YZ80 82 I need some help!!!!

[tooltime]

Hey guys, I have a 82 yz80 that is in need of some serious help. I bought the bike as a project bike, and I'm finding out that there is more parts discontinued than there are avaible for the bike!!!!! Man what a pain. I have had the frame powder coated, top end has been rebuilt, new plastics where missing, and I've been trying to find anything I can avaible for this bike on ebay or bone yards. I have the clymer manual for the bike and have been checking it out. The coolant system on this bike is quite unique. It uses the neck tube as a tank for the raditor. My problem is that I think I have a leak with the tube.. There are some seals inside the tube that might be bad?? Has anyone messed with this bike and know of any tricks that I can use to get this thing running. I am thinking about just bypassing the downtube entirely and go direct to the motor. Space is a major concern though. I will have to manufacture some clips to hold the raditor on but it can be done. Any help on where to go and what to do is greatly appreciated. Thanks Matt

[Rotorranch]

It appears from the OEM parts fische that the coolant runs through the triple clamps into the steering head. ( Cool! ) There is some seal in there to keep the incoming coolant seperate from the outgoing coolant.

It appears the seal you need ( part 14 ) has been discontinued by Yamaha.

You might be able to match it up with another seal.

Rotor

[tooltime]

Yeah the bike is really cool. As far as I can tell, there is no seperation between the cold and hot side in the tube. The raditor hooks up at the top and bottom of the tube and the supplies both go out one side of the down tube. The only thing that I'm scared of is that if I do bypass the tube, I'll loose some reserve. I'd love to get this thing back to how it use to run and look. I don't even know if the engine will fire. Man what a pain in the ***. I'll give it a try but if I get leaks I'm going to do a double bypass no local no anistesia. Thanks for the note. Matt

[Rotorranch]

There has to be a seperation. Otherwise, the coolant would never get to the rad.

I have never worked on one of these, and not having a manual, it's a little tough to figure out. It's a little difficult to see from the fische picture I found.

Maybe Yamaha Australia has that manual online.

Rotor

[mad_biker]

there is a seal that seperates the hot and cold coolant. I had a time trying to figure out how it worked on my 82 yz125. Actualy it's very simple. There is a lower seal #2, a center seal #35, and an upper seal #36. The center seal goes on the steering stem between the two lower holes on the stem.I'm not sure but the yz80 may have the center seal pressed in before the sem is installed. My 125 though , the seal was installed before the stem is inserted. All of the seals for the 125 are still avalible, I'm not sure about for the 80. Once you do some investigating these bikes are very fun to work on. The seals aren't that expensive, if you had the frame powdercoated and didn't put new seals in afterwards, you defenitly need new seals. They aren't that hard to change and would hate to see you try and bypass the oringinal coolant system.also, some pictures would be cool too.

[Rotorranch]

I just checked Yam AU, and they have an '81 manual, then it skips to '91, I think. No '82, and no '89 ( one of my bikes )

I don't think there was one on the DansMC site.

Rotor

[Rotorranch]

Mad Biker...I couldn't find that fische where I was looking.

Cool beans!

Now I wonder if those parts are available for that bike?

Hope he can get it running. I'd like to see pics too.

Rotor

[Rotorranch]

Mad Biker...just curious...the bearings didn't run in the coolant, did they?

Either way, there should be at least 3 seals in there.

Rotor

EDIT: Nevermind...I see in your post there are 3 seals. Good explaination!

[tooltime]

Now looking at the clymer manual they show a seperation bushing or gasget but they don't say anything about it. It looks like it goes inside the tube and sits between the hot and cold tubes on the neck. There are also some steering seals and oil seals that have some groves in the down tube that could take some sort of rubber seal. Can I go and get any rubber O ring or that red rubber washers that I could make work. I know trying to get the exact one is going to be impossible. I'll check but I can bet they are hard to come by. I'll try to post pictures. Do you use the image icon that is on this screen or is there another way to post pictures. I have lots and will send more if you guys are interested. I really appreciate the help and show of support in trying to bring this beast alive.

[Pretendo]

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Im sure theres more than 2 spout coming off the the radiator. the diagram is right, yet the only orings i see are for the aluminum cast waterpump passage, while the hose comming off the watterpump Cover is routed to the radiator. then the hose off of the cyinder head routes also to the radiator. your radiator should have 4 spouts from what i can see here.

[Rotorranch]

Nope...2 nipples on the rad. One goes to the top triple clamp, one to the bottom. The hose from the water pump, and the hose from the cylinder head both hook to the steering head.

Rotor

[mad_biker]

The 80 is very differet from my 125, mine had tapered bearing and a little different seal placement, as for the bearing running in the coolant, by the looks of it there is another seal that presses into the steering head (#14), I don't know if this one seperates the coolant from the bearings or not, some times you can't tell untill you have all of the seals in your hand to know where they go. As for the grooves , I don't think there should be any grooves where the seals go unless they are from wear, otherwise they wouldn't seal. post some pictures of what you're talking about and maybe I can help.

[tooltime]

How do you post pictures. I have the steering apart and I'm about to start putting it back together. I just need to know how to post the picts.

[mad_biker]

Go to the photo gallery, click upload photos, upload you photos, open the uploaded photo and right click on it, click properties, highlight the url, right click on it and click copy, go to this thread and click reply ,click the button in the tool bar , a popup will apear, delete anything allread in the url bar,right click on the url bar and hit paste then OK. that's all there is to it.

[tooltime]

Ok guys, I have just about kicked this ones butt. I found the return pipe that attaches to the bottom of the tripple tree. It's a yz 125 but with just a touch of drilling, it fits. I had to take a bronze ferrel that has a flange on it along with some O rings to make the fitting water tight to the bottom of the steering column. Yamaha still has the oil gaskets avaiable. As far as the question about the seperation of the hot and cold side of the down tube.... inside the steering column there is a wedge block pressed into it that seperates the top and bottom. Now the only part that I need is what is called a steering bushing that makes the inside and outside tube water tight. With a little luck and alot of O ring parts and pieces I think I'll get it together tonight. I have been taking pictures, and I'll post as much as I can. I'll try to get the picts on tonight. Thanks for all your help.

[Rotorranch]

I was cruising ePay yesterday, and there are quite a few auctions with '82 YZ80 parts.

Rotor

[tooltime]

I went today to a speciality tool and rubber store to get my steering bushing. I think that I have just about everything I need to get this back together. I'm still waiting on the wristpin bearing, been a long time on order. My local bike shop has ordered the wrong one twice now and has it comming direct from yamaha now. I'm anxious to see if I can get it running. All this time and effort and I don't know if it will run at all.
We'll be in St. Louis all weekend, but I'll try to sneak out in the garage tonight and get some wrenching done on it. I'll also try to send some picts tonight. Later. Matt

[tooltime]

I posted some picts on the site under vintage photos??? Check em out.

[Rotorranch]

You aren't actually going to use that clear hose for rad hose, are you?

[tooltime]

No, it has been cut down below the brass ferrel making it like a rubber gasket that seals the lower end. The brass fitting needed just a little on the outside to seal up the steering column.