HELP compression test, and possible other issues

[ELGREENGO1]

looking at a 1985 VMAX hasn't ran in years, the seller bought at auction, oil had water or possibly coolant (milky looking) possible bat water pump seals I think. He had a buddy check compression for me cold obviously and numbers are as so not sure of firing order or if the cyl numbers are right but I know there's 4 haha...
119, 119, 92, 90

12k miles. I will double check compression with my own tester in person when I go see it. If its better numbers than he gave me im buying it for $1000 I'm thinking maybe buying lol.

Help me out wtf should I do im dead set on a vmax. Coming from an 2003 GSXR 750.

 

[Fire-medic]

#1, add your location under your avatar. Go to the upper right-hand side of the webpage, and click on the little-person to access adding your location. If you buy this heap, which I do not recommend, add the bike year in the 'signature' area, same-place as-above.

#2, add what year this bike is in your description so we know what systems it has. Looks to me to be a 1988-1992 from the wheels & brakes. If it is a 1985, by the decal on the steering head, it has 1988 or newer wheels front& rear.

I suggest you take pics of the VIN on the steering head, both the decal and the stamped-in VIN number, and also the serial number of the engine, on the milled, textured plate at the top-rear of the left side of the engine. You can easily get a pic of that with a cellphone.

This bike has serious issues, what I think has happened:

1] blown head gasket(s) possibly due to overheating, not a good sign
2] flood bike. As Nancy Reagan said, "just say, no!"
3] leaking water pump

Here is my highly-subjective 'values chart' for each of the above conditions. As Maury Povitch says, "in the case of this non-functional bike,
you are the father!"

Sorry, I got carried-away. Back to my bike value ratings. All ratings presuming a good title of ownership, in your state.

For condition #1: max $250. Be prepared to spring up-to $1K for another replacement engine

For condition #2: $100-150. Research to discover if the bike has an insurance payout for a totalled bike assigned to it (link below). In your state that may make it impossible to return this to the road, under that VIN. I consider this a 'parts-bike only.' All electrical equipment has to be replaced. The engine is probably useless. The frame will rust-apart from the inside-out. Wheel bearings need replacement. Etc. Not-much value in a flood bike. While some intrepid souls are willing to undertake a resurrection of a flood bike or car or truck, run-away!

https://www.nicb.org/vincheck

For condition #3: possibly salvageable, if the leak occurred yesterday and they re-filled it with fresh oil, and turned the engine over by hand, or if it cranks, on the starter, but with the spark plugs out and grounded. Max $250. Be-prepared to have-to replace the engine, probably $1K.

To me, the compression check is immaterial. It's a good sign that the engine is not-seized. It's a bad sign this guy is trying to sell a Yamaha Mr. Frostie Milkshake machine for good money!

If you want to try spending $200 on a bike like this, have at it. That's about the highest I'd pay.

About the compression figures: if the bike's been sitting with that watery oil in it, you're probably looking at rusty piston rings. The correct way to approach such a problem to fix it, is a complete engine disassembly, inspection and reassembly, replacing any components found out of spec. I doubt that you're gonna do that. Unless you can get this for $200 I say, "pass up this purchase." The marketplace has plenty of decent bikes without these types of issues.

Just curious, is this someone whom you know, selling the bike? If the answer is 'no,' the fact that he's willing to-show you the 'milkshake' does lend a bit of credibility to his attempt to sell this seriously-wounded heap.

This pile is worth more in parts than it is as a complete bike.

 

[Parminio]

No way you buy that bike for 1000 dollars.

Walk. There's plenty better Vmax's to be had than that for the same money.

 

[Fire-medic]

I'm pissed, I had a lot of added text about title issues, something hiccupped and that content vanished. Not gonna re-type it.

Does the bill of sale from the auction list the VIN of the bike? If it doesn't, you are gonna have a very-hard time getting a title. Even with that, some states are difficult to re-title a bike, if you don't have the original to transfer, and the procedure can cost hundreds of dollars, and require court time. Even if the auction happened at a storage lot or a mechanic's shop, where the bike was abandoned, and they have a 'mechanic's lien' procedure available to them, the cost of applying for the title will exceed the value of a non-operational motorcycle, especially the Yamaha Mr. Frostie Milkshake.

