i need strength

I probably never should have gotten into this situation but thats in the past.

I hate this bike. I mean am to the point of selling it on CL just to not mess with it anymore. I take a step forward and 9 back.

Who knows what a good yami fj600 goes for. Probably less than 1100 bucks prestine. So far including the pile of $hit i brought home i bet ive nearly hit 2k and i need to order shims again. So many new bits and so much still missing.

Its tearing me away from my newborn and every weekend i think i can start it. Too boot i also quit my job for what my friend dolled up to be what could be a possible partnership in his dads hvac company. Well im looking for a job after he lied about 90 percent of it.

Im not on here to really complain but im having a breakdown. Had the bike 3 years and it has been without a doubt the worst barn find ever.

 

Slow your roll Jo.
Your strength can be replenished here.
This group can make things right (or at least offer you a fair price to take your bike off your hands).

Let's start slowly . . .

1. What bike do you have?
2. Was it running when you got it?
3. Stock power plant of modified (pods)?

That's it for now, three questions.

Now go pour yourself a nice bourbon drink, have a smoke and relax - things will be alright.

 

I second that opinion. Sounds a lot like my bike .... as I'm not a mechanic it was painful. Although I didn't have a young one for the additional pressures. All the experienced XJ'ers can and will walk you through the problems and fixes. Sounds like you have purchased enough parts, let these guys systematically diagnose and help.

 

We're in the same boat, dude, and we're here to help. Ask around... how long have these "projects" been going on for? Personally, I have had this bike for 7 months or so, and maybe if the stars align properly for me, I might get it started before the end of summer. I too have a youngling, and it is important to remember priorities... your child will only be this age once, the bike will still be here when they've gone off to school. Try to remember that the wrenching is a part of this "vintage bike" pastime... it's supposed to be fun. If it were just about riding, we'd all be selling these old bikes and searching for ones with warrantees.
Stay strong.

 

Perspective: Every summer I take care of a project on the house. Flooring, paint, a new door; pretty run of the mill stuff. This summer I'm almost to the point where I can paint the family room. This is the same family room that I painted when we moved into the house 12 years ago.

From a father's perspective....the bike can wait. Do a little at a time when you can. Baby comes first; 18 years goes by way too fast.

 

My current ride is a $200 basket case it took me 2 years to put together. More work than money, though.

 

Its never ran. 85 Yamaha FJ600. Pulled out of a yard for 100 bucks with a title. Engine cylinders had rust intrusion, valves rusted and aluminum was cavatated. Rebuilt the forks, cut the valve seats, replaced the oil feed line inside, measured the crank bearings.....

Ive had to ebay the hell out of it. Im sure it ran at some point but i have no clue when. I had to source a wire harness, correct wheels, body parts, ignition, regulator, new tires, new chain, pistons.... i mean honestly. I need more shims and some clamps and it might start.

But its only making 1:70 2:70 3:70 4:70
I have to adjust these valves again before itll ever try to start

The starter solenoid is shorted through the switch since theres power on both sides. Ive got a diagram but this thing is killing me.

Ive rebuilt a lot of bikes. This takes the cake. Plus i still need an exhaust and i have no desire to pay 180 dollars for one used and dented. I dont have signals, a horn, air box, grab bars, brackets to brace the front stay...um what else.

I dunno, i locked it up in the shed. Sick of looking at it for a while.

 

Oh and one of my cats pissed on my spider IV amp and driver. So.....needless to say i had to tear down that too. Last night i had a melt down.

 

Sell the bike, drink a beer, go enjoy your kid, in that order.
then shoot the cat

 

Then fry it up with some bacon

 

Ona serious note is there any other place where i could buy an exhaust for less than an ebay price. I need headers, mufflers, collectors. Everything. I have some downtube that i realized wont do much.

I was trying to use a katana 600 exhaust but the oil filter is in the way. I tried welding and its such a small area under neath its just easier to do either an fz600 or fj600 exhaust.

 

E-bay has made it to where nearly everyone who is looking to sell parts is able to quickly find out how much buyers are willing to pay. My advice is to put this project on the back burner and keep an eye out for someone listing what you need with a very low BIN price. Deals can be had if you are patient.

 

You always come up with the most rational, solid advice........

 

Well, you have a relatively rare bike with heavy amount of damage. Of course it ain't gonna be a picnic.

