RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

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busa1300
Posts: 282
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:45 am
Location: N Indiana

Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#16 Post by busa1300 » Thu Apr 19, 2018 9:35 pm

Soda blasted frame today, looks way better now.....makes me feel like I made the right move by tearing this bike apart for deep cleaning.
Swingarm and rear suspension get the treatment this weekend.....and possibly get one layer of paint remover on the wheels too.
The emblem on the left side top frame rail is gone now....thought about saving it....but no.

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Image
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 T SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 Superduke GT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100

BigGuy
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Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#17 Post by BigGuy » Thu Apr 19, 2018 11:59 pm

Very nice!
Shake "N" Bake!

silverstrom
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Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#18 Post by silverstrom » Fri Apr 20, 2018 2:13 am

That cleaned up brilliantly. It looks just about perfect.

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busa1300
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Location: N Indiana

Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#19 Post by busa1300 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:17 pm

Thanks guys, I hope I can get everything else looking the same and do the bike justice.
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 T SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 Superduke GT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100

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Smoker
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Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#20 Post by Smoker » Sun Apr 22, 2018 1:38 pm

The frame looks great.

Did you do it yourself? Do you have a blast chamber big enough to fit the whole frame? :smt017

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busa1300
Posts: 282
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Location: N Indiana

Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#21 Post by busa1300 » Sun Apr 22, 2018 10:27 pm

I do all my own soda blasting with a cheap Harbor Freight 40lb bottle and my near 40 year old industrial compressor.
Works good for small jobs like bike parts.....one of the few Harbor Freight tools that have actually worked more than a couple times without falling apart.
Just drag my tank and hose outside and blast by my burn pit....not terribly professional but it works.
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 T SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 Superduke GT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100

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busa1300
Posts: 282
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:45 am
Location: N Indiana

Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#22 Post by busa1300 » Sat May 19, 2018 2:24 pm

Moving slowly, but the project is still moving.
My second box of genuine Yamaha parts showed up today from Megazip.
So now I can pull the cylinders off and get everything freshened up....
Then the motor can go back in the frame and I can start the rebuilding process.
My leakdown testing showed the crank seals were great, and compression was good as well.
But still wanted to get valves and cylinders looking new. :mrgreen:

Image
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 T SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 Superduke GT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100

AHAMAYfrank
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Location: Outside Carrollton, Georgia

Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#23 Post by AHAMAYfrank » Sat May 19, 2018 3:01 pm

busa,

I somehow missed this thread until now, I am glad you added more info so I can now follow along. Having just gotten my frame from Japan I am excited to see yours looking so, so nice. I will have to make some parts before I can weld my sub-frame back on so I will need to do some refinishing afterward, but yours looks great with just the blasting. Good Job.

Keep up the good work!!

Frank S.
1973 Yamaha AT3 e-start, 1977 Yamaha TY250D, 1985 RZ500, 1987 Suzuki RG500CH, 1991/2014 TZR450F Yamaha, 1991TZ250B Yamaha, 1991 Yamaha TZR250R, 2005 Scorpa SY250R, 2017 Ducati SuperSport939S (for the runners)

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busa1300
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Location: N Indiana

Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#24 Post by busa1300 » Sun May 20, 2018 10:48 am

:smt023
I haven't dug into this question much, but since the clutch cover is off for inspection and repaint....
....Are there any issues with the RZ/RD/RZV clutches I should check for. Or replace the clutch plates with something better?
Everything in this area looks pretty good condition yet...
I'll pull the plates for a look, but I'm guessing they are still near new

Image
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 T SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 Superduke GT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100

User avatar
busa1300
Posts: 282
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:45 am
Location: N Indiana

Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#25 Post by busa1300 » Sun Jun 03, 2018 12:24 pm

Moving slow on the RZV...but still moving.
Have decided after checking engine out, it will get cylinders rehoned and new rings
Bore still has almost all the original crosshatching, but the lack of miles (6400) has meant the bike was setting long enough to get some rust in the bore.
Leak down showed seals to still be in very good condition though luckily.

Image

Image
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 T SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 Superduke GT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100

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Speed Freak
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Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#26 Post by Speed Freak » Sun Jun 03, 2018 1:45 pm

This rust makes my eyes hurt... :smt011
I think you have to go to 1. OS
My bikes:
RD500 YPVS 1GE
RD350 YPVS 31K 1985
Honda CBR 1000 RR SC57
Yamaha R1 RN04

Bengt Weil
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Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#27 Post by Bengt Weil » Sun Jun 03, 2018 7:56 pm

Based on the amount/severity of rust on the cylinder bore(s), you should also check your cranks - the slightest amount of rust on a journal will mean eventual self destruction (just a word to the wise...). It's a lot easier and cheaper (if that word is applicable to an RZ/RD/RZV500 engine) to address it now if you are planning on keeping and using the bike. The correct way to do it is to disassemble the crank completely and check it - Hopefully, the crank will be good.

When I had my crank inspected, they posed the question, "was I planning on riding it or was it to be a garage queen restoration that gets run on occassion?" I ended up having the cranks completely rebuilt... Not cheap, but it is like new and will safely run the upper limits of the rpm range all day long. The other alternative now is Gus's cranks - drop them in and good to go.

Good luck with your project!

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busa1300
Posts: 282
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Location: N Indiana

Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#28 Post by busa1300 » Sun Jun 03, 2018 10:04 pm

Bengt Weil wrote: I ended up having the cranks completely rebuilt... Not cheap, but it is like new and will safely run the upper limits of the rpm range all day long. The other alternative now is Gus's cranks - drop them in and good to go.

Good luck with your project!
That has been in the back of my mind all along.....It rand perfectly fine when I ran it up and down the road....but long term...???
What kind of cost did you incur with a complete rebuild using your genuine Yamaha crank parts?....preferred over a foreign/non factory made aftermarket crank...
....as this will be a very long term rider and keeper... (garage queen during the winter though)
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 T SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 Superduke GT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100

User avatar
busa1300
Posts: 282
Joined: Sat Feb 01, 2014 11:45 am
Location: N Indiana

Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#29 Post by busa1300 » Thu Sep 20, 2018 10:05 pm

The slow progress has come to a virtual stop.....I decided I wanted to ride more and work on old bikes less....
This was the result of that decision.
Hard to say no to 175HP.... :smt003

Image


The RZV will be finished, but not ride-able til next year...over bore and all new crank bearings and seals will have to wait a little bit.
The down payment for the KTM came from my spare parts stash. :smt018
78 GS1000E
80 KD80
82 Katana
84 RZ350
84 RZV500R
86 GSXR1100
86 1100 sportster
88 FZR1000
89 RGV250 VJ21 SP
90 RGV250 VJ22 SP
91 TZR250 3XV2 SP
96 RGV250 VJ23 T SP
99 RS250
02 Hayabusa
16 KTM 390 Duke
17 KTM 1290 Superduke GT
21 Aprilia RSV4 1100

silverstrom
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Re: RZV500R....An attempt at turning back the clock

#30 Post by silverstrom » Fri Sep 21, 2018 12:19 am

That looks Super :smt003

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