Rip Baby Viff....

[defector]

Originally Posted by Particle Man

did you just call him an a-hole?

Rusty a-hole.

[Porkchop]

Originally Posted by askmrjesus

It's the "just guessing" part that bothers me.

I ran my own shop for several years, and I can't tell you how many guys would show up with a bike that was pronounced D.O.A by a dealership, only to find out that I could have it running in two days.

The thing is, a lot of shops don't want to fuck with old bikes. Partly, because they don't think you're going to want (or be able to) spend what it will take to fix the thing at a shop rate of $45.00 an hour or more. The other reason? They're lazy, and it's a hell of a lot easier to do brake jobs and oil changes, than it is to actually fix something. Profit, of course, also figures into this equation.

So, back to your bike- Lack of compression is caused one or two reasons (or a combination of one and two) bad rings or bad valves.

The first thing I would ask, would be the results of the compression test. What's the spec compression supposed to be, vs. was the reading was? If it's within 25% of where it's supposed to be, that's usually just normal wear.

Bad rings, as previously noted, is not too big of a deal, unless the cylinders are so far gone that they need to be re-bored. Unfortunately, there's no way to know that without tearing it down, inspecting for pits, and mic-ing the bore to see if it falls within spec. You probably don't have a micrometer that will do that, but a local machine shop could do the measuring for you, for not much dough.

Checking the valves is actually relatively simple. Pull the heads off, and yank the camshafts. All the valves are now, or should be, in the closed position. Place the head on a bench and level it with the combustion chambers upward. Fill the chambers with alcohol. Go to bed. Wake up, and see if the alcohol is still there. Yes? Good. No? Bad. 50% of the valve issues I've dealt with, were caused by carbon build up (caused by putting around at low RPM's). Simply cleaning up the valves and the seats will cure this. If the valves still leak after cleaning, you have bigger issues.

So, all that said, it's easy for some of us to just say "Hey man just, blah, blah,blah" because it's easy for us. It may not be easy for you, I don't know where your skill/comfort level lies, so that's something you obviously have to judge for yourself.

For what it's worth, the symptoms you descried sound more like carb issues (i.e, clogged pilot jets or out of sync) than compression issues, but without knowing the numbers, I can't say either way.

Out of curiosity, how many miles are on this thing?

JC

They are like $57 an hour for labor.

There were 3,600 miles on it. Yes.... there is no other zero after that.

I thought it was carbs when I brought it in, but when we talked on the phone he said it had almost no compression and it wouldn't start. Since I had my car thing today I didnt get to talk to him to get actual compression figures. As far as the "old bike" thing, this is a used bike dealership, and they buy classic bikes on a regular basis. I am good friends with the owner so I can go in the back shop area where customers cant. They have tons of classic bikes, mostly cruisers, that they can suppliment their stock with if they get too low on new cruisers and sportbikes. So they do work on them.

Originally Posted by OneSickPsycho

Best post I've ever seen from you JC... you should post more on topic content...

Because this is a motorcycle topic in a motorcycle forum. Its crazy when we actually start talking about the reason that brings us here....

[Rangerscott]

I bet there are some people on here with a rusty hole.

[Porkchop]

Sorry for the delay peeps... It has been a LOOOONG day. It got worse. I never actually made it to the dealer. I was running some errands this afternoon and my Taurus dumped its slushbox. If you remember about a year ago I had a leak in my gasket. I used some leak stop and it fixed it. Checked the fluid level every couple weeks... beautiful. Until today. I was stuck in traffic and I think I somehow sprung a leak in my one of the transmission gaskets again. I was driving in some extremely hot bumper to bumper traffic. I noticed every time I turned the trans would shudder when it would shift like last year. By the time I got to an Auto Zone I was having some serious slippage issues into first and second. Mind you this is a span of only 20 minutes. Stopped at AutoZone and checked the trans fluid... low-ish. Look underneath the car, dripping trans fluid. Bottle of leak stop and a half bottle of trans fluid later and I was back on the road, with the symptoms subdued. About 3 miles from home the transmission check light comes on for the first time ever (even with the problems last year). Stop. Check fluid. Seems ok, but getting low. Fill with extra trans fluid. Good to go. NO. As soon as I pull back out it won't sit in first or second gear, just kinda bounces in and out of gear until it gets to third, and then it goes away. I was already a mile from home so I just limped it back.

I just give up....

[Particle Man]

Jeez. Time to crack open a beer and tell the world to fuck off for the night.

[Porkchop]

Originally Posted by Particle Man

Jeez. Time to crack open a beer and tell the world to fuck off for the night.

Wayyy ahead of you. Tonight was Red White and Boom here in Columbus. Everybody goes and drinks and parties all day downtown. I just said fuck it, I'm not doing that bullshit. I'm sitting at home in an ice cold empty house, watching GP torrents, eating freezer pizza, and drinking a nice cold Amber Bock. Or five.

[Rangerscott]

Damn dude. If I was close I'd tear it apart for you.

Sounds like a fundraiser is in need you busted ass rider/driver.

[Porkchop]

Originally Posted by RedRider2k2

Mine was bullet proof. It just had soggy suspension and square tires. I bought it for my Girlfriend and it's condition was holding back the progression of her learning to ride. So, instead of spending the money to spruce it up, I sold it for a profit and replaced it with a newer one. But, I did these things based on things that I knew to be true. Not someone else's opinion. That's why I recommend doing your own inspection on it. Dont just take someone's word for it.

The engine in my CBR crapped out on me last fall too. Before I had even rolled to a stop I was already pretty sure what was wrong with it. By the time I got it home I was already going over the process of rebuilding the engine in my head. When it comes to Bikes, I have a hard time affording a lot of repairs on a lemon but I REALLY cant afford to just bail on one and totally lose out.

Fork dive and a saggy shock on a vf500? Never...

The thing is I'm not very mechanically inclined. I've had this Taurus my entire driving life. Only replacements were brakes and normal preventative maintinance. Other than a bent fork, some lightbulbs, and preventative maintinace, my R6 never had problems. This VF has had more problems than anything I have ever seen. Doing the work I was on it was stretching my mechanical experience. So like Jesus said, in an earlier post, anything about engine work comes out like the teacher from Charley Brown. If I had the free time, I might think about buying some sort of manual, but I have almost no free time right now.

And if these two guys come through, I am going to be selling it for what I paid for it. Not a bad deal for a broken bike.

Originally Posted by Rangerscott

Damn dude. If I was close I'd tear it apart for you.

Sounds like a fundraiser is in need you busted ass rider/driver.

Wish you could man. It would be sweet to chill. A fundraiser would be nice, but a real paying job would be better. I wonder if my mom is regretting telling me to turn down all those job offers.... now that I'm going to be bugging her like shit to give me some of my bonds for either fixing my car or getting another one.

[Rangerscott]

I know the 5th/6th gens have an aluminum powder composition cylinder sleeves instead of regular old iron sleeves.


Have you ever set the valves?

[Homeslice]

Dump it dude.......You are not a mechanic, and you aren't losing any money parting it out. You can pick up a running SV650 for $2000. I would much rather try to keep one of those alive than a 27-yr old Honda.