82 Seca Carb removal advise needed...

Hello Everybody, brand new Yamaha owner and new member of this site and forum. Happy to be here!

Just starting out a rebuild of a neglected 82 550 xj Seca and would lo9ve some tips on how to get the carbs out without ripping the boots. Do the boots get pushed back into the plastic airbox (if that's what its called) and then the carbs get pulled away from the engine? DO I need to remove the gas tank to get the other attachments off?

I am as green as it gets and would appreciate any advice.

Thanks guys...anytime...Fred.

 

new member 2 but hard my carbs off, undo the clipps then use the shaft of a screw driver and push down from the top till they come out, worked fine on mine, struddle like hell to re fit but it worked, happy days.

 

There are different models, but you should find a couple of M10 head bolts holding the airbox in place. Taking these out gives you a little bit of extra room to get the carbs out. I wouldn't bother trying without taking the tank off.

Take the choke cable off before you start - the throttle cables can stay until the carbs are loose.

 

This is for my XJ11 but removal is similar. It does take some twisting and pulling to get them out. The carb to airbox boots can be pushed in but not really necessary.
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... art=0.html

 

Thanks guys. Just didn't want to ruin these boots and it's a pretty tight fit. And thanks for the hint on cable sequence...f.

 

Hold on.

The 550 Seca's airbox is attached with three bolts; two of which are in slots, to allow the airbox to move rearward so you can get the carbs off.

Take the tank off, and set aside in a safe place, far away from your work area. Prop up the back of the tank so it's not sitting on the petcock.

You'll see the two bolts, through slots, on either side of the frame rail just forward of the rear tank mount. Loosen but do not remove these.

Remove the large screw holding the tool tray/TCI/fusebox mounting piece in place, and swing the tool tray up out of the way. You can leave everything plugged in, just don't yank on it too hard.

You will then see the third airbox mounting screw. REMOVE it.

This will allow the airbox to move rearward almost a full inch, which makes getting the carbs off much easier. I generally snatch the two outer airbox boots out of the way, and leave the inner two in place and just mash/tug the carbs out of them. The carbs come out to the right.

While you're messing with your Seca's airbox, have a peek at this thing: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=31872.html

 

Thx BigFitz! You were right but I had it done by the time I read it. That extra room from the backed up airbox was important. I just went through that fiter tip and my 82 550xj seca does not have that drop tube beside the drain tube. Nothing to place a filter in and no factory hole even cut. Is there any reason I should consider lining the front wall off that airbox with a thin foam filter of some type or go as is? Off to try to clean my first carb. Again thx for the time...f.

 

Wait whoa stop. Your Seca DOESN'T have the sucky-tube, or even a hole for it?

WTF? I have both an early '81 (12/80) and an '83, and they both have it. I wonder if your airbox was a replacement part and it didn't have the hole. Euro-spec 550s don't have it either, but the Canadian bikes did. It doesn't by any chance have some unoccupied screw holes on the top sides of the airbox (which would indicate that it came from a Maxim,) does it?

No, the airbox is fine, no additional filtration needed. The suck-tube is some sort of emissions band-aid; odd that your bike doesn't have one.

 

Take picture(s) and post so we can see what you have there! O f the area you are talking about.

 

We were discussing this thing; it's peculiar to the 550 Secas: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=31872.html

 

So BigFitz I haven't seen the unfilled holes but i'll take another look tomorrow. I am new to this site so unsure how to thoroughly search so can you link an extensive carb cleaning instruction. I've pulled one of the middle carbs apart and put it back together but without experience don't know how cruddy they are so may as well clean as much as I can. Also...the one gasket looks good and the diaphram looks shiny but if i'm in, in your opinion should i replace everything with a kit? I was planning on cleaning to learn and then paying a local shop to calibrate for optimum. Love learning but a little nervous. I'll look for those empty screw holes in the airbox in the morning. Maybe I have a Euro (Right hand drive?). Thx again.

 

actually BF I found Rick Massey's piece and your exploded view, part 1. I'll start there. Gotta look up white cider vinegar too. Thx...f.

 

Take your time and read all that these guys have to offer on the topic of carb cleaning and rebuilding. There are great tutorials and lots of encouraging information on this site. I have been riding and fixing old bikes for years and had a devil of a time getting the carbs on my '82 750 Maxim cleaned and running. Must have had the carb bank off ten times before I found all of the potential problems and had the bike running well. Got really good at popping them off but learned a lot about how they're supposed to work.

I used the search function and found everything I needed right here. A big thanks to all of the "Masters" who are the backbone of this resource.

I've put almost 3k on my Maxim since late July and it's thanks mostly to you guys!