1982 XJ550 Maxim rebuild

All stripped down and ready for some sanding. Gonna cost over $500 for the frame to blast and powdercoat, so doing it myself.

 

Someone broke off the main tube on #4. Plus, there are 2 missing idle jets. The carb kits won't be used at this point.

 

Oh joy, that one's been water logged. Time for a new carb set. I need to use this one for parts at this point.

 

A little rust here and there, but the frame is in good shape. The bearings in the head are shot, gotta figure out what I'm gonna do.

 

From what I see the only one that won't be able to be cleaned up and used is the one with the broken idle jet tube.
My spare set was far worse looking inside than those are, and I've had the bike running with them after cleaning and rebuilding them.

Chacal stocks headstock bearing sets, both the original ball bearings and roller bearing upgrades.

 

I have Berrymans gallon dip and an ultrasonic hot bath, just concerned with needle seat being pitted. I have a 4-carb rebuild kit with only the main jet. Bores and slide setups are fine. Finding one carb body for this is gonna be nearly impossible.

Thanks, I will get up with chacal on bearings.

 

Lots of people on here. Most have parts stashes, and have supplied single carb bodies before.

 

It's the carb hot tub. First time using SuperClean and will be coming out, too much foam and it leaves oily foam stuck to the alum. Back to my trusty Simple Green Aircraft cleaner. Not cheap but man does it work.





Break out the brushes and Berryman Chem-Dip. Did I mention how much I dislike carbs? Give me a Motec and a gas engine with injectors and I am happy. I mean I have no prob working on them I just prefer more control. Hmm.. wonder if I could design an injection kit for this series..

 

Simple Green is not friendly to aluminum. Take care on how long you leave the carb bodies in, or they will become permanantly discolored.

 

This is not the stuff you buy at Autozone. It is made specifically to deoxidize and degrease alum and brass on aircraft parts. I use it on all metals and plastics with no issues. You always have to time the soaks to avoid deplating of cheap parts, though.


Simple Green 13405 Extreme Aircraft and Precision Cleaner, 5 Gallon Bottle https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001PARWXC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_AjGHCb9PKAE5C

 

Ahhh, the good stuff, not the original (which is good for its own reasons).

I find the claim that is contains no solvents to be hilarious. Water is a solvent. So is the Glycol Ether. If there were no solvents in it the product wouldn't work very well. Marketing is a funny thing sometimes.

 

Agreed. The stuff will pickle your skin if you leave it on it. I know from experience. The marketing looks to be targeted to large dipping tanks where VOCs are a real problem when you're cleaning a landing gear tube or whole engine case for rebuild. That said, it works like a champ in the ultrasonic tank on carbs. 15 minutes in there(depending on soil, may need a scrub) and then 30 minutes in the chem-dip and it's new again.

 

it would be better to remove the throttle shaft and butterflies before dipping berrymans is going to eat the throttle shaft seals

 

+1 assume that the throttle shaft seals are no longer seals.

 

I love supper clean as well, but it more than cleans them carbs, looks like it eats them a bit. I am sure they will be okay but I also think that if not removed and then hit with some type of oil, grease or something to almost counter what the supper clean is doing. If you used super clean on them with the throttle shafts still in there, those seals are done. I hope you find someone that has a spare carb body for you.

 

Well I am not too concerned with the shaft seals. I have had to weld tits onto screws all over this carb setup due to seizing. Even torch and squirrel pee did not work. I will be pulling the butterflies out anyway and rebuilding the carbs completely. The vacuum slides and diaprams are still good. floats are OK and the carb kits came with new needle and seat pairs. Cams incoming tomorrow, so carbs going on the side burner until head is done. I still need #4 carb body, 2 drain screws, rack screws and a pilot jet at this point.

 

www.xj4ever.com carries those parts

 

I got some video of making some tiny screw snow men, a few hard 'cracks' on the bowl drain screws and a couple rack screws that someone stripped. If I didn't have a TIG I'd be drilling those out and then buying new carbs because I suck at that. I'll try to get some video of the cam work tonight and put it all together.

 

Were you using a JIS screwdriver?