Quick Fix!!!

I LIED.

This is for all you new XJ owners that came here looking for a "quick fix" on the 30+ year old bike you just bought:

There isn't one.

You WILL NEED to adjust the valves, service/rebuild and adjust the carbs, and rebuild the brakes completely.

WILL. Not "might need." Yes, it does need. And a whole lot more you never imagined.

You WILL NEED to spend between $600 ~$800 USD in the process; and that assumes you doing all the work and doesn't take any sort of "cosmetics" into account.

You WILL NEED to do the work yourself; honest shops won't touch thirty-plus year old bikes and those that will are just going to take your money and make matters worse.

There is NO QUICK FIX for a hanging idle, a bike that only runs when cold, a bike that pees gas all over the floor, a bike that pukes oil out of its airbox, or won't start, or "races" once warm, etc., etc...

Those are symptoms of 30+ years' worth of neglected maintenance.

You won't correct it by screwing with the carb adjustment screws.

This forum is here to help; but it's not quick nor easy.

And once it IS running; we'll talk brakes.

 

YEA!

 

Dude, I was getting tired of typing the same thing over and over... cutting into my beer drinking time.

 

Yup, a quick fix is always worth the effort. As in: Not much.

 

C'mon Fitz, every one knows that all you have to do is get rid of that stoopid airbox, put on some pods, fill the tank with Seafoam, cut the back of the frame off and mount a tractor seat, hack the wiring up then take it to the scrap yard or better still, post it on Craigslist as "Used to run before it was put away, good project bike" ;-) ;-)

 

Fitz, make that your new signature.

 

Just take a look at some pics of Bigfitz's bikes.....& you will know that there are no quick fixes....

Being the original owner of my bike since 1982, I am just as guilty of neglect as the next guy.....I have learned my lessons over the years.....well since last April 2013 I have been slowly been restoring my bike.....poured about 1.5k to 2k into it during everything to it that should have been done all along....it is called periodic & preventative maintenence........has not run since 2007 timeframe....but I guess I am not really in a hurry either for a quick fix.....

People that think they can buy these bikes for 300-600 & do a few minimal maint items are kidding themselves......most of these are project bikes that require time & money........

 

Hmmmm,,,,He may be right,,,,,We need to fix that!!!!


hehe

 

Somebody please "STICKY" this!

 

I bought a bike one time that was posted as "Ran when it was new"...

dave

 

Second that request to sticky this topic - We really need a place that makes it obvious when new users come to the site where they should start. Please also be aware that the user rating system also "encourages" posts.

I'm thinking of a big red button "New users start here"...

 

Or make it so new users can't post anything til they read it..... Or their ranking doesn't change til they read it--- or do it.....

Heck, it could be one a prerequisite mini-course! Lol

 

Truer words have never been spoken
Most projects take a minimum of 6-800 to get in decent running order.
No short cuts or youll be pulling your hair out

 

bump-we need a sticky!!!!

 

Agreed. Problem is a new owner of an old bike usually does not see these messages until after the purchase. First is denial which is followed by reality.

You can add me to that newbe list!

 

Being a newbie at these bikes I am learning this lesson but at the same time learning valuable information. I appreciate all you veterans answering my questions and giving my help. I was planning on a few hours of tinkering. ........guess again.

 

I found the Quick Fix.

#Step 1 - Pull the bike apart completely (every single bolt, nut, screw and clip).
#Step 2 - Put it back together replacing the bad bits on the way.

Woot done!

 

The first thing I did after putting Seafoam thru
everything, gas and Oil
was rip the airbox out and replace it with
pods
now it looks amazing, however it just won't run
properly
do you think that the issue is coming from the pet-cock?
any help and ideas will be ignored
I will just take it to the HD dealer, they will be able to fix it

 

No no, you need to cut off the back end of your frame, thats where the problem is.

 

Lets not lose sight of helping the new guy learn his bike ......

 

Bump. Just cuz.

 

I'm so guilty of this. This bike has been my regular form of transportation for years. Despite, or perhaps because of, that I've never put in the time effort and money to make it right. Instead I've just focused on keeping it running. But now my girlfriend has fallen in love with it and I'm not gonna let her ride my 30+ year old death trap. That and having just had the rear brakes lock up on me has convinced me of the need to do things right. Thankfully I bought a parts bike last year and spent a few hours with my dad stripping it down to the frame. Now I can start fresh and only put on good working reliable pretty parts. She'll be like a brand new bike.

 

- I just purchased my first bike (XJ750 Maxim) yesterday...
This could be the most single terrifying post I've read here... Although it is a lot of truth and I am excited to get my hands dirty...

Thanks!

