1982 YAMAHA VIRAGO 750

I have an 82 virago 750 with starter problems. The starter is brand new. When starting warm engine there is a gear clash noise. When starting cold the starter doesn't even engage all the time it just spins. I've heard that theese bike all have starting problems since they were new. I've also been told that there is nothing that I can do about it. I find it hard to believe that theese bikes sold new in 82 if they were makeing all this noise upon starting. Has anyone else heard of this problem or the fact that it is not fixable? Does any one have any tips to possibly correct it or at least make it aliitle more reliabe to start? thanks.  

I had a Virago 750 back in the 80's that had a sorry
starting system. I wasn't able to resolve my issues so I sold the bike and bought a Vulcan 800 to replace it.
Yamaha should have recalled all of those models and fixed their sorry engineering problems with the starting systems...  

It's funny you say that because I was recently thinking of selling it and buying one of the new Kawasaki 900s. I'm tired of fixing the yamaha and I hear that Kawasakis are great bikes.  

I have one of these 1982 Virago's as well, I had my starter pinned.The starter has clutch contained within and there is a ring gear that sometimes slips in the housing. a hole was drilled in the nose end through the casing and about 1/16" into the ring gear,The hold in the housing is threaded and  the screw goes locks the ring gear from turning! I had it done by a dealer many years ago! You might not want to try this yourself unless you understand what you are doing and assume any risk  

Just bought a 82 virago 750 that has sat for 5 years.  Cleaned the carbs, gas tank and made sure all tubes are okay.

It is very difficult to start but it eventually does and now I am getting gas in the oil after riding it for about an hour.  

Do I need to replace the rings or ?

Thanks  

http://www.wecandobetter.com/dnload/Yamaha_Virago_1100_Starter_Project_MPEG1.mpg  

Just this last weekend I tore into my 1982 750 Virago to fix this very problem. Well to make a long story shorter, I removed the second gear. (the one that has the clip on it that engages into the flywheel) and put it into a lathe at work and cleaned up the gear teeth edges that were obviously worn down and rounded from years of the previous owners mashing the starter gear into it. That box of rocks sound was horrible. Now it's as smooth as can be. So the gear teeth was my problem. Clean straight edges not rounded. I just re-cut them at the same angle they were and just enough to fully clean them up. Mine even had a damaged section on the black plastic inner ring pressed into the gear that has the smaller helical cut gear pressed into it. About 1/3 of the mating surface was gone and it still works great. Hope this helps some.  

mhofstetter:
Just bought a 82 virago 750 that has sat for 5 years.  Cleaned the carbs, gas tank and made sure all tubes are okay.

It is very difficult to start but it eventually does and now I am getting gas in the oil after riding it for about an hour.  

Do I need to replace the rings or ?

Thanks

I had bought an 82 Virago 750 about 3 months ago that had set about a year. I did the same routine, and rode it around the neighborhood for about a month. No problems. The day I decided to take it to work (about 30 miles) it ran fine-no problems. When it came time to return home, it would not start. Found out the oil was full of gas too. I now have the engine apart, and the only thing I have found is the rings were not put in properly. The gaps all lined up on 1 cylinder. However, I have not confirmed this was the problem.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks  

HI; I would look at the carbs. It sounds like the needle and seat. When a carb sets for a year or so the fuel gets bad. This leaves a varnish on the inside of the carb. Then the float and needle and seat start to stick open. That is why it is hard to start   flooded with fuel. clean the plugs and carbs. You will have to remove the carbs to repair. It's not that hard. Then ride and have fun... scruffy..  

The needle valve in the carb for one or both cylinders is not seating allowing gas to run into the cylinder and seep past the rings. It is the long needle that runs from the top of the carb into the bowl.  

i would look at the carbs being the culprit. the floats may be hanging up or  shutting off flow due to the seat being bad or maybe debris lodged in it. used to happen to my xs1100 every time i pulled the carbs and put them back they would flood out due to pices of rubber from the automotive type fuel line installed by po,so i also installed inline filters and replaced the fuel line the last time i had to pull them.make sure you change the oil before driving  or running it as this will destroy the engine.good luck  

hello mhofstetter:
If your crankcase filled with gas while you were at work, it is because one of vacuum controlled petcocks(on the tank) is leaking.  They automatically shut off when the engine stops, and intake vacuum opens them up when you crank the engine.  Of course, the float valves in the carbs should keep the gas from running into the cylinders, but they, and the petcocks, have to be leaking.
Woody