2012 YAMAHA VMAX check oil

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-27
6
EAU23095
Checking and lubricating the
cables The operation of all control cables and
the condition of the cables should be
checked before each ride, and the ca-
bles and cable ends should be lubricat-
ed if necessary. If a cable is damaged
or does not move smoothly, have a
Yamaha dealer check or replace it.
WARNING! Damage to the outer housing of cables may result in in-
ternal rusting and cause interfer-
ence with cable movement. Replace
damaged cables as soon as possi-
ble to prevent unsafe conditions.[EWA10711] EAU23114
Checking and lubricating the
throttle grip and cable The operation of the throttle grip should
be checked before each ride. In addi-
tion, the cable should be lubricated by a
Yamaha dealer at the intervals speci- fied in the periodic maintenance chart.
The throttle cable is equipped with a
rubber cover. Make sure that the cover
is securely installed. Even though the
cover is installed correctly, it does not
completely protect the cable from water
entry. Therefore, use care not to pour
water directly onto the cover or cable
when washing the vehicle. If the cable
or cover becomes dirty, wipe clean with
a moist cloth.
EAU44273
Checking and lubricating the
brake and sh ift pedals The operation of the brake and shift
pedals should be checked before each
ride, and the pedal pivots should be lu-
bricated if necessary.
Brake pedal
Shift pedal
Recommended lubricant:
Yamaha Chain and Cable Lube or
engine oil
U2S3E3E0.book Page 27 Monday, September 19, 2011 8:42 AM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-29
6
EAU23202
Checking and lubricating the
sidestand The operation of the sidestand should
be checked before each ride, and the
sidestand pivot and metal-to-metal
contact surfaces should be lubricated if
necessary.
WARNING
EWA10731
If the sidestand does not move up
and down smoothly, have a Yamaha
dealer check or repair it. Otherwise,
the sidestand could contact the
ground and distract the operator, re-
sulting in a possible loss of control.
EAUM1652
Lubricating the swingarm piv-
ots The swingarm pivots must be lubricat-
ed by a Yamaha dealer at the intervals
specified in the periodic maintenance
and lubrication chart.
EAU23272
Checking the front fork The condition and operation of the front
fork must be checked as follows at the
intervals specified in the periodic main-
tenance and lubrication chart.
To check the condition
Check the inner tubes for scratches,
damage and excessive oil leakage.
To check the operation1. Place the vehicle on a level sur- face and hold it in an upright posi-
tion. WARNING! To avoid injury,
securely support the vehicle so
there is no danger of it falling
over.
[EWA10751]
2. While applying the front brake, push down hard on the handlebars
several times to check if the front
fork compresses and rebounds
smoothly.
Recommended lubricant:Lithium-soap-based grease
Recommended lubricant:Lithium-soap-based grease
U2S3E3E0.book Page 29 Monday, September 19, 2011 8:42 AM

PERIODIC MAINTENANCE AND ADJUSTMENT
6-35
63. Turn the key to “ON” and turn on
the electrical circuit in question to
check if the device operates.
4. If the fuse immediately blows again, have a Yamaha dealer
check the electrical system.
EAU46462
Replacing the headlight bulb This model is equipped with a halogen
bulb headlight. If the headlight bulb
burns out, replace it as follows.NOTICE
ECA10650
Take care not to damage the follow-
ing parts:●
Headlight bulb
Do not touch the glass part of
the headlight bulb to keep it free
from oil, otherwise the transpar-
ency of the glass, the luminosity
of the bulb, and the bulb life will
be adversely affected. Thor-
oughly clean off any dirt and fin-
gerprints on the headlight bulb
using a cloth moistened with al-
cohol or thinner.
●
Headlight lens
Do not affix any type of tinted
film or stickers to the headlight
lens.
Do not use a headlight bulb of a
wattage higher than specified.
1. Remove the headlight unit by re-moving the bolts.
2. Disconnect the headlight coupler, and then remove the bulb cover.1. Do not touch the glass part of the bulb.
1. Bolt
1
1
U2S3E3E0.book Page 35 Monday, September 19, 2011 8:42 AM

