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Removed the Engine, now what?

Discussion in 'XJ Technical Chat' started by swedishlinus, Jan 9, 2021.

  1. swedishlinus

    swedishlinus New Member

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    Im rebuilding a XJ600(Fj600) 51J from 1985 and I removed the engine today from the frame. The plan is to repaint it and check the valve clearance. what else should i check/service when the engine is easy to access?

    Can i check the wellbeing of the alternator and starter?
     
  2. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    do you have a motor stand/cradle?
    you can clean the alternator rings on the rotor. consider replacing the brushes.
    inspect the clutch .
    if your going to open up the starter may as well rebuild it unless it is in great shape .
     
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  3. swedishlinus

    swedishlinus New Member

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    No stand or cradle! Thanks, i will have a look at those parts. Just going to clean 35 years of oil/sand crud of the engine first.
     
  4. StarGeneral

    StarGeneral Active Member

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    Im barely further along in my project than you and this is my first motorcycle (though I've worked on cars a fair bit in the past). All I can say is please please don't do the minimum needed to get the bike rolling. Other members here have paid the price in money and blood lol. I would work on anything you can afford to while you have the bike apart.
     
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  5. swedishlinus

    swedishlinus New Member

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    I did this mistake last winter. Nos i want to make it proper. But splittibg the engine seems a bit to much. Hence the question on what should be done!
     
  6. Franz

    Franz Well-Known Member

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    Things to check have already been mentioned but you can also rebuild your carburettors, check your cam chain tensioner to ascertain how far the plunger is extended, change your valve cover gasket.
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2021
  7. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    check the donuts on the cover they may be hard and need replacing I would change them first before gasket.
     
  8. swedishlinus

    swedishlinus New Member

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    The cover gasket is being changed, actually bought it over a yesr ago, but misplaced it in my tiny shop (turned out it was in an envelope in a stack of old bills). It has beeen leaking from that gaskeh for quite some time.
     
  9. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

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    I am finding that it is the hardened donuts that causes the leaks more times than the gasket.
     
  10. Huntchuks

    Huntchuks Well-Known Member

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    Not always though. I replaced the donuts but wanted to wait till the next riding season to replace the cover gasket which I also have. Still leaks!
     
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  11. StarGeneral

    StarGeneral Active Member

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    If you're not 100% about the integrity if your oil seals you could split the cases. That's what I'm planning to do. I plan on cleaning the heads and re-grinding the valves on the way.
     
  12. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    There are bikes on ebay and craiglist and arsebook everyday that have been stripped and left in bits.
    All of the things you've been encouraged to check could have been done with the engine in the frame. Do the valves, cover, any leaking gaskets, tidy it up and put it back ink asap...
    Spring will be here soon. If you miss the riding season the bike will become a project for sale.
     
  13. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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    If you've heard it running and it sounds OK and isn't smoking too bad then check valves, check compression and change the oil - anything else is Brooks Brothers* territory..

    * an Apocryphal tale of two brothers who once lived in a North Bedfordshire village in England. Spent every weekend pulling apart their Rover car to see why it was running so well.
     
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  14. swedishlinus

    swedishlinus New Member

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    Haha, how else would you know? ;)

    i have ridden it and it everything is good. A bit hard to start, but i guess thats due to the carbs and that i need to do them one more time.

    another question regarding this engine. I wanna paint it before putting it back. Are the cylinders, head and top cover the only parts that need heat resistant paint? Since almost all heat paint needs to be heat cures, i guess that some of the parts wont get properly cured.
     
  15. swedishlinus

    swedishlinus New Member

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    That is what happened this summer and this time around i will take my time with it instead. I have a kind summer guest in our village that wants his bike ridden, so im glad to help him! But thanks for your concern.
     
  16. hogfiddles

    hogfiddles XJ-Wizard, Host-Central NY Carb Clinic Moderator Premium Member

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    I would change them AND the gasket after getting valve clearances in spec
     
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  17. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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    Ive used some stuff called Granville Cylinder & Head satin black but its brush on. It does cover well and is impervious to oils etc.. but the colour isn't quite pure black when viewed in sunlight. My other 'favourite was Plastikote stove paint which used to be satin but is now more of a matt finish in the last can I bought. :-( I get the impression that VHT paint in general resist fluids better (petrol etc..) You can of course paint the clutch covers etc with normal rattle can but durability will be questionable both through scratch and spills. BTW anything the Americans recommend probably isn't easily available here. You could also try the selection that Frosts Restoration in the UK sell (expensive though).

    Edit: -this not too expensive and cures at 90 C (not tried by me though).. https://www.frost.co.uk/vht-satin-black-engine-enamel-high-temperature-paint-312g/
     
    Last edited: Jan 16, 2021
  18. swedishlinus

    swedishlinus New Member

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    A little update. I missed that it was some sand particles on the head which fell down when removing it. So im making the best of the situation and splitting the engine in the spirit of Bedfordshire brothers. Found out that a shop closeby is doing vapour and wet blasting so the case and cylinders will go there for pre pint prep.
     
  19. Brent NZ

    Brent NZ Active Member

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    I recently had the cylinder / head unit vapor blasted & painted and had problems with paint adhesion. The blasting left the surface feeling slightly waxy which may have simply been a smoothing of the surface. Although the surface was thoroughly cleaned and scrubbed and a heat-resistant etch primer was applied, the paint didn't stick perfectly. So I stripped the new paint and lightly sandblasted the surface. It's been repainted with no adhesion issues.
     
  20. swedishlinus

    swedishlinus New Member

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    I will keep that in mind. The shop does powder coating, so i think im going for that.
     

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