1994-2003 Honda Magna VF750C Fuel Leak Fix

Problem: I did not use the Magna for about six weeks.  When I started it up fuel was running out of the bottom of the carburetor near the fuel value.  If I kept running the bike but turned off the fuel value, the fuel would stop leaking.  Turn the valve on again, and it would resume leaking.

What is happening?!?  The carburetors are gummed up.  When fuel cannot flow out of the carburetor as fast as the fuel pump supplies it, the fuel overflows the carburetor.

Solution: Clean the carburetors.

Required tools:
Phillips screw driver
12 mm socket and ratchet
Allan wrench for fuel tank bolt - unsure of size
Needle nose pliers
Carburetor cleaner

1. Run the bike with the fuel valve open.
2. Turn off bike.
3. Shut off fuel value.  We want some fuel in the carbs for this procedure.
4.  Remove the seat.  This is easily done with a 12 mm socket and ratchet.
5.  Remove the side covers.
6. Remove the fuel line from the fuel valve.  Use needle nose pliers to remove the retaining ring and slide the fuel line off.  It can be tough to get out of there!
7. There is a small hose on the bottom of the tank that leads to underneath the seat.  Disconnect this hose that normally resides under the seat.
8. Remove the bolt with an allen wrench the secures the tank.
9. Pivot the tank upwards a few inches and slide it back.  The tank's front simply rests on two big rubber-coated prongs.  Be careful to not hit your handlebar riser with the tank and chip the paint!
10. Now you are at the air cleaner housing.  There is a strange rubber goose neck air intake.  It is secured by two screws.  Remove the screws and remove the air intake.
11. Remove all the screws on the top of the air box.  There are about 13.  You will also need to remove the plastic covers that attach to the frame behind the tank.  Easy work, but a lot of screws.  Organize your screws because they are all different sizes!
12  Remove the air cleaner housing cover.  It will take some work to get it out of the way.  You will see this:

Top of air cleaner box removed

13. With your carb cleaner handy, start up the bike.  It should run even without a fuel tank.
14. Spray carb cleaner down each of the four horns.  Open the throttle while spraying the cleaner to prevent a stall.  If it does, just fire it back up.  You should be able to run with no fuel for several minutes!
15. Reassemble and ride!

Next time I have to park the bike, I will add a fuel stabilizer!

1994-2003 Honda Magna VF750C Coolant Change

Changing the coolant on the third generation Honda Magna is fairly easy.  Here is my documented process.

This radiator needs a little lovin'!

Schedule

Every 2 years or 24,000 miles

Materials
2.5 quarts (2.4 L) Pro Honda HP coolant

Tools
12 mm wrench
14 mm wrench
10 mm socket
extension bar
socket wrench
hex allen wrench
catch pan capable of at least 2.5 quarts
medium Philips screw driver

Time
This procedure takes about an hour to complete.

Procedure
1. Remove the clutch cable on the lower, left side of the bike by loosening the left nut, sliding the cable holder to the right, and pulling the cable from the clutch mechanism.
1a. Using a 12 mm wrench, hold the right nut on the bracket in place.
1b. Loosen the left nut using a 14 mm wrench. If you do not more the 12 mm nut, you will not need to adjust the clutch later.
1c. Pull cable out of clutch mechanism.

Clutch bracket on left.  Cluster mechanism on right.

2. Pull off the chrome housing by removing the 3 hex allen bolts.  They are 3 different sizes so keep track of where each belongs.

Chrome housing held by three hex allen bolts

3. Position catch pan under bike.
4. Remove the water pump drain bolt with a 10 mm socket.  A surprisingly little amount of coolant will come out!

Water pump drain plug location circled

5. Remove radiator cap by loosening the screw with a screw driver and then twisting off the cap.  Be prepared for a flood of coolant out the water pump!
6. After draining is complete, move the catch pan and remove the two cylinder drain screws.  I was able to use a 10 mm socket with extension bar on the right side when facing the engine.  On the other side, I had to use a small 1/4 inch wrench with a small 10 mm socket.  You will get perhaps a pint of coolant out of each cylinder bank.

