85 Max - post purchase progress

[Bill Seward]

Yeah, but it's an '85!
Makes it an automatic keeper! I've had mine for 23 years, with absolutely no chance of selling it. Never.

 

[lankeeyankee]

I have an 85 also, just the engine though. Sits in a 99 Frame. There has been rumors about the 85 being the fastest year. I am going to have to agree this is the fastest engine I have had out of the past 3.
The best thing is I bought this engine for 500.00!! The rear head had a piece broken out where the valve cover meets from being in an accident. Took my heads off the 99 and placed the 85 model cams in and off we go.

 

[Shuriken]

Just peeled off the old clutch and stator gaskets and installed new ones.
Installed new clutch slave cylinder.
Installed new clutch slave pipe, washers, and brass olive that mates that pipe to the galfer clutch line.
Installed new brake bleeder screws all around.
Used putty and primer on tank and both fenders (need to sand now).
Polished (to a degree) both air scoops.
Removed rear valve cover. Polished shiny, non-clear coat areas. Attempting to install new gasket. Will do the same with the front valve cover.
Installed new OEM shifter lever.
Installed new oil filter bolt (after having to buy a special NAPA tool to extract the old rounded off one).
Installed new oil filter.

 

[dudev]

Hey! Thanks for this thread. I very much enjoyed reading your saga. I'm glad you better half finally came around. Viva la V-max!!!

 

[one2dmax]

A very nice and simple mod for the old oil filter design is to weld on an old socket onto the head of the bolt. Then you'll only need your ratchet to change the oil.

Sean

 

[Shuriken]

Hey! Thanks for this thread. I very much enjoyed reading your saga. I'm glad you better half finally came around. Viva la V-max!!!

You're welcome. I'm glad wifee came around, too. We took the XS11 out for a spin while the Max is out of commission. Wife definitely likes the Max a lot better, especially the accelleration. Sissy bar is on its way, too.

 

[Shuriken]

A very nice and simple mod for the old oil filter design is to weld on an old socket onto the head of the bolt. Then you'll only need your ratchet to change the oil.

Sean

Indeed. There was actually a socket on the bolt when I got the bike but it didn't work so well. This NAPA socket is one that you tap on with a hammer. It is very hard steel and has what looks like a left-hand spiral and teeth. I tried about everything to get the drain bolt out. Everything chewed up the bolt to the point you would not believe. I tapped that NAPA - Irwin tool to be more correct - on and gave it some turn. I thought it was just stripping the bolt but it turned like 1/4 turn and really dug in and out came the drain bolt. Afterwards I looked at the grip pattern on the bolt. What a great tool. Glad I didn't have to use an easy-out.

I replaced the bolt with an OEM Yamaha XS11 bolt, as I got it for half the price and they are the same bolt.

 

[Shuriken]

Just installed a new rear valve cover gasket. Will also do the front one as soon as I renew my motivation....

 

[gleno]

Indeed. There was actually a socket on the bolt when I got the bike but it didn't work so well. This NAPA socket is one that you tap on with a hammer. It is very hard steel and has what looks like a left-hand spiral and teeth. I tried about everything to get the drain bolt out. Everything chewed up the bolt to the point you would not believe. I tapped that NAPA - Irwin tool to be more correct - on and gave it some turn. I thought it was just stripping the bolt but it turned like 1/4 turn and really dug in and out came the drain bolt. Afterwards I looked at the grip pattern on the bolt. What a great tool. Glad I didn't have to use an easy-out.

I replaced the bolt with an OEM Yamaha XS11 bolt, as I got it for half the price and they are the same bolt.

I had the same issue with the oil filter cover bolt being rounded off to the point that a regular socket wouldn't grip anymore.

The bolt was removed with that type of socket. It was tapped on with a hammer and then used a socket to unscrew the bolt.
I then welded a 22mm nut to the top of the old bolt head (didn't want a socket head filling up with road crap), used a welder to fill in and then filed off the rough to leave a solid hex head on the bolt (that sucker will never get rouded off).

For those who have never seen the NAPA socket here's some pics.

