First bike need help with routine maintenance questions

Hello everybody I have just started riding and purchased a 1982 xj 650 maxim it ran when I bought it but after sitting a couple weeks won't start so I was going to replace some of the old stuff and see if that helps I don't know what type of oil to use also how much as well as needing help with the oil filter and spark plugs. Also I have a knowledgeable brother to help with everything just need some advice on products thanks

 

Motorcycle OIL!!! We have wet clutches. Don't use basic car oil. I don't remember the exact number, but I believe there is a 4T typically in the oil number. There is a ##CC stamped on your engine block somewhere near the oil cap. Others will now the exact amount.

If you have standard style battery, check the water level. Buy a battery tender/charger (like $20 at walmart). Not sure about your model, but make sure you didn't leave the key in the "park" setting (it leaves running lights on and drains your battery).

This site is great for help and tips. But first put your location and year/model into you profile/signature so people don't have to ask what bike over and over.

For parts beyond oil, plugs and oil filters PM Chacal (XJ4ever at the top of the page) when you need more parts.

 

Greetings Dune, you are at the right place for advice on your Maxim. First off, everybodys gonna tell you to check the brakes on your machine before you start into anything else (good advice). This site is full of threads here, just use the search. My next move would be to change the oil. Yamaha recommends 20w-40 Yamalube, but theres lots of options here-again use search. Pull the battery & check/fill to the lines on it (distilled water) & charge it. A 1 or 2 amp charger is great, dont use a big automotive charger. Im sure others will be here with more advice, just throwin in my 2 cents worth. Again, welcome & good luck!

 

Greetings, Dune......congratulations - you now have a 30 year-old bike in your garage....and you will need to check or replace virtually everything that has rubber....it's good to have a bike that runs..but it is even better if you can stop it. Both you and your brother need to read the posts on rear brake delamination, how to date your tires [and no, that does not mean taking them for a beer...], replacing outdated front brake lines, servicing the front disc caliper, how to measure and check valve clearances - before venturing near the carbs...expect to spend money if you want a safe reliable bike......my XJ was ridden over to me by the PO....$700 price - and at least that much again will go into prepping it for the road.......and that is still less than a major car service........and you will learn a lot in the process - priceless...

DaveC

 

Poor guy; didn't get much in the way of solid answers.

-Use motorcycle oil; and stay away from synthetics. It needs to be motorcycle-specific oil; current automotive oils ALL contain friction modifiers that can play havoc with your clutch. 10W40 in chilly weather; 20W50 once it stays above about 60.

-The oil capacity is indeed that little number cast into the clutch housing in the vicinity of the filler; it says XXXXCM3 which is your oil capacity in CC's. You'll want a slight overfill, so have 3 liters on hand.

-Oil level is checked with the bike on the centerstand, and the engine shut off for at least 10 minutes. Then check the oil level in the sight glass on the lower portion of the clutch housing. The level should be above the "full" marks but with a bubble still showing at the top.

-The oil filter is in the finned housing on the front of the motor; the drain plug is underneath the middle of the motor, below and behind the filter housing, on the front of the sump. If you need a pic, say so. The FRAM CH6003 is widely available, and comes with both the necessary o-rings.

-Some manuals may advise you to drain the middle gear cavity as well; DO NOT. The plug is nearly inaccessible and easily broken, leave it alone.

-Your bike uses NGK BP7ES spark plugs; use those for best results.

-All that being said,

DO NOT RIDE THE BIKE ANY MORE, EVEN AROUND THE BLOCK, UNTIL YOU HAVE REMOVED THE REAR WHEEL AND VISUALLY INSPECTED THE BRAKE SHOES FOR SIGNS OF DELAMINATION. Read this: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=15874.html

Also understand that unless you bought the bike from a dedicated enthusiast, you are going to need to catch up on 30 years' worth of neglect if you want to ride, use and be safe on this bike.

You will need to completely rebuild the front brake system if it hasn't been done; the bike will make you do it if you just try to ride it.

Track down a service manual. You're going to need it.

 

Thanks a lot everybody especially wizard I'll be trying to get started this weekend and this really helped luckily this bike was very well maintained 1 family owned and was a daily rider until I purchased and I hope to turn her back into one very soon

 

Bigfitz are those the same plugs, and oil filter in the 750?

