I'm a newb... and need some advice.

Just bought an 82 xj650 seca over the summer (best 900 bucks I ever spent). It only needed some carb work (which I've already had done), and then just a general tuneup (new filters, plugs, change all oils). So I spent my summer getting to know my bike by taking it apart, down to the frame, learning each piece, replacing rusted bolts, repainting, etc. I really wanted to repaint the frame which has faded a lot, but spent most of my summer battling the bike over the stupid driveshaft connection, and now I have to leave for college.

So my bike is sitting in the garage, completely drained of oils (the plugs are back in), and I don't have the time right now to work on it. Is it bad to leave it sitting empty like this?

Also, I never did get those stupid bolts out where the driveshaft connects to the engine. The rubber boot was missing when I got it. I think there might be some rust at the connection. I soaked it in PB blaster for days. I can't get anything bigger than a small wrench in there. any ideas?

thanks for everything.
love the site.
you guys are great.

 

I would not leave the scoot for long periods of time Sans oil.
Corrosion and moisture are not your friends.

 

Ditto. Top it off with fluids and preserve the cylinders/pistons. LPS 3 works in a pimch, although there are better commercial preservatives available. Just do SOMETHING.

 

I woudl think that you would want to drain the carbs of fuel and drain the tank. varnish and gum are bad bad things. especially if you just rebuilt the carbs... you dont want to have to do it again.

 

I would fill it back up with oil, even if it's just something cheap you're going to drain back out.
Get some "fogging oil" (commonly available at auto parts stores) and fog your cylinders and exhaust system (go easy in the exhaust all the smoke will upset the neighbors.)
Spray anything else that might think about rusting or corroding down with WD40. Then throw an old sheet over it. Don't use a plastic tarp, they don't breathe.

 

The oil in a non-running engine doesn't even touch the crankshaft, so, to protect the engine, you could put some motor oil down each plug hole and roll the motor over. It's in a garage, not a carport or open shed- - it'll be fine.

Driveshaft bolts hopelessly rusted? Carefully slice the heads off. If you mar-up the "U" joint too much, the're on E-Bay cheap enough.

 

okay. I've got it covered in some old sheets. Its in a garage. And the carbs and the gas tank are both off and drained. I'll try what TIMEtoRide is saying with the oil when I get home this weekend.

But the driveshaft bolts look fine. They don't look rusted. My guess was that there might be some rust on the inside of where the "plates" meet (one being connected to the u-joint and the other coming from the driveshaft directly out of the engine). The heads of these bolts are on the engine side. So cutting them off shouldn't touch the u-joint. But if I hit something else over there, its directly attached to the engine, and that doesn't sound like a good idea to me.

But after I get the heads off, how to I get the bolts out. Its still to narrow an area for me to get an extraction tool into.

Thanks for all the replies.

 

I hate to say it, but I guess I commited a cardinal sin among XJ'ers. I left my 650 in the garage for 8 yes 8 years with no oil or gas in it. when I needed it, I got it back together, put fresh oil and gas in it and it fired right up, no problems. I just needed to change back to a stock aribox from pods and I was good to go.