What did you do to your Yamaha today?

did you replace the donuts on the bolts that secure the cover? they dry out and do not apply pressure to the cover so you get a leak.
read the valve adjustment thread and you will see a method to install cover gasket that works well.
Bigfitz's AIRHEAD VALVE ADJUSTMENT with Pics - parts I & II

 

oil change for the 550 today. I was having issues with oil light coming on. did a seafoam treatment a few days ago for rode 200 miles. issue gone.
FYI when doing an oil change after draining oil turn key on to check the oil level sensor. the light should come on.

 

Ride faster. wind chill does not do much above 60 degrees.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heat_index

 

What size screens go under float needle for xj750 maxim

 

Many people don't worry about those as long as they have an inline filter. Or so I've heard! Mine were trashed and I left them off. Haven't tried to run it yet but I don't expect any trouble.

Today I broke my carb rack back down and replaced the throttle shaft seals with pairs of X- and O-rings. Makes a little smaller stack than a pair of O-rings. Also its was still a tiny bit tighter than I'd like so I made a set of thinner thrust washers. Got them all happy snug, not tight.

 

I allways remove those screens and install an inline or keep yr tank clen and say eff it.
They are the worst place to plug, have to pull the rack, any sediment that get past a good shape OE in tank filter is so small it should pull thru the carb or settle in the bowl.
Easier drain yr bowls once in a blue moon to remove sediment than clean those screens.
(I do it beginning of each every season, petcock on PRI prime, loosen each drain screw in order till fresh smelling and colour fuel flows out each bowl, resets petcock to ON start and ride as normal)
Note: i fill my tank fresh premium, petcock ON (Off with engine off) for storage. Thats all.

 

Btw, i rode my bike today... Just cruised a while on the highway for shits n giggles.
Really enjoyed passing a motorhome pulling a car... 3rd gear passes to the pin...

 

Put close to 600km(370 miles) on the bike today. Was up to the in laws cottage on the weekend drove the minivan. My daughter's friend forgot her wallet there 3hrs away, so took the bike to go get it today!!Great weather only hit rain for 1/2 hour. Added to the winter to do list... better foam in the seat and hwy pegs.

 

such a good dad to endure 3 hours to get your daughter's friends wallet.

 

Three hours each way. Now I'm sure that the bike is good and can be trusted, I mean that girl needed her wallet

 

Yes sir, I replaced the rubber donuts and followed Bigfitz's guide. I can't figure out why with a new valve cover gasket, new rubber donuts and the right technique why I'm still getting a little blow by. I checked the breather vent from crank case to air box to make sure that wasn't blocked. Just wanting to rule out other variables.

 

Heat wave over here (and my wife could bring the kids to their surf camp) so took the bike to work. It instantly makes the day better, even if it is a bit of a hassle (clothes, laptop, etc.). Can't wait to do this with my XJ!

 

clothes should be worn when riding

 

So last weekend I was finishing up carb work , cleaned float bowl jets , big change bike starts without choke ,and just have to open a bit . Was color tuning all good till number 2 cylinder , barely any spark , unthreaded plug cap cut off end and rethread no joy, put plug back ran okay . So on my way home went to my local Yamaha/KTM dealer (drooling over the KTM) bought 4 new NGK resistor caps 16$ , this is an older dealer and the owner is very helpful . I helped him out I told him about xj4ever he saved it to his favorites , he said he has a few other xj owners looking for parts so felt good to help . Came home put new caps on , I think all 4 were original, fired up idled good , and took it out cranked it open WOW hit 70 much faster than before , and actually had to set idle down a bit . Taking a vacation day might take bike out for a real ride tomorrow.

 

its called a Mental health day

 

My mental health day was great , rode just a little under 500 miles (short by 15 miles) , the new resistor caps really seemed to help , bike performed great except the fuel gauge blanking out several times (I know what it is ,the plug just did not bother to fix on side of the road.) Got a nice straight and recently repaved road with no traffic cranked it wide open ( I swear I was only doing"55" ) stable with no shimmy . One reason I rode as far as I went was seen my daughter ,she was surprised when I walked into the bank she works at, visited my 89 year old grandma, and looked at my dad's new Slingshot, he just put the taller windshield on and the top kit ...all in all a good day, good weather just enjoyed riding .

 

Sold it. I’ll miss you Betsy

 

Okay sooo I'm no spring chicken anymore ,after my nice 500 mile ride ( rode 15 miles today which made the 500 mile mark) I am so sore now did not feel it yesterday , but after the miserable spring and lack of riding chances , I'm making up for it. So last night after getting home checked over bike , pulled plugs all looked okay except for number 2 very lean , out came colortune plug , tweaked mixture screw got to ride some and see how plug looks.

 

It takes awhile to beat the muscles into submission

 

Not saying you didn't do it right, but it's not unusual to have the gasket slightly askew without knowing it, because it's so easy to bump things while installing (it's awfully close quarters). I've also had the same issue, and it could be something as simple as either mounting surfaces not being as clean and flat as they should be (areas with varnish/burnt oil) or poor gasket surfaces from lax quality control at the factory. You may need to just try another new gasket.

