Yet Another EFI Conversion on 1980 XJ650

Hi everyone!



Winter is coming... and I will not be riding in it.

Just a little bit about me, I'm an 18 certified NJ EMT (been so for 2 years ) .. who decided to move out to Washington state to pursue a police career after I got out of highschool. I want to be police down in the town of Vancouver ( close to portland ). They're losing over half their force to retirement over the next 5 years. You have to be 21, to apply.

Now about my goal.

I like carburetors a lot less than most XJ people probably do. At least I think I do. I currently live in a small town of 600 about 20 miles from the Washington town of Centralia. We have an elevation of about 900 ft above sea level. While that isn't huge, I ride to Vancouver and seattle, and into Oregon, and all over. My motorcycle isn't insanely reliable either. If I let it sit for a couple days I'll need to use starter fluid to start it up.

This makes me think that it is a fuel problem, and something in the carburetor sticks, and then a tad of starter fluid helps kick it out.

So, instead of messing with that, I kind of wanted a bit more gain in power. Depending on the jets if I am higher or lower in sea level the bike will run richer, or leaner, as everyone might know.

So how do I solve this? Well I've already come up with a solution for me. Convert to EFI.. run more efficient and have fun with the bike. I love to play with this bike.

So as for converting it I understand what I need.


Computer - Microsqirt
Sensors: Intake Air Temp, Bar map,
Fuel pump
Throttle Body
Trigger Wheel
Redo Wiring Harness + Add fuses
Filters of some sort
Wideband o2 Sensor
Maybe coil-pack / wire changes.

So, I don't really think I want to use the stock rubber manifold boots.

I plan to make my own.

I haven't done it yet, but this is my mock up.

3 Inch Aluminum cylinder. Cut in 4 pieces, ( 4 manifolds. )



Then connect radiator hose to throttle body, and manifold. The closer together the better. ( And clamp )

Waiting for parts and a paycheck.

Still have some details to work out.

Oh, and this is my bike. Her name is Veronica



Painting her yellow since a side cover piece fell off on the freeway. I had to purchase another one, and it doesn't match. Plus the tank has scratches.

 

Looking forward to this and NJ for the win

 

User Pumba did a conversion a few years ago. You'll have to do a search for the thread. It took quite a lot longer than one winter to get the bike running.
In the mean time you can spend a few hours and get your bike running correctly so you can ride it while you gather what you need for an EFI conversion.

Click the Information Overload link in my signature and scroll down to the section on carburetors. Check out the valve adjustment threads as well if you haven't done that. It's not that difficult to get an XJ back to being a reliable machine again.

 

Quite possibly. I work part time currently. Usually get all my hours with in 3 days. That leaves 4 days to play. I have a feeling a lot less time is going to be associated with the actual conversion.. but more getting stuck hex bolts out, and stuck EVERYTHING OUT.


Currently I need to find replacement intake manifold bolts.

 

There is plenty of carb hate out there.

Trouble is, it's more expensive and labor-intensive to fit an EFI conversion, as there are no ready-made ones.

First difficulty is throttle bodies. Your mounting setup looks OK, but what are you going to be mounting to it?

I would suggest using silicone tube they make for intakes rather than radiator hose.

 

Hello.

So I found an EFI conversion on an XJ700 by the fellow named Gennro.

He'd done a lot of work, and he used the 2003 GXR600 throttle bodies. I decided I'd go with it, and I'm using 2002 GXR600 throttle bodies. ( 01-03 are the same. ) I found them on Ebay for $75 obo, I offered $60, and he accepted. ( Free shipping too wooo. ) I'd found a lot of 01-03s for $100+ and shipping easily.





Those are 38mm throttle bodies, while we use the Hitachi HSC32 Carb 32mm ones. ( Correctly if I am wrong, but don't they measure the intake portion, and not the part that goes against the head. )

The fellow Gennro was about to squeeze those into the boots that he had, stock. Instead I'm just going to make my own. I'm not really interested in sqeeeeezing the throttle bodies into cracked nasty carb boots. I'd just rather make my own.

As long as the throttle bodies ID's aren't grossly larger than the boot ID's we'll be ok.

I also looked at CBR600 throttle bodies, as they were more common, and cheaper.



They looked great on one size, but then..



Ok.. CBR nogo.

 

FYI:

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=35431.html
https://www.perthstreetbikes.com/forum/ ... p?t=108439
http://users.hal-pc.org/~dhutch/mainframe.html
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3 ... genro.html
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... genro.html

Cheers

 

I really liked the link with the microsquirt information.

Thank you very much!!

 

A weeee bit off the topic of EFI... but something I had planned on doing for awhile.




I am letting the last bits of clearcoat on top dry. Then I'll wait until tomorrow to polish & wax.

I really wasn't a big fan of a blue bike, but yellow... that is a great color.

( The clearcoat, is USC Spray Max 2k High Gloss Clearcoat Aerosol, it is apparently gas resistant and after spraying it onto the panels it gives an amazing shine without even polishing yet. )

As for the color - Dupli-Color BFM0363 Chrome Yellow Ford Exact-Match Automotive Paint - 8 oz. Aerosol

It looks really nice in my opinion so far. I haven't put all the pieces on the bike yet though.

 

UPDATE!



So I finally got my throttle bodies in after 15 days of waiting. I removed the manifold boots from the engine. (Without breaking a hexbolt too!!)

They the boots can stretch over. However the throttle bodies don't completely align with the boots, so stretching and maneuvering them will be required.

This lead me to the fact that my boots are cracked, and as hard as a rock. They honestly need to be replaced.

4 Boots for a 1980, non YICS engine costs

HCP21225 OEM Yamaha rubber INTAKE MANIFOLDS, complete set of 4 intake manifolds (2 left and 2 right). Manifolds only; you must order all accessory pieces (manifold-to-head gaskets, nipple plug caps, bolts, etc.) separate. all 1980-81 XJ650 Maxim, XJ650 Midnight Maxim, 1982 XJ650RJ Seca, and all 1980-81 XJ650 Euro models. Set of 4:
$ 279.95

Or

HCP535LH OEM Yamaha rubber INTAKE MANIFOLD, used on the two left cylinders (#1 and #2). Manifold only; you must order all accessory pieces (manifold-to-head gaskets, nipple plug caps, bolts, etc.) separate. Fits all 1980-81 XJ650 Maxim, XJ650 Midnight Maxim, and 1982 XJ650RJ Seca models, and all 1980-81 XJ650 Euro models. Each:
$ 69.95

HCP536RH OEM Yamaha rubber INTAKE MANIFOLD, used on the two right cylinders (#3 and #4). Manifold only; you must order all accessory pieces (manifold-to-head gaskets, nipple plug caps, bolts, etc.) separate. Fits all 1980-81 XJ650 Maxim, XJ650 Midnight Max
$ 79.95

So, wow these are expensive.

This lead me looking into an engine swap. I've always wanted a 750 in this bike, but I did not prevail, and I couldn't find a reasonably priced 750 that comes with relatively new boots.

Upon further digging I found a 1982 650 parts bike that would work great for me.

For $120 and driving 120 miles, I purchased a parts bike that has almost everything except an exhaust, starter, rectifier, batteries, pick-up coil, carbs, gauges, front brakes, turn signals and probably other things that I'm forgetting.

The best part is the frame of the bike is significantly better than my current frame. The included suspension is better, front forks aren't nasty, the engine looks to be in pretty good shape. The manifolds look brand new, and bits and pieces aren't rusted. It looks like a very nicely maintained bike.



The far bike is the parts bike I just purchased, and mine is the closest one in the picture.

I think I'm going to swap parts to the new bike, a newer and fewer miles engine, and overall better quality will give me a nice platform to work on.

I think I'm going to paint the engine gloss black.

Oh, and the new manifold boots are stretched over the flanges on the throttle bodies. Currently I'm waiting for the fuel injection wiring harness bits, my ignition upgrade parts, and microsquirt.

 

This is quite an old thread, but I'm wondering how it turned out. I'm looking to do the same thing with the same bike. I'm just tired of messing with the carbs. It never runs right and it guzzles fuel like it's free. Did the throttle bodies line up correctly with the engine? That's really my only concern with throttle bodies.

 

It probably didn't.

The forums are littered with EFI conversion threads. Most go as far as figuring out prices. A few start work. Almost none actually finish it.

I think the only completed ones I have seen are this one

https://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/pumba-the-xj750-project.23014/

and the one discussed here

https://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/700x-efi-conversion.127988/

Yeah, I have been thinking about it for... 8-9 years now?

Haven't pulled the trigger on anything.

 

@hogfiddles offers a carb rebuild service. He charges fairly and you’d only have to fine-tune idle mixtures and do a running synch.

 

Carbs are not real hard to rebuild and synch . EFI is nice but you have many things that are required to all work together. The biggest thing is crank timing and trigger . Even if you could get the setup from a sport bike it is going to require machining and a detailed understanding of electronics , fuel pump and getting sensors mounted in the exhaust system ...agree with the above members many have tried ...but few have succeeded . Not only that even if you get the parts from another bike it is still going to cost more money than is probably worth the trouble.

 

This may be of interest

The only reason I can see for converting to EFI is the fuel "quality". Moden ethanol fuel goes off quickly and can cause blockage and corrosion inside carbs if the bike is left alone for extended periodes. This generally does not happen with EFI. My BMW F800 has an EFI without a return-line, a system that would make it simpler to change old models over from carbs.

 

Jet fixer is right - efi ing anything is a lot of work just to install the hardware. Then you need to be able to tune it to at least better than Yamaha managed with the carbs. Doable yes, cheap no. A time consuming but interesting project - shure. You’ll still need to clean your fuel tank inside though..

 

That can happen even without using ethanol blends.

 

Oh, absolutely, but usually at a much slower pace and with far less corrosion in my experience. Personally, I have no particular issues with the current fuel I get here in Norway, despite claims it can be up to 5% ethanol, and my bikes can sit for 6 months and still fire up readily, with no clogging of the carbs. (Well, the idle jet in one carb got partially clogged on my XVS650 after it sat for 8 months, but I never found the real culprit as the carbs were spotless visually inside. After blowing carb cleaner through the jet and channel, all was fine.)

However, I have read many complaints, especially from California, where some claim fuel can go off even in cars in as little as a month.

Project Farm did a test between ethanol-enriched and non-ethanol fuel