Seca650 No spark

when I lived in MA the State combined dmv cops court officers and metro water cops with the state police . so a registry cop was now a state Trooper and could do the vin and sieze the car/bike. up here in NH DMV are not Police you can drive into dmv unregistered un licensed and uninspected and they can not do anything . they also can not do vin checks
so it would take someone with a gun to get my bike.
in RI you go to city hall after the dmv, pay your taxes while a police officer does the vin check then sends you back to the dmv or seizes your car/bike after you pay the taxes.

 

VT DMV sent me this answer
Yes, you can register a vehicle in VT as a non-resident.

Thank you,

Ryan

 

This is interesting stuff. I ended up calling around and I found another CHP office that would do it June 19th as oppose to my original appointment at another office on July 9th. Apparently you can have this done at any CHP office in California, however, they may ask you what city you're in and tell you that you can only go to this office or that office. They probably do this so as to spread the wealth so to speak. In any case, I think there's some truth to just showing up at a police station and going for broke. I really don't know what goes on in a cops day, how busy they get, and so one but if there's a cop there with nothing to do why the heck not. I also might try just going to a cop on the street and simply asking. What's the worse that can happen?
Regardless, they do give a temporary permit type of license that allows me to legally operate the vehicle for two months during which time I am suppose to get it vin verified and return to the DMV for plates. So, I'm not worried and I can still enjoy the bike up until the appointment. Thank you for all of your input.

If I may, I'd like to turn the tides a bit and ask a few questions about my Caswell sealer. I'm not exactly thrilled with my results but I could be making it worse then it is. It turns out there are a few dime sized spots in the tank that did not get covered. I tried a second application and I still could not get every square inch of the tank! Ugh! Is this okay? I will recommend to not use the clear color sealer. If they have another color use that because it was hard to tell with the clear color if I got the whole tank or not. Feedback would be great.

 

Hey guys. Well, the tank was a success. No leaks and the gas comes out clear so I will leave that for now.

I was able to take it for a spin for the first time. Did about 20 miles and of course, discovered more problems. There's free play in the back wheel and it wiggles about an inch from side to side. Turns out that the pivot shaft assembly, mainly the bearing, that holds the shaft drive is in need of replacing. There are two different pivot shaft assemblies. One to hold the swing arm on the right side and one to hold the shaft drive on the left. My problem looks to be on just the shaft drive side. Thank god I didn't do any high speed riding. This obviously needs replacing and it's simple enough just labor intensive since it looks like I would have to take off the back tire. Does anybody have any suggestions/advice/ vids/articles/how-to's/ect. they could point me to. I can't seem to find anything.

 

there is a wheel bearing replacement how to if it is found to be needed
REAR WHEEL BEARING REPLACEMENT: How-To w/Pics

I do not know if the swing arm bearings have a how to thread.
you should replace both sides when you remove the swing arm
here is an exploded view
https://www.partzilla.com/catalog/yamaha/motorcycle/1982/xj650rj/rear-arm-suspension

it may be that you just need to retorque them

 

You are correct. Just needed a little torqueing. Thanks

 

Well, turns out the Caswell sealer did not do it's job. I have an extremely slow leak happening where it was before. Ending up ruining the paint on the frame. I put two applications in there. I guess I have to do another one. Ugh! Very frustrating. Why is this happening? After both applications I left the bike tilted so that all the remaining sealer makes it way to the end of the tank where the hole is and drys, twice!
What should I swish the bike with to get all the gas out of there? Would apple cider vinegar be good enough? Any suggestions would be great, thanks.

 

Where is the hole / leak? Is it anywhere near where the petcock mounts? Leaks can be deceptive and if you did not install a new gasket and special washers to mount the petcock they can leak very slowly from either location.

 

It's not the petcock. I kind of wish it was. The leak is at the very end of the tank almost at the corner right above the RR.

 

strip it all out and stat over, sounds like the sealer is not bonding to tank or you did not fully cover inside of tank

 

How do you strip it out?

 

What sealer did you use again?

 

Never mind, I reread.. Caswell sells a stripper for it. If it were mine I would use water and dye to find the leak, and then solder it from the outside. That part of the tank can be tricky to clean out well.

 

That sounds like a good idea, however, if the sealer isn't working wouldn't it be best to strip it out if the rest of the Caswell sealer could potentially start pealing away?

