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Iffy bike shop

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by ecologito, Aug 14, 2013.

  1. ecologito

    ecologito Well-Known Member

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    Today I called a local bike shop to find out how much they would charge to service the carbs on my 750 maxim. The guy on the phone was either busy or is not very customer service oriented.

    The guy said that if I had the carbs off the bike it would be between $80 and $120 on labor + parts depending on what its needed.

    I asked what he does when he "services the carbs" and the answer was "do what it takes to get them running".

    I was hoping for clean circuits, bench sync, setup floats, at least give me something but when the guy gave me zero details I felt the urgency to end the phone call.

    One more thing that I will have to do myself if I want to make sure that is done right (unless Fitz or Dave are willing to "service" them).

    I wish there were more shops with knowledgeable people out there to do the job for people that do not have the time but I guess I will have to make time :)
     
  2. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    The sad truth of the matter is this:

    Servicing and Cleaning our Carbs is "Labor Intensive"

    Latter day Shops would rather not bother taking-on the chore of servicing these old Carbs, ... when the Techs can spend :: Less time :: doing MORE service work on Late Model Bikes which might only need:

    • A Plug-'n-play Module
    • Reprogramming the "Brain"
    • No age-related hassles
     
  3. TIMEtoRIDE

    TIMEtoRIDE Active Member

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    (quote) - and the answer was "do what it takes to get them running".

    Translation - a 5-10 minute scrub on the outside with gasoline and toothbrush,
    removal of float bowls, and clean-out with CLR or toilet bowl cleaner,
    a quickie blow-thru of the exposed jets with carb cleaner,
    some fiddle-farting with the sliders, with WD-40, of course,
    and a crudely concieved bench sync, with paper clips.

    (warning to Noobs - do not do this !!)
     
  4. adrian1

    adrian1 Active Member

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    No surprises there I'm afraid Eco! An interesting question for the potential shop would be: Do you have the YICS blocking tool? Their reaction would tell all! :)
     
  5. mlew

    mlew Well-Known Member

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    There are lots of shops around like that, if they can't plug a computer into it to diagnose problems they don't want to work on it.
    If you are ever in the Raleigh NC area, bring your carbs we can fix them up right. There are sever al local members that can vouch for my carb skills.
     
  6. ecologito

    ecologito Well-Known Member

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    And that is why I was considering paying to get it done since I have little to no time to do it myself.

    Well... he didn't make it that far to begin with
     
  7. ecologito

    ecologito Well-Known Member

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    Now we are talking more local. I make the trip to Raleigh every couple of times a year. I also have a few friends up that way so I can make the trip to drop them off or I can ship them your way.
     
  8. Polock

    Polock Well-Known Member

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    don't be so quick to write off newer bikes as quick and easy, the FI section of the book on my 06 suzuki goes from 4-3 to 4-94
     
  9. mlew

    mlew Well-Known Member

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    Its up to you weather to drop them off or ship them.
    If you are not sure of the condition of the throttle shaft seals I strongly suggest replacing them along with the other normal carb service items. Needles/seats , O-rings, bowl gaskets. PM Chacal he can get them.
     
  10. jmilliken

    jmilliken Well-Known Member

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    yea... carbeurators are a dying art....
     
  11. adrian1

    adrian1 Active Member

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    Well... he didn't make it that far to begin with

    Understood, I was referring to any potential approach to a bike shop :wink:
     
  12. MercuryMan

    MercuryMan Active Member

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    Agreed Polock! Modern bikes can be a PITA but for different reasons-honestly I'd rather work on ANYTHING pre '95 anyday. XJ carbs are labor intensive..hmm..more like TIME intensive 'cause the labor isn't hard compared to most jobs.

    BTW padawan there are WAY more than 2 XJBikes members who could 'service' your carbs...YK...just review our 'in-pain' testamonials followed by SOLVED!
     
  13. jmilliken

    jmilliken Well-Known Member

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    Agreed, you could probably just mail your carbs to any wizard.

    OR you could read the church of clean and the whole nine yards, grab a couple beers and become a carb expert. It's intimidating and scary at first, but once you do it, you will wonder what you were so scared of!
     
  14. nycxj750

    nycxj750 Member

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    I'm about to pick up a second set of carbs for my 82 xj750r seca very cheap. So I can experiment with them and not be too worried about messing things up with the ones on the bike that are running now. But if anyone is within 300 miles or there abouts to NYC let me know and I will take a trip to learn how to do it right from someone who knows.

    I'll bring the rum. (How does 25 year old bottle of rum sound?)
     
