[Chicago-Spike]

Some of us out here have gotten the infamous "headlight rattle". While the dealer can fix the problem, they are essentially doing the very same thing we are. I'd trust me working on my bike a little more sometimes. Easy 5 minute fix. Headlight Rattle Here is the fix. Remove the screws holding the the headlight into the bucket and remove the headlight, at the bottom of the headlight bucket you will see a tab extending out, this is where you take about a 1" piece of two sided tape (or a clear piece of rubber tubing slit to be a flat piece) and cut a slit into the length of the tab.Place the tape over the slit and replace headlight. note from Riley: while you are in there, do yourself a favor and get something to keep the wiring and etc in there from rattling around. I used, believe it or not, that fake snow (not the spray stuff- the stuff that is like fiberglass insulation kind of stuff) you use at Christmas time. It has SOME heat resistant qualities, although I don't know that it is an issue- works very well. Between the two mods, I haven't had any further problems for 2000 miles now.
Author: Riley

There is now also a sleeve you can buy to solve this as well
http://www.biglry.com/HeadlightBucketLiner-Rubber.html


Dash Panel Rattle/Buzz

You have a buzz at a certain RPM and you know it is from the dash panel on your tank because when you push on the dash it stops. So, how to fix?

1. Remove the 3 screws closest to the seat and place them out of the way.
2. Remove the gas cap.
3. Remove the dash panel by pushing toward the front of the tank. Wiggle the dash back and forth while doing this. The dash will slide of the rubber grommet/tongue at the front of the tank. Wrap dash in a towel and let hang to the front right of the tank
4. Important: Put gas cap back on! This keeps unwanted stuff from falling into the tank. You know, that "Murphy's Law" crap
5. On the 3 tangs that the dash bolts to, put 2 layers of black electrical tape(or an appropriate sized rubber o-ring ) on each tang. Cut an "X" into the tape for the screw to pass through
6. Remove gas cap
7. Put dash back onto rubber grommet and align the tangs with the dash
8. See Step 4 Put gas cap back on!
9. Install screws into dash and tighten.

Author: Chicago-Spike

 

[Chicago-Spike]

Tapper's fuel line mod

Tapper's Handy Dandy Fuel Line Mod HOWTO.

LockHart Philips valve here http://www.xtremerevolution.com/Store/spc-1810-57-1-motion-pro-quick-disconnect-fuel-line-coupling.aspx
Last update: 2006-03-23 19:14
Author: Mark Bauer

Ok. You're a swinging dick with a wrench, and can't resist the temptation to tear your bike apart at every opportunity. Like all smart wrenches, you take off your fuel tank before you get serious, in order to avoid dinging or scratching it up, or just so you can see all that crap it hides.
If you do this, then you know there's a problem. That damn fuel return line.
The fuel return line runs from the fuel pressure regulator, up to a little spigot on the top of the fuel pump, deep down inside the buttcrack of your fuel tank. Brothers (and sisters), it's a pain to get it off that spigot. Honda used an el cheapo pinch hose clamp on it, and wiggling your hands up there, while simultaneously holding the clamp open with a pair of pliers, is enough to make a grown man swear. Ok, it doesn't take much to make a grown man swear, but it's still a bitch anyway.
So one day Pete and I were standing around talking bikes, when the subject of getting that damn clamp off came up, and one or the other of us came up with an idea to make it oh-so-damn-easy.
So here we go, here's a simple mod, to save your knuckles and sanity, when removing your fuel tank.
Obligatory warning for Imbeciles: You do this at your own risk hoss. It worked for me, but I'm not guaranteeing it for you. If you blow your fool self up, catch your ass on fire, or anything else, it's your fault. Don't even think about suing me, I pissed all my money away on chrome anyway. If you're the lawsuit type, I suggest you just stop wasting all our time, and eat your .44 and save us all a bunch of trouble. Do this mod at your own risk.
MATERIALS

• 3 3/8" - 5/16" geared hose clamps.
• 1 245-1494 Lockhart Phillips 1/4" fuel coupler (2 valve)
• 15" 1/4" ID (3/8" OD) Pressurized Fuel Line

