pods pods pods!

Ok guys,
So the 650 Maxim I bought had the pod filters on the carbs...and what I can only assume are the proper jets. (also aftermarket exhaust)

The bike runs way rich (oil fouls spark plugs like nobody's business)

My question is this:
I'm not necessarily qualified to mess with carbs yet. Will it be easier to find a donor bike and get the OE airbox back on the bike, which I'm sure means also finding the original jets somewhere. Or keep tweaking the carbs and replacing spark plugs every 2 miles?

Also 2/3 of the 4 pods are almost dead anyway.

At this point I just feel like I'm fighting too many different variables to know which tweak I need to make to get the bike to level out.

furthermor, what do new OE jets cost?

Thanks Guys,
Wayne

 

1st, is it oil fouling the plugs or gas? cause if it's oil then im afraid u'll need to rebuild the top end or if it's gas then that could very well be the pods that's causing a rich mixture therefore fouling plugs.

i happen to have a XJ550 airbox in excellent shape coated in black, but unfortunately im not sure if it'll fit a 650, if it does then i'd be glad to ship it over to you.. also if u could let me know of the jet numbers u require then i possibly can help u in that as well.

Peace
Usman

 

If its gas fouling/running rich, you have the wrong jets in. I don't know what the correct size is for your application, but OE jets + Pods = lean (since pods flow a lot more air than the airbox). So the PO overjetted it. If it is oil fouling, then Maan is right, you have a deeper problem, either worn piston rings or leaking valve stem seals. (If all of the plugs are fouled, I would tend to lean toward gas fouling.. Oil fouling generally only occurs in one or two cylinders at a time unless the engine is severely worn).

What does the exhaust smell like? Does it smell fuel-rich or like burning oil? Is it blowing bluish smoke?

You have to pull the carbs out/apart to rejet them either way (If you just stick the airbox back in without changing back to OE jets, it will run richer than it does now). But bottom line you have to get the right jets. They are not difficult to replace in our carbs, you just have to be careful. IMHO putting the airbox back in is going to be a bigger pain. I would say stick with and replace the pods.

 

Thanks for the input.
Ok When I get back in town, i'm going to pull the carbs and clean them either way. Are the jets labeled as far as size? How can I find out what the PO has in there in, so I can tell you guys and you can guide me to a more proper size?
All plugs are fouled across the board. my garage smells of gas after it's been running. and the plugs are black black and when you run your finger across them you end up with quite a good streak of what I figured was oily gas.
The PO actually told me that it was running really rich.
Anyway, Thanks again for the help.
-Wayne

 

Turn the Pilot Mixture Screws IN and Count the Revolutions. A 650 Generally runs pretty good around the 3 Turns Out vicinity.

Tweak it for Idle.

Turn the Screw OUT until you have the best Idle and go beyond it until she starts to cough and sputter.
Then, s-l-o-w-l-y bring it back IN until that Idle is good.
Do it across the board.
Run the Idle Adjustment Rod OUT if the Idle gets above 1,100.

 

Thanks Rick
I'll give it a try.
-Wayne

 

I think i heard someting about having to take out the engien in order to put the air box in. The carbs are real easy if you take youe time and usr an egg carton for all of thoughs small parts. that and all of thoughs helpfull words that Rick has typed out for us, Get The XJ CD as soon as you can,

 

Here’s the stock carb info for a 1982 XJ650J…

Carb Hitachi HSC32 constant velocity
Main Jet # 110
Pilot Jet # 40
Needle Jet Ø 3.2
Jet Needle Y-10
Jet Needle-Clip Position is Fixed
Starter Jet # 40
Main Air Jet # 50
Pilot Air Jet # 205
Throttle valve 32 mm
Float valve seat Ø 2.0
Fuel Level 2 ~ 4 mm
Idle speed 1050 rpm

 

I don't think the Engine has to come "All the way out" ... But, I'm pretty sure you have to take-out, remove and set it free of all the places where it mounts in the frame and move it forward and up as far as it can go.

I'm not exactly sure which bike these notes are about.

It might be for the 900 ... but, in my "Airbox" notes ... I didn't write-in "Remove engine" anyplace.

Maybe you don't have to pull it. Be nice if that was the case ... huh???