'83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim - Update: Now Running!

Here we go.... 2nd Bike.

It's a little rough around the edges, but for $75, I couldn't turn it away.

Found it on Craig's list. 'Bout peed myself when I saw the post.

He even had the title for it.

Only 2 major issues I can tell so far. There is a chunk of metal taken out of the engine casing when the side cover was ripped off ( in an apparent accident ). I'm hoping it was a clean break and didn't cause any fractures. Also, there is a lot of oil buildup at the bottom, so we may have some leakage somewhere.

Minor issues include general cleanup ( rust, dirt, oil, etc. ), grips, turn signals on the left side, spark plugs, air filter, carb clean and sync, oil change, battery charge / new battery.

I'll find out more when I disassemble it...

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Nice pickup for $75!

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Royal score Gremlin!!!! Looks like the front forks are tweaked too. I wouldn't worry about the chunk, it isn't critical. Of course if smart guy had installed case savers in the first place, it wouldn't be in that condition. Quite the find for $75! How could you go wrong?

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Parted out you could make a score on that thing.

Heck, if the tank was clean, and if it fit on a 650...

Good score though. A bit of work, getting running ok, you could probably sell it for 3 or 4 times that.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

It does!

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Oh hell, I'll give you $150 for it right now! 8)

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Good deal. Looks much better than the '83 I got off Craigs for $150

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Great find!
Looks like the lower pickup coil is trashed!

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Looks like the Brake Pedal kissed the Clutch Cover; too.

All that aluminum is fixable. Search: Dura-Fix on the web!

http://durafix.com/

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Since we are all here admiring his find......I have a question. Looking at pic #5, under the valve cover a the intake cam position there is a rusted bolt in the cylinder head. What the He** is that for? Been bugging me for quite some time that it could be a place to install a temp gauge.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

RickO..thanks for the link...I didn't know there even was stuff like that.

Joe

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Is that an access to the YICS? My bike doesn't have that feature (I think I'm glad), so I can't say. But I believe that's what it is.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

No. The YICS gallery is here. He's talking about this bolt.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

There is one of those bolts on each side & I'm sure they are to allow the YICS tool entrance.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Gamuru: those pics didn't quite work right. The arrow on both pics is outside the picture area, and pointing at the lower left corner.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Here's a link that may be a better picture ( 3rd picture in thread ) of the YICS chamber bolt in question.

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... art=0.html

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Foiled again!!! Just for my knowledge, which internet browser are you using. And does anyone else have the same problem. (Maybe I should ask if it actually works on anyone else's computers... that list may be shorter :mrgreen If you wish to respond, pm me with whether it does or not and which browser you're using, please. That way we can stay on topic.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Yes. I have the same problem.
Mozilla Firefox.
But, I think its because my picture space is used up.
I have used all 5 of the megabytes for photos.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

I don't have all my picture space used up, and it does appear to be an issue with Firefox. I brought up IE on the same machine, and the pics worked fine.

Anybody got a copy of Opera they can try it with?

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

No, but I bet this guy does:

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

It worked for me and Gamuru has the bolt I'm talking about. And for the record, I have taught and tuned at 3 carb clinics so I know where the freaking YICS bolts are!

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

On my bike there is no bolt there, just a casting protrusion with what looks like an alloy plug inside. There are several others just like it in various places around the engine, all with the same plug. I don't think theres an oil gallery there because it appears to go straight across the intake port.

According to a TSB on Yamaha.com, the center screw in most of our oil drain plugs is there to insert a temperature probe for shop testing. I found that little tidbit while I was looking up the part number for the cam sprocket bolt

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

The Rusty Hex with Cross-Head Slots isn't the YICS Passage. That Plug Head is hidden in the shadows.

I don't have a fastener, there, on my 750 Max. I have a Blind in that spot.

My guess is that the Blind Plug leaked ... they tapped it and stuck that Hex fastener inn there to stop the bleeding.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Don't think so because I have the same bolt on my '83. I am thinking now that it may have been added one year. It is only on that side of the engine too. The other side has a factory plug which is normally installed into a drilled port.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Anything come out of it when you loosen it?