Ok, this coupler is pretty trick. It's a push-button quick-release coupler, with a one-way valve on each end, so that when you disconnect your hose, no gas spills. Here's what it looks like:

Here's what it looks like after you push the button (it's spring loaded, so it pops apart):

Ok, so let's get to it. First, follow the directions in This howto guide to remove your fuel tank. Once you have your tank off, you can get busy.
Remove the fuel return hose from the fuel pressure regulator. Slide the heavy protective rubber sleeve off the old hose. Now, using the old hose, cut the new hose to the same length. Slide the heavy sleeve back over the hose, and re-attach it to the fuel regulator.
Now, cut that sucker, using a razor knife or something nice and sharp, about an inch or so higher than the radiator cap.

Put one of the hose clamps on the line, and insert the male end of the quick-connect's hose stab into the end of the fuel line, and tighten up the hose clamp nice and snug.

Halfway there hoss! Now, take the remaining piece of fuel line, and cut about 2 inches off one end of it. Plug in the female end of the connector, and secure it with another hose clamp.

Now, slide the remaining hose clamp on the other end, and push the hose onto the spigot on the fuel pump, where you removed it with so much cursing in the first place. This is it, the last time you gotta fiddle with this job, so cuss it up good. It helps to bust your knuckles one last time, to make sure you really appreciate this mod.

Now, re-assemble the fuel tank, and enjoy the sensation of just snapping that line back together. Pretty cool eh?
That's all folks. If you felt this helped, fine. Feel free to send me a kettle of money, or a bottle of tequila. But don't be surprised when I just buy more chrome with it.
Adios!

Last update: 2004-09-20 15:53
Author: Tapper

Chrome Steel Quick Disconnects

These couplers can be purchased from www.mcmaster.com Hi Pressure Chrome Quick Disconnect 5478K121, McMaster-Carr $11.60 Hi Pressure Chrome Quick Disconnect 5478K81, McMaster-Carr $18.86 Hi Pressure Chrome Quick Disconnect 5478K119, McMaster-Carr $11.60 Hi Pressure Chrome Quick Disconnect 5478K79, McMaster-Carr $18.86
Last update: 2007-03-13 18:41
Author: Larry McKenna

 

[Chicago-Spike]

How to Install Retro Bars on your VTX 1800 C

How to Install Retro Bars on your VTX 1800 C




Adapted from the Original Post by BIGLRY

By Brian "Tapper" Davis

If you're like me, the C bars just don't make it. With the stock risers installed, they cause cramps in your shoulders and wrists, and even with aftermarket risers, they still inflict pain over a long haul. I tried risers, and they helped a lot, but on long rides, my wrists still cramped bad. It was time for some help, and about that time I spotted BIGLRY's riser post.

So, I jumped in. I gotta say, I'm glad I did. The bars are comfortable as all get out, and look good on the bike too. In fact, I can't really think of a single negative thing to say about them. I can ride all day now, and no issues with shoulders or wrist.
These install instructions assume you will be installing the bars on the stock C risers, and that's what I recommend. Aftermarket risers pull the bars too far back, and the retro risers don't get the bars back far enough to really be comfy.
PARTS


Part No. Description
53100-MCV-000 Handlebars for the 1800 Retro
90690-GHB-701 (x2) Cable Clips (you need 4 total, C already has 2)
45125-MZO-A41 Front Brake Hose for Valkyrie
1 bottle of Valvoline Synpower Brake Fluid


Special Tools
10mm Flare nut wrench recommended

Brake Bleeder - preferably a Mityvac or something similar

Procedure

STEP ONE
First, remove the old bars. This procedure can be found on page 13-3 in the Honda Service Manual. I'll summarize here, and add a few steps that aren't in the manual, so read through these even if you do have the manual. They'll save you some time.
1. Remove the fuel tank. This will help ensure you don't accidentally drop something on it and ding it, and will greatly simplify the process of re-routing cables later. You can find complete instructions on how to do this here (Howto Guide to remove fuel tank).
2. Release the clips that hold the cables to the bars, remove them from the bars, and save them. You'll need these later.
3. Disconnect the two spade connectors from the clutch switch.
4. Remove the two allen head bolts that hold the clutch master cylinder assembly to the handlebars, and carefully lay the whole asseembly alongside the forks and out of the way, and let them hang there.
5. Remove the two screws from the left handlebar switch housing, and remove it from the bar (put the screws back in a little, to help prevent losing any pieces.)
6. Remove the handlebar grip cap, and remove the grip from the handlebar. This is a pain, so take your time. Try not to destroy the grip in the process.
7. Disconnect the spade connectors from the front brake switch.
8. Turn the handlebars all the way to the left. Remove the cap to the front brake fluid reservoir. Using a turkey baster, or something similar, remove all the fluid you can from the reservoir.
9. Drain and remove the brake fluid from the front brake system (only). Do this by using the Mityvac on the bleeder screws located on the front brake calipers. Attach the vac, pump it up a few times, then open the bleeder and fully drain the system. Do the left bleeder first, then the right bleeder. You need to get all the fluid out of there hoss, or it'll get all over the damn place.
10. Place a large bath towel over the front fender, covering it completely.
11. Disconnect the front brake hose banjo bolt from the front brake reservoir. Be careful not to lose the two crush washers, and be extra careful not to drip brake fluid on anything, especially painted parts. Brake fluid *will* eat your paint away, but fast. Not a good time to be a clutz folks.
11. Remove the two allen head socket bolts from the front brake reservoir assembly, and remove it from the bars.
12. Loosen the two philips head screws from the throttle switch housing. (don't remove yet, the cables probably won't stretch far enough to get off the bars.)
13. Remove the little chrome bolt caps from the four bolts in the upper handlebar clamp. Remove the allen head socket bolts underneath. Pop the upper clap off, but hang onto the bars a minute. Now, slide the whole throttle assembly off the bar. Let it hang for now.
At this point, you should be looking at the risers. If you already had aftermarket risers on there, remove them, and replace with the original C stock risers.
Re-Route the Cables

1. Ok, first, disconnect the throttle cables from the throttle switch housing (grip end assembly). IUt's not as hard as it sounds. Just be sure and take a few minutes to note how the cables route around the rotator cuff. It might help to make a small sketch, if you memory is as bad as mine. Mark the upper and lower cables with a piece of tape.
2. The throttle cables normally route along the left side of the frame. We need them to run along the right side now. So, carefully thread them back along the frame, back through the opening between the jugs, and up along the top of the right side of the frame. Be careful not to put a twist in them, or kink them in the process. Take your time, and it won't be a problem. You can route them above or below the wiring harness. I popped the harness out from the frame, and ran mostly along the top, then re-attached the harness.
3. Run the cables out directly beneath the upper triple tree, and just above the curly bracket that normally holds the front brake line. This will give you the maximum slack for the cable.

4. Now, move the clutch line up to the wire bracket that the throttle lines used to occupy on the front left side of the bike. Using a 9/16" socket, carefully and slowly put about 30-45 degrees of upward bend into the clutch line where it hits the bracket just after the point where the rubber and steel parts of the line join. This will improve the angle of the clutch line when you make a full left turn. Be *very* careful not to kink the line. Smooth constant pressure applied slowly will do the job. Use a tie-wrap, and secure the clutch line to the bracket.
5. Disconnect the brake line banjo bolt from the right front caliper. Remember, fluid will probably run out. Keep a rag handy. Disconnect the little bracket attached to the rear fender strut that holds the two lines there. Pull the brake line out of that bracket.
6. Disconnect the front brake pipe. This requires loosening the two line nuts attaching either end of the line to the brake blocks. All this mess is hung in brackets under the lower triple tree in the front forks. The front brake pipe, is the one farthest forward. In order to loosen the line nuts, put the flare-nut wrench on a nut as solidly as posible, hold it in place securely, and give it sharp raps with a dead blow hammer until it begins to turn. These nuts are very soft, and if you try to just turn them in the usual way, they'll deform, and you'll end up having to use channel locks to get the nuts off.

7. Now that you have the pipe loosened up, remove the two hex-end screws, so the whole pipe assembly will come loose. Now, remove the hex end screw attaching the front brake line block to the assembly. Now you can remove the entire front brake hose (woo-hoo).
8. Now, reverse the last step, and install the new Valk front brake line. First, insert the brake pipe back into the blocks, and tighten it a few turns. Now, attach the block back into the bracket assembly with the screw. Now, re-attach the whole assembly to the lower triple tree with the other two hex-head screws (this is a fiddly step, take your time, things are a bit tricky to line up here, but you'll get it. Try swearing heavily and often, I find it really helps.)
9. Now that you have all the brackets hooked up, tighten up the line nuts (flare nuts) good and tight. Use the dead blow hammer, and make sure you have those suckers in there good, we don't want them to leak, or the brakes will suck air and stop working. Feel free to use a little teflon tape on the nuts, to be extra anal about it.
10. Re-attach the new hose to the little bracket, and re-attach the bracket to the rear front fender strut. This is a pain in the ass to line up.
11. Re-attach the banjo bolt to the front caliper, using the two compression washers you saved when you removed it. Torque this to 25 ft-lbs.
Woohoo! Getting there hoss. Now all we got to do, is mount the new bars back up.
Mount the New Bars

Ok, lets get the new stick on there.
1. Grease up the track the throttle rotator cuff turns in in the throttle swtich housing. Re-install the throttle cables in the housing. I found, it made it easier to remove the switch so I could turn the housing on the sleeves, since one of them must be screwed into the housing. Consult your sketch, and do this right. Once you have it all together, put the screws in there loosely, but enough to hold the mess together. Leave the lock collars on the throttle cables loose for now, so the cable can move back and forth a bit.
2. Pick up the new handlebars, and slide the throttle switch housing on the end. pay attention to the cables, make sure they hang right. Now, put the bars on the risers, and put the serrations dead in the middle of the risers. Eyeball this good. This step will be much easier if you get a helper to hold the bars for you while you clamp them.
3. Now, install the upper clamp. Locate it correctly, make sure the serrations are in the right place, and install the socket head bolts. Tighten just enough to keep the bar from flopping around, but not so tight you can't rotate the bar in the clamp yet. Now, look for the little pimple in the bar at the clamp. Mine was on the right side of the bar. I lined this up so it was even with the clamp, and pointing to the split. You can adjust this to taste though, and make the bars higher or lower if you choose. Once you have it where you want it, tighten down the socket bolts, and torque them to 20 ft-lbs.
4. Tighten down the throttle assembly by tightening the two philips head screws. Make sure you have it up on the bar all the way. Now, Install the front brake reservoir assembly with the two socket head bolts. Adjust it so it's on there correctly, and tighten it up snug for now.
5. Turn the handlebars all the way to the left. Now, tighten the lock collars on the throttle cables. Now, verify that the throttle works correctly at all handlebar positions. You may need to adjust something if you goofed here. But hopefully not. Watch the slack in the cables. They should be a bit tight when the bars are all the way left, but not really getting stretched. Attach the spade connectors to the switch housing.
6. All good? Now fully tighten the front brake reservoir assembly. You can adjust this, by turning the bars all the way left, and trying to get the housing as level as possible (so fluid won't pour out when you remove the cap later).
7. Thread the front brake hose up through the curly bracket, and make sure it isn't twisted. Now, attach the banjo bolt to the front brake reservoir, and torque it to 25 ft-lbs.
8. Install the clutch switch housing. Make sure to get the little plastic switch housing end on the bar the right way. It helps here to slide the left grip on long enough to locate the correct position for the housing. Attach the spade connectors again to the switch housing.
9. Install the clutch reservoir housing the same way. Get the housing level, tighten it down good.
10. Check all the lines again. Rotate the bars back and forth, looking for binding. Try the throttle, make sure it's all good.
11. Glue the left grip on.
12. Attach the clips to the 4 titties on the bar, and secure the cables in place. You may also want to tie-wrap a bit, to keep everything tidy.
13. Put the bolt caps back on the handlebar clamps.

14. Install the brake fluid in the front brakes, and bleed them. This will be the subject of a future guide, so I won't go into detail here. Just do it! I'll link the new guide when I finish it.
This would be a really good time to fix the crappy electronics ground. Take a look at this howto guide and follow the directions there. This is a highly recommended step. Just do it, don't be a dumbass.
15. Now, reinstall the gas tank and seat, and clean the bike up good. Stand back, and marvel at your handiwork. Drink a beer. Fondle the wife. Celebrate.
Now get out, and ride that hoss. You're going to love these new bars!

Last update: 2004-10-29 11:27
Author: Tapper

 

[Chicago-Spike]

Seat Pin Mod

Seat Pin Mod/What to do if your seat bolts get stuck

Neat and cheap little mod courtesy of Atadude:
http://tech.bareasschoppers.com/diy-projects-mods/seat-pin-mod/

Last update: 2004-12-18 22:28
Author: Bareass

 

[Chicago-Spike]

Add a Harley Style Batwing Fairing

Thanks to VTXScooter for putting this together.

How to add a Harley style Batwing fairing to your VTX;

http://www.vtxoa.com/forums/showthread.php?t=28043&highlight=dyers

 

[W9VD]

DIY winshield cutting.

STEP BY STEP WINDSHIELD SHRINKING PROJECT.​

​

​

​

I did this mod some time ago but had not found the time to post the step by step. I did this after I had BADX mod my seat because the seat mod put me considerably lower on the bike and I was looking through the windshield. The actual mod took about 45 minutes. To get the pictures uploaded and this article put together took me three hours.

​

Needed tools:

2” or 3” blue painters tape.
A piece of cardboard.
Tape measure.
Straight edge.
Razor knife.
Pencil or fine tip marker.
Tools to remove windshield. (I have a MS shield and left the hardware on the shield.)
Band saw or jig saw. (I used a band saw with coarse teeth. 6 to an inch.)
Various grades of sand paper with a sander block or block of wood. (I roughed the finished cut with a hand held belt sander and then finished with 220 grit paper)


NOTE: If you use Honda spray cleaner on your windshield, tape will not stick to the windshield. You must first clean the shield with an ammonia-based glass cleaner to get the tape to adhere. HEH HEH! I guest that is why bugs don’t stick either!



This is a picture of my shield before I started. The tape is for reference only. It started as a 21 inch Memphis shades.

I placed the cardboard on the front of the windshield and marked the outline of the top. You can bend the cardboard to match the contour of the shield. A few extra hands to hold definitely helped.

Then I cut the cardboard with a razor knife on the line for a template.

I measured up three inches from the bottom of the cardboard and then cut the three inch piece off the template with the razor knife.

I put the template back on the inside of the shield and marked the cut line on the tape. Again, I used the aluminum trim on the shield as an index.

Now I taped the entire front of the shield off to protect the surface from scratches.

Then I cut the windshield on a band saw face down. Try to angle the shield as you are cutting it to get the shield flat at the point of the blade. Take your time and stay on the line. I am sure you could use a sabre saw but I would double tape the inside of the shield to protect from scratches.

I placed the shield in a Tupperware tub to hold it while I was sanding the cut edge. I was going to clamp it in a Black and Decker workstation but this was quicker and easier.

Again, the tape is for reference only.

I now have the only custom 18-inch Memphis shades shield in the US!

 

[Chicago-Spike]

Hondaline saddle bag brackets modification

Hondaline saddle bag brackets modification. To make removal and install easier of the Saddle bags.

I Modified my stock hondaline saddle bag brackets to ease off and on of the darn saddle bags today. Anyone who has these bags must realize that they are a pain to put on the bike. trying to line up the holes and the short 6mm allen heads can be a challange. I went to a 6mm stud and acorn nut system. It makes it so much easier to remove and put them back on now for cleaning and working on the bike.

