Another new guy, with an old bike

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81 xj750 rh seca

alright guys, after about a week of playing with this thing, I'm joining the forum. This is my first bike, ever. bought it for $750.

The thing runs great, but i've diagnosed a problem, starter clutch. Was only when the thing was hot, but it's becoming more frequent now. So here we go, looks like i'll be askin for some help around here. Gonna try this without splitting the engine and use the alternator route. Here's hoping it goes painless, and i can get on my way to fixing this thing up on the cosmetic side. Everything else is good, compression, starter, carbs, all great.

 

As most everyone else on the forum will say welcome to the boards but first things first replace the front brake lines if not rebuild the whole front brake system and check the rear brake shoes for delamination. just my 2 cents worth on the starter I dont know what issues your having but if your pressing the button and nothing happens after trying to crank it try removing disconnecting the terminals on the starter relay cleaning them and reconnecting them. It always works for me. Or you could always just push start it as I have done before (in the middle of rush hour wouldn't you know it).

 

WTTC and good luck sorting the switch/clutch....makes you long for a kicker huh?


jeff

 

Welcome from VA! Nice bike and this is the place to be.

 

Hello...since this is your first bike ever. Do you know much about its history..would be a good idea to make sure it can stop as well. The starter clutch fix may be as easy as using wet clutch motorcycle specific oil..there's plenty on here on that topic. Might take a coupla changes and filter to notice th difference.

If i was hopping on mine as the first i would want to have some knowledge of it's prior maintenance. It's got plenty of go in it but that's not all it's about. Good luck ride safe.

 

WELCOME from TN!!!

skillet

 

Welcome and +1 to all,

Where did you hear about doing the starter clutch without splitting the case??

Add to your list doing ALL maintenance listed in the "scheduled maintenance" section of the manual, and tire date code check.

 

hey guys sorry didn't expect any replies to that post!, alrighttt. yeah starter clutch "appears" to be the oil problem, i put synthetic in it like a goofball, not knowing enough, changed it once and it's much better, need to change it again, but right now the whole bike is dissembled, ha.

i'm going through everything, forks, rear drive (which was just nasty inside) valve shims, brakes for sure! new wiring, what was there was pretty chopped up and rigged (dropped about a 1/2 cup of water outa the harness when i pulled it out) getting rid of the old half functioning "atari", lots and lots of stuff, new paint, needs new exhaust (bad) yada yada.

i'm really on the fence about how far i want to take it though. One side of me wants to crack the engine open, go through everything, but man, it seems daunting. scary, disheartening, ect. anyone have any input on that? like how much i should go ahead and do here?

I have no real idea of where it came from, the guy i got it from was a kid a little younger than me, only had it for under a year, never tagged it, never did anything, all i know is he wasn't runnin an oil filter in it, and didn't bother changing any fluids except the oil i guess, kinda neglected, but at least rust wasn't bad, just some on the frame.


after having all this time with it i realized i payed to much, but whats done is done, gonna get this thing right.

 

after todays work, i'm beat, was pretty much a whole bike before

 

Good grief, had it 2 weeks and look whatcha gotten into now...from th fuzzy pic it doesn't look too bad. Anyow hope you've categorised all those parts you now have laying about and will be investing in a manual.

A parts fiche is very helpful for what goes where and finding part numbers
http://www.cmsnl.com/xj750rj-seca-1982_ ... /?q=xj+750

 

Did you check the compression on the engine? If you got good numbers, I personally would not take the plant apart just because. Clean it up, get the valves in specs, and repaint/replace parts as you reassemble the bike. Good luck.

 

Did you check the compression on the engine? If you got good numbers, I personally would not take the plant apart just because. Clean it up, get the valves in specs, and repaint/replace parts as you reassemble the bike. Good luck.

 

I agree. Don't just go pulling the motor apart until you determine exactly what it needs (or doesn't need.) Things like pistons and rings aren't that easy to find. Get the valves in spec and run a compression test.

 

compression was around 120-130 on each cylinder, accurately 122 to 128 across all 4, so a bit under spec, but from what i understand still acceptable. but the valve cover gasket is a little leaky, got a new one, and one bolt missing from 3rd cylinder exhaust, and two pipes of the heads were smashed up, but i don't think that stuff would affect compression

getting the shims squared away right now, (ordering) we'll see how that helps, all of my exhaust shims are to tight so i believe that means they're opening to early and closing to late, that could def account for a few psi being lost.

everything is sitting in milk crates, nuts and bolts in little baggies & labeled, the things really not all that complicated, i was surprised! much easier than a car.

i'm happy to hear some encouragement "not" to pull the engine apart, i just hope that after it's all back together, with fresh oil, the starter clutch issue disappears completely, or i'll be doing this all over again, ha.

 

after hours of cleaning, scuffing, wire brushing, and sanding

 

still waiting on all kinds of parts, new rear tire, brake stuff, handle bars, yada yada yada. good news is the last valve shim came in, got that in, replaced most the donuts, minus two, my hands got tired, and new gasket just needs to get glued, then valve cover back on and the engine is ready to get thrown back in my naked frame, just need four arms instead of two, all other parts should be in by the end of the week it looks like, still need to decide on a speedo and a tach, new bat, and spark plugs, other than that, wire wire and more wire, weatherproof plugs, anddd, i donno, i'm sure something else will be asking me for new stuff.

in spare time i'm starting to work on the seat, on the fence about glassing the rear or it, or just making it a whole big 'ol long seat, still shorter than stock by quite a big, cut a lot off. got new tail light from a salvage yard, and then one day, i'll get around to painting the tank., thinking sky blue

 

o and i did chop a bit off the frame too, leaving the brace back there to avoid having a welding job on my hands, i think i'll leave the corks in the frame tube, it's trashy but i like it

 

If you have gone that far, can I recommend cleaning and repacking the swingarm bearings while you are there?

 

i was looking at that, it's really smooth, no sounds at all, and from what i've seen, if you break it open, you have to replace the seals right? can't say i assumed it something of much importance if it was moving freely and silently