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

I did pull that bolt out. It appears to be something more functional than a temp probe bolt as there is a galley behind it that leads to something. What that something is, I haven't discovered yet.

It sure is. Anyone know where I can find a replacement? Maybe someone has a parts bike I can buy one off of? I'd also buy it new if anyone knew where to get them, but I haven't seen them anywhere so far.

I'm looking for the left footrest if anyone has one / knows where to get one? It needs the mounting as the previous one was ripped off.

Also, as a cosmetic fix, I'm in the market for a chrome headlight bezel to replace the one that met the pavement in it's most recent crash.

I did pull the carbs apart tonight and it seems as though someone recently cleaned them. They are spotless ( compared to my 650 ) So I'm hoping that they just crashed it and put it away. It also had a clean air filter which helps to support this theory.

I have not gotten into to the oil yet.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Have you been checking out ebay?
I remeber seeing a set and found them (link below).... only 10 hrs left to end of auction. Not certain on a match to yours, it's late and just wanted to give you a heads up!
http://cgi.ebay.ca/81-Yamaha-XJ750-XJ-7 ... dZViewItem

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

So if it is a galley then it has to be an oil galley. Therefore an oil temp gauge or oil pressure gauge may work if mounted there. I can feel those rusty gears in my brain turning! 8)

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

I was just looking at my 82 Max 750 today and wondering about that same bolt and thought at first the others were broke off glad i read this one

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Ebay is your friend.. I would contact that seller and see if you can buy the set he has privately. Otherwise, they are still available special order from the dealer (you have to buy the complete plate, with both coils and harness) for $310.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Hey Grem, I have a good used pickup coil assembly that is correct for your bike: plate, both pick-up coils, wire harness lead. But it has the end connector (5-wire termianl) cut off, you'll have to splice your original back onto it! My part number HCP501. $ 15.00 plus shipping

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Chacal, I'll take it. I sent you a PM with my shipping info. Let me know how much for shipping and I'll get the money sent your way.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

$75 - 1 Motorcycle
$25 - Part from Chacal
$25 - Part from Ebay
Spending 3 Saturdays bringing an old motorcycle back from the dead - Priceless!

This was exactly as I was hoping for! It seems as though the PO's PO dropped a perfectly working bike ( rendering it undrivable ), sold it to the PO ( who left it out in the rain for a year ), and sold it to me.

I have run into a few oddities however:

1) In neutral, I can push the bike forward just fine, however it will not ( easily ) be pushed backwards. Maybe poor bushings?
2) The Tachometer does not work. Suggestions on where to start looking?
3) The oil level light comes on occasionally, although I did a filter and fluid change and re-filled with the recommended amount. I really don't think it's actually low.

The only other thing is when I took it out to see what it could to, under hard acceleration, it appears to be slipping. I have yet to correctly re-adjust the clutch cable, so that's probably why that's happening.

 

Re: '83 XJ750 Midnight Maxim

Your flickering oil light and slipping clutch could be from crud built up on the sensor and plates. Run the fresh oil in there a few miles and see if the issues clear up. If not, pour in some Marvel Mystery oil before your next oil change (remove some of the oil first), run it a few miles (100+ is good) and then change the oil again. If you haven't gotten satisfaction by this point, I would yank the sensor and clean it. Then I would replace the clutch.
On the tach, is the instrument movement intact? Mine wouldn't work cause the coil burned out (wonder how that happened). Ohm out the movement windings. Got access to an ocilliscope? Check for an input at the instrument cluster. Don't have one? Use an automotive multimeter on the Frequency or Duty Cycle settings. They will tell you if your getting a pulse.
Let us know what you find out.

 

For seventy five bucks, that's pretty rad.

My partner's Seca has those same grips. I don't know who ever thought sponge grips were a good idea, but they're annoying as hell. It's like holding onto a nerf football.

 

It's not unusual for the Oil Light to flicker or come right on in cool weather.
The Engine Block remains pretty cool and the rate of scavenge to the sump is slowed causing the warning light to come on.

Happens with XJ Bikes that aren't filled to the top of the sight glass.
Happens with XV Bikes no matter how much oil is in 'em.