Left cylinder coolant drain bolt (from front)

Right cylinder coolant drain bolt (from front)

7. Replace the cylinder drain plugs.  Just snug them up.  Do not over tighten.

8. Replace the drain plug on the water pump.

9. Put the chrome cover back in place.

This is the clutch shaft....

....that needs to go in here.

10. Push the clutch cable back into the clutch mechanism.

11. On the cable bracket, tighten the 14 mm nut while holding the 12 mm nut steady.  Remember that keeping the nut in place will prevent the need of cable adjustment.

12. Fill radiator with coolant.

13. With cap off, start the engine.  Let it run for about 20 seconds.

14. Add more coolant until it is full.

15. Run the engine.

16. Let it run for a minute.  If coolant level drops, add more.  Our goal is to remove any air from the cooling system.

17. Blip the throttle a few times.  The coolant level will decrease a bit and more air will be expelled.

18. Let engine run until it is full warm or the coolant starts to overflow. Tighten any bolts if coolant is leaking.

19. Remove right side cover.

20. Add coolant to the overflow reservoir.  You want it to be over the minimum shown on the plastic bottle.

Coolant reservoir is just below tool storage area

21. Reinstall right side cover.

22. Ride it!

Happy Riding!

1994-2003 Honda Magna VF750C spark plug change

Changing spark plugs is usually a simple task.  If you have to maintain a Honda Magna, you are in for some knuckle busting!  The Magna's V4 engine was derived from the sporty VFR750F of the era.  They really crammed this engine into a cruiser frame which made spark plug changes a bit difficult.

The Honda Magna has two issues with access on the front cylinders.  First, the plugs are deep within the cylinder head.  Second, there is little clearance for tools due to the location of the radiator.

Right, rear cylinder.  Look at how deep these spark plugs are!

Here is my documentation of how I change the plugs in the front cylinders.  It took me approximately an hour to complete.

Note:  I distinguish left and right as if you are sitting on the motorcycle.

Materials
4 NGK CR8EH-9 spark plugs
Anti-seize lubricant

Note: I found the spark plugs at Autozone for less than half the price of the local Honda shop.  They had to order them, but had them the next morning with no shipping charge!

NGK CR8EH-9 spark plugs

Tools
10 mm wrench
10 mm socket
Socket wrench
Hex allen wrench from Honda tool kit
Spark plug socket from Honda tool kit

Procedure
1. Remove right side cover.
2. Get tool kit.  You'll need the hex allen wrench and the spark plug socket.

Spark plug socket from Honda

Radiator pivot
3. Remove the lower radiator hose bracket.  It is secured by a 10 mm bolt.  I used an extension bar to quickly remove.

Location of lower radiator hose bracket

Bracket removed

4. Remove the lower radiator mounting bolts using the hex allen wrench on both sides.  This will allow the bottom of the radiator to pivot forward to improve access to the spark plugs.

Lower radiator mounting bolt with hex allen wrench, right side

Right side, front cylinder
5. Pull out the spark plug wire.  It should simply pop off.  Position it out of the way the best you can.

Plug wire removed

6. Insert the spark plug socket.  Work it onto the spark plug head by gently twisting the tool.

Spark plug socket practically vanishes within cylinder head!

7. I was able to use a 10 mm socket and socket wrench to initially work it lose by turning counter-clockwise.  Due to clearance problems, I had to switch to a 10 mm wrench to get it lose enough that I could use my fingers.  HERE IS THE TRICK: You get the most clearance for tools and your hand by positioning them such that the tools are accessed from the front side of the engine, below the radiator.  Don't damage the radiator or fan.

