'11 vaquero update as of 19,400 mi

[element80]

Idle, rev, decel has been really rough. Setting cruise has been jumpy. Mileage has sucked and everywhere I go my legs are cooked and my bike smells like fuel.

I already tried using the Thunder mfg gasket that they so kindly shipped me for free...didn't seem to work...but I think 10lbs of torque or whatever the service manual calls for on the three throttle body studs is ridiculous


So last weekend I wrapped my pipes with heatsheild products lava or titanium wrap. Whatever they call it. Ordered two 50ft x 1in rolls for 55 shipped from amazon (best deal I could find). I used 00 steel wool to get surface rust off of the pipes and I did wet them with a spray bottle as I applied them. I didn't remove pipes to wrap but lacked the bike up about 1ft so I could sit in a chair comfortably while I worked. I got everything covered from heads down past the collector and all of the crossover tube for the clutch side muffler. Double wrapped the first 6" of the rear pipe at the head to help my right thigh out. They didn't smoke very long at all and didn't smell like the fiberglass stuff I've used in the past. These things are sweet.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...2&l=b5fdb433fa
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...4&l=e809f63a05
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...7&l=ae2d8ec655
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...8&l=d76833451c

Last weekend after the bike sat for about 24 hrs (while wrapping pipes). I drained the fluid from the radiator, filled it back up with 50/50 distilled vinegar and distilled water then drained it twice, then flushed 4x with distilled water...tons of red specs came out in the flush. Also bigger black flakes and small black sediment was in the overflow tank...I never cranked the bike during the flushing.

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...0&l=a74d4bb2f0
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?f...7&l=062852377c


I replaced with engine ice

Now when the fan kicks on. It actually moves the coolant temp needle down about a click - so I need to get a switch to turn that fan on rigged up like ray did


Today I finally replaced the heat shields and took the thunder air kit and throttle bodies off...

I examined the o rings for signs of damage and found none.


I pulled the thunder gasket off cleaned it and let it dry, then cleaned the butterflies, intake manifold, throttle bodies and thunder air kit with paint thinner or acetone or something. Whatever I had there next to my shop rags. Then wiped everything clean with wet shop paper towels and let them dry.


I applied a moderate but even coat of Permatex Form-a gasket non-hardening sealant to both sides of the gasket, put the orings back in(that was frustrating!)

I replaced the gasket, the throttle bodies and this time I had help. Buddy turned one of the 3 studs and held the throttle bodies in place while I turned the other two studs. We didn't use a torque wrench this time and got them snug. Then I used a short little Allen wrench to torque them down probably a little tighter than spec.

Then I sealed the crankcase breather connection threads and hole where the adapter attaches to the bottom of my round air kit and applied sealant to the front of the throttle bodies, wiped excess squeeze out from the intake manifold and throttlebody and put the air kit back together.


Wow! Bike is so much smoother now...idle is steady and smooth. I have more power/torque at 1900-2500 rpm even with a passenger....cruise control isn't jerky anymore, the bike doesn't smell like fuel at stop lights. According to USPS my PCv with ignition comes sometime on 6/1.


I think I covered everything - next time I decide to take the throttle bodies off I will machine the stand offs like Racnray did.


This bike feels like new again and omg there is a huge improvement in heat coming off pipes.

I would love to get some maps from you guys with ignition advance


Hope the pictures are helpful and ill try to get a video up of my front wheel noise. I'm convinced that my front end wobble issues is bad bearings.

I wrote Kawasaki a letter about the problems I have had and they responded a month and a half later with a letter addressed to me, written to someone named Sunny asking me to take the bike to a dealer for diagnosis....y'all might remember that I already did that and the dealer noted the problem, couldn't fix it, wanted me to pay for the work they did(which was not authorized) and then when I pressed them for a solution called Kawasaki and said "when I told him the bike had a wobble they told me to direct you to the portion of the owners manual that instructs riders to never let go of the handlebars...and that all large fixed faired bikes will wobble). I don't think Kawasaki cares about me at all. Looks like I'm all alone on the bearing and wobble issue. Anyone have the front wheel and neck bearing part numbers for all balls bearings?

Here is a video on the garbage from the overflow and the noisy grinding front wheel

[gcsteve]

My front bearings went while I was riding from Long Island to Pittsburg a few weeks ago.(about 400 miles) It started out as a ticking noise then got more frequent and after I first noticed it about 10 more miles and it was real loud. I had to stop in middle of trip and got new bearings in the next day in Harrisburg PA. I would take the calipers off and then listen to the wheel. My calipers always make that scraping noise if the motorcycle has sat for a day or two. Once I ride it the noise goes away. I like that black stripe on your V. It looks cool as s#%&.

