike.

 

[Traumahawk]

Congrats on getting the bike, and welcome to the club!!!

 

[marsmax85]

nothing like a vmax !! welcome and ride safe

 

[twistedmax]

Welcome to the VMF and back to bikes

 

[srk468]

Welcome to your new addiction

Sent from my ADR6425LVW using Tapatalk 2

 

[TK3333]

Welcome aboard. How bout some pics.

 

[mckzx9]

Welcome

 

[Dr.n2o]

Welcome Doug. Good luck with your Vmax !

 

[thepretender]

Here are the pics from the day I checked out the bike. Funny thing now that I have the Vmax I really want to fix it's little brother more than ever. Not much of a mechanic knuckles seem to bleed if I look at a wrench but I'll try and pull the tank tomorrow and poke around a bit as see how bad it really is:ummm:

 

[Tex85]

Welcome to the VMax family! These bikes tend to run quite hot and it can be quite noticeable on warmer days. Soon the mod monkey will bite you in the ass and steal your wallet, one place you may want to start so you can act accordingly when that temp gauge starts climbing near the top...

http://vmaxforum.net/showthread.php?t=19437&highlight=toggle+switch

Many of the riders here, myself included have a toggle switch for their fan that way you can turn it on and off as needed to bring the temp back down. The factory sensor from what I have read is not always the most reliable or will have the fan run more than necessary. I live in Orlando personally so naturally this time of year I can easily get the engine up to the high end of the thermostat quickly, a quick flip of the switch and it levels off in the middle after just a minute or two.

Like you, I am not much of a mechanic. Fortunately the members of this board are some of the most helpful people on the planet and will save you a ton of time and money by giving you the DIY knowledge you need.

Again, welcome to the best forum on the internet!

 

[thepretender]

Thanks for the warm welcome and words of advice

As for the Fazer thats been sitting apart from changing all the fluids,new bat, new tires, a mirror only a few problem areas. Hooked up a car battery today and it turns over. Cluch master cylinder need fix or replace, carbs need complete overhaul, and the gas tank rust. Have the tank soaking in vinegar don't think it's all that bad, proper use of por 15 will do the trick vinegar is mostly for the locking cap, ifs free but the locking mech won't disengage. Hoping the vinegar will free it up if it dose not may have to drill it out don't see another option? Any ideas?

 

[gunrunner]

Nice looking bike , welcome . unk:

 

[Fire-medic]

Try turning the gas tank upside-down to see if it seals. If it does, pouring in some lacquer thinner and letting it soak for awhile should remove the gum keeping the latch mechanism from releasing. It should work. You might want to get a really-big roasting pan, like they use for turkeys, big-enough to hold your tank, and place the tank in that to contain any leaking fluids. The lacquer thinner, while a heavy-duty solvent, will probably ruin your paint if it comes in-contact w/it.

 

[jethrobolas]

For the gas cap, penetrating oil. Get it in every opening till its dripping out. Try to work it, wiggle the mechanism around and try to get it moving. Even just a bit.
Hose it out with carb cleaner and repeat till it works smoothly. Then get some white lithium grease in a spray can and coat the guts of the mechanism. Clean it up, work it a couple of times, clean it again and gtg.

 

[thepretender]

Not sealed got it in tub upside down. Gonna give it a week but afraid either aluminum oxide is involved or rust ate away something. Seems to have loosened up but the tab just wont move, key turns lid moves up and down. Will try oil carb cleaner and lube as suggested before getting out the power tools though. Thanks.

 

[Fire-medic]

When I was resurrecting my '92, I found the same problem-my gas cap was not releasing. Yes, I tried the penetrating oil and carb cleaner route, which freed-up the key to work, but the gas cap 'tits' on the inside of the filler flange/neck wouldn't release because of being still gummed-up. Since I was replacing the gas tank w/a new one at the suggestion of my Yamaha dealership friend and mechanic, who has worked on Yamahas since before the VMax's release, I just drained-out the tank, rinsed it out, and let it dry. Then I used my Sawzall below the cap, and cut-off the cap and top of the neck. That gave me space to be able to simply reach-in and push-in the gas cap 'tits.'

#1, I got to keep my gas cap.
#2, I saved myself a world of troubles trying to deal w/a rusty, nasty old gas tank.
#3, I didn't have to try to treat my tank after getting it cleaned
#4, I saved myself the misery of having to disassemble the carbs repeatedly to clean them as the rusting tank kept shedding rust particulate matter into them. (the main reason I replaced the tank at the suggestion of my mechanic friend)

If you really wanted-to, you could just use a short length of flexible fuel filler hose to re-connect the cut-off piece, a bonus if you have an early Corbin seat, and don't have an easy time refueling. With my Corbin, I just remove the seat for refueling.

You might be able to take a long rod and go thru the petcock hole, and try to locate the cap 'tits' and manually push it/them in to get the cap open. On the VMax, another thing you could do would be to figure-out where the 'tits' were located on the perimeter of the cap, and drill a 1/4" hole a bit below them, and then stick in a rod to manually push-in the 'tits' from the hole on the opposite side. Then you would have to heliarc the holes shut. A new gas cap is very expensive from Yamaha! Or, you could just replace it w/some-sort of generic cap & neck, maybe from a marine supply store (a chandlery).

 

[thepretender]

A cap is easier to get than a used tank at this point, only made this sucker for 2 years 25 years ago. Thought a about the long rod, this may be my best chance I think there is only one "tit" so it might be easy.

 

[frank5079]

It's been longer than I'd like to admit how long I've gone without. I had a Fazer that needed carb work but no money at the time, months went by then years, keep saying to myself gonna get that thing back on the road some day. 14 years later I got the money got the itch look at the Fazer and can't even get the gas cap off. This is gonna be bitch to get running again I ask myself whats on CL? Look at some Shadows and such then go look at a Vmax, was beet to hell but I could tell by my pulse I had to have one. This has always been the bike I wanted. Look around a bit and found a 2002 seemed to be in great shape go down to San Diego and sure enough its a beauty. Stock everything carbon fiber picked her up on my birthday and smiled all the way home

Hot hot on the way home fan didn't seem to go on. I was worried I got took. Called and previous owner told me the fan was working fine. I looked around on the forum and felt a bit better these things run warm, fiddled with the wires and connector to the switch took the fuse out and put it back. Next day take it out for some gas fan seems to be working fine and 40 miles later my trip to the gas station was over guess I got a keeper after all

First day and already this forum helped out. By the way name is Doug and I'm a Vmax nube and loving it.

Welcome aboard Doug!! I too am new to the 'Max fold, got my 2000 Max about three weeks ago, and I love this bike!!! I was stationed at Edwards AFB back in 1984 and wanted to get a Fazer until the V-Max debuted in 1985, then it was love(lust) at first sight!!! Sadly, I could never afford one until now.....

 

[leecifer]

Welcome to the forum Doug. I love my max too. The cool thing is people always come up to me and ask is that fast and then people tell me some story about a vmax that they owned or a friend owned. The legend lives on....unk: