Possible VF500 purchase

does that odometer really read just shy of 70k? wow.

 

on second listen...it could just be a really loose cam chain rattle... that's probably more like it, it's hard to gauge the volume of the rattle but I think it's not as severe as what my dropped valve motor did... good luck Jeremy.

 

How about putting a screwdriver to the engine and to your ear to see if it is easier to tell exactly where the sound is coming from/

 

I did try that but it didn't seem to help much. Couldn't run it for long. I have neighbours...

 

Discovered today it was only running on three. Cylinder 3 refused to fire. The carbs are obviously clogged somewhere. Will take them off and fit a spare set or clean them if I have time. Can't locate/fix a rattle if its only firing on three.

 

Now running on four, Videos here. Sounds passable at idle but give it a fistful and it sounds awful. I am heading towards some kind of bearing failure/piston slap. Not a simple fix I think.

https://goo.gl/photos/gVguXP1qDXvKtMqc9

 

I think you might be right about a rod bearing... did you try disconnecting one plug wire at a time to see if noise changes? As you know, when you disconnect the right one, the lack of combustion force will diminish the noise. You could try setting the idle screw high enough to hear the rattle and then start disconnecting and replacing each plug wire to see if it is a bearing.

Still sounds like you could have a really loose cam chain though.

 

I will give it a go. Going to try it with the Cam covers removed. I have bought a stethoscope too.

 

There's probably going to be some oil flying everywhere with the valve covers off. I've never had the nerve to try that thinking of the mess plus having to take the radiator off to get the front cover removed... but if you do, I hope you can video that. Some people believe there's no oil flow going to the heads below 3000 rpm but I don't think that's true. Good luck!

 

get ready for oil bath

Honda looked at oil flow when all the cam problems started. You are in for an oil bath!

 

That flickering oil pressure light at idle doesn't fill me with much in the way of confidence.
Although I have in the past been the type of guy that will pull an engine down for a
rebuild, old age and laziness have crept in (maybe just more conservative with my time?)
I think I'd be looking for a "known to be good" replacement engine.

 

Yeah, it's probably completely shagged out. More of a forensic hobby now than anything else. Pity because externally it's in pretty good nick. I have noticed too that complete engines have become quite rare on Ebay over here in the last 12 months. You would normally always have a couple somewhere in the UK but not anymore, just bits.

 

I didn't even notice the flickering oil light, ok, well that's a good indicator you have at least one very worn bearing somewhere. A few scattered bearings are still out there with places like CMSNL but you'd have get lucky to find the color(s) you need. Anyway, with two perfectly good engines sitting right there (wondering what's going on), you're all set.

 

There are 3 or 4 over here on ebay right now, mostly from Magnas so they're the 5 speeds but would work just fine if you had no other options. They run from about $350 to $500 over here not counting shipping which would be exorbitant trying to ship to your side of the pond.

 

I'm OK for engines but thanks anyway.
I have a not good condition 86 engine which I have never actually tried to run so might even try that. The 84 could donate its good bits if it really is beyond repair.

 

Just as a final concluding update on my noisy 84 VF500F engine. I finally managed to get some time to work on it. I used the big end bearing failure (rod knock) diagnostic described in this vid .

Sure enough there was play when I pushed down on cylinder 4 (front right). The other front cylinder (2) was fine as were the rear two (1 and 3).

Unless I can find evidence that this is a straightforward fix, I will probably scrap the engine. Even if big end bearings were freely available, the crank journal will need work, so getting that done and finding bearings to fit is likely too much cost/effort for me. I don't need the engine. I have two good ones.

 

After a few months doing other stuff I am back working on this 84/85 500F bike. The original engine is out and a very low mileage UK spec 86 engine is now in the frame. So that's an 86 engine in an 84/85 frame. It fits, but only just. Another example of a subtle design change in the frame over the 3 model years. The 86 heads are significantly wider and they only just fit between the frame members. The clearance is really tight on the rear heads on the left side (exhaust side). In fact I can't get the cam cover to seat properly so I will have to ease the frame very slightly and maybe just lightly file the cam cover where it fouls. On the front head it nearly fouls on the right hand radiator tab (the one with the captive nut) but it fits OK. Whether the rad will go on OK is another question.
Other than that pretty straightforward. Some pictures here if you are interested.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/l4vOtDGWP7GdI0FC3

 

Hey Jeremy, good times ahead! I have an 86 engine in my 84. I had to remove one of the tabs attached to the inside of the back valve cover to be able to squeeze the valve cover off and on. I was able to get it off ok, getting back on is apparently impossible without taking off that left rear tab though. I don't even know what those are there for. My 84 radiator fit ok, not perfectly but certainly close enough.

 

Good to know about the radiator. I did manage to get the cover on without removing those tabs. It was a real struggle though. I am looking forward to getting it back together. It has been apart since I bought in Feb and I have a few nice bits for it now to spruce it up.

I also have no clue what those tabs are for. Maybe to stop the valves piercing the cover when they drop

 

Ok, some more progress. Fitted the collector and the front down pipes but forgot the coolant pipe from the pump to the rad. Had to take the front left downpipe off again. Then I discovered the 84/85 steel pipe is very tight against the left of the 86 engine front cylinder head. So tight the rubber hose wont fit over it. I possibly could bend the pipe but I had an 86 pipe which is very different and much simpler in design (bottom one in the picture). This fits outside the frame which is not as neat as the 84/85 but at least it fits. I don't have the receiving tab on the frame for the fastener on the 86 pipe but cable ties will do here I reckon. Just another example of the subtle differences in the model years. The F2 bike has a single rubber hose from the pump to the rad. Some pictures of the bike and coolant pipes for future reference.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/YmPmABCCC3OA7PUD3