 

[quote="bigfitz52]

You WILL NEED to do the work yourself; honest shops won't touch thirty-plus year old bikes and those that will are just going to take your money and make matters worse.
[/quote]

Often true not always.. I am blessed with a mechanic that also is a vintage bike enthusiast he let's me pick his brain and gives advice on turning my own wrench... Infact encorages it and he doesnt clean out my wallet when i need his help..very reasonable..learning to turn your own wrench is good advice .. Helps to get real intimate with your machine .. Just my opinion I am a newb for the most part

 

It helps to find a good shop to hang out at. I had one in Clearwater when I was living in Florida, guy specialized in exotics and sportbikes in general and managed a couple small AMA teams when he could find good riders, but at the same time he worked on vintage stuff. I met him through a friend of a friend while I had my Ducatis, started hanging out at his shop and helped him with a few things given most of my bikes were at the time 70's era. Great shop, should have gone to work for him full time but I wanted to stick with construction. Now I'm stuck in Texas, sigh.

Look for independent shops if you are trying to find one, and start with little stuff like tires and chain/sprocket stuff, things any shop can do. Get a feel for them, get to know the mechanics, seriously just hang out and chat and you'll find out if you are welcome or not, and more importantly if your bike will be welcome. Still, it helps to figure out your bike on your own.

 

The 750 doesn't have a chain/sprocket drive.... They're shafties. If you mean internal chain/sprocket stuff, a newbie won't be at that level for hopefully a long time. I'd say start learning with brakes tires first.

Dave

 

Well granted in THIS case the chain/sprocket is not a good example, but you get my drift. Throw your local shop a bone with some little stuff and see if you get along with them. If you are getting new tires, DO NOT BRING TIRES TO THEM, I have met few shop owners that appreciate customers bringing parts to them and causing them to lose the markup on parts. Yes you could buy the tires cheaper yourself, but shops don't make much money on labor rates alone. Again, throw them a bone if you want to build a relationship with them.

 

I'm kinda in the same both as a previous poster, in that my 81 is my "daily" commuter.

Add to that that I have neither a garage (just a small tin shed for wintering), nor tools, nor mechanical ability beyond re-attaching the tach cable when it falls off the head (again), I'm in a pretty rough spot w/o a gear head to help me out. (I DO have the '81 printing of the XJ650G Service Manual, but I can actually read Greek better...)

So, I HOPE I can find someone around here (Riverton WY/BFE) I can work with. Lots of Big Twin guys, but not so many UJM cranks... (sigh).

 

Want to keep the tach cable from falling off the head?

The next time you tighten it, HOLD the ferrule on the cable itself (it has flats on it for that purpose) to keep it from turning when you tighten the collar.

If the cable turns when you tighten the collar, it "winds up" and preloads itself to unscrew.

 

Heh. And thus you see how completely non-mechanical I am.

Discuss Politics, Philosophy, Comparative Theology or fix a firearm, I'm good. Grease & wrenches, not so much.

 

I realize this is an old post but still a gooder.
I bought my bike knowing next to nothing, and all I know is I need to be patient and that I can't be cheap or cut corners on safety or cleanliness.
haven't had the chance to meet Fitz but have learned most of what I know from what he has written.
So cheers to wherever you are and hope alls well
-EM

 

Have not heard from Bigfitz in a long time......he must be on a much needed perpetual vacation

 

I seen this thread and seen bigfitz pic and was like he's back but I was wrong

 

My personal philosophy when buying old vehicles (including this 550 I just picked up)
If it starts, runs and stops its worth something as a vehicle. If it doesn't do those things its worth something as a project or as parts. I don't need more projects or parts.
If it runs one month for every $100 I spend on it, its worth it. Thats less than a car/bike payment. For example, I spent $700 on my 550, it should self destruct by the new year if its a warm fall, maybe last until spring if the fall/winter sucks. I spent $100 on oil, filter, plugs, air filter. Thats should get me another month from it. I'll spend $100 on RevelCal's Big Carb Weekend. That buys me another month. I'll spend $100 on new brake parts. There is another month. etc etc etc. I might be spending some of these hundreds up front to keep me from dying in a fireball of brakeless glory... but all I think is "I'm adding 1 month of riding time to the bike" every time I spend it. After a while I'll run out of months to buy, because I've "paid the bike off" (ie made all the $100 monthly payments I can to fixing it up and there is nothing left but the regular routine maint.) Either that, or it breaks down to the point that there is no point in making more payments. In that case I add up my payments, compare it to the months,and hopefully I came out ahead of the game. If I don't, then hopefully I can craigslist it or part it out for the difference.

TL;DR: I make $100 a month bike payments to my self for my XJ550 instead of to a harley dealership for a street 500. Natch.

 

Moderator Sticky Please

 

There should be a NEW MEMBER READ FORUM that include threads like this. Imo THE INFORMATION OVERLOAD HOUR should be the first post.

Gary H.