[RACNRAY]

TREY...DO NOT machine the posts off that are on the t/b when using the gasket. No need to.
Glad your skoot is running better!!

RACNRAY

[Sin City Stan]

It seems you reached the point of "I fed up and I'm not going to take it any more" and dove in and fixed it yourself.

[landman]

exactly why i decided not to mess with pc's and airbox mods and leave my vaquero stock.it
idles and runs great with plenty of power.it does not run too hot and averages 45 m.p.g.,i had
many of those same issues after making those mods to my 1600 nomad.

[element80]

Originally Posted by landman

exactly why i decided not to mess with pc's and airbox mods and leave my vaquero stock.it
idles and runs great with plenty of power.it does not run too hot and averages 45 m.p.g.,i had
many of those same issues after making those mods to my 1600 nomad.

Had a hot running, poor performing (compared to my 1100 sabre) bike from stock....that's the reason for the air kit, and pcv...on and what is "plenty of power"?....I've never had that before. Not even on the vtx1800

Originally Posted by Sin City Stan

It seems you reached the point of "I fed up and I'm not going to take it any more" and dove in and fixed it yourself.

Exactly!

Originally Posted by RACNRAY

TREY...DO NOT machine the posts off that are on the t/b when using the gasket. No need to.
Glad your skoot is running better!!

RACNRAY

Thanks Ray! The pcv with ignition is awesome! I have +4 all the way to 3000rpm from o% throttle to 40% throttle, now that the leaks are gone and the ignition is advanced some the bike runs smooth in the 1300-2100 rpm range and seems to have found some of the torque Kawasaki left on the design floor!

Originally Posted by gcsteve

My front bearings went while I was riding from Long Island to Pittsburg a few weeks ago.(about 400 miles) It started out as a ticking noise then got more frequent and after I first noticed it about 10 more miles and it was real loud. I had to stop in middle of trip and got new bearings in the next day in Harrisburg PA. I would take the calipers off and then listen to the wheel. My calipers always make that scraping noise if the motorcycle has sat for a day or two. Once I ride it the noise goes away. I like that black stripe on your V. It looks cool as s#%&.

Got a buddy from Harrisburg ....need to put some brake quiet on my pads, ill check the bearings then

[gcsteve]

Well if he rides I am sure he knows the place.High Strength VTwin. They knew I was stranded and could have told me to find a taxi and then charge me $200. But, they told me what part of town to stay in, had the bearings delivered by UPS the next morning and gave me a ride to and from the hotel. Then he only charged me $69.00. Very nice family owned place. I wish they were a little closer to Long Island.

[landman]

what I mean when I say that the vaquero has plenty of power i mean for it's intended purpose as a cruiser.i have owned a vtx 1800 which was a pussy cat compared to the
m109 Suzuki I also owned.i have also owned several non cruiser type 125 horsepower
500 pound bikes that would easily run away from most any cruiser.my point being that your just not going to turn one of these 800+ pound cruisers into a fire breathing hot
rod.having said all that,if my bike was running poorly and getting hot I would have gone down the same road you did in an effort to improve rideability.in fact I have done that on
a few different bikes.

[element80]

Originally Posted by landman

what I mean when I say that the vaquero has plenty of power i mean for it's intended purpose as a cruiser.i have owned a vtx 1800 which was a pussy cat compared to the
m109 Suzuki I also owned.i have also owned several non cruiser type 125 horsepower
500 pound bikes that would easily run away from most any cruiser.my point being that your just not going to turn one of these 800+ pound cruisers into a fire breathing hot
rod.having said all that,if my bike was running poorly and getting hot I would have gone down the same road you did in an effort to improve rideability.in fact I have done that on
a few different bikes.

I run with cvo screamin eagle road glides 113ci, vtx1800, and 1900 Yamahs, goldwings and the only bike. That can get away from me is the vtx 1800

[gcsteve]

Originally Posted by element80

I run with cvo screamin eagle road glides 113ci, vtx1800, and 1900 Yamahs, goldwings and the only bike. That can get away from me is the vtx 1800

Well forgiveness sake stop running and hop on your Vaquero and ride. All that running must be exhausting.

[element80]

Originally Posted by gcsteve

Well forgiveness sake stop running and hop on your Vaquero and ride. All that running must be exhausting.

If its with doing its worth doing fast. Got bunches of ignition advance going o the bike now. Running better than the day I bought it