another xj overheating. help please

Ok dudes. My 83 xj650 has started to overheat for some reason. I changed the plugs, air filter and the oil. Checked all the hoses. Still running hot. What else could I do. Oh speaking of oil. Which way does the oil fllter go in. Duh. When I pulled the old one out I did not really pay attention to which way the old one was oriented. The seal that extents out further I put into the casing. Hopefully I did not put it in backwards. Any and all help would be apreciated

 

How do you know it's overheating?

 

Well up until a couple days ago it has not been getting as hot as it is now. But maybe I'm just worried about nothing. It still runs good. Gas mileage is still hovering around 5l/100 km or less on the highway. No loss of power in the bottom end. But the heat really bothers me. Running less than 5 min. And I can't touch the engine its so hot

 

This is an air-cooled XJ, right? I'm not familiar with a liquid-cooled 650. If it's air-cooled I have to wonder how you know what the former vs. current engine temperature is. If nothing has changed except your perception of the engine's temperature I'd guess, in fact, that nothing has changed.

My air-cooled XJ650's cylinder head gets very hot, very quickly. There's no way I would be able to touch the engine after five minutes of running. It gets warm almost instantly after start-up, and within a minute or two is too hot to touch.

 

Ok cool. Then I'm worried about ghosts then. Lol. Thanks

 

Oil filter---the extended part butts up to the motor, followed by the washer, then the spring, then the housing. The washer can stick to the old filter, & can go unnoticed. Do you still have yours?

 

I believe the spring goes in first, against the oil filter housing, furthest away from the engine. I know there is a diagram that shows the opposite somewhere, but I think I recall here where that diagram has been shown to be inaccurate. Where are our forum technical experts when you need them?

EDIT: Here's one example: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Hd91SZRc_4

At 5m 47sec into this video the guy corrects himself and shows the spring goes on the other side, toward the cap.

 

Also, overheating can be caused by out of spec valves. Another likely cause would be too lean conditions in the carbs Remember tho, you cant start any carb work til the valves are right. You may also want to check around for a vacuum leak. Good luck.

 

Spring and washer never existed in this one. Now I'm a bit worried. I have put over 5000 km on this bike so far since april with out the spring and with the oil filter in backwards

 

OMG Dude-stop running that motor! That spring is what holds the filter tight to the motor. Youve been running around with unfiltered oil running amuck in your motor. Anybody here can send this guy an oil filter spring you got laying around? Sorry I dont have a spare. Check with Chacal & get a spring & washer if you gotta. How long have you been running like that?

 

Now I'M worried! Your overheating problem could be from a blocked oil passage somewhere due to unfiltered oil. Hoping a more experienced XJ mechanic jumps in here with ideas with how to proceed from here.

 

I'm gonna get the spring and the washer and do another oil change tomorrow. There is a used bike wrecker here in town that will have what I need

 

I have put over 5000 km on it. Now I'm concerned

 

To check oil flow maybe you could remove the valve cover and turn the engine over with the starter motor for a few seconds. Watch and see if oil is pumped up to the top of the valves.

 

Ill do that tomorrow

 

5 minutes of running and any air cooled engine will cause nice blistering burns if your touch it. I have plenty of scars on my knees from years of riding and accidentally having my knees make contact with the cooling fins.

 

Ok. I found a filter spring and washer. Put fresh oil in and now the low oil light comes on. At first it came on all the time. Then after a while only on after rpms went above 3000. Then it went out all together. After a 2.5 hour drive. It came on once at a stop light. I shut off the bike a couple times during the trip and checked the oil level via sight window. Sitting dead center in window. But I still think its running extremly hot but its running fine. Tomorrow gonna get valve cover gasket and check oil in the top end.

 

I think I might pop out the oil pump to check condition also

 

Pull the Plugs and EXAMINE them.
If they are WHITE, ... you're running LEAN and need too correct the problem.

If they are TAN, Brown Bag BROWN, or Chocolate BROWN, ... you're OK.

The Plant COOLS very slowly in HOT Weather.
But, if you are having Ignition Issues, ... you have too get after the LEAN Condition, ... right away.

The WASHER was used to keep CARDBOARD Filters from collapsing.
Filters vary.
Place the Filter in the Dome so that the Washer is PRESSED against the MOST Surface.
Some filters will have the Washer pressing on a thick rubber grommet.

 

Plugs are chocolate brown. I checked that already

 

Once you get the oil filter figured out you could take infrared temperature measurements of various engine components. Start the bike, take it for a spin, then take readings at the intake and exhaust points on the head and valve cover. If you take measurements throughout the engine you MAY find that there is one specific section of the engine (say, cylinder X intake, for arguments sake) that is running hotter than the comparative parts (cylinders W, Y, and Z). If you post the results perhaps one of the gurus will have some very helpful input, or at a minimum it may point you toward where your problem area is.

Good luck, and keep us updated!

 

THe oil level should be at the top of the window just a bubble on the top is where you want it to be.
Have you taken temps on the head when you think its overheating? I'm going to check mine with a no contact thermometer and see what kind of readings I get.

MN

 

I have not checked the temperature. Gonna make some calls to find a thermomater of some type tomorrow

 

If I find a thermometer tomorrow. And if the temp is above what level should I be concerned ?

 

Blaine it's good that your concerned about your bike, but don't panic too much. If it was running WAY too hot you would notice things going wrong. Your clutch would start to act funny w/gears becoming notcy, your rpm's would likely drop at idle, your power would be off, and your plugs would show it by burning up their electrodes and may have specs of metal attached from your deteriorating engine.

Running w/o filtration is bad but isn't usually fatal unless your riding in dirty conditions, although it will gunk up and eventually lead to problems. You should do more than one oil change in quick succession once you get your spring.

Another unscientific method for checking too much heat is your headers. If they are turning a bluish tint its too hot and when you stop riding after a solid warm up (10min or more) if they are 'pinging' really rapidly and forcefully then you're too hot.

This is a great idea to check engine temps and report them here, but it must be done in a totally consistent manner for the info to be useful. Must report along with engine temp and location of temp taken: ambient temp, humidity, time engine was running, and type of riding (stop/go or highway)-if done the right way it could be used to show when a bike is pushing the limit on running hot. I know you don't want your oil to go over 300 and probably better if it stays around 200, but I've never measured the outside temp on an air-cooled mill, the headers get way hotter than the oil that's for sure.

 

I found a guy who had a infrared thermometer. All 4 cylinders were reading around 200 deg. After about 5 to 10 min of running

 

Ride on! Sounds about right and nice they were all about the same.

 

Sounds normal temp with warm weather.

MN

 

Ya I talked to a local yamaha mechanic today. He said the same thing

 

Ok I have one more question concerning oil changes. But I feel like a total idiot asking. Other than draining the oil from the main drain plug. The manual states to drain from the sump pump also. Ok where the hell is it located ?

 

Don't worry about the sump you will only get a drizzle of oil from it and it is more likely to strip than actually come out anyway.

 

And it's hard to get to. If you feel the need to try and get that last bit of oil you can tilt the bike forward to get it out the front drain. If you feel the need to repack your front bearings you could remove the front wheel and really get it all out. But seriously it's a tiny bit of oil left in there nothing to worry about-just do regular or a few quick oil changes and always put in a fresh filter and you will be good.

And BTW the only Idiots are the PO's who do stupid stuff to their bikes because they are ignorant and afraid to ask questions or get the right info.