I've given up on a couple of projects before.

 

This has been 3 years in the making. Some stuff on ebay ive watched for that 3 years. Same bad fairings for 120 dollars, same bad exhausts. I can honestly say ill never dump money like this again unless its actually worth it.

Ill let it rest a week or two and try again.

 

I have been building my ex for three years; My 305 dream for 14 years.... Neither of which run YET. And it may be another 10 for all I know

 

I did stumble upon one idea for the exhaust. Which i have started in another thread. Kinda hoping i can jack something from a 550, 650, or 750. I doubt a 750 will offer much but really that damn oil filter housing is what keeps screwing things up.

I feel a little better with it out of sight. The garage is a mess and a good portion of my tool are in 2 carts, on top of the box, on top of my 6 ft bench. Its hell.

I think this weekend i'll bring it out and just focus on the wiring. For some reason the starter got goofy again. I bumped it when i got home because i think my new battery is bad and i charged it. Well i bumped it and it turned over nice and fast. Came back out like 2 hours later and suddenly i hit start and the low oil light comes on then nothin.

 

The 550 exhaust MAY work, the Xj550 and the FJ600 engines are a lot alike iirc

 

Well this may not be the most popular post in this thread but here goes.
#1 Old Bikes are not easy(pre fuel injection, pre electronic ignition) you have to want that particular bike.
#2 Old Bike can be difficult/expensive to get parts for.
#3 is it worth the time it takes away from your child?

Sell it, part it or put it in the shed and forget about it.
IF you like it, then do what I do, be patient. I see tons of parts I want, and some that I need, but I wait for the bargain to come along, or if it's ultra super rare I just bite the bullet.
I have several old bikes that are slowly accumulating parts. It has taken 4 years so far to get my 1986 GSXR750 Limited where it is, and I still haven't heard it run since I bought it! The Yamaha RD80 has been on the back burner almost 10 years! 1964 Yamaha Campus 50 get a part or two and its only been here for a year. Patience.
Or sell out save up and buy you a nice modern 2000ish 500/600cc bike. No problems starts runs stops.
Just take the time to evaluate what you need/want/can afford financially and time wise.

 

Well, my time to play devils advocate:

1. The old XJ's are easy.... No fuel injection, no electronic ignition

2. Parts are easy to get ( except the handful of unobtanium parts.... And even then, just wait it out--- they'll turn up)

3. My child loves to ride with me.. Now in 9th grade and has been riding with me since about age 5..... Started riding on the sled with me about age 3

My 1999 intruder STILL has a charging issue

My '04 Vmax still has an intermittent spark issue.

My newest bikes, and my oldest bikes either have an issue or aren't on the road yet----- but my Xj' s a keep right on going, and run circles around everything.

 

Ok, keep the bike but the cat has to go.

 

^+1^ Filthy creatures have been sharpening their claws on my saddle bags.

Get the little one out there to help wrench on the bike. They can learn a lot just holding a flashlight. How to check valves, how to set floats, some bad words.

 

I like my cats more than most humans, but they get an earful if they go into the garage. Found a stray in there the other day, but no damage found... yet!

 

http://www.softpaws.com saved my leather furniture, and my cat.

 

Had the Rd200 in storage for almost 18 years before son and I got it going
Last week. Had super day with grandson tearing out clutch on FZ 750 on Wednesday, he did most of the work scrubbing crusty plates reinstalling clutch cover and a high 5 and " good job Gramps" when we where done.... He's 5
Should have taken a pic of him with rubber gloves up to his elbow scrubbing the metal plates on the bench. And it's fun when he comes over with a big grin says " what bike are we gonna work on today"

 

That's one lucky kid. Betcha he brags about that to the dudes at school!

 

Can't wait till he's a bit older and I can drop him off and pick him up from school! It's only a mile away and all the family is within 2 miles !!

 

Right on. This isn't going to be quick or easy. I'd suggest maybe finding another. That one sounds like it is in brutal condition....

 

He's more than implied that it would be cheaper to just continue the project and enjoy riding it. Labors of love are never cheap.

 

No electronic ignition? I've been inside the ignition module, and let me tell you, it ain't filled with pixie dust. Very much electronic. I'm pretty sure no XJ has points.

I wish XJs had FI...

 

I think the post was meaning Electronic timing, spark modules, and all that rot.......yes, of course the tci is electronic. But I think we know what the person meant.

 

Electronic timing? Like the pickup coils XJs have?

Seriously, the XJ ignition is electronic, and any other electronic ignition works the same way. They are no more or less complex, just packaged a little differently. TCI is a spark module. It's just that the control chip and the solid-state switches are all in the same box and not in two separate ones. And it's plenty opaque to troubleshooting.

Now, a complete ECM that controls both spark and fuel is a more complex thing, but also an easier to diagnose one, because even basic ones have trouble codes they blink out.

Oh, to have FI, with no floats to set, no three separate fuel circuits... (and no fuel in the bowls to spill, catch fire, and cook what would have otherwise been a very salvageable bike)

 

Ok, so much for trying to give him strength......

Sorry dude, guess you'll have to find it somewhere else.

 

I really liked my FI bike, right up until the third time I had to replace a faulty fuel pump. Unfortunately that is the one thing that can't be jerry-rigged so you can limp home. Every system has its faults.

 

I AM my faults!

This is my first run in with carbs, and I'd waaaaaaay rather replace a fuel pump than adjust my floats! That being said, I'm gonna do it. I am just gonna suck at it, and it's gonna take too long, and I'm gonna curse whoever it was that invented carbs. When I'm not fiddling with them, I'm amazed at the mechanical complexity and the ingenuity required to develop such a system. When I am fiddling with them, that very thing drives me nuts!

 

I'd rather fiddle with floats 200 miles from home on a hot day than wait on a tow truck.

 

Hey, I'm just sayin' he ain't the only one in this boat.

I have to go pull the carbs on my FJ600 AGAIN, to see what clogged now, even though I am certain I cleaned them all the way.

Right. You pull it, put a new one in, and it works. If they are that flaky, you can carry a spare, it's small enough. You don't have to guess and if you guessed wrong pull apart half the bike and wrestle the airbox.

Yeah, well, floats and bowls are the reason my FJ1200 looks like a bike-shaped grill with literal charcoal in it. An FI bike wouldn't have a quart of fuel sloshing around to spill into the airbox and catch fire. I had to take it home in a truck, no fiddling is gonna help that.

I like XJs, that's why I'm here. Carbs are not why I like them. Carbs are what I put up with. The notion that carbs are somehow simpler and superior to FI, that just doesn't make sense to me.

 

In some ways they are, in other ways they are not. Like I said; everything is a tradeoff.

 

Like bacon vs tofu; there will never be an answer...

Oh wait, did somebody say "electric motorcycle"?

 

One day Padawan. One day....

 

I'm still waiting for a real world diesel motorcycle. I saw one for Military applications, sort of an off road/ on road / any road dirtbike thing. It was very cool looking, but can I get one? Nooooo! Now there are all these junk e-bike things from China all over my town, and that's not what I am looking for. More like the HD electric prototype. Is that coming out any time soon? I love that in preliminary testing, the HD faithful thought it was too quiet (imagine that), and so they spent millions re-working the teeth on the transmission to make it louder, like a Harley is supposed to be. Yep, de-engineering for image and noise... like a Harley!

 

Brammo just got bought by Victory a few months ago. All we're waiting on is better batteries for some long-distance riding. Personaly I'd prefer a small fusion reactor to provide the current. No recharging.

 

It could also power the Flux Capacitor! All you need is 1.21 gigawatts.

 

Make your own. Daihatsu 3-cyl 1000cc turbo lump, producing 60bhp, coupled to an R or K-series Beemer box, in (usually) a Beemer frame.
They go reasonably well, and a world apart from the shitty slow painful Chinese or Enfield things.
The idea ocurred to me 30 years ago, and I shelved it, but later on, thank to the 'net, I discovered the Germans had been doing it for ages. They're not commercially made, just put together by enthusiasts.

 

Next step? Convert to bio diesel! I wanna fill up at KFC!

 

We use hydrogen fuel cells at work. Very powerful, no exhaust, but you're carrying a tank of compressed gas. We had a storage tank flare up, and the fireball was seen for miles around!

 

Nonsense. The answer is bacon.

 

Nope. Not again!

 

Not up here..... We do it quick, they never know. One moment they're eatin', the next moment they're eaten.

 

Sounds too nice to be true.