 

Before the tank sealer went wrong I was able to ride the bike for two days. Turns out the clutch pedal is extremely stiff. Also, when I shift from first to second it makes a "clack" sound and kind of hurts my foot. It shifts though and is fine in that regard and it doesn't get stuck or locked up it's just really stiff! I did change the oil already and adjusted the clutch cable to give it a little more play. What do you think? Need new clutch plates?

 

Well, attempt number two to fix the tank failed. I gathered supplies to solder the pinholes and I just couldn't do it. I tried about three times. I buffed out the area, sanded it, applies soldering flux paste then did the solder. Every time, gas just seamed to seep on by. It seems like an easy enough procedure so I have no idea why gas is getting through. Here's a pic of what I have to deal with. Any suggestions would be great. Thanks

 

If you have to keep that tank you might want to think about having it brazed. Just to be supper clear, anytime you put heat of open flame near a gas tank BAD things can happen. So brazing take a higher heat to do but one can do it them self's. I wold take it to a local shop and have it done if you have to keep that tank.

If there are those pin holes how many more could show up? Might be better off just getting a better looking tank from one of the folks here or from another source. IMHO

 

I've looked around quite a bit and can't seem to find another tank. It's tough.
What kin of shop would I take it too?

 

bike shop or radiator shop they may braze it or silver solder it. I had a tank done years ago and the bike shop used silver solder. not electrical or plumbing solder


here is a tank
https://www.ebay.com/itm/1982-Yamah...438280?hash=item364dcbd648:g:D~YAAOSwjTtc4tBR


ebay UK may also have a tank it will be called an XJ650 petrol tank as the seca name is not used in uk

 

read this thread for another option
https://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/fuel-tank-interchange-information.109290/


also try posting in the wanted forum for a xj650rj tank

 

Before I take apart the clutch I'd like to try this method of fixing the stiff clutch I found on xj4ever:

Pull the starter motor.....or, even better, the alternator shaft housing.......and shoot lots of solvent (seafoam, carb or brake cleaner, etc.) directly onto and into the Starter Clutch Assembly. Then, drain all of your engine oil and refill with fresh oil. Run the engine while on the centerstand until it's warmed up, drain the oil again, and fill with fresh oil. If the starter clutch was just sticking, this method may wash away enough of the accumulated gunk and set you on your way.

My only question is, how do you spray seafoam in there from the alternator?

 

cutaway of motor

https://www.xjbikes.com/forums/showcase/engineering.55/

 

Are you confusing the engine clutch and the starter clutch? The pulling of the starter / alternator and attempting to clean is addressing an issue where the starter clutch does not engage when cranking the bike and sounds like a rattling can full of rocks.

 

Ahhhhh, I guess I thought I was looking at the engine clutch and did not know there was a difference. ugh! Back to doing more research.

 

I just realized that I may have confused everyone when I said the CLUTCH PEDAL is stiff when in fact I meant the GEAR SHIFT PEDAL is stiff. It still shifts fine it's just a little stiff and when I shift from 1st to 2nd I get that "clack" sound and it kind of hurts my toes.

 

not every one, I knew you were talking about the shifter. I am sure others did too.

 

Gear shifting is done with shoes/boots on The bike will shift better when it is running and the oil gets pushed around a bit. If you put her on the center stand and move the back tire with your right hand and then try to shift, that will make a difference as well.

 

damn I have been riding barefoot all this time...... so now I gotta buy me some boots

 

So I'm about to go round 3 or 4 with this frickin' gas tank. The bike is ready to go and man do I want to tear it up but this dam tank is really a thorn in my side. I called Caswell and they informed me to use MEK to get it out but whoever I spoke to didn't seem very educated on it. My plan is to pour some MEK in there and let it sit for two days. Then, I'm going to throw a bike chain in there and shake it up. Then I'll let it sit for another couple of days and then repeat the process one more time. The thing is is that won't the MEK leak through the pinholes that are still there? I'm wondering if taking it to a radiator shop and letting them do it is the best way to go at this juncture. Any feedback would be great.

 

MEK will leak through pin hole .Mek is very strong and will ruin any paint it comes in contact with.

 

Not worried about the paint since I plan on repainting it. Just wondering if I should keep the MEK in there for a day and let the fumes do the work (I can store tank upside down where there are no holes) or take it out after an hour or so after swishing it around. I guess it's trial and error at this point.

 

I guess it depends on your budget, but I would call around and get some quotes. MEK is some really nasty stuff to work with - hazardous to your health and the environment if not properly disposed of.