The stock system really is bad sometimes I felt like it was eaiser to stand on my head and try and line up the bolts with the holes and get the washers on right. Not to mention it took to much TIME! Here is my Fix.

I removed the bags and purchased~

CHROME or STAINLESS STEEL

8- 6mm x 20 button head bolts
8- 6mm flat washers
8- 1/4" star lock washers
8- 6mm acorn nuts (tall ones pointed ends CHROME)
1- medium locktite
1- proper size allen wrench (cut short since I didn't remove my brackets)

(Hardware is also available in stainless steel for much less but i figured what the heck and I work at Ace hardware. If you go stainless you might need a bit shorter bolt since the nuts aren't as deep as the chrome ones I used.)

I put a flat, star and then the bolt and screwed them in from the backside of the brackets with just a bit of medium locktite on the thread closest to the head of the bolt. Getting them started with the brackets on the bike was a challange but once they start you can thread them thru by your fingers from the front side. then tighten them good with your allen wrench.

Now you have 4 6mm studs sticking thru your bracket. This allows you to simply hang the bag on the brackets.The 4 allens will hold the bag hanging so I could put on the stock washers and the new acorn nuts. Making removal and install a BREEZE!

Works so much easier now. If I have the bags off I can put the acorns on and it doesn't look to bad at all. Now the trips to the car wash I can have the bags removed in a couple of minutes and get to other areas of the bike with ease. Final drive maintance is much easier to access now also.

I might consider getting my brackets chromed this winter so they look nicer if I have my bags off. I did this mod with the brackets on the bike. It would be easier to do off the bike but it can be done with them on also.

*************************************************

I hope you find this useful.

Dave

Last update: 2005-01-24 07:03
Author: Dave Shady

 

[ToMang07]

Seat Pin Mod

OK, so as promised, here is the "How-To", borrowed from Bare, with a link from the origional write-up HERE.

Thanks to VTXOA members, AtaDude, and course, Bare.

Preface
This is a pretty simple mod I did, the idea comes courtesy of AtaDude of the VTXOA. The basic concept is to fix the problem inherent in the seat bolts on the VTX. No matter how loose you leave these bolts they always seem to snug up ridiculously tight. I know that I, along with many others, have stripped out the stock bolts trying to remove them. This problem combined with the desire to get under the seat with relative ease resulted in this quick, simple mod.

Preparation/supplies

6mm allen wrench

10mm socket (w/ extension to make life easy)

Drill

3/8" metal-cutting drill bit

2 ball & detent pins, 3/8" diameter x 1"-1 1/4" in length

You can buy these at Home Depot ($3.78/each) or Lowe's ($2.47/each) in a 1 1/8" length.

You can also buy these as an alternative - thanks to Chicago-Spike of the VTXOA for that link.

R model guys can use McMaster-Carr #98404A368 - it's the same pin but 0.8" long - thanks to Pachary of the VTXOA for that link.

Process
To do this you'll need to remove the stock seat. If you don't know how (you probably should close this web browser and quit while you're behind, lol) you can see how at the beginning of my turn signal write up here. With the seat removed you'll want to drill the existing bolt holes with the 3/8" drill bit:

Take your time, be careful, and drill STRAIGHT. The last thing you want to do is slip with a metal cutting bit so close to your paint. I had a friend hold a shop vac over the drill bit while I drilled to eliminate any mess.
With the bike drilled we still need to enlarge the holes in the seat itself.

The drill made short work of these holes, and now the "hard" part of the work is done. Put the seat back on the bike, put the 10mm nut back on behind the passenger seat, and you can now push the ball & detent pins through the seat mounting points where the bolts used to be. Before I installed my pins I used a drop of marine grade grease on them to make installation/removal a little easier. With them in place you can rotate the "ring" portion of the pin up under the seat where it tucks away nicely (see pics below).

Afterthoughts
Dollar for dollar this is a great mod. It's inexpensive, easy, and it provides me with the peace of mind that I never have to worry about stripping my seat bolts again - much less stripping them when I'm miles away from home and need to access my battery. A BIG thanks to AtaDude again for this great idea!

 

[toboggan]

42 cent fix for low fuel sensor

This write-up might be of some use if your low fuel light stops working, and you would like it to. I only tried it out on my 2002 VTX1800S, but the fuel sensor is probably the same for any VTX1800, and maybe many other bikes, too. If you do this, remember that gasoline is flammable, so don't work around open flames, lit smokeable stuff, or near your furnace or water heater. Also, my gas tank hasn't exploded yet, and I don't see any reason why it would, but if yours ever does I'm not responsible.

The factory service manual tells you how to test the idiot light by shorting two pins together at the connector under the fuel tank, and turning on your key switch. If the low fuel light comes on, your problem has to be the sensor or wiring up to the connector. Honda's fix is to replace the entire fuel pump assembly, which lists for $410. HDL sells it for $320. I fixed mine with a 42 cent part. Well, there was about a half hour extra in the repair beyond just swapping out the fuel pump assembly, but I would have wasted that playing farmville anyway, so I'm not even counting that.

For this fix, you'll need an electric soldering iron, solder, solder sucker or desoldering wick, a die grinder or file, and a thermistor. The thermistor should be NTC type, have axial leads, and rated at 1000 ohms at 25 degrees C. I used a Honeywell 135-102DAG-J01 that I got from alliedelec.com for 42 cents. https://www.alliedelec.com/search/productdetail.aspx?SKU=2540016. I bought it at an "overstock special price", but the normal price for this part should still be less than the shipping cost.

You might also want to have a new gasket on hand for your fuel pump assembly, and banjo bolt washers for your fuel supply line. I didn't replace any of mine, since I didn't have any leaks when I was done. Honda recommends you replace every gasket and crush washer every time you look at one funny, but it's really your call.

You would already have the fuel tank off (probably drained to do that) to test the light. The next step is to pull out the fuel pump assembly. That's just bolted on. You'll have to remove the fuel supply line from the pump assembly in order to get to one of the bolts. The rubber gasket stays with the fuel pump assembly when it comes out of the tank. Once you have the assembly out of the tank, you can lay it on the bench to work on it. You'll want to keep it as clean as you can, so you won't be putting dirt & debris into your tank when you put it back together.

There's a little silver can with a wire coming out one end, mounted in front of the fuel filter.

It's soldered to the bracket, and if you just heat up the solder with your soldering iron you can slide it right out of the bracket. You might prefer to take the bracket off the rest of the pump assembly. You might even be able to do the rest of the work without even taking the can out of the bracket.

The metal end of the can has one end of the thermistor soldered to it. You'll need to de-solder that end, and straighten the lead on the thermistor so it'll come out of the hole in the next step.

The end of the can with the wire on it appears to be a phenolic disk, like a ciruit board. It's just there for electrical insulation, so the end of the circuit with the wire doesn't touch the side of the can. The stamped metal can is rolled over the edge of the insulator, so it doesn't go anywhere. I carefully ground off the very top edge of the can, so the insulator would come out. When the insulator comes out, it'll bring the thermistor with it, since one end is soldered in a cup in the insulator.

Once that's out, you can de-solder the thermistor from the cup, and get ready to install the new thermistor.

Trim one lead of the thermistor, so that it will end up being fairly centered in the can lengthwise, and solder it into the cup. I should have left it a little longer, but it still works OK for me. The way I've got it installed, my idiot light should come on a little earlier and I'm fine with that.

Then, push the other lead thru the can until the insulator is in as far as it will go, and bend the lead over the end of the can. Then, you can solder it in place and trim the excess lead.

The insulator disc should be fairly snug in the end of the can, so it doesn't move when you wiggle the wire. If it does, one of the thermistor leads might break off inside the can and cause a spark. A spark inside your gas tank sounds like a bad thing. If it's loose at all, you might be able to snug it up by soldering inside the rim. The solder won't stick to the insulator, but a little solder might fill in the gap and keep it from wiggling.

