1985 Yamaha FJ600

I have a gentleman in my area that is having problems with his FJ. He has been riding it around with the petcock on ON, but then when he parks it, he turns it to Prime. Now, I have informed him that that can be a bad thing if a float needle isn't closing all the way. He went out to start it and he said it puked about 2 quarts of gas/oil mix out of the airbox. I am thinking that it is because he had it on Prime while sitting. Any other reasons this could happen?

Thanks!

 

Sorry, I have to add this... He said it ran really rough for about ten seconds and then puked the gas/oil mix out and died.

 

Nope - that sounds like what happened.

Tell him to check his oil level - it should be way too full now. Drain it, replace oil filter... if it was only because it was left on prime then nothing to fix.

 

You may also direct this gentleman to obtain and read the correct owner's manual for his steed. All the manuals I've owned specifically spell out not to leave the petcock in the prime position for this very reason. "Ignorance can be cured with education but stupidity is terminal"

 

Totally off topic FJ 600 nostalgia post comming up ...
These bike were rare right ...
Back in 1995 in concord CA, my green from India brother (not quite, he'd been in singapore etc ... ) and I having been the veteran I am lived in the US for 3 whole years and having had 4 bikes, decided that he should buy a FJ600, which someone happened to be selling as I watched him try to sell to the dealership down the street ... and I said, this is a great bike, buy it.
OK now I know what y'all are thinking ... but it didn't happen ... a cherry FJ from 84 with 13K miles, and my bro rode it like a champ for over 5-6 years.
He got knocked off the thing by a truck when splitting traffic at like 3 mph ... and was fine, except for some minor banged up bike. Rims were bent a shade and leaking air.
So wonder of wonders ... one of our neighbors had a identical FJ ... we bought it for 100 and yanked the wheels off it and bingo, we had it good.
Anyway, 25k miles and 6-7 years later, he moves up to a GSXR 1100 and sells this and the parts bike. Good times ... albeit a little risky ... buying a old ass bike and tossing him into the roads of northern CA wasn't the smartest ... but hey he didn't hurt himself ... and didn't blow the bike up either ... that oughta count for something.
Cool.
Srinath.

 

Thanks guys, I just needed to verify my suspicions. I told him that he needed to read up on his owners manual as he DID say he knew nothing about bikes other than how to keep one upright while riding. I pointed out several other things that needed looking at etc. so maybe he will listen. One can only hope.

Thanks again!