Several questions about '82 650 Seca

A little background first. I bought the bike in January, rode it for a couple of weeks, got busy at work and didn't ride it for a month. When I rolled the bike out after that month I couldn't get it to fire so I had a local shop rebuild the carbs and replace the rubber boots from the the carbs to the head and the air boot rubbers as well. It took them forever to find the carb boots, but finally got the bike back. It ran great, but after it warmed up it gave a clack and felt almost as if the timing chain slipped. Very strange, but it continued to run fine and got me home just fine. This continued over the next couple of rides, so I reset the adjuster as per reccomendations on this forum. Remove left side cover of engine, and rotated engine counter clockwise untill I heard a faint click, rotate one more full rotation for another click and, hopefully, bob's your uncle. Ordered oil change stuff from Bike Bandit, drained and refilled with 20-50 Hondaline Dino oil because I had it on hand and have had good luck with it before. So now the questions. 1. how far up the sightglass should the oil level be? half? three quarter? or to the top? I used an online Haynes manual and it said 6.6 pints, so I put 6.5 pints in, then fired the bike to get oil into the filter and recheck the level. it only came up about one quarter on the sightglass. 2. Started the bike with the choke, fired right up but then revs started climbing to almost 5k before i move choke down to about half to let the bike warm. After aminute or so I tried to give it some gas and it bogged and died. Tried again and the same thing except it took the gas, reved nicely, smoothly and then the "clack". Bogged a bit and died. Now it won't fire off at all. Very odd! Any ideas anyone??? If I've left out any information needed for a guess please ask. I'll do what I can to answer.

Sorry for such a long post but I'm just trying to get some ideas on where to start or what to tell the shop. this is the first four cilynder bike i've owned, all the others have been singles or twins. Thanks for the Forum and site, it's really great!

Terry Monday
Jacksonville, Fl.

 

You should fill the oil up 'til it just touches the top of the sight glass. Yamaha got a heap of reports of flickering/steady oil lights especially under heavy acceleration.
I'm not to familar with carb/running problems so I'll pass on your second question.
Good luck Terry!

 

Hey man, first off congratulations on the purchase! I bought mine last summer and for all its ups and downs it's love, real love =)

The top dash on the sight glass is the maximum and the lower dash is the minimum. If you filled it correctly, and then you got a quarter of the sightglass, that sounds like the bike was on an angle. Did you measure with it on a centerstand, or upright?

I also sometimes had the revs go to around 5k - with choke - early in the morning, but in your context there does seem to be something more to it.
Is the battery fully charged? The alternator on this bike is pretty weak, and your bike can die on you in idle, if the voltage was low to begin with.

I've never had your specific problem, so hope someone will be able to help you more, but don't give up! Good luck!

Nick

 

I would like tou to elaborate on that "Clack" you are talking about.

Where are you hearing it from?
Does it sound like Metal on Metal ... or, more like a backfire?

If you can't get the bike to run ... go and get a Manual and CHECK the Valve Timing.

There is a procedure for removing the Cam Cover and Crankcase Cover and lining everything up at Top Dead Center and looking at the Cams to see their marks centered in indicators ... showing correct timing.

Look at the Cam Sprockets and make sure they are securely fastened to the Cams.
Lift the Chain off the Giude Bridge while you have the cover off and see hom much slack you are dealing with.