Progress report on "Satan" the XJ650 Seca

So i thought id update everyone on my bike.

Ive found that the spacer in the rear wheel assembly is missing, which is why the rear locks when tightened. Sourcing a replacment currently.

Ordered a new neutral switch and washer. $30 of genuine yamaha goodness. If im lucky itll also be where my oil leak is comming from. Fingers crossed!

Lastly, getting the beast running - the damned evil hitachi carbs.
Im still trying to twiddle with these monsters.
Will be rechecking the float height soon and then try and dial it in enough to get her run/idling on all four. Then ill battle with the syncing etc.

If that dosent work ill have to sell her or bite the bullet and buy a set of keihins...

Hopefully this unhappy start to motorcycling will soon be overcome.

Stay tuned!

 

If you follow the "Church of Clean" those carbs will be fine.

Gary H.

 

so it runs but not on all four cylinders?
did you check for spark at the plugs for each cylinder ?
could be bad plug or you need to trim the plug wire back 3/8 " at the cap

 

I thought I had cleaned my fuel system (tanks/carbs etc..) Ok and had the thing running. BUT then it stopped starting (eh?) Reluctantly I pulled the carbs
and found there was still crud in the bowls (even though I had an in-line filter) and the slides/needles (which I didn't take apart before) were sticking/sluggish . So gave 'em another going over checking the choke, pilot circuits etc.. and lo and behold an almost instant start. I have since pulled the tank again and cleaned with a handful of wood-screws and diesel followed by a rinse and phosphoric acid. It will go back on with a new inline filter once I have softened the carb rubbers again with wintergreen - oh the joys..

Cheers

J

 

er, "wintergreen" ?
stu

 

Rocs and a100man, im pretty sure the carbs are good. I think its just setup and syncing etc at this point. Not sure. Mabey ill replace the float needles to be safe too.

Xj550h, plugs n leads are all ok. Think the cylinders are getting too much go-juice. Just need to dial stuff in.

 

Methyl salicylate aka wintergreen oil (a component of Deep Heat curiously). simmer your rubbers in a 50:1 diluted mix for 30-40 mins or until 'done'. Softens the rubbers considerably, however I think the effect is temporary ( a few weeks).

 

oh

 

smells good too

 

And you can make flavored candy with the leftovers.

 

We used to use it back in the day to refresh rubber platens in various types of computer printers. Not sure how easy it is to find anymore. I remember one day back in 1994 when the local drugstore was discontinuing it, and all the guys in the repair shop where I worked stocked up at the clearance price.

 

Hey all. Anyone know the length, inside and outside diamaters of the rear wheel spacer that sits in the final drive when you put the rear wheel on?
Need to search old school style for one at a wreckers.. .

 

Never mind the spacer/collar specs. Ordered a new one from yamaha $30 inc freight from interstate.

Now just gotta dort those damn carbies. Ugh.

 

Spacer/collar fitted. Rear wheel issue fixed!!!
Next up this weekend is pulling the exhaust and collector, drain oil and replace the faulty neutral switch. Fingers crossed!

 

Before you put a new neutral switch in, pull the old one, clean it, and test it. Most of the time they are just inoperative because of built up sludge.

 

Hi k-moe. Cant even get a tool in to get the old sucker out!

Am head scratching this one at the moment...

 

You might have to drop the exhaust.

Gary H.

 

You have to drop the exhaust (which it sounds like you've already done), and cut about a 1/4 diameter of your least-favorite socket away. As you've found, the frame is in the perfect place to just barely prevent clear access.

 

Yup exhausts and collector are off, headers still on but not in the way.
Oil is out.

So where do i cut my socket, anyone got a pic to guide me please?

 

makes you want to just ground the wire ....
you cut away about a 1/4 of the side wall of a 1/4" drive socket or about two flats of the bolt
i would start mid way on the flat and cut 1/2 flat a full flat and a half flat for contact points

you may have to grind side flat to make socket D shaped instaed of round do not cut into the drive square





chacal sells one this is his discription
HCP15718 Aftermarket neutral position switch REMOVAL SOCKET. On many models, it's almost a physical impossibility to remove the neutral switch from the crankcase "well" without removing the exhaust system or removing the engine from the frame.....the left lower frame tube conspires with the exhaust system to make it unbelievably difficult to access the switch. This special "open side" socket is the proper size to squirm through those restricted spaces and make it possible to remove and re-install the position switch without going through a tremendous amount of effort. Standard 1/4" drive socket should be used with a 3" extension bar, or, it's even easier to use when attached to the HCP13516 flexible shaft driver listed below.
$ 11.95

 

Plus one on making the socket fit like XJ550H suggests.