I was able to squeeze my socket wrench in here just to pop the spark plug loose.  Don't work at the angle shown in the picture.  Pivot the radiator bottom forward to allow proper alignment.

8.  Pull out the spark plug socket.  The spark plug should come out with the tool.  If not, push down on the socket until the spark plug seats into the tool.
9.  Gap the new spark plug.  I used NGK spark plugs which are pretty well set at the factory.
10. Spread anti-seize lubricant on the threads of the spark plug.  Do not get any on the electrode or firing point.  I do this by putting a dab of anti-seize on a clean paper towel and gently rotating the plug over the lubricant.
11. Push the new plug onto the spark plug socket until it seats and its flush.

Push spark plug into the spark plug socket

12. Slide the plug and tool into the cylinder.  Try to aim directly into the hole so you do not pick up crud with the anti-seize lubricant.
13. Screw the spark plug in as tight as you can with your hands.  This is to prevent stripping the soft aluminum and cross threading.
 14. Using the 10 mm wrench, tighten the plug clockwise the equivalent of one half turns.  If you make it too tight, you could strip the threads.  Too lose will cause engine damage.
15.  Put the spark plug wire back on the plug.  You should hear a solid click when it set.

Left side, front cylinder
16. Repeat steps 5 through 15.  This side is a bit more difficult due to the wires for the coolant fan and the temperature sensor.  I was not able to use a socket wrench on this side and had to use the 10 mm wrench.  Remember that its easiest to access the plugs from the front of the engine and below the radiator.

Left side is a bit more difficult.  Had to use a 10 mm wrench here.

Remounting radiator
17. Push the radiator back to its initial position, aligning the mounting holes on the frame with the radiator.
18. Put the bolts in the radiator mount.  First make them finger tight on both sides and then tighten a bit using the hex allen wrench. Don't make it too tight.  The mount is insulated with rubber which you do not want to crush.
19. Reinstall the lower radiator hose bracket.  Make sure the plastic coil around the hose is spread evenly on the radiator hose before you fully tighten the 10 mm bolt.  See the picture on step 3.

Back cylinders
20. The back cylinders are much easier.  Follow the basic procedure.  No clearance issues here.

Completing the job
20. Put away the Honda tool kit.  Getting all the tools back in the storage bag can be a challenge in itself!
21. Put the right side cover back on the motorcycle.

Cutting the Cord: My Over-the-Air Antenna Setup

The following is knowledge I have acquired when I installed my rooftop antenna.  I am not recommending any particular products and I am not responsible for any damage caused as the result of your installation. I'm not an electrician nor do I have any experience with radio technology.  Everything is at your own risk!

What's the difference between an old analog antenna and a new digital antenna?  Not much.

Here is my antenna: Antennacraft HBU33 from Radio Shack.

Looks like a normal antenna, right?  It pretty much is.  The description of this antenna is High VHF-UHF antenna.  What does this mean?

Jump in the Wayback Machine to the 1980s or earlier.  TVs had two dials.  Channels 2 through 13 were on the VHF dial.  Channels 14 through 69 were on the UHF dial.  Two dials were used because kids were the remote controls of the day.  A kid has two arms.

So what is "High VHF" mean?  VHF channels were divided into upper and lower bands.  Channels 2 through 6 are lower VHF channels.  Channel 7 through 13 are upper VHF.

Since my antenna doesn't cover Lower VHF I cannot receive channels 2 through 6.

But wait a minute!  In an earlier post I said I get channel 3-1 and 3-2.  What's going on?

Digital Aliasing!
Just prior to the digital broadcast conversion, stations were broadcasting both an analog and a digital signal.  If you were watching analog channel 3, you could be sure you were watching channel 3.  If you flipped on digital channel 3-1, aren't you watching channel 3?

No.

Prior to the digital conversion, channel 3-1 was actually broadcast on channel 2!  What about channel 3-2?  Its squeezed into the channel 2 spectrum.

