Rat XJ750 Maxim - tuning advice

Hey guys, RiskyT checking in from Southern Alberta, Canada. Long time reader, first time poster.

I rescued this 82 750 Maxim from certain doom in a small town west of Lethbridge. Found on kijiji - air box cut out, pods installed, remnants of wiring with loose tci and rectifier, no seat, no fuel tank, no speedo head. It looks like it had been stored inside all its life, had mini apes and a loose rear fender going for it. Bless his soul, he had no idea what he was doing, 3 kids and was late on his cable bill. I bought it for 350. We checked bolts and drum brake, tied a ratchet strap to the fork crown, the other end to my buddies truck and got towed to my buddies house - small town AB, how we do.

1, 2, skip a few, 99, 100. Here we are after intermittently working on it for a year and a half on and off. Its been a hard push for the last month - parts everywhere.


More pictures coming

Build list
Mini ape hangers
New clutch and brake lever
Nibbi Aluminum throttle
Odi mountain bike grips
Interior bar wired switches
Bar end LED signals
Single LHS mirror
6" black headlight body with chrome bezel
Led 6000k bulb
Led speedometer head
New speedometer cable
Shinko 777 110/90/19 front white wall tire
Shinko 777 130/90/16 rear white wall tire*
Steel braided brake lines
New brake pads
New brake shoes
Custom wiring
BPREIX Iridium spark plugs - 5k ohms*
NGK 8381 plug caps - 0 ohms*
DYNATEK DC1-1 ignition coils*
Dynatek Dw-200 Spark plug wires*
AGM battery
Pod air filters
Valve lash checked and in spec **
New exhaust gaskets*
Stock collector with screaming eagle tips
Exhaust wrap, stainless ties, silicone spray
Rebuilt and Re jetted carbs
43 Pilot jet
125 Main jet
1 washer needle shim*
Inline fuel filter
10 speed bike shifter for choke under tank
Aluminum foot pegs*
Highway bar brake and shift conversion
Tank from....Honda...CB500? New mounts
Solo seat with hinged front and rear springs
Chopped and custom mounted rear fender***
Center stand delete
Starter relay under rear fender plate
TCI, Fuse box and rectifier under seat
New key switch & mount - RHS rear engine
Differential style breather plug
Horn delete
LED flasher and headlight relay in place
120-130mm Remote reservoir rear springs
Stop, tail, turn LED strip on rear fender
Custom license plate mount
Stick on LED license plate light
*parts in the mail
**2 and 3 intake at 0.0035
***finished painting fender tonight - not shown

I know, I know. I didn't take the air box out - here we are. Haven't rode it much as it was quite lean. Have recently re jetted but haven't had crucial parts to ride. Mixture screws 3 turns out, starts like a dream - no enrichment circuit needed but does like it to warm up. Need to pull plugs after adjustment.

1. What is working best for everyone's pod set ups?
2. Carbs have been cleaned and re jetted. Synchronize next? Colour tune plugs? YICS tool necessary? I am a diesel mechanic - still getting things down with spark
3.Should I even bother tuning until Dyna coils, plugs and caps come in? How much of a tuning difference are we talking?
4. Where did I screw up? (I can think of a few spots) What haven't I thought about? Comments and concerns.

Thank you to everyone on the forum who has helped me get this far. The man, the myth, the legend - Chacal. You are one bad dude.
Risky Triscuit

 

we need pics
No we need the video LOL

 

as far as tuning, no difference. they smoothed the idle a wee bit and added a few rpm at idle but nothing really.
towing the old girl home behind a pickup would be a classic picture

 

I handed him the cash, strapped up and got out of there before he changed his mind. No time for evidence... I mean pictures haha! Got a couple waves from locals LOVING it. Sadly this was 2 years ago and I am now OLD. Picture dump tonight. Wiring tail light as we speak

 

As said above - no dice. These will have to do.





Tail light wiring put in today. For mock up only - all electrical is soldered and shrink tubed. To be ran under fender plate with 4 pin connector.










My grandma always use to say "Watch out for the other guy" She passed shortly after I got it, so now she watches out for me. Eleanor 1926-2018

Paint is rough right now and needs a wash. Want to make it through a season with everything working well. If it rides well I might take it apart and sand blast/powder coat. On that note. I might have painted myself into a literal corner. Younger me welded that battery box in above the rear of the motor. Looks like its going to be a TIGHT squeeze to get out in one piece. Don't be shy, let's have some input. I see you liking this Rusty81. Thanks again guys