 

Oil filter yes for sure; spark plugs too I think (not 100% sure since I have a 650.)

 

A lot of people will say to stay away from synthetic oils and in most cases this is true, however, there is one that I have gone to and really like. It is Mobil 1's 10W-40, Racing 4T. It is specifically designed for 4-cycle bikes with wet clutches. You can read more about it here.... http://www.mobiloil.com/usa-english/mot ... 0w-40.aspx
It is very expensive however but I personally like it.

 

Welcome Dunecruiser,

I am surprised that nothing was said by the others on this topic: FUSE BLOCK.

Under the seat, in the middle of the bike you will find the fuse panel. The OEM fuse panel is horrible design and a major point of failure. If that is still the original in there, you will want to replace it. Not expenseive, and the blade fuses are much nicer to work with than those glass tubes. Chacal has a good one for sale and if you want to dig, you can find additional panels which will work.

If you still have teh original 30-year old brake lines, do yourself a favor and by some stainless steel lines. They greatly enhance braking.

At some point you will have to take the carbs off and clean/rebuild them. There are lots of posts here which will walk you through step-by-step, with pic's. However, if you don't plan on doing that right this minute, I would strongly recommend that you put a full can of Seafoam in a full tank of gas.This is a high concentration but that is what is needed to start with. After filling the tank and adding the seafoam, drive it around for about 5 min or so and then park it overnight. The next day, go for a ride to empty the tank. Repeat this process a second time. Next, fill it with regular gas an go for a ride to see how it performs. If it is running properly at this point and the choke is working, you should be all set. If not, you can repeat the first process or even bump it up a bit: Put in one gallon of gas and half a can of Seafoam.

Unfortunately, if the enrichment circuit is blocked and the above does not help/resolve the problem, you will have to break down he carbs.

Another problem for these bikes is the gas we have today. These 30 year old bikes really do not like ethanol nor is it good for them. Be sure to pick up some of the fuel additive which neutralizes the ethanol and add it to each tank of gas.

As noted by others, check the condition of the various fluids: oil, brake fluid, etc. If they aren't clean/clear like new, then you will want to change it.


Finally, and again I am surprised that no one mentioned this previously, you NEED an inline fuel filter. As a side note, check the insides of the gas tank: do you see rust? Bare steel? or something else? If the last, then someone before you has coated the tank, saving you the trouble. If rust, you need to neutralize the rust and then coat the tank. If bare steel, then you are quite fortunate and should strongly consider coating it. I have used the kit from POR15 with very good success. Others will recommend Kreem and a few more.

 

One thing you should know about these bikes: when turning it off, there are two off positions for the key. The first one all the way to the left will engage a parking light which will drain your battery. The next position to the right is the one you want to use. This turns off the bike and engages the steering lock but does not run the parking light. It may be that you had it in the position all the way to the left and thereby draining the battery not realizing you turned on the parking light.

I hope that helps.

 

This isn't so on my 1982 XJ550. I don't lock my bars so I always turn the key to the left and it does not leave any lights on or drain any power.

 

OH YES it is. You've probably never put the ignition switch that far to the left if you never lock the bars.

The key has to be pushed down then turned to get to the "lock" position, and if you DO lock your bars, it's very easy to go to the "Parking Light" position. I've done it myself, one reason for renewing the label.

Note the trim ring label on the ignition switch, past "lock" is "P" and it turns the taillight on:

 

Fitz,
He said if you turn it to the left and not right!!!
I do not turn it two clicks left. I never said that. I turn it one click left and it does not leave any lights on or drain power!!!

 

That is correct. The fist click is where you want to put it. If you go past that to the next one is when the parking light comes on. It happened to me a couple of times.

 

Hello Dunecruiser .. seeing as it was a runner b4 sitting for a coupla weeks, how's th battery?.. when you say 'doesn't start' what are th details on that, turns over/ doesn't turn over/ tries to start?? .. maybe be it's not a big problem.

 

Ok so she just needed a little tlc emptied out all the old gas filled it back up charged the battery and cranked right up I was only asking about that stuff for regular maintenance since I don't personally know how old any of that stuff is and I'm looking into everything posted so far but keep it coming I'm a complete newby to bike ownership and maintenance

 

We're telling you how old that stuff is; you can't simply ignore it.

Old brakes will begin acting up as soon as you start using them; and you NEED to visually check the rear shoes; if they delaminate it can lock the rear wheel unexpectedly.

