Yamaha Venture Snowmobile

Looking at Yamaha Venture snow machine tonight. Early 2000, I think 2002, 500 CC liquid-cooled.

Anyone have any experience with these? I can’t believe Yamaha makes junk anything, but just in case I thought I’d better ask. Low mileage sled, only 1500 I think. Looks really nice from pics and owner is right here in the burbs so doubt highly he used it as a ditch banger.

It will be strictly a cabin snowmobile, to be honest I’m sick of having to hike into my hunting property in the winter as the driveway isn’t plowed and now it’s all snowed in. Will probably also use it to lay down trails into coyote hunting areas so that I can sneak in later and walk on the snow machine track. May occasionally trail ride it up north.

Thoughts or feedback? Things to watch out for?

Grouse

Long time lurker on this site. Finally decided to join because I actually may have some knowledge on this. I own a 2001 Vmax deluxe 500, virtually same sled as your looking at but a short track. Your right, Yamaha build quality on these sleds was awesome but there are a few things to look at. The W arms in the suspension are a possible weak spot to check out, seen it before but not often unless it’s been beat on. Clutch components are probably due to be looked at as well, the harmonics of that little 500 twin seem to be a little harder on the clutch than Yamaha’s triples from that era. Otherwise it’s a little harder on gas and oil than other 500’s from that time, but that might also explain why they last so long.

Only thing I can say should tell you something… what is the guys phone number??

I havent worked on yammies much but I can tell you all two strokes suffer from the same problem,crankshaft seals drying out and not doing their job anymore,once that happens you will cook a cylinder if not caught soon enough.
seal failure is commonly caused by detergents in the gas and oil as well as the quality of the seal itself,age is big one also.

several ways to check it,if you can see the seal behind the clutch,with it idling spray some brake cleaner,WD40 or something similar onto the sealing area,if the idle changes the seal is sucking air.
the flywheel side is trickier to do so spray a light mist of the above into that cylinder side carburetor,if the idle changes,that seal is sucking air.

the right way to do it is have it pressure/vacuum tested but that requires intake and exhaust plugs and removing their manifolds.
pressure is applied through a tap in the bottom of the crankcase and each cylinder is tested this way as is the center seal that separates each cylinder and that depends on what type of center seal is used,ie,double lipped opposed sealing area in a single seal body,two seals facing away from each other,or the labyrinth type seal.

once you have proved that the seals are good,clean the carbs,replace fuel filters and let it rip !!
post pics if you get it !

Edit to add: what I mean by the idle changing is if the engine revs up due to it being lean when you spray the seal area or in the carb,if the seals are doing their job the idle should fall off from being rich.
sorry if I confused you

I Have a pair of yamahas a99 and a 2000 500 fan and 600triple liquid 4500 miles or more on each. I like electric start and reverse on the 600. Very reliable sleds older years had some engine issue.
Mike

Well Grouse……….did you get it? Photo’s?

No, I didn’t get the one I was looking at. It had been hanging around on CL for weeks and a good machine only does that when it’s overpriced. I went out and looked at it and made an offer even above what I’d known other guys were selling for, but the guy wouldn’t budge. I think it’s still for sale you want to WAY overpay.

In the meantime, I had to rethink the whole plan. I’m just too short on storage space to get a machine right now. What I really need is a thing like those bike lockers you can rent in some cities if you’ve ever seen those? Basically just a 5 foot wide, 10 foot long, and 5 foot high mini-shed with a door on each end so the machine can be driven in one end and out the other.

Anyone ever built anything like that?

Grouse