Once the analog broadcast ceased, channel 3 was no longer used.  (Just to confuse things, channel 3-1 and 3-2 move to channel 17 on conversion day!  Why?  Better reception on channel 17.)

Digital aliasing is handled by your TV tuner automatically.  You see channel 3-1, but the turn is receiving its signal on its true channel.

For the Cleveland area, only two stations remain on VHF.  Channel 8 broadcasts on real channel 8.  Channel 19 broadcasts on real channel 10.  Since those are both high VHF channels, I receive them.

You will need to research what sections of the spectrum you need.  I did not need low VHF channels, so I didn't spend money on an antenna that could handle those.

Antenna prices vary widely depending upon your needs.

Antenna Location
You may be tempted to place your antenna in the attic.  It may work, but the insolation, roofing material, and general house guts will cut your signal by 30% or more.  For me, I was able to get a couple dozen stations.  Good, but not great.

I decided to get a tripod mount for the roof.  My station count more than doubled!

Make sure you follow local building codes and ground it properly.  And don't do what I did.  While in the attic running cable I managed to put my foot through the ceiling in the hallway.  Now my wife is waiting for me to finish installing the new skylight!

A tripod mount is about $35.  The pole for the antenna to mount to is another $10 - $20.

Where Do I Aim?
Since every location is different, you'll have to experiment.

When aiming, keep in mind what part of your antenna should point to the most stations.  If yours resembles an arrow, you will be pointing away from those stations!

For my installation, I don't aim directly at the biggest antenna farm which is in Parma, OH.  I aim it a bit further south.  By doing that I weaken the signal from Cleveland, but increase the signal from Youngstown enough that I can watch channels from both markets.

Keep in mind the difference between analog and digital.  Analog gets "fuzzy" as the signal weakens.  Digital works perfectly until it hits a certain point.  Once you reach that point the picture simply disappears.  Experimenting is key!

Also note that weather, sun, and seasons affect your signal.  You may need to experiment over the course of a year.

Check out this site for where your stations' towers are located:

http://www.antennaweb.org/

You could get an outdoor antenna rotator.  I have not used one.  As you will see later I have four sets connected.  I want the antenna aimed the same at all times.  Also, my DVR can't control the antenna position.

Connecting to Your TV
Don't use cheap coaxial cable.  I had a bunch of RG-59 cable in my basement.  I connected that to my antenna and got NO stations.  The run from your roof to your TV set is quite a long distance.  Use RG-6 or better.

I was able to reuse RG6 cable that was purchased for my satellite system years ago.  Make sure you check for what you can reuse from your former TV provider.

Standard Definition TVs
If you are using a standard definition TV, you can still take advantage of digital over-the-air broadcasts.  TVs manufactured in 2007 or later have a digital tuner.  If not, you will need a set top converter box.

A few big box discount stores and electronic stores carry these, but supplies are getting limited.  Expect to pay about $50.

They are very easy to connect.  Simply plug in the antenna and connect the TV.

Back of a digital converter box

How is the picture?  I have used three converter boxes.  All will give you a digital picture as good as digital cable.

Connecting Multiple TVs
If you have a strong signal, simply purchase a splitter at the electronics store.  These should only cost a few bucks.

A basic splitter did not work for me.  I wanted to connect the antenna to four different TVs.  Instead, I connected an amplified splitter.  I purchased mine at a home center for $35.  Sounds expensive until you realize that your TV provider is charging $5 to $7 per extra set!

Four way signal splitter and amplifier in the wild

If you do use an amplified splitter, keep in mind that you will need access to an electrical outlet.

Coming Soon
So you just installed your antenna, but sure miss that DVR.  Next I will cover my DVR solution.  Stay tuned!

I Want My MeTv (What channels will you get)

What channels will I get?

I'll start right now by informing you that you won't get ESPN.  Sorry.  That's the most expensive channel on basic cable.

Major Networks
You will get the major networks.  These are HD in most markets.