Neglected valve clearances and carbs in need of service will cause engine problems almost immediately. Hanging idle, hard starting, gas in the oil, gas on the garage floor-- you name it.

Aged tubeless tires are very dangerous to be riding around on.

This is an old motorcycle, not an old car. If you jump on it and start riding it without reversing the effects of neglected maintenance, you're going to start having "problem after problem." But they won't be problems; they'll be completely predictable symptoms of neglected maintenance.

You need to attend to all sorts of stuff; if you don't the bike won't be reliable OR you could get seriously hurt, or worse.

Ignorance IS NOT bliss when it comes to 30-year old bikes. It's a disaster looking for the scene of the crash.

 

It was garage kept for years immediately prior to my purchasing I understand it isn't new but its not falling apart either its got 40,000 miles on it and I'm sure there are things I am going to need to replace and update but if your gonna be a dick just keep ur posts to yourself there are plenty of other helpful people on here dont need your 2 cents

 

I'm sorry that you have mistaken Fitz's concern for your safety for him being a dick.

I'm also concerned for your safety, but I don't feel like being accused of being a dick for just trying to help you out.

So I'll keep my 2 cents to myself also.

 

Nobody's being a dick; you've got a 30-year old bike and garage kept or not if you ignore certain maintenance items you WILL get bit.

If the valves haven't been adjusted at the proper intervals, it will quit running eventually. Ignore away, it's your motor.

Hopefully the rear (or front) brake locks up on you in your driveway, not when you're running down the road at 60. Either is highly possible.

And let's don't think about what would happen if you pop a front line under hard braking, because, hey-- it's not falling apart. (I never said it was.)

Sorry if the truth is too much for you to accept; but I was genuinely trying to keep you from getting hurt.

 

Then help walk me through it don't tell me I'm going to wreck for all I know the bike enthusiast I bought it from has changed the brakes in the 20 something years he owned it honestly I would love to spend tomorrow morning checking first thing I just don't know how to I am not a mechanic at all but I've got tools and I'm willing to learn just go easy on me

 

Or if there is already a good walk through show me the link ill park it until I can check the brakes and whatever else u think is a must do

 

Get a manual. The Haynes is widely available; the factory book is better but it assumes you're a trained motorcycle mechanic to begin with.

Go through the entire "Maintenance" section, step by step and don't leave anything out. No shortcuts, don't skip anything. Garage kept and properly maintained are two different things. It took me 11 months to recommission my "garage kept" bike. Unless the PO (previous owner) provided receipts don't believe anything he told you; check it yourself. Your life literally depends upon it.

The very first thing to do is to pull the rear wheel and check the rear brake shoes for signs of their delaminating from their backing plates. This is very common; and dangerous: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=15874.html

You can check the age of your front brake lines by looking for the dates of manufacture embossed in them or stamped in the flange of the ferrule. The original brake lines were to have lasted four years, the original ones need to be replaced, and often weren't. The caliper and master cylinder seals had a recommended lifespan of 2 years; they also need to be replaced. You shouldn't trust your life to 30-year old pads or shoes, regardless of how much "meat" is left. Replace those too; and take the opportunity to upgrade to stainless steel brake lines. They're the single biggest improvement you can make to the stock Yamaha brake.

I just posted the whole "basic resurrection checklist" for a new member here, take a look: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=36276.html

A LOT of the things on the list can be done before you get the book.

Start poking around in "XJ FAQ Suggestions" most of the tech articles are in there. For instance, valve clearances: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html

Lots of good "background" information in here, too: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=27544.html Give the linked articles a read.

And ask questions.

 

Where in Fl are you located? There might be an XJer close by who is willing to give some hands on help.

 

Pensacola

 

First off, welcome to the forums. Owning an XJ is a wonderful feeling, you are in for a treat - even more so when you master the basic principles of maintenance.

I know it seems like a lot of people are coming on here and telling you that you can't ride it and you have to do all this work that seems overwhelming, but they all really mean well. Some of the members of the forum have worked on these bikes since the day they arrived in the dealerships in the early 80's, so they often have a lot of useful information.

As a general rule of thumb, the more urgent their posts sound, the more important the information is.

