[GREAT88]

Hello, I'm new to this board because I sold my VN750 and got a VULCAN 94' "88" 1500. Love the bike. I got one problem, the reed valve on the front of the motor seems to be leaking. The hose that go's on the reed kept popping off (the entire collar) so I used thread lock to hold the collar in and then put the hose back on, it does not pop off any more but it started leaking shorty after I did that. I have everything off the front and there is nothing you could say "ok there is the leak or problem", it's not a heavy leak and when you ride it the excess blows out the right side and gets on the pipes the left side stays clean with no evedence of a leak.
After I took everything off the front and check for the leak, I did check the bolts on the reed although they were tight they had some slack in them. Which made me wonder, could the slack in these bolts be enough to cause it to leak?
That's as far as I got, so I though I would ask and see what everyone here thought.
Many thanx in advance!

 

[zedx11]

how's the gasket?

 

[GREAT88]

I have not taken it off. It looks like there may be two of them. They look normal. It does look like the vacum hose that go's onto the reed is what is blowing the oil after it leaks from the reed.
Here is a better question. Can the reed valve leak oil from back preasure or other? because it does look like it may be coming from the reed on the right side as you look at it from the front where by the hose hooks up.

 

[GREAT88]

bump

 

[NCDave]

I don't know if your setup is the same as my 01 1500 Classic, but why not just remove the reed valve and the EPA stuff completely. I put "coasters" on mine, but before I did that, I but the hose and "marbled" it, and removed the EPA stuff. All it needed was to plug the vacuum line going to the carb.

No one here is going to turn me in to the EPA, are they??? :shock:

 

[StarGate]

No one here is going to turn me in to the EPA, are they??? :shock:

Hmmm...... I wonder if there is a reward offered for desperate criminals guilty of that offense? :tongue: :lol:

 

[NCDave]

Hmmm...... I wonder if there is a reward offered for desperate criminals guilty of that offense? :tongue: :lol:

They're probably offering big money to catch me! :biggrin:

 

[rbentnail]

I have not taken it off. It looks like there may be two of them. They look normal. It does look like the vacum hose that go's onto the reed is what is blowing the oil after it leaks from the reed.
Here is a better question. Can the reed valve leak oil from back preasure or other? because it does look like it may be coming from the reed on the right side as you look at it from the front where by the hose hooks up.

I'm assuming that your reed valves do the same thing the same way as mine on an '04. So yes, the valve can leak oil since it is "connected to the cylinder" internally. From your 1st post I'd say you have a defective reed or seat allow cylinder pressure to build up in your vacuum hose so poof! it pops off. Afterall, it's designed to hold vacuum, not pressure. You could check here Motorcycle Parts, Motorcycle Accessories by BikeBandit.com for OEM part numbers and salvage yards for parts or BTK for OEM supply- you get a discount as a Forum member. Or you could, as Dave suggested, remove the reed valves and EPA crap altogether. I did mine that way last winter, cost for plates was less than $20, and it took about an hour b/c I took the tank off and removed the vacuum stuff instead of just marbling. I think when you get plates you use the old gaskets, so you may want to consider getting new ones as well.

 

[NCDave]

lol...Russ, I did it kind of the opposite way. First thing I did was remove the epa crap and cut the hoses going to the reed valve and marble them. Then when I decided to come off the hip for the coasters, I replaced those.

I'm just cheap! :mrgreen:

 

[rbentnail]

lol...Russ, I did it kind of the opposite way. First thing I did was remove the epa crap and cut the hoses going to the reed valve and marble them. Then when I decided to come off the hip for the coasters, I replaced those.

I'm just cheap! :mrgreen:

I did the pipes, breather, air plenum removal, carb rejet, epa/reed crap all at the same time. Had plenty of time on my hands and the different parts filtered in on different days that week. It was winter, I had beer, I wasn't married then, I had the use of a heated garage.......

But really, man! Cheap does not adequately describe not spending $20 and doing a job twice!

 

[NCDave]

I did the pipes, breather, air plenum removal, carb rejet, epa/reed crap all at the same time. Had plenty of time on my hands and the different parts filtered in on different days that week. It was winter, I had beer, I wasn't married then, I had the use of a heated garage.......

But really, man! Cheap does not adequately describe not spending $20 and doing a job twice!

Well, I did it the first time to try it out. I put the pipes on and it was popping on decel and someone suggested that was the problem. After I got it stopped, it just took me a little time to get back to replacing the valves with the coasters.

You have carbs on your 04? I've done all of your changes on mine too. Went with the coyote kit for the air intake.

 

[rbentnail]

Well, I did it the first time to try it out. I put the pipes on and it was popping on decel and someone suggested that was the problem. After I got it stopped, it just took me a little time to get back to replacing the valves with the coasters.

You have carbs on your 04? I've done all of your changes on mine too. Went with the coyote kit for the air intake.

Yeah mine is carbed. I went with Kuryakyn's High Five breather. It's a good combo with V&H 2to1 ProPipes and not too intrusive while riding.

 

[NCDave]

That looks nice. I liked the "hot rod" look of the "MOROSO" on the cover that I got, but it doesn't exactly match the look of the bike since it's not a hot rod! Some day I have in mind that I'm going to chop it, so it will match up better then.