 

Or the valve cover itself has warped.....Yamaha recommend that it be checked for straightness in their service procedures.

 

Sent the 81 Seca down the road to a new owner/home. Hope he gets many miles/yrs of fun out of her. More focus time on the XS1100!

 

I managed to break off a rear signal lens today. Just accidentally hit it with my arm and it fell off. Lots of unseen cracks in it.
Wiped the seat down with some veg oil today after it sitting for about 2 weeks after the repair and reconditioning. The veg oil pulled up even more dirt, some of the lanolin and it soaked right in so the pores are still open from the summer heat. I'll finish it up with a weekly mineral oil wipe down. It could take several weeks of application to saturate the vinyl. As it is right now if feels like worn leather and sits great, I just want to make sure the plasticizer volume is good before winter.

 

I think I'm changing my name to Johnny Black Cloud, got put on a 90 day PIP at work new director and I do not see eye to eye, wrecked my beetle, my eng light on my Dakota is on O2 sensor there are 4 and of course the one it looks like the worst to do, drained my pool and replaced 2 valves due to cracked , refilled pool and now the main shut off valve cracked and I cant get it off. My wife is having some health problems on top of being on dialysis. Still waiting on insurance adjuster finally got car towed home, only victory I had to cut off the hood handle just to get hood open on beetle . But only good thing rode XJ for a couple of miles felt good and put a smile on my face .

 

Did pretty much an "iron butt 1000." About 1000KM from Colorado springs to Kansas City. Tomorrow will be Kansas City to Tuscaloosa, AL.

 

Man, what a trooper!

 

And about 1250 miles back from Tuscaloosa to Colorado Springs? Is all that on a naked 750 Seca? I hurt just thinking about it - stay safe and enjoy.

 

I would think you would be buzzing just from one of those long trips. Yes be safe and enjoy!

 

Feel for you Jetfixer I have had those days/years. Sometimes the little things like a ride can change the tide good luck.

 

Not so mechanical. But i rode my XJ600 -85 for 75km today. Personal record in riding distance for me and my second time riding a bike! Love my XJ!

 

Been shooting some video while I put the top end back together on the 550. Camera stand made from a hacked up rolling magnifier kit I got from work's inventory purge pile.
Had to create a ballast for the counter springs. Lead always works.

 

hope there is some bear in that coke machine.

 

Nope. Don't like malt stuff. It's all soda. Keeps the kids from consuming all of my Mt Dew and Pepsi before I have a chance to get my morning caffeine.
I have a remote control for it but the kids have to pay $.50 or ask. And.. they're ICE cold. Many cans come out with ice on them even when it's 98F in the garage.
I prefer tequila for my fire water.

 

Remember, sharing is caring. ;-)

 

I don't suspect there will be a final video for editing. I did post a video on YT a while back with the cam install and clearance tests.

 

went for a ride, took some pictures
https://i.ibb.co/ZWdJr7t/seca-as.jpg
https://i.ibb.co/zSCbyfk/seca-b.jpg

 

Wow your bike looks great.

 

I did fork seals today.

 

Oil too I hope? Great smelling stuff.

 

I thought perhaps I needed to.

 

what is that part under the headlight ?

 

that's a led light, comes on with the high beam

 

Replaced starter today.

 

Walked by the disassembled engine and hissed at it..

 

I hear you! I replaced the bent bars on my WR250 today, low speed get off. Then looked at the leaking fork seal that I replaced 1000km's ago on the Maxim it was good for 600-700 km and just shook my fist at it. The crossover box needs a hole welded again......

 

I really don't mind welding, even in the heat. At least I can walk away, cool off, grind it down and start over if it goes south. This bike is kicking me in the wallet and the head. The piston rings keep slicing my index finger because I keep forgetting how sharp they are when you lose your grip while trying to spin it off the piston(for the 6-8th time). The only big restoration project I've done that was not a hair puller and boot kicker was the EZGO TXT 36V golf cart. It was a LOT of labor and a decent amount of $ but I only ran into minor repair and upgrade issues. Plus, I made a few bucks on the sale. Mostly it was dealing with the cheap box "lift" that someone put on the spring setup. Thin square tube which had already been eroded half through from salt. 6 deep cell batteries and a 100lb steel frame on that?

 

Still feel like Johnny Blackcloud ...finally got my parts from Rock Auto my 2011 Chevy HHR was throwing a code for the VVT Timing sensor showing Intake went ahead and replaced both intake and exhaust. Replaced yesterday and today replaced the O2 bank 2 sensor on 05 Dodge Dakota cleared codes and so far so good . We have emission tests must not have engine light or you cant get licence plate tabe ...been working on my beetle , but managed to go for a short ride it had rained heavy here ,put a mile on my face

 

Been falling a flood for 2 days here. Yard is swamp and humidty is 100%, 92F. Uggghhh... not working in the garage. The armored limo is never going to leave my driveway at this rate.

 

I finally moved my XJ to my new shop! My first shop and it will be dedicated to the final stages of my resto-mod. Cheers everyone

 

Took a ride down to the dealer and had an encounter: