I would not put to much $ into it till you get it Running Right ! and welcome aboard. 
New guy, '83 Shadow VT500c project!
Hey guys,
So I just picked up a VT500c Shadow as a project bike, it runs (barely) but the body is in 6/10 shape. I plan on powdercoating the entire frame, engine, wheels and all the miscellaneous little parts thereof, going for a very clean minimalistic look, like a bobber.
I have some years of experience modding/building cars, and back when I was young I used to tinker/fix pocketbikes and mini-bikes.
Right now I'm dealing with some engine issues, as I want to make sure the engine runs fine before tearing it down. The bike is impossible to start without starter fluid. When I got it the intake tube had a huge leak, so I had that replaced, and I also went ahead and bought a jet kit and rejetted the bike. Right now it's running #40 pilot jet with #115 and #125 mains.
Bike runs a little better after starting, smoother, but after about 30 seconds of revving and starting, the bike starts to smoke from the exhaust mating surface on the rear cylinder, and a really bad smell takes place.
It also makes a very loud clacking/rattling sound when revving from low engine speeds to high engine speeds, that's a little troublesome.
If anyone has ever had those issues before, please speak up, I'm going to take apart the engine anyways, so maybe I can get some pointers on what to look for!
Thanks in advance
So I just picked up a VT500c Shadow as a project bike, it runs (barely) but the body is in 6/10 shape. I plan on powdercoating the entire frame, engine, wheels and all the miscellaneous little parts thereof, going for a very clean minimalistic look, like a bobber.
I have some years of experience modding/building cars, and back when I was young I used to tinker/fix pocketbikes and mini-bikes.
Right now I'm dealing with some engine issues, as I want to make sure the engine runs fine before tearing it down. The bike is impossible to start without starter fluid. When I got it the intake tube had a huge leak, so I had that replaced, and I also went ahead and bought a jet kit and rejetted the bike. Right now it's running #40 pilot jet with #115 and #125 mains.
Bike runs a little better after starting, smoother, but after about 30 seconds of revving and starting, the bike starts to smoke from the exhaust mating surface on the rear cylinder, and a really bad smell takes place.
It also makes a very loud clacking/rattling sound when revving from low engine speeds to high engine speeds, that's a little troublesome.
If anyone has ever had those issues before, please speak up, I'm going to take apart the engine anyways, so maybe I can get some pointers on what to look for!
Thanks in advance
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Thanks!I would not put to much $ into it till you get it Running Right ! and welcome aboard.
and that's the plan, get it running first, then modding it out. That leak is everything (as far as I see) keeping the bike from running right.
next step is a compression/leakdown test, and if that goes south I'll have to source another engine, my reading tells me pistons/rings are very hard to find for this bike.
What possible engine swaps could I do on this thing? Maybe the engine from a VT750? Or am I chained to the VT500?
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