From: "Terry Hayden" Subject: Vmax couple of tips Here are a couple of tips...some I have found on my own, some came off of the Web... Fuel Pump Bike sat in storage for a while and now the fuel pump won't work...try priming it. Disconnect the fuel line at the filter, pop on a small funnel and pour in an ounce or so of clean gas. Remove the funnel and blow lightly on the hose to fill both the inlet and outlet chambers of the pump. Reconnect the hose to the filter and hit the key...you should hear the pump take hold. No Spark (non-digital ignitor unit) Bike turning over fine but no spark. Before you replace the ignitor box try disconnecting the B/W grounding wire from the sidestand relay. The relay is located underneath the ignitor box. If it is stuck closed it will deliver an unwanted ground to the box regardless of the side stand position - hence no spark. Exhaust Pipes Worried abut the new aftermarket chrome exhaust system turning blue after a couple hours of hard riding? Paint the inside of the head pipes with header paint like VHT, etc. The heat is reflected off the coating and out of the exhaust system. Heat does not get absorbed as quickly through the pipe wall. Airbox Lining the bottom of your airbox with a heat reflecting material will keep engine heat out so that you have cooler denser air. Cooler denser air = more power on tap... Coolant MOTORCYCLE CONSUMER NEWS has detailed accounts of motorcyclists that encountered severe problems with mainly their water pumps if they were using antifreeze (coolants) that were designed for automobiles. "Our first findings were that the vast majority (98.7%) of pump failures occurred on bikes that had had their cooling systems flushed, or drained and refilled, within the past year. Secondly, of the bikes with failed pumps, 99% had been filled with automotive-type coolants, such as Prestone, Zerex or a house brand from some parts chain like Pep Boys. Less than 1% of the bikes with failed pumps had used pre-mixed Hondaline coolant or another motorcycle-specific anti-freeze." They went on to say that if you currently have automotive silicate-bearing coolant in your bike now, get it out as soon as possible and replace it with a non silicate specific coolant like Hondaline Pro Honda HP Coolant or Toyota Longlife. Clutch Slave cylinder rebuild If the clutch slave cylinder is giving you fits by either sticking and or leaking, before you trash it and head to the dealer for a new one, try cleaning the piston and housing with a very fine rubbing compound. If the housing is not corroded too much you can get it back to a decent finish which will reseal. And if the dust seal has gone south on your earlier model Max don't sweat that the dealer's microfiche lists only a complete assembly including piston and housing. Just order a seal kit off of a new model. It comes with a piston seal that you won't need but the dust seal snaps right on. cheers, Terry