 

Thanks guys. Ive picked up a different spanner to try, and if its nogo will be attacking a socket shortly.

Also got new oil (Castrol 4t 15w50) and 2x k&n filters for a princely sum of $58 aud.

Slowly getting there, just hope after this i can sort the bloody carbs once and for all. Time will tell i guess

 

So the spanner was close, but no go.
Will attack a socket this week and report back

 

Still nogo with the socket. This is whst ive got so far...

 

Going to take a bit more off today. Any feedback from you guys who've had to do this already?

 

Think you are going to have to mill it a little bit more. It's just got to have enough off to fit up there

 

All I know about is the procedure and the need to modify a socket. I had my engine out for other reasons when I took the neutral switch out.

 

Ok guys, so i was using a file to mod the socket, got tired real fast and invested $25 in a cheap bench grinder which made short work of the socket.
Even with the sidewalls thinned out and one side shaved off, its still a tight fit, i also had to shorten the depth of the socket about 5-6mm

But this franken-socket got in, got the old switch loose and then i finished her off with a standard 14mm crescent from the side (just)

Inspected the old switch, and shes definately got a few flat spots.

New switch in, wire reconnected and all done!

Just gotta do the filter and oil change to confirm shes all ok.

Next and final step, back to the carbies :-S

 

Oil filter installed, refilled with oil, fired the bike up for a min, just enough to get the oil pumping round etc.
Topped up oil to aprox correct level (was just under 3 litres)

Letting her sit overnigjt to confirm theres no lesks, but looks good.

Will pull the carbs and check those float heights again next, and re inspect the float needle tips rubber to make sure theyre all ok.

 

Oh and i picked up a box of goodies from the PO yesterday too. Parts include partially stripped, poor condition rack of carbs, stripped and poor condition lower half (eg below cylinder) of the ORIGONAL MATCHING ENGINE! And other assorted knick knacks, but nothing to write home about.

Either way im glad to hsve the cssing with the natching number and some spare csrb bodys.

Question: are all the carb bodys the same, or different?

 

1. Make sure theat the fuel line isn't attached to the carbs while you leave it sit since the float needles are suspect.

2. One item that is often overlooked is the float needle seat gaskets. They can leak. The best thing to do is just replace them, along with the float needles and seats.

3. There are three different carb bodies for each series of carb; one left, one right, and two middle. You should have HItachi HSC32 carbs. If you're lucky the carb ID stamps will still be visible on the bottom of the float bowls. The sure way to make sure you have the correct spares is to measure the carb throat with a set of calipers. Also check the size of the jets, as the same carb was used on several models, but with different jetting and needles.

 

K-moe, what is the difference between left, right and middle carbs? How can i identify which is which visually (ill check the ones on tbe bike to make sure that they're correct while i have them apart)

 

The right carb does not have a hole in the right side where the fuel transfer tube would go. The left carb does not have a hole on the left side where the fuel transfer tube would go. The middle carbs each have holes on both sides of the carb body fo the fuel transfer tubes.

The fuel transfer tubes are # 49, 50, and 51 in this diagram http://www.yamahapartsnation.com/oemparts/a/yam/500421d3f8700209bc7873ee/carburetor

The ones on the bike will be correct af far as which carb body is in which position. There is no way to assemble the carb rack with the carb bodies in the wrong position and not notice.

 

Thanks k-moe. Ill check the diam of the spare carbs. Looks like theyre in bad shape, and the PO has drilled out the idle mix screw and thread quite deep so mabey only 2 of the carb bodys are going to be ok. Oh well at least ill have a couple spares to start.

For now ive got the main carbs off the bike, am gunna get a 1L aux tank tomorrow and try recheck and adjust the flost heights and see how i go from there.