Then, you're ready to slip the can back into the bracket and solder it in place.

Before putting the pump back in the tank, I plugged it back into the connector on the bike and made sure my idiot light came on with the key switch on. It might take a minute or two for the thermistor to heat up enough (and lower its own resistance) to make the idiot light come on. I did mine in the middle of winter, and it's about 10 degrees in the garage. I'm guessing it would be quicker in the middle of summer. I couldn't find a container to put some liquid in to see if the light goes off again, so I took my chances. Wouldn't be a bad idea to test it in some liquid if you have something handy. Even water should work to cool off the thermistor, but you probably wouldn't want to get water into your pump.

Anyway, when you're satisfied that it's working right, put everything back together. The service manual shows the sequence for torquing down the fuel pump assembly. They usually do that when you might bend something if you tighten the bolts in a different order. When that's done, fill it up with gas, check for leaks, and get back to riding.

 

[Zen Dragon]

How Velcro saved my sanity and fixed my dash rattle.

So I was reading through some old posts about fixing the headlight and dash rattle. Someones reply mentioned Velcro and my mind was sent racing...

So here is what I did to get rid of the dash rattle on my 03 1800 C.

I had scavenged a couple packs of sticky back Velcro out of my wife's craft room. You can pick some up just about anywhere.

The only tools needed... Don't even think I used the screw driver, but had one handy.

OH MY GOD! Clean that S**T son!

Ah, much better!

I found that the rubber piece that went over the tongue on the tank had cracked and someone previously used packing tape to secure it on. That's where some of the noise was coming from for sure. The rubber was cracked on both ends and didn't stay on. So in the trash it went.

With a couple pieces of Velcro and a little extra adhesive I wrapped the tongue making a much more solid yet soft mounting point for the tab on the dash.

I cut squares of the Velcro big enough for the 3 mounting points. I don't recommend using the wife's crafting hole punch for the Velcro, I ended up breaking it somehow and must replace it, but I got all 3 holes punched before it broke at least.

Squares in place and tongue wrapped. My what a funny sight yet music to my ears...

The under side of the dash has a few strategically placed Velcro dots. A couple on each side of the mounting holes and then wherever things could possibly touch. Even a strip down the wiring, as it was leaving a mark on the tank already.

The front tab of the dash fits snugly on the tongue now.

For good measure I put a rubber o-ring on each screw.

Go for a ride, hear the motor not the rattle, then come home and crack open a cold one!

All finished up! It took under 10 min to do. So glad I played with the idea. It's nice not to hear that thing rattle like crazy before shifting.

I still have a little noise once and a while from the headlight. I placed some packing foam strips in the top to keep the wiring connectors from tapping the inside of the housing. But there is still a little noise which I think is coming from the front bezel now. I'll tackle it again later since It's hardly noticeable.

 

[gregory940]

Looks like an easy fix to an annoying rattle :thumbup:

 

[Hans&Feet]

Low cost internal fuel pump

https://www.vtxoa.com/forums/6-vtx-...l-fuel-pump-20-replacement.html?action=thread

 

[maurice1]

Headlight Vibration- another possibility

[h=2]Headlight vibration fix- unintended consequences[/h]

2.5 yrs ago when I bought my x, dreaded headlight vib. Read all I could to fix it, no luck and gave up. Use earbuds mostly with full helmet except for short runs to the store where it irritated the crud out of me.

Yesterday headlight stopped working, when moving the wires went back on. Put dialectic grease on all plastic connectors, and while there saw in the back of the bucket a hook with a phillips screw attached, so loose it would just spin. Tightened up, draped wires over it and SILENCE. Did not see this in any posts, so others may have the same solution. I went through new rubber washers on dash, wrapped all plastic connections with thick tape, put double sided foam covering entire inside shell, thin strip of tape on outer edge of shell, RVT silicone on top of tank where dash sits....gave up.

Maurice​

 

[Chicago-Spike]

bump