• ABC
• CBS
• Fox
• NBC
• PBS

These are the common channels you would get even back in the analog days.

Introducing Subchannels
There is a big benefit of an over-the-air (OTA) antenna, though.  The digital broadcast conversion brought us the subchannel.  Stations are no longer limited to what we would call one channel.

For example, NBC in Cleveland is on channel 3.  With the digital conversion, it shows on your TV as 3-1.  They also have a channel 3-2.  This is their weather subchannel.

Another example is channel 5 in the Cleveland market.  Channel 5-1 is the local ABC affiliate.  Channel 5-2 is the Live Well Network which broadcasts entirely different shows.

If you currently have cable you probably receive these.  If you are a satellite subscriber, these stations will be foreign to you.

Adjacent Markets
Another advantage of the OTA antenna is the ability to pick up other local markets.  At my home I pick up the Youngstown stations.  Of course they duplicate the major networks.  While it appears redundant, they do have unique programming out of prime time hours.

As an example, the Cleveland NBC station shows selected Cleveland Indians games.  If you aren't interested, but still wanted to watch NBC programming, pick the Youngstown station.  Likewise, Youngstown State games are shown on the Youngstown feed.  Sometime Fox baseball will have different games shown in Cleveland versus Youngstown.  The same goes for the NFL.

Syndicated programming can very widely.  I can watch Seinfeld on three different stations at three different times if I chose.

My Channel List in North Canton, OH
In the analog days I was able to get 2 stations with a perfect picture.

Now I get about 50 channels.

Here is the current list:

1. 3-1: NBC HD
2. 3-2: WKYC Weather
3. 5-1: ABC HD
4. 5-2: Live Well Network
5. 8-1: Fox HD
6. 8-2: Antenna TV
7. 17-1 thru 17-5: TBN networks (TBN, Smile of a Child, JCTV, Enlace)
8. 19-1: CBS HD
9. 19-2: MeTV
10. 21-1: NBC HD
11. 21-2: UPN
12. 23-1: Ion HD
13. 23-2: Qubo
14. 23-3: Ion Life
15. 23-4: Shop
16. 23-5: QVC
17. 23-6: HSN (Home Shopping Network)
18. 25-1: PBS (HD)
19. 25-2: PBS Ohio
20. 25-3: PBS World
21. 25-4: PBS Create
22. 25-5: Local NPR feed
23. 27-1: CBS HD
24. 27-2: Fox
25. 33-1: ABC HD
26. 33-2: UPN
27. 33-3: Bounce
28. 39-1: Retro TV
29. 39-2: Tuff TV
30. 39-3: PB&J
31. 39-4: Christian Radio Station
32. 43-1: UPN HD
33. 43-2: Bounce
34. 45-1: PBS HD
35. 45-2: Fusion
36. 45-3: MHz
37. 45-4: V-Me
38. 47-1 thru 47-5: local Christian station
39. 49-1: PBS HD
40. 49-2: Fusion
41. 49-3: MHz
42. 49-4: V-Me
43. 55-1: UPN HD
44. 55-2: WKBN secondary feed
45. 55-3: This TV
46. 61-1: Univison HD
47. 61-3: Get-TV

My TV lists 19-1 and 19-2 twice.  Why?  Many could not receive the station very well, so they added a repeater in Akron.

What Channels Will You Get At Your House?
Use this website to determine the stations near your location.

http://www.antennaweb.org/Address.aspx

It will display a map showing where the stations are in relation to you.  It also lists stations with a color coded key to indicate signal strength.

Your mileage will vary.  Even the weakest stations I can get with a perfect picture......most of the time.

There is another factor, too.  Weather and the sun affect signal strength.  From my experience I get the worst signal strength during the summer months!

Program Variety
My channel list is heavy in subchannels.  Below is a basic description of some.

