Oil Change on 82 650 Maxim

Hello I have almost completed my very novice repairs on my first bike 1982 XJ650 Maxim and the evil red oil change light is on. I live in Tucson Arizona and it is already getting into the upper eighties this season, that would dictate that I want a higher weight oil correct? I've already found the thread suggesting Castrol 4t for motorcycles, but what weight?
Also I'm having trouble finding the correct filter as well.

Thank you, hope to join you gents on the road sometimes soon.

 

From time to time the oil qty transmitter gets gunk build up has to be removed from sump and cleaned with solvent , so oil has to be drained anyway . To remove , exhaust has to be removed is only downside , so you could try to run seafoam get engine good and hot drain and fill with fresh oil and see is light stays out.The filter can be bought from xj4ever or most Yamaha dealers should have them or best option buy the spin on oil filter conversion from xj4ever ...I did great upgrade (hint hint)
10W40 is fine for use BUT DO NOT use synthetic oil , can cause clutch slippage and starter clutch problems . I use Valvoline 10w40 motorcycle oil , Shell Rotella 15w40 is another and some use diesel oil . Kmoe has a thread on oil good advise and helpful .

 

The light only comes on if the oil is low, not when it needs an oil change. You either have low oil or the float switch is gunked up as @Jetfixer has mentioned.

Oil change is straight forward. Drain, change filter, and fill up. Run for short time and check level again. As for type of oil asking for opinions is like asking 10 people how to use a cast iron skillet, you'll get 12 answers. 20W/40 was factory spec for that motor but you'll find it's not a common weight. 10 or 15W 40 is more common and you'll have no issue with either.

 

ok...I haven't the foggiest idea how to remove the exhaust. It was running fine last week after a carb cleaning I set this weekend aside to practice on it but that's a little more involved than I was ready for. Not to doubt your wisdom as I'm a complete novice, but the bike has sat for a year prior to my purchase and then 3 more months as I got the time to fix the carb, no oil change has been done on it, certain that's not what's required?

 

I would definitely change the oil if it has not been done. Just to confirm, is the light on when the key is on or is it just coming on when you press start? It will light up when you press start as a bulb test but if it's on when the key is on or the bike is running then you have something to address. If the light is on , you really should check the level before running it again as it may actually be low. There is a oil level window on the right side of the engine. If it's filled correctly, I would do as jetfixer mentions and run some seafoam in the current oil for a bit and then change it. It may clean up the switch and save you some work.

Procedure:

 

You just remove the 8 bolts that attach it to the engine, and the 2 bolts that hold the rear of the exhaust up.

 

Ok thanks I'm sure I can manage that, half the reason I got this bike was to become more mechanics savvy

Specifically when the start is pressed. I can hear just a bit of compression but it is not starting. Previously I was having to fiddle with the idle screw, original owner had it covered in JB weld and after scraping that crap off I accidentally opened it all the way so it would idle at 6k rpm until I turned it down, could I have turned it down too much?

Thank you both for your answers thus far!

 

That is normal, it's just a check for the bulb. If the light is off when key is on or the bike is running then you are good.

Is your issue that the bike is not starting?

 

Correct it is not starting, was last weekend but now it is not.

 

Ok so after some fiddling with the idle screw it started up and is now revving at about 3k rpm. I think it leaked a little bit of transmission fluid (red in color), I found the oil window that I didn't know existed and it looks full, could probably still use a change. Is there something I'm not getting about the idle screw? Cause it is either stuttering or failing to start or raging like a bull on adrenaline with no middle ground.

 

These bikes don't use any transmission fluid (unless you're like me and using ATF to try to free stuck rings!). The gearbox is lubricated by engine oil (which is why you have to use specific oil without friction modifiers). Not sure what you are seeing, could it be some sort of synthetic brake fluid? Though that's usually not red either in my experience...

As far as the idle screw, are you adjusting that after the bike is fully warmed up? That is what you'll want to do - and use the choke for enrichment for cold starts. If you set the idle screw higher for cold starts, then it will be way too high once the bike is warmed up.

