The Worst has Happened VF1000F 1984

Discussion in 'Mechanics Garage' started by Xenocatalyst, Jan 19, 2017.

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  1. Xenocatalyst

    Xenocatalyst New Member

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    This morning i set out on my way to work, a 25k commute, 20 of them on rural roads.
    I get 5 km from home and the bike looses power and stops responding.
    After i let the throttle off i hear some clunking from the engine.
    luckily there is a side road in can pull onto so I coast onto that.

    The first thing i think of is to check the oil. I pull the plug to find nothing but vapour.
    Very Very disappointed! I only checked the oil 3 weeks ago and have only done 180 k's.

    Heart Broken, My wife bought me this bike. Its as original as could be, only just clocked over 30,000 km. I just replaced the original chain and sprocket.

    I'm going to have to rebuild the engine, at the very least the bottom end. I'm hoping that the head is unharmed.
    I've yet to see the extent of the damage.

    So i'd like to ask for 2 things.

    1: Im in Australia, were is the best place to source engine parts, gasket kits, etc from?

    2: While I'm at it, what other things should I do to the engine? mostly maintenance oriented, not performance.
    Im aready planning on hard facing the cams and rocker arms, and i think there is also a honda service bullitin that welds up the holes in the end of the cam shafts.
     
  2. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    Wow, how sad and the oil wasn't there, crazy, sounds like something may have broke wide open, oil doesn't just disappear like that unless some disastrous. Sorry to hear what you're going thorough. luckily being here, theres going to be some guys to guide you through the re do.
     
  3. goinphaster

    goinphaster New Member

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    ebay is you friend.
     
  4. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Lots of guys from OZ here who will likely post with specifics and maybe even have the tech and parts you'll be needing.
     
  5. thx1138

    thx1138 New Member

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    Bearings will be tough to find.
    NLA from Honda and I have not seen a dealer list with stock for a few years.
    The 84 VF1000R uses the same main and big end bearings so there is a fair bit of competition.
    Sometimes if you can find good used bearings but always a crap shoot.
    I would be worried about the bores, if it has got really hot and seized then I think it will be hard to rebuild given the age of the bike.
    If you could find a whole motor from an F or R you could drop that in.
     
  6. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    That is very sad mate.
    I still don't get where the oil went, was it leaking?
    Did it smoke a lot?
    Did you forget to put oil in?
    You really need to strip it to find out the damage.
     
  7. DeeBee

    DeeBee New Member

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    OMG that's a vf owners worst nightmare. Everytime I hear more ticking than usual, be it just from the engine oil being hot, slack in the rear timing chain, etc. I freak.
    If my 700 engine ever blows , I will sell one of my other toys and put in a 86-87 750 with gear driven cams, given an extra 20-25% HP with minimal mods, it's also a more reliable engine, I think a vf1000f engine will go in the vf750 bikes with very little modding.
    Best of lu m finding parts or a donor motor.

    Definitely let us know where that oil went as well as what all was damaged.

    Is the engine locked or did it just loose compression?
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2017
  8. Badbilly

    Badbilly Official VFRWorld Troll Of The Year!

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    Maybe one of those famous K&N oil filters is the doer of the dastardly deed.
     
  9. Alaskan

    Alaskan Member

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    Sometimes you just have to hold your head up high, blink away the tears, and say goodbye.


    (RIP 1984 VF750F)

    .
     
  10. duccmann

    duccmann Member

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    Feel sad for ya xenocatalyst, sentimental for you I'm sure. Hope you can replace or rebuild.
    Keep us in the loop please


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     
  11. motorhead1977

    motorhead1977 New Member

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    Bad bit of luck there. Go over to the V4BBS and look up a user named the Dutchy. He has much experience with these big VF's and should be a wealth of information.
     
  12. prelude222

    prelude222 New Member

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    I just went to check that site out. Had to register to read anything. That is by far, the most ridiculous way to register with all that security. It's a message board, Jesus. I gave up
     
  13. Sniper

    Sniper New Member

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    The degree of Security on websites has gotten just plain stupid!

    Im with the Alaskan on this one. An old bike that blew an engine, for no appearant reason, is not anything im going to spend a lot of time chasing down parts, and working on. I'd rather be riding.
     
    squirrelman likes this.
  14. Xenocatalyst

    Xenocatalyst New Member

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    I remember going in to my local Honda shop to buy some Honda oil for my XR400 2 years ago only to find that he no longer stocked it.
    When i asked why he told me that they had problems with it evaporating in the heat of summer and had several bikes come in with that problem.
    But knowing I checked the oil less than a tank ago really gets to me.
    There was no blowing smoke.
    The only thing i noticed out of the ordinary was it was running slightly warmer than usual, which i attributed to the 35 degree (Celcius) heat we've been getting.

    Its going to be a while before i can tear her down, i have to make room in the shed and work overtime as well.

    I'd love a newer bike but this is a beautiful model. Besides i don't have the funds to get the newer bikes i like. Might just have to resurrect the CB900F.
     
  15. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    I must admit I've never heard of oil evaporating in heat.
    Specially 2.5L of it.
    Your oil light would have been on for a while.
     
  16. RVFR

    RVFR Member

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    I Feel for ya, just try and stay the coarse as you can. Don't make fast judgement. all things being other engines are around, but in your area, I'm not sure, just know they are here and there. and at what I'd say are reasonably price, but then there's shipping to you so? Not that this is any help, the only thing I knew of with these engines was the upper oiling issue, that shouldn't have any relationship that caused your catastrophe. Hang in there.
     
    Last edited: Jan 23, 2017
  17. Xenocatalyst

    Xenocatalyst New Member

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    I agree with you. but sadly no warning light. Otherwise this would have been avoided.
     
  18. Allyance

    Allyance Insider

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    A cursory search on the net confirms oil does not evaporate during normal use, it would take decades, certainly not 3 weeks! Amsoil ran a Harley engine at 500 degrees for 70 minutes with the oil reaching 300 degrees. No evaporation or degradation. Is there a possibility someone tampered with your bike?

    Have you checked your Oil Pressure Light? Turn the key on, the Oil light should come on.
     
  19. OZ VFR

    OZ VFR Member

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    If oil light didn't light up, the problem could be elsewhere.
    Cams/valve trouble? I had to replace the cams on mine back in the day as they pitted badly and damaged the rockers.
    It was a painful job, but parts were readily available back then.
    Does the motor still spin or is it locked up?

    VF 1000 F 1991 a.jpg
     
  20. Xenocatalyst

    Xenocatalyst New Member

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    Its pretty unlikely that some tampered with the bike.

    Maybe something else happened to make it use oil.

    I am thinking that the oil pressure sensor is stuffed.

    I will have to take 10 minutes tonight to do a cursory inspection. Hopefully the motor does still turn over.
    I'm up at 5 to spray the blackberries, home late from doing overtime.
    Yesterday my car decided it was going to leak clutch fluid from a very hard to get at banjo bolt while picking the horse up from the vet.
    The way things are going it could be weeks before i can take a spanner to the old girl.
     
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