  15. iwingameover

    iwingameover Active Member

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    If there is free Rum involved my garage is open! :lol:
     
  16. bmarzka

    bmarzka Active Member

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    "Why is the rum always gone?" - Capt. Jack Sparrow
     
  17. jmilliken

    jmilliken Well-Known Member

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    NYCXJ, I'm near Harrisburg PA, and IWIN is a couple hours south of me.... wanna make a trip to my place? There's also some others that want to come too. I have been thinking of hosting a carb clinic. LETS DO THIS!
     
  18. iwingameover

    iwingameover Active Member

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    I'm only about an hour south now. I moved. I'm near Antietam battlefield.
     
  19. jmilliken

    jmilliken Well-Known Member

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    Lets ride!
     
  20. nycxj750

    nycxj750 Member

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    Yes. I get Rum and Cigars from the Caribbean all year long.

    Specifically from the Dominican Republic.

    I'll have them bring me up some this month. And bring more myself when I go in October. Let me get my hands on some Rum and the carbs this weekend and will see when it would be a good day for you.
     
  21. nycxj750

    nycxj750 Member

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    A clinic would be great! Get to meet people and learn more about the bike. I have a Hero Pro 2 I use mostly to scuba dive but could probably use it to video taking apart cleaning and putting carbs back together.

    What days are good for you?
     
  22. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

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    When I said Labor Intensive ...

    I meant TIME Consuming.

    You pay by the hour.
     
  23. jmilliken

    jmilliken Well-Known Member

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    NYC, weekends are the best... let me talk to the wife and get some dates
     
  24. koolaid5

    koolaid5 Member

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    Hey, this thread is about a year old. Did you ever get together? I'm in between jmilliken and iwin. I'm in Chambersburg, PA. We need to set a date. It will put a fire under my ass to finish up my Cherokee, so I can get to and finish up my XJ.
     
  25. Stumplifter

    Stumplifter Well-Known Member

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    Wait a minute . . . .
    A Cherokee IS an XJ! :D


    signed:
    Former 4 wheeled XJ and YJ owner - currently TJ owner.
     
  26. koolaid5

    koolaid5 Member

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    I meant to say Cherokee XJ and BIKE XJ. I'd settle for having either on the road right now. My wife will shit a brick if I ever get BOTH on the road.
     
  27. tskaz

    tskaz Active Member

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    The difficulty of the carbs mainly depends on what you're starting with. I started with carbs that were somewhat clean and mostly[/] there.
     
  28. billrocks45

    billrocks45 New Member

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    I got lucky when I was getting my 650 Maxim back on the road. I cleaned the carbs, but wanted to make sure I had everything right, so I took the bike to my Yamaha dealer and had them go through everything, valves, brakes, carbs, etc. They were more than happy to work on it.
     
  29. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Yeah.....cuz they could charge obscene amounts of money and hope that you would:

    1. agree
    2. pay it
    3. not come back

    or:

    a. not agree
    b. not return

    or:
    1,2,3, AND
    4. STILL not learn how to do it yourself so you'd come back and they could charge you MORE obscene amounts of money
     
  30. billrocks45

    billrocks45 New Member

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    Yeah, it wasnt the cheapest, usually I do my own maintenance on my bikes, but I was busy at work, which didnt leave much time to wrench on the bike.
     
  31. 4freese

    4freese Member

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    I am very picky with carbs and clean the heck out of them. I would have to say that I am by far the best carb guy I know in my area. All the bigger shops just do a quick clean with spray cans and compressed air. I like to break the racks, replace all the orings, seals, clean everything in an ultrasonic cleaner, clean out the idle circuit with fine wire, bench sync, sync, colortune, sync again. That is my way of doing things. Maybe its the military in me but I am very thorough. I am in Blackstone Virginia by the way, not sure where in NC you are.
     
  32. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    Finally, someone else who does it the right way........I was starting to think that it was just the few of us remaining..........

    dave
     
  33. 4freese

    4freese Member

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    shoot, I use a soda blaster also. I'm just that picky.
     
  34. drifter

    drifter Member

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    I do my own carbs mostle because I like fiddly work :) and I don't trust a shop to do a better job then me.. Unless of course they have a dip... But then I am likely to just bring them the bits I want ultrasonically clean .. If I can find a supply of old school carb dip like berrymans original formula or some of the active chemicals I would be happy.. Due to be environmental regulations that stuff is out of reach.. Heck even the paint stores don't carry the good solvents anymore so a home brew solution is very hard
     

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