 

do you happen to have a chunk of the tank liner material? if you do drop it in some mek and see how long it takes to melt or desolve should be quick

 

Take it to a welding shop and have that fixed the right way. You would hate to have gas flowing or leaking on a hot engine and or exhaust with no way of stopping it. I would not let a gas tank with holes worry me, I would have it done the right way and the safe way. IMHO

 

I'm having some rear tire issues. It cannot spin freely and if I torque down the nuts to the wheel axle too tight the tire cannot spin at all. I included pics to indicate that that is all I saw inside the wheel when I disassembled it. Is there suppose to be spacer in there in front of the bearing? I looked at a parts diagram and everything seems to be there. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

So, I've bee riding my Seca 650 for a couple weeks now and so far I have two concerns I feel need to be addressed. The first one is that oil is leaking from the drive train right where the cross joint is located. Is there suppose to be a gasket located there? Could it be I'm putting too much oil in the drive train?

The second concern is that the bike tends to start vibrating above 60mpg. It's not extremely noticeable but I can kind of feel it on the footrest and I can see that the bike is clearly vibrating when I look in the rear view mirrors and everything is fuzzy. However, city driving it runs to perfection. I've checked the brakes to make sure they're not binding but other than that I have no idea what to check. I haven't checked the valves yet but the engine sounds great so I didn't want to get too crazy with the engine. Is there a go-to check list of sorts to decrease vibration at high speeds or is this just the nature of the beast?

 

The XJ's do seem to have a "buzz" around 5k rpms which would be 60mph. Especially on a seca which uses solid engine mounts whereas a maxim uses rubber. Unless its excessive I wouldn't worry about that so much. I'm sure a more knowledgeable member will chime in with more sound advice.

 

seca 650 has solid motor mounts which may be the buzz you feel

 

Is there a way to put rubber mounts on?

 

Yes, but not easily, and there is some risk of damaging the cases.
The change doesn't eliminate the buzz (makes it a tad better though). The best step you can take is a good running synch to minimize it.
From your description the buzz is far worse than it will be after a running synch. If that doesn't fix it, then there is something wrong.

Loose motor mount bolts will make it buzz worse than if it were just out of synch, so check those too.

 

Besides the two brackets up front and the two engine bolts that also hold the foot pegs where else are there motor mounts on the Seca 650?

 

That's all of them.

The Seca cases have solid steel mounts pressed into the case ears, while the Maxims have rubber mounts that slip into place. The risk comes from pressing out the Seca mounts, as they are a slight interference fit. You'll need to have very good support for the ears.

There may also be a need to modify the steel collars on the front of the Maxim mounts for frame clearance. I had to slice a bit off (the outer diameter of the steel collar was a bit large) when I replaced my damaged original Seca 750 engine cases with Maxim cases.

 

Sounds like the spacer inside the final drive is missing

 

You are correct and I ordered one. Works good.

 

If you don't mind I'd like to revisit this high frequency vibration problem I've been having. I thought it was a speed thing but it turns out it's a high rpm thing. Basically when I hit 4500rpms the engine starts to vibrate. I figured this out going to 4500 in 1st gear and sure enough the bike starts to get fuzzy. I checked the valves and they're all within spec. I synched the carbs and they seem good. I read on one post that it might help to loosen and retorque the engine mount bolts. Is there anything else I can check? Also, does someone know what the torque specs are for those bolts?

 

Thank you. I hate to show my ignorance but which bolt is which? I included a picture

 

Well, I re-torqued the engine mounting bolts and it didn't change anything. Anybody have any other ideas why I'm getting vibration at 4500rpms? I tried checking the valves, synching the carbs, I changed the spark plug caps. Can't figure it out.

 

Nature of the engine. It was smooth for the era, but compared to a newer inline 4 it's buzzy (and right at the RPM you mention). Keep in mind that Seca engines are solidly mounted to the frame.
How bad would you describe it? Is it uncomfortable or just noticeable?

 

Actually K-moe I figured it out. Crappy aftermarket MIRRORS!!!!! The blurriness in the mirrors at high rpms were leading me to think there was something wrong with the entire bike. I changed the mirrors per a friends suggestion and I can see clear as a bell now. Bike runs great. Now, I have to change the fork seals. If anybody has any tutorials on changing fork seals they can send my way, please do. Thank you for your help.