 

[lankeeyankee]

Simple fix

Cycleone and ask for Tom tell him your tired of the old style VMAX oil filter

 

[Shuriken]

I'll give the OEM filter bolt a chance or two. I can't imagine it needing to be torqued so tight as to strip the bolt.

 

[gleno]

I'll give the OEM filter bolt a chance or two. I can't imagine it needing to be torqued so tight as to strip the bolt.

Me either. Previous owner did it to mine as well.

 

[one2dmax]

No, I meant weld on a cheap socket to the bolt. Cheaper then the new one and all you need to carry to the bike is your ratchet.

Sean

 

[4gasem]

Or just clamp a Vice-Grip? on it and then all you need to bring to the bike is oil and the filter and you can use the V/G to do it all! :biglaugh:

 

[Shuriken]

Guess I'm looking for something "non tacky"..... when a bike like mine goes through severe abuse before you get it, sometimes the last straw is to find a socket hammered onto a screwed up bolt.

I'm the guy who thinks.... how the hell would spending $11 dollars for a new filter bolt have been so much trouble? I don't see the problem with an OEM bolt. It does seem a bit small for an oil bolt, but I guess unless I strip it out, I'll try to use OEM.

I wonder what the point was in the previous owners even owning the bike I bought; all they did was tear everything to hell, crash it, paint every conceivable shiny part on the bike a motley flat black, and finally get rid of it. I'm dealing with a serious case of neglect and abuse, here.

Besides, the Max has a soul, right? I'm hoping it will know the difference between me and the previous owners! All of my other bikes have!

 

[4gasem]

Guess I'm looking for something "non tacky"..... when a bike like mine goes through severe abuse before you get it, sometimes the last straw is to find a socket hammered onto a screwed up bolt.

I'm the guy who thinks.... how the hell would spending $11 dollars for a new filter bolt have been so much trouble? I don't see the problem with an OEM bolt. It does seem a bit small for an oil bolt, but I guess unless I strip it out, I'll try to use OEM.

I wonder what the point was in the previous owners even owning the bike I bought; all they did was tear everything to hell, crash it, paint every conceivable shiny part on the bike a motley flat black, and finally get rid of it. I'm dealing with a serious case of neglect and abuse, here.

Besides, the Max has a soul, right? I'm hoping it will know the difference between me and the previous owners! All of my other bikes have!

If I remember right there are two bolt designs that Yamaha made so make doubly sure that it matches the stock unit 100% if you get a new one. I think I read where someone else assumed and it was wrong which led to catastrophic engine failure.

I have a spin on which is nice.

 

[Shuriken]

If I remember right there are two bolt designs that Yamaha made so make doubly sure that it matches the stock unit 100% if you get a new one. I think I read where someone else assumed and it was wrong which led to catastrophic engine failure.

I have a spin on which is nice.

Good point about the bolt. I inspected part numbers as well as thread, number, size, and location of holes, spring insert, and ball. I hope I haven't overlooked something.

 

[4gasem]

Good point about the bolt. I inspected part numbers as well as thread, number, size, and location of holes, spring insert, and ball. I hope I haven't overlooked something.

I think the holes were in a slightly different spot or smaller so you should be golden!

 

[Shuriken]

This is not the specific bolt I used, but here is one on eBay that advertises that it works on the XS and the VMX12: 380033275609
It says it will fit all years of XS, but NOT all years of VMX12.

Powersportspro.com shows that part number 2H7-13340-00-00 is used on all of the VMX models except 1996 up, which went to spin-on type. This part number appears to be used on all of the XS11s as well, except for the 79sf model, which appears to be the same bolt, but marked as a different part number. (I will check with the guys on the XS11 forum)

 

[4gasem]

This is not the bolt I used, but here is one on eBay that advertises that it works on the XS and the VMX12: 380033275609

It says it will fit all years of XS, but NOT all years of VMX12. I suppose one could mess up by getting a bolt like this for the wrong year of Max? It would be interesting to see the bolt on an '85 VMX12 and the bolt on a '94 VMX12.

That's because in 1996 they went to a spin in style filter like most of the late model bikes and cars have...

I use a Mobil 1 filter on mine.

C.O.O. sells a spin on filter kit for the early model bikes.