In need of guidance! Xj650

Just got this 1983 xj650 Maxim from a neighbor, thing has been sitting. 4 into 1 exhaust, air pods (thanks a lot guy) Got it running by cleaning the carbs, new battery. Also had to bypass safety features by jumping the solenoid to the battery.

When I say run, I mean only with throttle/choke. Was leaking gas through airpods, cleaned carbs and it seems to have fixed the problem. Petcock was leaking through lines just barely. I ordered a new petcock and a rebuild kit for the carbs because the floats are easily seized.

However bike is running lean (I'm guessing) because it's getting hot, making popping noises, and won't run without the choke or throttle.

Carb rebuild kit should be here in a day or two, in the meantime, anything I can do to help this thing along? Any help appreciated

 

No just wait for the carb kits. And what kind did you get. And what about throttle shaft seals, they don’t come in any eBay kits.

 

It's on off eBay with floats and everything. Taiwan. Cheap but I'm in serious need of new float parts. The rest seems okay. Im reading the PDF from this site on throttle shaft seals now. I really hope I don't have to do that because I'm not sure I can put the carbs back together when split.

 

Well worth it to bite the bullet and do it now. You already have the pods working against you. It seems like a daunting task but it's not too bad. Just take your time and do everything thoroughly.

 

I would do it, because I'm already learning how to clean carbs and feel comfortable with that now. Thing is I can't find the throttle shaft seals anywhere. They have one set of Minuki shaft seals on ebay but that's it. Also forgot to mention the old orange inline fuel filter was still on during all this. I got a new one and installed it but waiting on the carb kit now.

 

Go to upper right corner of the page click on xj4ever , either email or IM message Chacal he has the seals

 

I bought the deluxe rebuild kit from Len(chacal) at xj4ever and let me tell ya, best darn decision I made. Includes throttle shaft seals, float bowl drain screws, all kinds of good stuff. As far as an inline filter goes, I recommend a sintered brass style not a paper element type.

 

Source and install the stock air box. You won't regret it.

Gary H.

 

Thanks for all the help. While I'm waiting on the parts, I had a question about the Jets. The 40 pilot seems really tiny. A strand of wire fits but that's about it. Do these look right? Size 40 and 120 for main. Or do I need to open them up more?

 

No spray carb cleaner or soak them .

 

40 and 120 are correct for an XJ750 with a factory airbox installed.
For a 650 they will need to be switched to a 110 main, and a Y-11 Jet needle (again, with a factory airbox installed).

 

I have sprayed them and soaked the Jets real good. Just don't know I need to open them up more with a wire or something.

I really really need an airbox. Why do people think air pods are cool or will give better performance?

 

1. Marketing.
2. once-upon-a-time they really did improve things, but the understanding of fluid dynamics has increased quite alot since then. The XJ is right on the development cusp of where an open intake would be an improvement under certain conditions (street riding is not one of those conditions).

 

Just checked the mixture screws, they were out between 6 to 7 turns. Put them all back to 2 & a half for now. Looks like the top snapped off the little valve the choke lever pulls on #3 carb.

 

Include a pic of what you talking about above.

 

Odd the top broke off plunger.......chacal ( XJ4 Ever ) will have a replacement.....plunger must have been frozen inside and too much force applied applying choke ???

 

My buddy found an airbox for an 81 xj650 Maxim, mine is an 83. Are they compatible? I would be so happy if I could throw these pods in the garbage.

 

I have no idea what these three springs are for. As long as they don't go in the float bowls, I'm good because I didn't remove any springs from the float bowls. Do these springs belong somewhere under the cap of carburetor? If so now we're railroadin. Question how come these needle vavles for the floats didn't come with those tiny clips? And do I need them?

 

The long skinny spring looks like it is the enrichment circuit spring ( choke ). The brass choke plunger goes inside of spring .

The little alum washer & o-ring looks like it is to the pilot screws ( idle mixture circuit ).

Not sure what your thumb is covering.....it appears it is float bowl seat for the float bowl needle.

 

As near as I can tell they are both the same. I looked up both 81 & 83 both had the same
P/N 4H7-14401-00-00 AIR CLNR CASE ASSEMBLY.

Found an 81 on eBay item number: 273475581795

 

Any idea what these are for?

 

From top to bottom

Emulsion tube
pilot screw ( Idle mixture screw )
Fuel Bowl drain screw......

 

Be careful of those Chinese/Taiwanese carb repair kits off eBay. The jets, accelerator needles, emulsion tubes, may be out of spec.
Also, the jets might be the wrong size for the model type indicated on the package. I found the gasket, float needle and seat, drain screw, mixture screw, and the springs were good. But, the other parts were unreliable. I put a rebuilt set of carbs with these parts
into a 750 seca and it ran like crap. I switched the parts in question with the original ones, cleaned up. The bike ran like a top.

 

+1

 

You can never go wrong with parts from XJ4Ever......alias chacal.......use him......you will get reliable OEM & aftermarket parts from him.......

Icon in upper right hand corner.....

