Yamaha VK 540: 1460 mile review, starter issues

Nothing major to report except the same intermittent electrical starter issue I’ve been having all winter.

[bradwalsh]

I'm in Northern Alaska. On my second VK. So many of my buddies have the 4 stroke liquid coolers, they're lots of trouble on ice or Hardpack, and no recoil. I pull them home on the ahkio. They all want to find an aircooler. I love the simplicity of the VK. Great sled for slow work on weasel trails. Pulls a bull moose in one load. Also own a Bearcat lt 570, Cheyenne 501 lt and tundra 1 lt. Each has its purpose. Steering is a little tough on the VK, but I'm used to it. Love your channel. Keep it up.

[btactn]

Great honest review, you can tell this dude knows what he's talking about👍 the single carb sleds are the best bush sleds you can find any single carb sled IS SIMPLE TO KEEP RUNNING SMOOTH AND FLAWLESS AND CAN LAST FOR YEARS.

[codraven]

Get a multi meter and check the large red wire coming out of the relay to see if it is reading 12v going to your starter when you turn the key. If not, make sure you have continous power on the other large red wire. If that is good, find the key signal wire in one of those on the cluster plugged into the relay and if that is sending power to the relay when you turn the key 100% of the time then the relay is faulty.

[Evert]

I replaced the brushes in the starter on my 2001 VK540 today. I was having problems and all i got was a klick from the relay. I took the startermotor apart and it was actually missing a brush since it had disintegrated completely. It was a pain to rebuild but now it works again.

[MBTUE]

The starter relay on my 94 Vmax 600 was defective . It has the same set up as the 540.

[dim]

+ it is very important that the engine compartment is clean, since there it takes air from the engine compartment into the carburetor... using a car vacuum cleaner to clean up forest debris

[bullwinkled]

would primer help with the plug fouling at start up. I am suggesting avoid using choke altogether. I take choke off immediately upon starting

[nickelms]

VK540 End of a Legendary Era! Yamaha ends VK540 year 2023. Will keep mine forever!

[lukegray]

My old Yamaha Phazer had the same issues! I installed an anti-freezing line to it and that helped wonders! Hope that helps

[codraven]

That fuel line isn't where a primer would go. A primer actually needs to go directly into the carb. Priming into that connection that you pointed out will do nothing.

[normneufeld]

Glad you keep posting, you’re good at it! I find that mine occasionally grinds when trying to put it in gear. Even though the handle “locks” in to place, the transmission clatters while going in…just sometimes but I cringe at the sound. Anyone else have this and is it going to blow up the the tranny?

[dim]

If at some point it stopped starting with the key, then the problem is in the relay on the battery. There is a thin wire there, it is not designed for such currents and it needs to be serviced

[albertjewels]

My vk540 just died lost power n won't start as I was riding. U have same problem?

[big_ute]

Im debating gettin a vk, ive got a 22 850 pro 155 but sometines I just want to fart around, pull stuff and do work. The pro can do that stuff but is not the ideal machine.

[bullwinkled]

I took those handles off. do not like the fact that the seat too often freezes to chassis

[normneufeld]

Hey does anyone know how much a VK540 (latest style) weighs? I keep looking but it’s like Yamaha doesn’t want anyone to know!

[bullwinkled]

buy one again? absolutely not. I cannot go anywhere w/o out a dozen spare plugs. fouls plugs every other trip.handles like a cement truck. Love my 600 ace tundra ak trapper. reliable and handles like a dream. I just cannot believe Yamaha can let something like this out the door. Have owned several Yamaha outboards and loved them. I liked the idea of simple and fan cooled and the great engine bay access. Dealer act s like I have the plague when ya try to talk about the issue. I do have the three year extended warranty. thinking about my next step. Mine is a 2020 model. 10K boat anchor as far as I am concerned.

[dim]

it is also very important to check the reliability of the bearing 93306-00507-00. This is a sore spot for them, it can grind everything