VintageVmax.com

Hello first i want to say i am really enjoying this site and am looking forward to posting and getting some help with my restoration.

I have been thinking about a sled project for a long time, and had basically forgot about the 80's Vmax 540s. My brother was getting into a restoration project as well and after some searching i found a 1985, here are a few pictures as it sits today.

i hope these images show up.




Starting to clean up

Under the Hood

Under hood tune up info

Original tool kit still in trunk

Welcome to the site. You sure it's an 84? Graphics sure look like an 83. Serial # on tunnel begins with 8U9 for 83s. 84s begin with 8X6. My 83 is 8U9-OO1981. Registration #s look like Indiana. Where are you located? I live in Delphi. I have owned mine since 1989. Great sleds. Ask away with any questions. Lots of "old hands" on this site. Let's get it ready for next winter!

Hmm. Maybe that is an 84. Red, silver decal in front of strut was on the 84s. But 84s also had a blue decal on the hood around the headlight area. Doesn't matter. 83s had a problem with the water pump seal, which was fixed for the 84 and newer models. 83s were extremely conservative from the factory. 330 main jets which was dropped to 290 for 84. And the oil injection pump was changed from 83 to 84 which dropped the oil ratio nearly in HALF! Yamaha wasn't taking any chances when they brought the VMax out in 83.

Thanks for the reply, I had a feeling something wasn't right, I wanted the 84 blue so bad I guess finding one I convinced myself it was a 84. And the stickers had faded from blue to pink.

I posted a picture on Facebook, and was asked if I was sure it was a 84 and not an 85.

Then I saw your reply and thought I better look, and it is a1985
80N-000380

rminier wrote:Welcome to the site. You sure it's an 84? Graphics sure look like an 83. Serial # on tunnel begins with 8U9 for 83s. 84s begin with 8X6. My 83 is 8U9-OO1981. Registration #s look like Indiana. Where are you located? I live in Delphi. I have owned mine since 1989. Great sleds. Ask away with any questions. Lots of "old hands" on this site. Let's get it ready for next winter!

I live in North Bay, Ontario.
Vmax came from the states, all I know is it was an older guy original owner, then it sat in a barn till 2011. And was bought buy the person I picked it up from, his plan was a restore but decided to let it go after not touching it for three years.
Speedo has 2516. And I think that is miles? Or km?

Ahh. Outstanding. My 83 registers in miles. Someone on here will have to sound off if 85s were in kilometers. Even in miles, that's a pretty low mileage sled!

Anyone have some advice on how to clean up the TSS shafts?
If I can reuse them I would like to.

Thanks.

Keith.Dumoulin wrote:Anyone have some advice on how to clean up the TSS shafts?
If I can reuse them I would like to.

Thanks.

Keith, welcome to V.V. and yes, thank you for the Vin#. The struts can be cleaned with S.O.S. pads if badly pitted nothing but, a re-chrome would help deep pits. Definitely a 1985 and I.M.O. when the decals were new the sharpest looking graphics of all years ! Looks like you got lucky and got an O.E.M. windshield ! The following links will answer a lot of questions.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=1529

http://www.vintagevmax.com/article_index.htm

http://www.vintagevmax.com/images/85.htm1.gif

.

Show us some under hood pictures.

X2 on the S.O.S. pads. If they're lightly rusted, you might try a vigorous buffing with automotive rubbing compound. It's fairly harmless to the chrome and I have had good luck using it to shine up lightly rusted chrome ski shocks on some vintage sleds.

Thanks for all the feedback I will start working on it tomorrow , small steps as I don't have a garage yet, I will be taking it into a small shed in parts.

I updated the pics with a under hood shot from when it was sitting in barn. Since I have pressure washed it and sprayed it all down with wd40 and armour all.

Also filled the cylinders with Lucas 2 stroke oil to start loosening it up. The engine is not seized, the owner kept putting oil in and turning it over periodically.

I will update pics later tonight or tomorrow.

Great site, I am looking forward to sharing my progress with you all.

Keith.

Slowly working on it.. don't think it will go anywhere this winter, but never know.

managed to get spark, was a broken kill switch, think the parts inside rusted out.
engine is nice and free now, 130 psi per side.

going to pull carbs, and tank air box change all lines and see if she fires up.

here are a few newer pics.

Update
Started tear down and clean.