I joined the forum about a year and a half ago after purchasing my first motorcycle, an 81 XJ650LH. Unlike yours mine was not garage kept and was in dire need of a lot of TLC. Here is what it looked like when I bought it:


With the help of the advice I got from this forum in the first few weeks I had my XJ rideable but still full of bugs (not starting, idle problems, poor power and acceleration, a leaking head gasket, leaky suspension.. the list goes on).

The reality is I probably would have gotten on and just started riding, ending up with headache after headache of problems (and I did to some degree), but after getting the exact same advice you are getting here and listening to it, I now have a beautifully functioning, beautiful to look at (after a complete teardown and repainting) XJ.

 

The PO had a yamaha service manual I'm going to check the rear brakes now

 

Ok so rear brakes aren't brand new or anything but definitely not the originals pads and they look pretty good

 

Dunecruiser,

The folks here are really great and there are only a few dicks that most kind of ignore till they go away. In particular, pay particular close attention to BigFritz, Rick, SnoSheriff. XJ Wizard, and Maxim-X. That isn't to denigrate any others, but anything those folks recommend is something which absolutely should not be ignored and I have never seen any of them act "dick-like". There is another honored member I recommend searching for posts written by, our sorely missed Bill. Search for Rick's write up on proper cleaning and care of the Carbs. Read the stickies as well. They are important.

For impossible to find parts, check with Chacal. He is the most likely source and has actually found ways to get some new parts for parts not made any more, like air box to carb boots. Lots of things also show up on eBay with fair regularity.

Assuming you are your own wrench monkey, you will want to get the tool Chacal sells for performing the valve check. You will require calipers. And you will require some form of the YICS tool. If you don't know what YICS is, you need to know. It is one of the things that make these bikes so special and gives them the performance they have. I am a bit lazier than BigFritz and will let you do the searches yourself.

If you really know the PO enthusiast from which you purchased the bike and trust what he says quite literally with your life, then feel free to ignore some of the checks given to you by folks here. If you don't feel like risking your life on his word, then listen carefully to what you are told here and heed the advice given. For example, I mentioned the fuse box previously. While not as urgent as checking for rear brake delamination, that is one of the single greatest causes of electrical problems for these bikes. I was in the left lane zooming down the freeway in busy traffic when my bike went dead. I found that the danged glass fuse in there had vibrated out of position. I made replacing it a high priority. If you still have the original in there, replace it ASAP. The blade fuses are much nicer. Again, Chacal sells a replacement block which will fit in the space required..

Best wishes for happy motoring,

 

Ok front brakes look good too and front brake lines have been replaced but not with stainless its on the to do list but not a necessity at this point I'm going to try and change the fuse box one evening early this week (waiting for a hand with the electrical) something mentioned that was a foreign language to me was valve clearances please elaborate

 

Also tires are tubeless and not brand new but no signs of dry rot and they still have good tred they will also be replaced soon if possible but I do have to do this slowly money is an obstacle

 

Going back to your original post and question, I have the following suggestion. When it is time to replace your battery, be sure to get a sealed AGM or GEL battery. It will cost about twice as much (less if you do mail order such as from BikeMaster) but it performs much better and lasts much longer. Many of the lead-acid batteries meet a tragic doom just months after purchase during the off-season. Lead Acid batteries get cranky about not being used or kept at full charge. In addition, the AGM and GEL batteries can go in any position and won't leak if your bike is lying down for some reason. Invest in a float charger to extend your battery life. Autozone normally carries a cable in their trailer wiring section with a male/female connection on both ends. Take one of those and cut it, attaching one end to your battery and accessible outside of your side cover, and splice the other to the end of the float charger. Makes maintenance charging much easier.

 

BigFitz has your answer what valve checks are and why they are important:

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3 ... rance.html

Some others of help:
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=7 ... +shim.html

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=7 ... +shim.html

The process is well spelled out in the manual (I have a Haynes). You WILL need a manual, so go get one.

 

Check the manufacturer date on the tires. Stored inside, I don't believe they will dry rot that much, but the rubber still ages. If they are more than 6 years old, replace them...call a couple of stores and find out how old tires can be before they should be replaced.

Also, check the rims themselves. They should say Tubeless.

 

YEA LISTEN TO THE DUCK....as much of a pain the guy can sound like...hes NOTHING but FACT AND KNOWLEDGE...

All hail the Duck!

 

Valve clearances, the how-to's:

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html

and http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=29209.html