Classic reruns: Retro TV, Antenna TV, MeTV, and PB&J
Movies: Get-TV, Bounce
Home improvement and travel: PBS Create
Kids: Qubo (24/7 children's programming - mostly Canadian shows), Smile of a Child

That's All Folks!
Coming soon: choosing an antenna, connecting multiple TVs, using a DVR, and Internet streaming!

Stay tuned!

Why I Cut the Cable TV Cord and Never Looked Back!

In January of 2010 we still had not jumped to HDTV.  We were still watching a 32 inch, 150 pound behemoth.  Most of the civilized world was now using HD.  Even the local newscasts were in HD.

The standard definition TV experience was getting worse by the month.  Many TV shows were letter boxed that rendered my 32 inch TV set into the equivalent of a 27 inch.  Weather maps were missing Toledo and Pittsburgh.  Even those obnoxious ads for credit loans were losing the phone numbers off the edge of my diminutive screen.  How would we ever get a payday loan now!

The Winter Games were starting and I had just received my tax refund.  Time to upgrade!  The pay-TV company wanted $10 more per month for the same programming in HD.  I thought the $80/mo was enough already.

I went on YouTube and found a homemade antenna design using 6 coat hangers, a piece of scrap wood, and a transformer to connect a coaxial cable.  This ugly contraption was certainly effective!  It would make MacGuyver proud!

How effective?  Our home used to have a tower antenna before it fell victim to the rust gods.  Our TV would pick up two channels.  That's it!  Two.  By 2010 most stations had added a digital signal.  I plugged in this monstrosity and picked up a couple stations from Cleveland and a couple from Youngstown.  Not only were there more stations than my analog antenna, but they were crystal clear!

With this contraption, I headed up to the attic to mount it.  I ran a coaxial cable from the attic to the TV.  To my amazement we received even more stations!  I was picking up all the major networks.  In fact I was receiving duplicate networks from both Cleveland and Youngstown markets.  Bingo!  I was on my way.

We did not upgrade to the HD package.  I figured I was saving $10 per month.  Yeah.  I'm that much of a cheapskate!  What we discovered was that we were watching the antenna 90% of the time.  The $80/mo was basically for our TV viewing for 10% of the time!

And then we received our notice from our TV provider.....

Our 2 year discount bundle was to expire next month!  Plus, as any good business would do when delivering such joyous news, our basic rate was going to increase, too!  That $80/mo for the TV service was jumping by $30 per month.  Shareholders rejoiced!  The cheapskate in me cringed!

I generally liked the TV service, so I called immediately which was two weeks prior to the bundle expiration to drop to the next lower pricing tier.  Every day I would check to see if the upper tier channels were gone.  They were not.  A few days before the expiration I called again to confirm that I would not be paying for the package I had canceled nearly two weeks prior.  The agent informed me I would not be charged.  I called daily for the next couple days.

Surprise!  Surprise!  Surprise!  I got a bill for the tier I canceled.  After arguing that I would not pay the additional tier price I asked to cancel the TV service altogether.  The agent said I could not.  Why?  He said because I have a pending order for the downgrade!  I said I would only pay for the service I wanted and used.  He informed me if I did it would be considered only a partial payment and could affect my credit rating.  I asked to speak to a manager.  He downright refused!

"You are going to drop service over a few bucks?"  It was a dare.  I don't think they expected it.

After a few days my service dropped to the lower tier so I called to drop the service.  Of course, I would have to talk to a manager just like I wanted to do earlier!  After at least 90 minutes, my service was finally canceled.

It was time to use my antenna full time!

We used my homemade antenna for several months.  During this time, we saved enough dough on TV to purchase a proper roof antenna and later a DVR.

This blog will document how I determined that cord cutting was for us.  Free TV isn't necessarily cheap.  I will inform you of some of the hazards of setting up your antenna.  I will also show you how we did it successfully!

We have gone four years without a TV bill and we have saved thousands!  You can, too!