unusually vn problems

[zx9]

Hi All,

Having a few problems with my VN that i cannot find answers for, it has been hardly driven in the last couple of years but now i am once again in need of it regularly; any help greatly appreciated.

a) Runs fine once moving but has trouble getting off the line, need to rev it more than normal else it stalls when taking off from stationary, when it idles it actually changes revs - like it'll idle at 900 fine then after 20 seconds idle at 1200 then another 20 seconds or so return to lower idle. Not sure if these two are related. (No tacho so i'm just guessing at the numbers)

b) Pulls right under heavy acceleration, then comes back when i take my foot off which makes it slightly harder to control when changing gears. I think this maybe related to the bushes in the rear control arms, i have changed the upper arms before (like 4 years ago when it started thumping on gear change) but i'm not sure if this is the problem this time or if it's the lower arm bushes instead or something else all together?

c) Random whiny noise in 5th gear above 100km an hour – been there since I had it, not sure there’s much I can do about it but it hasn’t gotten any worse after 100,000km

d) And lastly a minor but annoying problem, how do i stop the drivers seat self reclining ... it seems to do this slowly over a 20min drive to the point i have to readjust it, i assume there is some nut/bolt that needs tightening?

Thanks all ... as old as she is i still love my VN ... had her for 10 years now ...many happy memories!

[coolvxss]

With question "d" My seat did the same thing. it got realy annoying. just cruzin down the steat and eventually im neary laying down haha. Well i couldnt fix it. couldnt find a bolt to tighten it or anythin so i just drilled a hole in the round adjuster thing and through to plastic bit on the seat behind it then put a zip tie through it so it cant spin. i cant adjust it anymore but ive got it where i want it and its stayed for about a yr now so im happy. But if anyone knows a proper way to fix it, please tell because i wana do it proply haha.

[fazz1977]

My seat adjusts slowly over a week or so, only a few inches.

[churnit]

For a) kinda sounds like it need a full tune up, plugs, leads etc.

[thomo_113]

Haha i think every vn seat does that...

[azkwazere]

okey dokey.,..

A) Im guessing this is a just a rough idal prob... new spark plugs, new leads, clean your throttle body, clean all your filters, tune. Try some of those to see if you cant stop it from stalling.

B) Could be an alignemnt issue or yes the bushes. Get that checked out at a suspension joint as those sort of things tend to be all sorts of differnt things. Theyll sort you out.

C) Wheel bearings id say... maybe CV joints.. do you get like a clicking or clunking sound while turning... id say wheel bearings.

D)I have the same issue but no windy thing... i have to use pliers. Solution? maybe get a new seat. EBAY = Cheap VR seats. Nice little mod.

aZk.

[Roman Hans]

i belive the auto recliner was a free extra in all VN's and
A) could be a problem with the auto choke get it checked out.

[zx9]

okey dokey.,..

A) Im guessing this is a just a rough idal prob... new spark plugs, new leads, clean your throttle body, clean all your filters, tune. Try some of those to see if you cant stop it from stalling.

B) Could be an alignemnt issue or yes the bushes. Get that checked out at a suspension joint as those sort of things tend to be all sorts of differnt things. Theyll sort you out.

C) Wheel bearings id say... maybe CV joints.. do you get like a clicking or clunking sound while turning... id say wheel bearings.

D)I have the same issue but no windy thing... i have to use pliers. Solution? maybe get a new seat. EBAY = Cheap VR seats. Nice little mod.

aZk.

Thanks all, i'd already brought the items to serivce, although might have to get some new leads. I didn't know that other than servicing the VN's could be tuned, i thought it was all done by the computer, but i might have to take it get get tune i guess.

Thanks aZk, with A) i probably should have also mentioned that the engine light is on. I'm gonna diagnose this tonight to see why. But when stationary besides the changing rpm's it idles fine and never stalls. B) advice taken will do just that. C) i'm pretty sure this is a gearbox thing, no noise when tuning and no noise in any other gear at any speed, ie 4th at 140 ... only 5th when cursing, actually goes away when i accelerate. anyways as i've said it's always been there, and never gotten any worse so i'll prob just put up with it.
D) i'm really surpised that so many others seem to share this same problem yet no real solution, i thought this was gonna be a easy fix, but i will def look at the ebay option, haddn't really thought of that.

thanks again all

[zx9]

ok, I found a couple of answers to my own questions;

A) After running the ECU diagnoses it returns code 22 Throttle Position Sensor low voltage - after researching this it fits prefectly with the changing idle speeds - just need to change it over. Does anyone know if i can use a VS one or any other model than a VN one?

B) Again more researching this on the net, i'm now convinced it's the rear control arm suspension bushes, and i'm pretty sure it's the lower, but from visual inspection they look ok ... can anyone tell me how i can check these, visual or by jacking it up and trying to move the arms or something or should i just replace em ... i only ask cause they are $150 plus to replace.

D) Found some VR seats cheap ... hopefully they don't included the auto recline feature of the VN