Looking to Learn

Hey Guys. I just bought myself an '81 Maxim 550, so far I love it, but it's still not running. I bought a fuse box replacement/upgrade from @chacal , and wow does he ship fast. I had it in 3 days. Very impressed with the product as well. Thanks bud. I also ordered aftermarket air filters (don't kill me purists) to replace the stock air box and clear up some space under the seat.

However, my real question pertains to automotive work. I've found a guy near me in Covington, Louisiana who specializes in vintage metric repair. I haven't got his hourly rate yet, but I was wondering what a fair rate is for hourly work on a metric bike? Also, I'm young and interested in learning the trade of motorcycle mechanical work. How would I go about asking to apprentice with him? Is it a process that a master mechanic would be interested in doing? Or are apprenticeships now out of style?

Appreciate the responses!

 

My experiance is Car mechanics rarely relate to vintage Japanese motorcycles. If your guy does its a great thing. Keep in mind that back in the day that the dealerships charged big money to work on these bikes because they are a PIA to pull the carbs and do the labor intensive valve setting and tune up work. Most people here that have mechanical backgrounds read and study these forums and tackle these jobs themselves to keep their costs down and get a better understanding on how these bikes really work.
The reason most come upon these bikes is because they stopped running and got shoved into the corner of the garage because it was too much to get fixed and not enough time or interest to figure it out themselves.
If you are going to install pods on your bike, I'm going to suggest to remove and keep your air box intact. You will find replacing jets and trying to get the pods to work may be more of a headache than you really want to deal with. There does not seem to be a canned recipe that works for everyone.
I don't know about apprenticeship with that mechanic. I guess you are going to have to talk to him to see if he is looking for someone to help him out. Depending on his situation he may or may not.

 

Thanks for the response. I should have clarified... He is a very skilled vintage Honda and Yamaha motorcycle mechanic.

 

don't go to a mechanic
become the mechanic!
I knew nothing about fixing a bike before this forum
and yes some of it is overwhelming but we are all here to help
you will need some tools most of which are inexpensive
the hardest thing you will do is the carbs
but everyone here can help
the rest is fairly easy
only resort to a mechanic if you have too
but trust me and most everyone here
you can do it yourself
we will help
welcome to the fun

 

Most mechanics will not let you work side by side with them because of liability issues. I haven't taken anything to a shop in awhile, I would guess they are around $80/ hr. And that is just labor cost.

The beauty of olde machines (motorcycles, cars, tractors, etc.) is that they are designed to be maintained and adjusted by your average shade tree mechanic. Get a manual, read this http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/the-information-overload-hour.27544/ and note the author of that article, besides being an artisan with the written (typed) word he is The Man to get your parts from - no lie, start a new thread and ask the question where you should get parts from.

Purism has nothing to do about poo-pooing pods on an old XJ, these machines were not designed to run efficiently with pods slapped on them because the look cool. There are people here who have had success putting pods on their rides; but those are not people who had someone else do it for them. You have to guesstimate at jet sizes, which means pulling the carbs multiple times, checking plug colors, colortuning, etc. multiple times not to mention making sure you have a proper velocity stack going into the carbs to begin with . . . . a lot of extra effort for (from what I understand), no increased performance. Only thing you get is a nice look - I really do like how pods look on a bike, they make it look kinda gnarly - but I sure don't want that look and what comes with it on my XJ.

Continue to ask questions as you re-commission your 550, the Wizards here are amazing.

Just noted that you already experienced the big warm fuzzy feeling that is Len/ Chacal . It's all good.

 

I agree the pods look cool also, but I fall into the purist category and prefer a bike that runs well over the entire RPM range. That said, IMO some of the best advice here concerning pods is to be sure the bike is running to perfection before making the change. That way, you have a good baseline and know the before and after condition of the change from stock to pods.

 

Local guy here charges $45/hr for vintage bike work. I've never used his services but he seems knowledgeable and there's always many UJM's in the shop. Keep in mind many tasks for maintenance are time consuming and will add up quick, especially for a bike you just picked up and don't now the history.

I'd chat with the guy for a bit, feel him out, and then ask him if he's interested in taking on an apprentice if the situation is right. If not, you've got a wealth of knowledge on here. Almost everything I've needed has come up in a search, and if not just post a thread.

 

get the repair manual
I am pretty sure that there are New Bike Owner Start Here threads
also youtube is your friend
there are many good videos here to help
you want new brakes and tires for sure
Valves are a must!
I had a friend check mine, I thought I was good to go
had I ridden this year, I would have toasted my motor
Pods look cool, but a nice air box will be the way to go
there are tons of pics of nice bikes on here to get inspiration from
and like I say, help is just a forum question away!

 

I'd be weary of any that are not linked or at least referenced by this site. There is a LOT of bad junk on there.

 

not sure of the exact post
if someone knows of it please post it in the reply
otherwise seek any wisdom from Pollock, Hogfiddles, and Big Fitz
if you feel overwhelmed, don't it is a process
you would not drive to the store with a car that had no brakes or steering wheel
same goes for a 30+ year old bike that has been neglected on yearly maintenance
the info on this site is sound and always helpful
as for Youtube, you would be amazed at how helpful it can be
MrMaxStorey who has a lot of linked videos on here is a huge help

 

Thats a great thing. If he knows these bikes he should be able to tell you exactly how much he wants for a carb rebuild job & tune up. I don't know where he gets his parts but I know you have experienced
Chacal @xj4ever. All the parts to do a quality job is just a few mouse clicks away. Just be prepaired to have this mechanic fellow to spend several hours going through your cabs and re-installing
them plus pulling the valve cover and checking clearances. I'm not sure but if he is a Yamaha guy he should have shims for your bike. It will be interesting to find out how much he will charge you
to give the carbs and valve adjustments the once over. The last time I inquired about getting that work done was $1500.00 (Rough Estimate) Full maintenance with parts from a Yamaha shop here in So St. Paul
I decided to do the work myself at that point because the bike would never be worth what I paid and have that done on top of it.

 

you will learn what you need here, it good things to learn about your bike, a lot of good your mechanic will do you when your stuck on the side of the road.

 

That's a great point. I drive old stuff, my DD is 20 years old with 211,000 miles on it. I keep some tools/parts in it and have never been worried about a 500 mile trip with the kids. Same goes for the bike, I'm never worried about getting stuck since I know every inch of that bike.

Wife gets the new car every 3/4 years and I don't have to worry.

 

Dang! Yall are really great. Thanks for everything shared here. I'm probably just going to have him diagnose why my bike isn't starting, have him fix it and from there on do my own work, but I wouldn't have ANY idea where to start. That's why I got the fuse box upgrade. I'll share what happens soon!

 

Don't sell yourself or the folks here short. It was mentioned in another post, there are people here that will blow your mind with their ability to troubleshoot an XJ through a computer screen.

The majority that live here are very intimate with these bikes because they ride them, repair them, refurbish them and have raised them from the dead. Start by reading this so you fully understand what is about to unfold: http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/the-information-overload-hour.27544/

Have the proper tools and the correct attitude and soon you will be giving advice.

 

There is nothing better than being your own mechanic.......do not rely on a bike shop....or even a well known vintage guy.....they will just take your money....get advice here from forum members and spend your money at xj4ever

Excellent advice from k-moe.....most knowledgeable guy as well

 

you start with a compression test, then check the valve shim clearance to evaluate the motor.
you can then ohm out your full ignition system using a multimeter, then ohm out the charging system.

cleaning all the connectors as you go
get a manual hard cover or online pdf
https://www.tradebit.com/filedetail.php/100227614-download-yamaha-xj550-xj-550-1981-81
now that you know where your motor and systems condition its time to decide if you start the process.
up to this point you will have spent about 100$ on tools unless you can borrow a few of them.
carb cleaning time.

 

+1 for all the above. Make it run right, make it safe, make it legal. Varoom, varoom!

Gary H.

 

here is the post I was looking for
BigFitz says it all here

http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/quick-fix.47066/

 

Alright so I switched out the fuse box and got some power to my bike. I attached the gas tank, and attached the fuel line. I filled with about 1/4 gallon of gas and tried to start the bike. Gas started flooding out the left side of the bike from around the carbs. Does that mean the fuel line is disconnected?

 

Could mean that a float needle is stuck, allowing the carb bowl to continue filling past the overflow point. If you tap the carb bowl with the handle of a screwdriver, it may seat properly. If not, there may be some particulate grit stuck in the needle. Have the carbs been cleaned? Like super "zestfully" cleaned? Check this link:
http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/in-the-church-of-clean.14692/#post-120723
You should also take a whiff of your oil. If any of the gas made it into the oil, it will have to be changed. And maybe re-changed to flush out any gassy oil.
Or it could be as simple as a disconnected fuel line as you suggest, though it seldom is the most simple solution!

 

Matti is correct, clean and rebuild your carbs in the Church.
A leak from 'around the carbs' could be several things. So get them zestfully clean and replace rubber components, gaskets, float needles, etc..

Did we forget to warn you about investments get $$$ to make your bike as great as it can be? Chacal has a deluxe carb rebuild kit that covers most everything you need to make it right. . . .if memory serves me (which doesn't always happen), I bought the afore mention kit plus a few extra carb accoutrements to insure that they would be like new.

In general it is stated that you will have to spend $600 - $800 in parts for recommissioning an old XJ to make it safe and reliable. A worthy investment IMHO.

 

the fuel line connects to a tee between carb 2 and 3 do you have the airbox boots off?
fuel flows out the main jet orifice in the right side of crab there is a little brass air jet on the right side of the throat. or could be coming out the main jet just under the carb slide
when floats or float pin are stuck