Help me solve a mystery!

I have an '85 XJ700 Maxim. It was given to me by a friend. It rode well as long as he had it and then he let it sit for two years outside. It wouldn't start when he gave it to me, so I put in a new battery and some new gas and we got it started.

It would idle at 4k RPM sometimes and drop down to 1k and you had to play with the choke constantly to keep it running. I assumed it was due to gummed up carbs.

I had it shipped to FL where I am now. I drove it every day around my apt complex for a few minutes or just a mile or so to run an errand for a few days.

So I probably put about 10 miles on it since my friend gave it to me. One day, after I shut it off, it wouldn't start again. It clicked once under the seat and the oil light came on.

I checked the oil and couldn't see the float so I put 3.5 qts in until I could see the float. The manual says it only takes 3.7 so it must've been empty. I assumed that I froze the motor. I called a repair shop and they said that all the signs pointed to it being run w/o oil and frozen. But someone on the forum suggested I spray PB Blaster in the plug holes and rock it in 5th gear.

I did that and this time it tried to turn over. A couple more tries and it gurgled and the turned over and ran like a dream! It kept wanting to stall at first, but I rode it around the apt complex again for about 3 or 4 min. Then it stalled out and did the same thing.

One click from under the seat and the oil light came on. I did the Blaster and rocked it again and it gurgled a little bit once but never turned over. I checked the oil and couldn't see the float (which is crazy b/c I hadn't driven it since I put the 3.5 quarts in it and saw the float before.

It took another 1.5 qts for me to see the float again. I tried the Blaster and rocking in 5th again but it just makes one click and the oil light comes on. Now I can't even see the float anymore which makes me think it's just broken.

What the heck happened? Any ideas? I guess my engine isn't frozen? Is it a starter? Fuel pump? I have worked on cars a little, but never a motorcycle. I checked the fuses in the starter and they are fine. All electrics seem fine.

Please help. What is wrong with my bike? I have a chance to get a whole '85 XJ700 engine plus frame and other parts for $85 on Friday, but now I don't know if I need a new engine.

Help! Thanks so much!

 

First RUN to get that parts bike for $85!
You can NEVER have enough parts, even if in the long run you decide you don't need it, part it out and selling on fleabay should at least brake you even.

Take this with a grain of salt since I'm pretty much a noob, but the one click thing sounds like a bad starter solenoid to me. Maybe a bad connection somewhere that shorts with the oil light??

 

I'm lost...first I'm not sure what float you're referring to.

My XJ650 only takes about 2.5 quarts. I wouldn't think they'd be that different. There's car engines that don't take 3.7 quarts, so I'm skeptical but I may be wrong.

Oil light will come on in any motor if the ignition is on and the motor is not running.

My XJ has an "oil level" light rather than oil pressure....yours?

You could drain it and see how much you have in there...that's where I'd start.

If it kicked out that much oil in that short of time, it'd be a mess somewhere...it'd be running out of the pipes or the vent...

 

Thanks, all.

I am talking about oil in the crankcase and the float that you can see through the sight glass. I don't know if you call it a float, but I think that is what the service manual called it. The manual says it can take 3.7 in the crankcase. It took 3.5 and then after running for a little bit, the float in the sight glass was gone and it took another 1.5 quarts to see the float in the sightglass. (the manual says the float should appear between the two lines in the oil level sight glass on the crankcase.

My '85 XJ700 just has a light that says "oil." It doesn't specify level or pressure. It only comes on when I try to start it. It isn't on when I turn the ignition on. Only the Neutral light is on at that point. Then, When I press the starter button and turn the throttle, it just gives one click and the oil light comes on. When I release the starter button, the oil light goes off.

It never used to come on at any time, even when the ignition was turned on (as it does in a car).

Any other ideas?

 

At this point be glad it won't turn over; it sounds like the motor currently has about 8 quarts of oil in it.

There is no "float" that is a sight glass. The oil level is checked on the CENTERSTAND with the bike having been shut off for at least 10 minutes.

The oil level should be above the top mark but you should still see a bubble. I suspect it's so overfilled you don't think you're seeing anything.

The "click" and then the oil light comes on is a classic symptom of a low battery or an issue with the starter solenoid or wiring. It doesn't mean the motor is low on oil.

STEP ONE BEFORE YOU DO ANYTHING ELSE: Drain out the oil that is in it now, and refill with the SPECIFIED amount (+maybe 200ccs.) That amount is cast into your clutch cover just above the oil filler.

If you manage to start the motor and it's as overfilled as I think it is you're going to have an airbox full of oil and a bit of a mess on your hands.

 

Dude... first grab that parts bike. Second change the oil like bigfitz said. Third. Now onto your clicking/not starting problem.... is it making a sound kinda like you are spinning a ratchet the wrong way? If so, and based on the fact that the bike was sitting... id get a new battery. New battery cables wouldn't hurt either. Actually, while you are at it... plugs and wires aren't a bad idea either. Talk to chacal (Len) the resident parts guy. He has everyrhing you could dream of.

 

Be sure you have a few containers lined-up before you remove the Oil Drain Plug.

Any Bike that sits for that long needs the Carbs -->> REMOVED + CLEANED.

If the Battery is the same one that sat with the Bike -->> Even the Energizer Bunny can't be summoned to revive it.

Do yourself a favor.
Step back to Square-One.

Once the Bike has the right amount of Oil in it, ...
Conduct a COMPRESSION TEST of the CYLINDERS before you do anything else.

That's going to let you know if you should still have hope for the patient or pull the plug on the emotional life-support system, light some candles and spit a shot of Jack Daniels on the Gas Tank then take a good long pull on the bottle before blowing-out the candles and turning-off the lights.

 

Yeah that's the vibe I was starting to get too.

 

Put the Oil in: S-L-O-W-L-Y.

Watch the Oil Level in the Oil Level SIGHT GLASS begin to show and rise.

Fill-up the Engine until the Oil Level just about reaches the Top.