MOTORCYCLE CARE AND STORAGE
7-4
7
EAU26243
Storage Short-term
Always store your motorcycle in a cool,
dry place and, if necessary, protect it
against dust with a porous cover. Be
sure the engine and the exhaust sys-
tem are cool before covering the motor-
cycle.NOTICE
ECA10810
●
Storing the motorcycle in a
poorly ventilated room or cover-
ing it with a tarp, while it is still
wet, will allow water and humid-
ity to seep in and cause rust.
●
To prevent corrosion, avoid
damp cellars, stables (because
of the presence of ammonia)
and areas where strong chemi-
cals are stored.
Long-term
Before storing your motorcycle for sev-
eral months:1. Follow all the instructions in the “Care” section of this chapter. 2. Fill up the fuel tank and add fuel
stabilizer (if available) to prevent
the fuel tank from rusting and the
fuel from deteriorating.
3. Perform the following steps to pro- tect the cylinders, piston rings, etc.
from corrosion.a. Remove the spark plug caps and spark plugs.
b. Pour a teaspoonful of engine oil into each spark plug bore.
c. Install the spark plug caps onto the spark plugs, and then place
the spark plugs on the cylinder
head so that the electrodes are
grounded. (This will limit spark-
ing during the next step.)
d. Turn the engine over several times with the starter. (This will
coat the cylinder walls with oil.)
WARNING! To prevent dam- age or injury from sparking,
make sure to ground the
spark plug electrodes while
turning the engine over.
[EWA10951]
e. Remove the spark plug caps from the spark plugs, and then
install the spark plugs and the
spark plug caps.
4. Lubricate all control cables and the pivoting points of all levers and
pedals as well as of the side-
stand/centerstand.
5. Check and, if necessary, correct the tire air pressure, and then lift
the motorcycle so that both of its
wheels are off the ground. Alterna-
tively, turn the wheels a little every
month in order to prevent the tires
from becoming degraded in one
spot.
6. Cover the muffler outlets with plas- tic bags to prevent moisture from
entering them.
7. Remove the battery and fully charge it. Store it in a cool, dry
place and charge it once a month.
Do not store the battery in an ex-
cessively cold or warm place [less
than 0 °C (30 °F) or more than 30
°C (90 °F)]. For more information
on storing the battery, see page
6-31.
U2S3E3E0.book Page 4 Monday, September 19, 2011 8:42 AM

INDEX
AABS ...................................................... 3-21
ABS warning light ................................... 3-6
Air filter element.................................... 6-19
Anti-theft alarm (optional) ..................... 3-17
Auxiliary light bulb, replacing ................ 6-39BBattery .................................................. 6-31
Brake and clutch fluids, changing ......... 6-26
Brake and clutch levers, checking and lubricating ..................... 6-28
Brake and shift pedals,
checking and lubricating ..................... 6-27
Brake fluid level, checking .................... 6-25
Brake lever ........................................... 3-20
Brake lever free play, checking ............ 6-23
Brake light switches .............................. 6-24
Brake pedal .......................................... 3-21CCables, checking and lubricating .......... 6-27
Care ........................................................ 7-1
Catalytic converters .............................. 3-25
Clutch lever.................................. 3-19, 6-23
Coolant ................................................. 6-16
Coolant temperature warning light.......... 3-5
Cowling and panels,
removing and installing......................... 6-8DDimmer switch ...................................... 3-18EEngine break-in ...................................... 5-3
Engine idling speed, checking .............. 6-19
Engine oil and oil filter cartridge ........... 6-11
Engine stop switch................................ 3-18 Engine trouble warning light .................... 3-5
EXUP system ........................................ 3-31
FFinal gear oil.......................................... 6-14
Front and rear brake pads, checking .... 6-24
Front fork, adjusting .............................. 3-27
Front fork, checking...............................6-29
Fuel ....................................................... 3-23
Fuel consumption, tips for reducing ........ 5-3
Fuel level warning light............................ 3-5
Fuel tank breather hose and
overflow hose ...................................... 3-24
Fuel tank cap......................................... 3-22
Fuses, replacing .................................... 6-33HHandlebar switches ............................... 3-18
Hazard switch........................................ 3-19
Headlight bulb, replacing....................... 6-35
High beam indicator light......................... 3-4
Horn switch ........................................... 3-18IIdentification numbers ............................. 9-1
Ignition circuit cut-off system ................. 3-32
Immobilizer system .................................3-1
Immobilizer system indicator light ........... 3-6
Indicator lights and warning lights ........... 3-4LLicense plate light bulb, replacing ......... 6-37
Luggage strap holders .......................... 3-31MMain switch/steering lock ........................ 3-2
Maintenance and lubrication, periodic..... 6-4
Maintenance, emission control system ... 6-3
Matte color, caution .................................7-1 Model label ............................................. 9-1
Multi-function display .............................. 3-8
NNeutral indicator light .............................. 3-4OOil level warning light .............................. 3-4PParking.................................................... 5-4
Part locations .......................................... 2-1
Pass switch ........................................... 3-18SSafety information ................................... 1-1
Seats..................................................... 3-25
Shifting .................................................... 5-2
Shift pedal ............................................. 3-20
Shift timing indicator light ........................ 3-6
Shock absorber assembly, adjusting .... 3-29
Sidestand .............................................. 3-31
Sidestand, checking and lubricating ..... 6-29
Spark plugs, checking........................... 6-10
Specifications.......................................... 8-1
Speedometer unit ................................... 3-7
Starting the engine.................................. 5-1
Start switch ........................................... 3-18
Steering, checking ................................ 6-30
Storage ................................................... 7-4
Supporting the motorcycle .................... 6-39
Swingarm pivots, lubricating ................. 6-29TTail/brake light ...................................... 6-36
Throttle grip and cable,
checking and lubricating ..................... 6-27
Throttle grip free play, checking............ 6-20
Tires ...................................................... 6-20
U2S3E3E0.book Page 1 Monday, September 19, 2011 8:42 AM