hello!
A few words of introduction...
I'm new on this forum. Friends called me Wonski and im an owner of XJ 650, 1983. I live in Lodz, Poland. I bought my XJ few months ago, in April exacly. What else about me - im 20 and i study environmental protection. Ive got also Junak M10 from 1965. It's one of the most exiting and popular old polish motorcycle.
I ve got some questions for you about XJ, cause last time i had some technical problems... i hope you ll be glad to help me :)

First of all i ve got to change my cylinder head gasket. I bought today one produced in Italy. I hope it would be good. Would somebody of you be so kind to write me step by step how to change it? Is it easy to do it on my own?


Best regards!
Wonski

Well taking the head off is the easy part - the really critical part is to torque the head properly when you reinstall it. I don't know the torque values, although someone here should know them. If you over tighten or under tighten you will be in trouble in the not so distant future. :)

Right now you'll need to get/borrow a torque wrench and a clean worksite. Lift the tank and start from there. It shouldn't be too hard as you're not going deep into the engine.

Cheers,
woot.

Hei!
Thanks for answer. I know that torque the head property is the main thing in all heads of the world. Can you tell me one more thing, do I have to be prepared for any suprises changing the gasket? Do I have to use any special tools? Do I have to watch out for something specialy?

Thanks a lot

First of please dont let this insult you but I have seen several people pull this trick and I dont know how expirenced you are. These bikes have overhead cams which have a chain that runs over them and down around the crankshaft. So you have to remove those camshafts and dont go sticking screwdrivers between the head and cylinder block and prying up which is sure to ruin them. I am currently reassembling a bike that someone tried this. I bought it for 260 dollars and it is in great shape except for the above mentioned fact. Others stupidity is my gain.

Amazingly this is not the only case of it either because when I was a motorcycle mech 7 years ago I can recall several bikes coming in when the owner tried to do his own work without a shop manual. Read the manual several times over. Pay close attention to retiming the cam shafts, and setting valve lash. Turn over the motor by hand for 2 revolutions before using the starter to check that the valve timing isnt off and the valves are not contacting the piston.

While you have it apart I would check if there is a steep ridge at the top of the cylinders indicating significant wear. If so it would be cheaper to bore the cylinders and replace the pistons now instead of ruining that expensive head gasket just to have to do it again because things are not right.

Hopes this helps

Wonski you may want to invest in the Haynes manual - XJ650/750 it cost $20 dollars (or around 16 Euro at https://www.partsnmore.com/Merchant2/mercha...=Yes&Quantity=1 and they ship world wide. Even with the shipping the price should be right with the weak dollar to Euro ratio. Wonski I am in the same circumstance with my cylinder head. It’s starting to leak a little from the left. And will be attacking this problem with a new gasket this winter but I have never done this before as well.

hej!

Firebrick43 - I ve got experience, but unfortunately not in japanise motorcycles. It gonna be first time i repair the engine in my XJ and I just wanted to know if there is something what i ve got to be more careful. Or only I ve got to put down the head, change the gasket and put the heat on.

I dont want to change the prisons during this repair. Everything seems to be right. Good compresion, good power, no smoke. :)

Thanks for answear.

CTSommers - Thanks, I bought Hayness manual in Poland few days ago, but I am still waiting fot it :) They sent it by post. When i changed my gasked i will write you about my experience.

Thanks a lot.

cheers