2000 Yamaha XV 535 Virago DX - Page 2 - Answered Questions & Fixed issues

either your float has got stuck so that the petrol flow into your carburettors does not stop or the needle and seat is stuck or worn, You might have also changed the float level adjustment. remove the carbs and open the bowls to check.

Sounds normal, overheating engines will cause the exhaust header to glow red, and the engine will begin running bad.
Make certain the oil is changed regularly and checked often

most gas now has ethenol in it try adding stp octane boost to the gas and it will evaporate the ethenol

When you say blue smoke, I assume you're meaning oil burning. Is there a characteristic oil burning smell to the smoke? Have you checked the compression? The blue smoke sounds like it could be caused by sticking rings. I personally never store a bike completely dry. I would change the oil before storage, fog the cylinders or run an ounce or two of oil through them with the plugs out, replace the plugs and, depending upon the anticipated duration of storage, either fill the tank with stabilizer and Marvel Mystery oil added to the fuel or drain the tank. A more likely scenario is that the smoke you're seeing is caused by carburetor floats not rising enough to keep the fuel in the bowl at the correct level. As far as the fuses blowing, you will need to isolate each circuit and trace it through. It's possible your wiring could have been chewed up by mice.

Your float is set too high. If you have the service manual, check to see where it should be set. You will need to remove the float bowl and generally there is a metal tab that will need to be bent in one direction or the other to adjust the float height. It coulf also be debris in the needle valve keeping it from closing completely. In either case the float bowl needs to come off. Safe riding.

Two things
1) you do not have the transfer case bolts tight enough meaning that you are not setting them to torque specs.
2) Most likely - You have a leak somewhere else that you are thinking is coming from the transfer case. I would remove all the excess oil from the motor by cleaning it with some type of degreaser and then checking to see exactly where the leak is originating from.Most of the time with motorcycles due to the fact that the engine is getting so much air when riding, your leak will tend to travel making you think that a leak is somewhere else rather then where it is really at.

Check the swing arm bearings & linkages for play
Ride Safe Bike-Doc

check if there is crack of your spark plug cap

Below is a diagram. Turn the air screw inward until it lightly seats then open it up two turns. Set the idle speed with the throttle screw. The throttle screw pushes against a lever on the outside of the carb. From there, adjust the air screw for best idle speed. Do this for both carbs. Be sure the air cleaner is clean.

make sure there is no high point in the brake line and the master cylnder end bolt points down. some times need to turn the handle bars or lean the bike, and occasionally remove the master cylnder off the bars to get fall all the way to the wheel caliper, and keep bleeding

youtube is great source for that...  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zheHGmW9VYU

The bike is 21 years old. Parts are getting harder and harder to find. Finding a good mechanic willing to mess with it is pretty hard also. I wouldn't pay more than $400 for it and that is only if it starts and runs well AND if the transmission shifts smoothly and the clutch and brakes operate properly. Please rate my answer. Thanks.

what bike? what year? without anymore information, i would start by checking the fuel screw at the bottom of the carb....if this is a yz you'll want to close the screw all the and then back the screw out 2 full turns, or it could be the excel pump....when you took the carb apart, you didnt loosen the ssrew that holds the TPS on the side of the carb did you.....because then you have a throttle position sencor problem. but, i need more info...what was done, or changed when you rebuilt the carb.....im sure it is something minor

It usally pays to count the turns in before you remove them, but you probably know that by now.
Try them at around 2 turns out, and see how smooth the idle is. and try them a quarter of a turn in and out and listen to the difference. if you get a couple of vacumn gauges, they can help and then set the syncronization between the two carbs.
If you do try this and it may take a while, get an industrial fan to cool the engine as you do it, cause as the engine warms the mixture changes.
The pilot screws and carb sync have their biggest effect at idle.
You can also adjust the pilot mixture one cylnder at a time, by removing a plug lead, put another plug in the cap and short it to the frame, so it wont damage the coil,
and adjust the mixture as if its a 550 single then do the other cylnder

Most Yamaha turn signals are supposed to spring back to center and stay flashing till you press in on the swiitch
Some models also have self cancelling signals that shuf off after the bike travels so many feet.

Possibly your switch is simply gummed up.....key off, spray some WD40 into switch and work it left to right back and forth and press it in and out....if its now moving freely, try the key again and see if its better.

Under the head light, a behind a yamaha name plate

Some Viragos used a vacuum operated fuel petcock that allowed the fuel supply to open when the bike started and shut off when it stopped. There was a vacuum line from the intake to the petcock and this vacuum acted on a diaphram to open the fuel.
Sometimes the diaphram leaks and the intake vacuum pulls in fuel....causing a very rich mixture.
If you find it has a vacuum operated petcock, you could remove vacuum line and briefly open the
petcock manually using the PRI for prime position to see if fuel leaks out the vacuum port.
There are rebuild kits for the vacuum operated petcock

I believe theres 2 small bolts under front of seat...if you pull the cushion back you should see them. Remove the 2 bolts and the front of the seat can lift up....then slide the seat forward as there is a plastic tab that holds the rear of the seat into a slot. The seat should lift off once the tab is clear.

Have you checked the filter fitted to the reserve tube inside the tank

Make sure that the battery terminals are clean and that they are tight. Try a boost start and see if that helps. If it does your battery is not delivering its full output. If the starter still turns slow it probably needs an overhaul, bushes, brushes and lubrication etc.