If the idle screw is set correctly (target 1000-1100 RPM if I remember right), you may also have an air leak between the head and the carbs, which would cause a racing condition.

 

Ok I need some coffee, I was mad that it wasn't starting and I only noticed now that the choke was all the way open. It could be brake fluid I rode it around the empty parking lot near my house and it did seem to take a while to fully stop. It not having transmission fluid shows me how little I know. I will see if I can get a photo of it uploaded.

 

We've all been there at some point. In fact I'm still working on my XJ getting it right. This is my first bike and first foray into bike mechanics as well.

 

Thanks for the reassurance.
Side note : As much as I loved the MSF course the few years ago that I took it...riding in traffic is new and nerve wracking.

 

Take it easy on some back roads. Find different routes that do not have so much traffic. It is VERY nerve racking to ride in traffic when you aren't used to your bike yet.

 

The master cylinder uses DOT 3 brake fluid not ATF transmission fluid if you put that in drain it right away !!!!

 

No transmission fluid in the bike, I saw red on the garage floor and in my naivete assumed transmission fluid.

 

I second this. The courses are generally very good, and you will unconsciously remember things from them that you may need while riding, but being surrounded by cagers is not fun when you're still getting down all the controls, how your bike handles, etc. Once that stuff becomes second nature and you're not having to think about it, traffic is much less stressful... So if you can develop those skills on country roads on nice days, and even practice your fast stopping, maneuvering, etc. in a safe environment, you'll be much better off.

It's been 5 years since I've ridden, and once the bike is running nicely again, I will be spending some weekend hours on backroads riding to get reacquainted with my bike and skills before I get out into traffic.

 

If you saw red while wrenching on your XJ, it's probably blood. Pretty sure that the spilling of ones own blood is a mandatory part of the ritual of 'resurrecting' these old beasts. =)

 

Ok so far as I can tell the mystery fluid only came out ONCE and in all honesty may not have come from the bike, my garage is a ruin. Just took it out on my first ever non-neighborhood ride up to McD's for a champion's lunch. I ground the gears a bit transitioning from 45 down to make a left turn but otherwise I think it went pretty well. Didn't drop the bike or crash so I guess that's a win.
Side Note :
Holy crap sitting at McD's eating a sandwich while my bike SITS IN A PARKING LOT JUST WAITING TO BE RUN INTO BY SOME IDIOT made me super stressed.
Bonus Note : XJ's are incredibly forgiving. I think I accidentally had it in third as I was coming back home about about 20-25 down to stop and it didn't flinch. Noted to pay attention to that more, the bike seems to go through neutral like butter where as the little Suzuki 250 I learned on I had to push up into and then out of neutral each time but with this thing I'm more likely to accidentally go from 1st to 3rd without noticing thinking I was going from 1st to N to 2nd. Which I'm sure is TERRIBLE for the bike but it isn't stalling out so at least it's letting me learn from my mistakes without killing me.

 

Nah there is nothing wrong with going to 3rd as long as you have enough speed from 1st.

 

After some goofing off and high rev's while on the phone with the Missus I looked down and saw some more of that mystery fluid. I think it's coming from my front fork.

 

That is quite possible if bike has sat for a period the seals dry out and will seep...you will have to rebuild the forks...the seals are not expensive make sure you do this right away....it can leak into your caliper contaminating the brake pads making braking ineffective. Suggest you go to xj4ever site and to the information overload hour and read up on some items it will help you.

 

Not related to your questions, but... If you do decide to rebuild the forks, it might be a good time to consider checking the steering head bearing. - since you'd be doing part of the work anyway to get forks off.

Get the front wheel off the ground and turn the handlebars slowly side-to-side. If you feel a little tiny notch or "catch," when the wheel passes center/straight forward, you probably should consider replacing it.

Handling can be a little sketchy, if you have that issue. Mine definitely needed it.

 

I've found working in just about and machinery entails a blood donation hahaha