 

[[email protected]]

This one is a gamble
It doesn't look like a flood bike to me.

My opinion on the water issue starting with most likely to least:
The water pump seals may be bad
The cranckcase breather assembly may need to be rebuilt. If the seals in it go bad, oil and water will communicate
It may have blown head gasket(s)
The crossover joint in the cylinder head may need the orings replaced.

On the plus side, the engine turns over. On the negative side, who knows how long that milk was in there. You may have some rusty cylinders, rings, bearings, etc...
I've brought back more than 1 bike that was crashed into a river. If you get to it quick, its not a big deal. I fill the crankcase with diesel and spin the motor over. I've even run some engines for a short time with diesel as the oil just to clean it out and then changed the oil multiple times.

Regardless of the oil/water issue, you have no idea if this bike has a transmission issue (2nd gear failure isn't uncommon in the older bikes).
You have no ideal what else may be wrong with it.
Carbs may need work if its been sitting.

The odds are, this thing will be a money pit. But, you might get lucky. I'd never drop $1K on it. A few hundred, sure.

 

[Pighuntingpuppy]

My sentiment is the same with everyone here. No way thats a $1000 bike. Its not even a $300 bike. The bike literally is worth scrap weight. When I buy non running vehicles, I pay 1.5 times current scrap weight values. Its a paperweight and paperweights arent worth anything. You want it....get it cheap cheap cheap and be prepared to do the work yourself. Otherwise, pass this heap up and let the next sucker get it.

Can it be fixed? Sure....But how much are you gonna spend on it to get it in riding order?

 

[Fire-medic]

I'd buy it for 200 bucks or hopefully less for the carburetors alone assuming that they're they're there, complete and haven't been torn apart and are still on the engine and the airbox is on the carbs.

 

[ELGREENGO1]

I bought this 1989 model instead for $3500 with 32k shes a beauty.

 

[Fire-medic]

I bought this 1989 model instead for $3500 with 32k shes a beauty.

And where would the community be, where this is now residing? Add that info below your screen name.

I see a probable Dynojet Stage 7 carburetor kit (does it have pod air filters? A VBoost switch? Still have the VBoost butterflies, or have they been replaced with aluminum tubes? Retaining the butterflies makes it much-easier to synch the carbs.) , case guards at the front engine mounts, decent paint on the 'tins' and coordinating upholstery, with a good paint-job on the engine. I'd say it's a bit high in price, given the mileage and year, but if it needs nothing and runs well, that's better than a $2,500 bike needing everything.

For your own knowledge, remember it has the early 5-wire ignition pick-up and early CDI box, single opposed-piston brakes, the early 'star' for the shift drum; 40 mm front fork downtubes, triple trees and sliders, with a ganged schrader valve for the air-assist on the forks; an internal oil fliter, not the spin-on; and the old-style regulator-rectifier, which you can replace at any time with a MOSFET design, and you should, if yours ever takes a dump, instead of replacing it with the OEM early system. You probably have the 2-pole starter, unless it was upgraded to the 4-pole. Another item to upgrade should there come a time to replace it, instead of the OEM to-the-year 2-pole starter.

Looks to-be a much-better choice than the other pig in a poke you were considering. How's second gear? Can you run it up-to 9,000 rpm in first, shift to second gear, and have it continue to accelerate without jumping-out of gear? If you're not-yet familiar with the VBoost power of a VMax, 8,000 rpm is OK to shift into second. If you're quick with your shift, and you grab another generous handful of throttle the front end will probably bring the front wheel/tire off the pavement. Yes that's a 'power wheelie.' Have it witnessed by a Florida Highway Patrol Trooper, and that will earn you a ticket with a couple of zero's after the integer, repeat offenses for the same-thing will earn you three zero's after that first integer, and possibly revocation of your operator's license. Be mindful of VBoost, it's addictive, intoxicating, and corruptimg.