How do you like your pipes? Are they very loud? Does that model have the inserts? I have hated mine since I put them on. They are Jardines and they sound very "tinny". The V&H longshots sound far better on the bike. I just haven't gotten around to getting some. I like your 2-into-1 system though. Maybe we can get together sometime so I can hear them.

 

[rbentnail]

That looks nice. I liked the "hot rod" look of the "MOROSO" on the cover that I got, but it doesn't exactly match the look of the bike since it's not a hot rod! Some day I have in mind that I'm going to chop it, so it will match up better then.

How do you like your pipes? Are they very loud? Does that model have the inserts? I have hated mine since I put them on. They are Jardines and they sound very "tinny". The V&H longshots sound far better on the bike. I just haven't gotten around to getting some. I like your 2-into-1 system though. Maybe we can get together sometime so I can hear them.

I like the pipes a lot and have no regrets whatsoever about installing them. They have a nice deep rumble on the highway and a loud bark when you get on it. They come with a baffle that is removable but it is deafeningly, painfully loud without it. You can also add a little high temp glass tape if you want to tone it down a bit.

I was over in Statesville a few weeks ago for a charity ride- Tilley's HD. Nice place, good folks even tho I bought nothing. I've just about packed it in for the winter tho. I work 2nd shift so I'll putz around a bit before work then take the truck. It's starting to get pretty cold when the sun goes down. It's worse at 1 am. But we're always looking for rides, especially on Sundays.

 

[NCDave]

I like the pipes a lot and have no regrets whatsoever about installing them. They have a nice deep rumble on the highway and a loud bark when you get on it. They come with a baffle that is removable but it is deafeningly, painfully loud without it. You can also add a little high temp glass tape if you want to tone it down a bit.

I was over in Statesville a few weeks ago for a charity ride- Tilley's HD. Nice place, good folks even tho I bought nothing. I've just about packed it in for the winter tho. I work 2nd shift so I'll putz around a bit before work then take the truck. It's starting to get pretty cold when the sun goes down. It's worse at 1 am. But we're always looking for rides, especially on Sundays.

My son works afternoon shift at the airport. he's still riding the 650 to work every day. He came home the other night at 11:30 asking if heated grips could be installed on it!

Sunday we're doing a toy run from Kannapolis to Speedway HD. See my other thread about the details!

 

[rbentnail]

My son works afternoon shift at the airport. he's still riding the 650 to work every day. He came home the other night at 11:30 asking if heated grips could be installed on it!

Sunday we're doing a toy run from Kannapolis to Speedway HD. See my other thread about the details!

I'll be out of town. Leaving Sun the 18th and coming back the 25th. 7 glorious days of Myrtle Beach golf! On Dec 2nd we have our local toy run. It's a big to-do. Last year there were about 1500 bikes riding in it.

 

[NCDave]

I'll be out of town. Leaving Sun the 18th and coming back the 25th. 7 glorious days of Myrtle Beach golf! On Dec 2nd we have our local toy run. It's a big to-do. Last year there were about 1500 bikes riding in it.

Those kind of rides are lots of fun. I did one in Ranlo two years ago that was really big like that. it's cool to see that many bike in a line going down the road. Make sure you take a few pics!

 

[rbentnail]

Those kind of rides are lots of fun. I did one in Ranlo two years ago that was really big like that. it's cool to see that many bike in a line going down the road. Make sure you take a few pics!

I think the best parts of a ride like this:

- it's Sunday, 1pm. Lots of folks out after church, not going anywhere until we pass.

- people line the streets and highways like it's a parade, everyone waving and smiling. Cars pull over, even the ones going the other way!

I took a few pics last year but I'm not sure if I posted them or not. When you guys ride to the Speedway, do you get to walk it or even better ride on it? I've never been there but I've seen ads for charity walks before races, etc.

 

[NCDave]

I think the best parts of a ride like this:

- it's Sunday, 1pm. Lots of folks out after church, not going anywhere until we pass.

- people line the streets and highways like it's a parade, everyone waving and smiling. Cars pull over, even the ones going the other way!

I took a few pics last year but I'm not sure if I posted them or not. When you guys ride to the Speedway, do you get to walk it or even better ride on it? I've never been there but I've seen ads for charity walks before races, etc.

No, we're not going TO the speedway, it ends at Speedway HD on Speedway Blvd. I have done a charity run on the track before though. Cost 10 bucks for three laps for an escorted ride with about 20 bikes. That's when I realized what a fantastic bike my VX was. I had it over 100 through the turns and it was like it was on rails. I've never ridden anything so stable at high speeds. Even my Vulcan didn't feel that solid. It's a hoot coming out of turn 4 onto the tri-oval though. If you're not careful you'll kiss the wall in a heartbeat. In fact, one guy on a HD went down coming out of 4 the last time they did the ride.

 

[GREAT88]

ok, so I changed the reed gaskets which went good, rode it on my street a few times came back and had a drop of oil where the exhaust go's on the block and one drop on a bolt in the front of the motor (this was after I had wiped everything down before I put it back together). took the head covers off last night and found nothing that says "HERE'S THE LEAK" I'm totally out of idea's........................anyone?