Instead of seafoam added to the fuel I added the yami ring free "supposed to be better" but to each their own. Seafoam would be less expensive.

Sounds like a 1600cc R* by your jetting. Just my experience with the manifold the leaks are sometimes hard to find. It would also backfire on hard deceleration but I'm not sure with one bad manifold "O" ring breaking wind would through the balance off that much. talk is cheap

Snacky,

Just like Draco was saying, , , You 'can' have an o-ring, of the manifold, be bad and not be able to detect it. I've taken manifolds off that I just 'knew' there was nothing wrong and still found flattened or small nicks in the o-rings. I believe I read where Gram had actually done the same test and still found a small 'piece' of o-ring missing.

Valves 'should' have been adjusted to 'zero' lash, (my opinion). 'And', this can be done with your fingertips. Lots easier that way.

The 170 is good for now, but I'd raise the c-clip to the 4th, then run your PMS to 2 to 2 1/2 turns out. Accell pump duration screw turned all the way in.

SeaFoam can be bought at any of the regular automotive stores, Auto-Zone, Advanced, NAPA, O'Rileys. The can calls for 1 oz per gallon of gas, but a 2 oz per gallon is safe, without an oil change. The TechRon/Ring Free are about the same with the Yamaha Ring Free being the strongest. These are just temporary fixes till the settings and induction system are running right.

Carbon is more of a killer to an air cooled engine than a water cooled one. (my opinion). Have seen more damage done by running too rich than running to lean, (with these engines). I've often wrote that the R* engine cannot be run too lean. It will either run like crap or NOT run at all, .

I do hope you find the problem. I really believe it CAN be cured without taking apart, (at this time).

Odo

Thanks Odo and Draco. I will try some seafoam or yami as soon as the holidays are over. I just got the triple tree bushings installed today and I did a gear lube change to Royal Purple synthetic to see how that works. I can tell the handlebar is much stiffer now and there is no play in it at all, it feels good. Will see how it feels on the road when I get to test ride it.

I am interested in the crankvent and how that works. I took the tank off and took a look and I see two hoses comming from the rear cylinder (one goes down in front of the battery and looks like it drains below the frame, the other appears to go to the oil tank) There are no hoses comming out of the front cylinder. Which one of these is the crankvent and what does it do? I get the feeling it neutralizes pressure in some way since it is called a vent but I am not sure if something is not hooked up right. I have taken it to two different Yamaha Mechs and both say everything is fine with the motor, but I am learning more and more that these so called mechanics dont really know more than how to change oil.

I'm starting to wonder if the problem is me and the way I percieve "Smooth". To me smooth is a little thump from the cylinders at idle but smooths out once you crack the throttle. I used to have a Ford Ranger that seemed to shimmy at 52mph and no matter what tires I put on it or how good the alignment it always had that one spot. My bike seems to have this same type of vibration and I try to ride above or below that area, unfortunantly when I ride with groups and Harleys they like to cruise in that 35mph to 40mph range where my bike sits in the "Vibe Zone"
A friend of mine has a bone stock Yamaha Warrior and his has the same vibe zone right around 1800rpm but its barely noticable (at least to him until i showed him).

I think next I'll look at the crankvent, thanks for all the help guys. and Merry Christmas!

Snacky,

As you look at the engine from the right side of the bike; There are only 2 hoses that come off the rear cylinder rocker box. The one to the left 'is' the oil tank vant hose and must stay connected to the rear rocker box which is connected to the oil tank.

The one to the right 'is' the crankcase vent. That's the hose that folks re-route, or leave hooked up to an air box, (Yes, this is the hose that equalizes pressure to the outside world).

'Vibration' is perceptible with the 'rider'. These are big cylinder V-twin bikes. They 'will' have their vibration characteristics. I came off HD's for the R*. A totally different 'vibration', if you want to call it that, . I 'think' the RoadStar engine is a hell-offa-lot more 'smoother' than the HD engines I 'was' use to riding.

I can cruise at 75 and my hands will get a small amount of vibration. That'll put me in the 2300 to 2500 RPM range, and it's NOT so bad as to not be able to see in the mirrors. I still 'feel' it, 'but', it's minimal compared to other motors. Our 50+ lb flywheel really absorbs a LOT of the engine momentum.

How's your gas mileage? From there I can usually tell how the engine is running.

Just curious,

Odo

I can see nada in my mirrors above 40 mph. I have aftermarket mirrors and poly handlebar bushings so that does not help either.

I thought they all were supposed to vibrate .... gets the women 'excited'

Doc

fuel mileage seems good, I can squeeze 190 miles out of a tank of gas if I baby it.
The bike has tons of power so much so that I have to hang on for dear life if I really gun it. I have churped the tire in second. When I ride I can feel some vibrationin my tail bone but I think much of this can be delt with if I had some padding instead of that hard corbin seat. The handlebars are yamaha fatty T drag bars and I really like thelook and hand position of them, BUT they seem to transfer more vibration to my hands than the stock 1in bars. I actually feel more harsh buzzing in my hands with the new bushings in than I did with the stock ones and its really wierd because these are supposed to cut just about all of the buzz out.

The crankvent has been rerouted it looks like to the bottom of the frame and is not connected to the airbox.

I rode for 30 minutes today and my hands were numb from the vibes when I got home. Gonna stick the stockbar back on and see what happens.

Sancky,

For a well 'tuned' engine, you 'should' be getting the 180/190 miles, 'before' you hit reserve, (my opinion). Regardless if your running HC pistons and such.

May want to consider a main jet change to a 167.5 and the c-clip at the 4th, then your PMS 'should' be around 2. Accell pump screw where I mentioned before. Just a thought.

The Yammie Fat T's were the first bars I put on my 01M*. Like them a lot but wanted the same type of bar that I could wire internally. Switched to the Baron's Radius Bars. 'About' the same but hand placement just a tad different. Semi-drag bars, give a more pronounced 'feel' than regular bars with risers. The risers being solid helps with cutting down the vibration. I've been running drag 'type' bars for so long that I'm use to them, .

A lot of us run the Kury ISO grips. They provide more cushion to help with the vibration but still can be felt during certain RPM's. I also got use to wearing gel insert riding gloves, (short fingered and long). That helps also.

Wish you could've rode my 76 Shovel, LOL ! ! You'd thought your R*'y was a BMW compared to that one, LOL ! !

Good luck,

Odo

I also have the ISO grips and use two or three different sets of gloves and it hurts the same no matter what. I hate to sound like a wuss and without being able to compare it to anything else I am at a dead end. I ride with guys who have Old Harleys, New harleys, Yamahas, Suzukis, and Hondas and I dont hear one complaint out fo them about vibes. Maybe I'm just not tough enough to ride this bike, but Having felt a stock bike I can tell a huge difference.
I wanted to go for a ride down the beach today, but I know I would be miserable so I stayed home, this sux. <br><br>Post edited by: Snacky, at: 2005/12/25 18:17

Snacky,

Did you ever ride your present bike stock and it didn't vibrate? Curious because I was wondering if it ever DID NOT vibrate, at one time.

If your contemplating putting the stock pistons back in, I have a set of used ones I can send you with new piston rings.

Odo

Maybe I should of posted it before.

http://roadstarclinic.com/content/view/150/104/

aw the link didn't work. Scroll down the home page you'll find it.<br><br>Post edited by: draco, at: 2005/12/26 12:37