 

The jet needle is Y-10.

Gary H.

 

That is correct for a U.S. 650. I was looking at my chart wrong. I gave the spec for a U.K. 650 jet needle.
Thanks for the correction.

 

+1.

Gary H.

 

Hey guys it's running pretty well, still some pops and hesitation. I was wondering if the petcock leaking can cause any issues. Its a pretty steady drip from the main line of the petcock. I have a brand new gravity petcock should I install it?

 

I would install......dripping gasoline onto a hot motor isnt the best situation.......I prefer the vacuum petcocks that originally come with the bikes.......chacal sells rebuild kits for yours.....

Never been a fan a gravity petcocks......one has to turn them on & off all the time.....PITA

 

It's not actually dripping onto the motor but into the fuel line itself. Like if I remove the fuel line from the main on the petcock it will steadily drip from the petcock. With the fuel line attached its just dripping into the carbs.

 

Rebuild it. If a float needle sticks, or fails to seal, that tankfull of gas you store it with will drain into the crankcase over the winter.

 

+1 on the above......buy the rebuild kit from Chacal.......you cant go wrong.....

 

Okay I need some help. I looked all over and no one else has asked about this. I need help removing the front wheel. So far I have removed this bolt1st pic)


Not sure where to go from here.

 

Before you removed the fork pinch bolt in the 1st picture you should have removed the split pin from the castilated nut (if fitted) then slackened the castilated nut shown in the third picture. Then remove the pinch bolt. Then remove the speedometer cable behind the castilated nut and below the caliper. You should be able to put a bar through the hole in the spindle and pull it out once the nut is removed. Watch where the spacer fits and the speedometer drive unit lug has to engage with the fork leg on reassembly, as do the two tangs on the plate engage with the slots in the wheel hub. You will need some support under the bike (not under the exhaust collector) as the bike will topple forward with the weight of the engine unit when the wheel is removed. And don't press the brake lever when you take the wheel out or you will not be able to get the rotors back in when you replace the wheel. It can be tricky getting the rotors back in anyway.

 

Ok pin and nut are out. How do I remove the Speedo cable? And just so we're clear, the calipers stay on? Ty

 

The calipers do stay on.

The speedometer cable is attached to the speedometer drive, and does not absolutely need to be removed since the speedo drive is not part of the wheel.
If you want to remove it, it is held in place by a hex bolt (10mm head) underneath the drive. Remove the bolt, then pull the cable to the rear.

I suggest that you get a copy of either the Hyanes or the Clymer shop manuals so you don't have to wait on us to answer questions about the procedures that are ccovered in the manuals.

 

Calipers stay on yes. The speedo cable has a knurled fitting on it where it enters the speedometer housing behind the fork leg. Turn the fitting towards you and once it is off the speedo cable will pull out of the housing.

 

Franz and I are working on the cable from opposite ends.

 

Okay sorry for the very basic questions. I actually will have a manual soon. Just couldn't wait to get these tires changed. I don't know the first thing about mechanics, but since buying this bike I got it running on my own and I don't plan on using a mechanic now after all this trouble. I got the wheel off, now I just have one more question. What is this thing that fell off of something?

 

I have got my XJ 900f head on k-moe the bike is a 650 I forgot about the cable being secured by a cross headed bolt lol.

 

Looks like one of the weights used in balancing after the last set of tyres were fitted.

 

A manual is a great asset for more in depth work too and is essential when working on components which require tightening fasteners to a specified torque.

 

I got the new tire on pretty easily. But i had a hell of a night. I stayed up all night trying to get this damned front wheel back on. The manual basically says "pop the wheel on and make sure the speedo housing is line up. Oh and tighten up the axel nut" it ended up being much much more complicated than that. I got nervous with the jacks and I ended up sliding the brakes off and just putting the wheel back on. Trying to hold the speedo housing in place, while holding the spacer in place, all while trying to lift the wheel so the discs will slide into the brakes (however they go on, i still dont know). Why is there no info about how to do this anywhere? Does everyone just take their bikes into shops to get new tires? Im lost guys. Sorry for the rant

 

Ok I don't normally take my calipers off but I think you are better with an instructional video to help you. The principles are the same even though it is a different motorcycle.

 

I appreciate the video but I really don't think it is even possible to attach the calipers after the wheel is already on with this bike?

 

It is entirely possible. Slide the caliper down over the disc, then bolt it on.
I never even touched the wheel the last time I had to work on a Maxim 650 brake system.
Your brake caliper has a single pivot bolt for removal. There is a bolt head below (recessed, and under a plastic plug), and a nut on top.

Parts breakdown for clarity. #6 and #12
https://www.yamahapartsnation.com/oemparts/a/yam/5004237df8700209bc787a56/front-brake-caliper

 

Thanks a lot guys. do you know how this goes on?

 

It looks like it may be a plate out of your caliper. I am not 100% sure but k-moe will know. Ok got it now look at part number 15 in the link k-moe gave you for clarity and compare it with the part in your photo.