NYC/Brooklyn area members?

I've got an 82 XJ Maxim 650 that's seen some neglect. I'm a bicycle mechanic, but totally clueless about engine work. Bought the CDs a couple years back but, well, progress has been slow. Anybody in the forum in Brooklyn and interested in putting together a clinic, or just showing me the basics?

I'd be happy to pay in beer and/or, you know, pay.

Thanks.

 

Where are you starting from? Does the bike run?

I'm in Baltimore so a bit far to swing by and help out.

 

Hey iwingameover.

Last time I took it around the nabe was over a month ago. It rode great for a while, but then started to heat up. Then it started to smoke. I made it home and it conked out. I checked the oil window and it was empty.

Yeah, not good.

I dumped a quart of oil in, and then it sat for a while. Recharged the battery, gave it a shot of starter fluid and it started up, but got hot and smoky fast. I cut the engine after a couple minutes, checked the oil window, looked empty again.

I've never seen a drop of oil on the street under the bike or on the cover.

 

What do your plugs look like? Sounds like you're burning oil and a lot of it.

 

Probably pretty bad!

I'll pull and give them a look when I get home tonight.

 

start there. Post pictures if you can. It they are infact oil covered it's time to find out where from.

 

Will do, and thanks again.

 

Fouled!

All:


Plugs 1 and 2:


Plugs 3 and 4:

 

And it took how long to burn a quart of oil?

Anyway, I'm not a motorcycle expert but I've done my fair share of engine work. I'd start with a leak down test and see where the air gets out. Where air gets out of the cylinder oil gets in.

 

Okay. I googled "motorcycle oil leak test" and it came back with this link, which suggests spraying the engine with a powder deodorant to find the oil leak.

Sound like an okay idea? Again, I'm learning step by step here and without a mechanic's tools. Any usual suspect areas for leaks?

Re Rate of burning oil: Before I started the engine yesterday the oil window was half full. Ran the engine for 5 minutes and it was on empty.

 

I read your deodorant test link. That would be leaks coming outside through a valve cover gasket or something similar.

Yours is an internal leak. You've got 1 out of 3 or a combination of the 3 possible places for oil into the cylinder.

1. Piston Rings don't seal.This lets oil by. Could be bad rings, bad cylinder bore or both.

2. Exhaust valve guide

3. intake valve guide

What type of tools do you have?

You could rent a compression tester from a autozone or a store of that nature. Low numbers there would point to bad rings or your valves not closing.

A leak down test requires a compressed air source and a fitting to go in the spark plug hole. The piston is put to TDC on the compression stroke and air forced into the cylnder. If it comes out the exhaust bad seal on exhaust valve, out the carb bad seal on intake valve, out the oil fill hole bad rings.

Either way I think you've likely got some serious engine work ahead.

Maybe someone else can chime in and give you some better news.

 

Thanks for the guidance.

Tools are pretty limited to carpentry stuff and bike specific tools, as is my range of knowledge

Looks like I'll be rolling up my sleeves and getting some learning experience this weekend. Would a regular garage have a compression tester? Dumb question: one that's normally used on cars would work with a moto, right?

edit: just googled "compression tester", and some popped up from Sears for $30. Are these what I want (and worth buying), or are they garbage?

PS: Not that I'm exactly thrilled that it sounds like I've got a bunch of engine work ahead of me, but a little excited that I'm going to add onto my paltry knowledge. Again, your guidance is much appreciated.

 

The sears ones will do fine. You need to make sure the engine end is the same size as your spark plugs. it threads into the the spark plug hole.

Again you can go to Autozone, Advance auto or whatever and rent one. You're only really going to need it for maybe a half hour or so. To rent there you pay them the $30 or whatever their tester costs and when you return it you get your money back. Take a spark plug with you to be sure you get the right adapter.

Record the numbers you get from the test. I don't know what they should be for these bikes but a search here should show you those.

 

hey I'm in staten island and can definitely help you. Still have the bike?