Cleaning it up

Last night I pulled the air filter out. The filter box was FULL. The mice had filled the box and the tube that the air flows into the box.
I lubed up the throttle linkages, and gave the idle screws a few turns in and out, and the throttle moves nice and free now, and is no longer froze solid.
Next step will be to do a bit of rewiring/replacing of the fuse box, and a few other wires the mice got to.
How do you remove the air filter box? Looks like you would have to slide it out of the frame twords the engine. I'ld like to get it out so I can clean up all the mice nests in and around everything.
Thanks
Norm.

 

See Vin Decoder for the rest of the story.
Vin Decoder

 

On my 750 you have to pull the motor to get the filter box out.
I think you're in the same boat on your 650.

 

UPDATE ! Cleaning it up

Well, I figured out how to fill the air box up with fuel
Dang thing leaked all over the garage floor. I actually can't smell the fuel any more, ahhggg.
Anybody want an XJ650 that needs the carbs rebuilt?
Don't know if I have the money or the time to put into this bike, that it needs.

Good news is that it does fire up and run for a few seconds. It sounds pretty good.
How much are kits for the carbs?

 

Yeah on the 650 you have to pull the motor to get the airbox out, Or as the PO of my bike did, Cut it in two with a reciprocating saw!

 

How long does it take to pull one of these engines, for a first timer?

Found out also that the fuel tank seaps at the front left seam.
I Dunno about this bike.
It's a shame. :? I can't see how someone could buy a bike brand new, only put 6000 miles on it, and just leave it outside to die.

 

yeh its allways amazes me how some people treat somethings after spending allot of money to buy it. some people just dont care, it might seem to you that your going backwards with your bike but believe me when i say stick with it, you can buy second hand parts if you need too and at least you`ll have the winter to work on it a bit at a time, put the work in it yourself and when your done you`ll have a good bike.

 

Unless you left the fuel valve on PRI the problem with fuel in the airbox is because of your fuel valve. On mine it was solved with an $8 part from the local Yamaha store.

Your oil is also probably full of fuel. You might want to check that.

 

Where would this fuel valve be located?

It might have been in the pri position, but dont these carbs have floats in them, with needle and seats to close off the fuel flow when the bowls are full?

 

Yes they do, and I also thought this was strange. I've been assured that the float valves aren't sufficient to stop all leak down from the continuous head due to the elevated tank.

My old dirt bike spent it's whole life with the fuel valve turned ON and I never had a problem. Everyone always said to turn the valve off when not riding. This must be an actual concern otherwise the bikes wouldn't come with an OFF position (or an auto shutoff as our XJs have).

The fuel valve is below the left side of your fuel tank. It has 3 positions, RES, ON and PRI. ON is the normal position, RES lets you get to the last of the fuel after you run out in the ON position. In a properly functioning valve no fuel will flow in the RES or ON unless there is engine vacuum. PRI lets fuel run without vacuum and is used to fill empty carb bowls after storage or service.

There are two parts on the fuel valve that can cause problems. There is a vacuum actuated valve that stops the fuel when the bike is not running. There is a seal on it that can degrade and leak. There is also a rubber disc with 5 holes in it behind the fuel cock. This disc seals the fuel cock passages to the valve body. In my case the disc was worn and allowed leakage between the passages. According to the parts guy at the dealer, the disc is the most common cause for leakage.

 

Carb kits on E-bay arent that expensive.
I bought 4 float valves w/bowl gaskets for like 60.00 that included shipping from New Zealand.

The carbs are a good project for the off season but you should get lots of pictures of where hoses and crossover tubes are located as you might need these! Also take notes where needed.

Low miles and it really doesnt sound like it's all that bad.
Yep the engine has to come out to pull the filter box out.
mine has mice in it too when I got it. I cleaned it out with a shop vac and lots of spray cleaner and rags.

Dont give up on her you'll be glad you saw this project thru.

GOOD LUCK

 

Just pulled the plug I had in the fuel line out. Petcock set to on, an showered the engine and my hands with fuel. So it will need the rebuild kit for the petcock.
I am going to try and epoxy the edge of the fuel tank where it is leaking.
I'll clean it off real good, sand it down and run the epoxy over the inside and outside edge, and keep my fingers crossed that it holds.

 

UPDATE.
Pullede the tank off to fix the leak. Started cleaning the edge, flipped it over and started cutting the bondo like stuff(grey, and about 1/8" or so thick) off the front lower edge. I think this has been repaired before. Someone brazed the bottom and then bondoed it in. Is this a factory job?
Anyway, I'm sanding it all down and going to seal the leak. Has a small pinhole, that was under the bondo like material.

 

Bondo? Nope, not factory. Brazing is a common repair process. Pity they warped the metal enough to require bondo. Shows the skill level of the repair artist.

 

Applying heat to tank not vented free of explosive gasses is deadly.

Lead-load it or apply a copper patch.

You can fabricate a patch out of copper to form-fit over the leak ... then, you have to lead-it-up like sweating two sections of copper tubing together.

Empty the tank. Blow-out the fumes with an air line until its save to work on.

Applying heat to tank not vented free of explosive gasses is deadly. Don't do anything that will make it go:

BOOM!

 

My brazed tank was done by a great welder back home in Orangevale, California. Scheetz Welding (intersection of Madison Avenue and Greenback Lane) boiled out the tank with water, brazed the cracked mount (it was on my 84 GPz 750), and the job was done with minimal risk and no warpage.

 

Next update:
Bought another set of carbs for the bike.
They should be here beginning of the week sometime.
I'll check them out and clean as nessasary, Bolt them on, change the oil and see how this thing runs.
I opted to get a second set due to the ones I have are leaking fuel real bad, the top caps are very rusted along with all the linkages that are very rusty.
If the bike sounds good I'll get a new battery, and start on the wiring.

What size tires fit the XJ650 Maxim, and where is a good place to purchase them?

 

I'm pretty sure it's front: 100/90 19 and rear: 130/90 16. Someone recommended http://www.motorcycleproshop.com/. I haven't used them yet, but I like the $9 per tire shipping charge. At least you know exactly how much shipping will be.

 

http://www.tiresunlimited.com/motorcycle_tires.htm
used this place three times, i'll use it again
shipping depends on distance, they have a UPS calculator

 

My front tire is the same size but my back tire is an 18" on 85 XJ700

 

you also could jb weld the seam, which Ive heard of some people doing with a fair amount of long term worthiness. After I did that I would por-15 the inside of the tank and seal it fom within.

 

I'm psyched, Carbs will be here tomorrow.
To bad it's getting so cold out.
I did get all the filler sanded off the bottom of the tank, and found another small pin hole in the process.
I'm going to epoxi it, but I'm also going to keep my eyes on the look out for another tank.
One thing at a time.
I want to make sure she runs good first before I get into dumping loads of money into it.
I do have 3 kids at home to take care of.

 

Epoxy won't seal a gas leak for very long. Get it down to shiny bare metal and solder a real-old, genuine, copper Penny -- right on top of that pinhole.

Treat the area with flux. Shine and clean the old Penny. Peen it into a patch. Solder it over the pin hole. Cover the patch with Mar-Glas fiberglass. MarGlas will not dissolve in fuel.