1. Hello Guest. You have limited privileges and you can't "SEARCH" the forums. Please "Log In" or "Sign Up" for additional functionality. Click HERE to proceed.

Look ma: no carbs!

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by SQLGuy, Jun 7, 2008.

  1. wraith0078

    wraith0078 Member

    Messages:
    129
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Dude, that sucks. At least you weren't on the bike.
     
  2. SQLGuy

    SQLGuy Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,140
    Likes Received:
    175
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
    Current status:

    First the insurance company of the at-fault guy, Ameriprise, finally called me and told me that :

    a) it's totaled (from their POV)
    b) the fuel injection work and parts count for $0 with them
    c) they found two SECA 750's on craigslist in my area, one for $1000 and one for $1600, so they'd offer me $1500 plus tax, tag, and title and they would keep my bike

    I was online at the time, so I checked craigslist (while the rep was on the phone) and told her that I was only finding the one 750 for $1600 (which was one year older, had twice the milage, a dented tank, and who knows what else going on with it). There was a SECA 650 for $999. Her response was, "Well, the $1000 750 was there when we looked."

    I refused their offer and started pursuing the matter through my insurance, State Farm.

    I started with State Farm by emailling my local agent the accident report, the estimate, the details of all correspondence I'd had with Ameriprise, and the URL for the conversion project web site. I called her back to verify she had received it all.

    A couple of days later, the State Farm adjuster called me and told me it was totaled. I asked her what impact the fuel injection project had on their evaluation... turns out she didn't have any of the documentation that I had sent to my local agent. Well, how could I get it to her? Fax. They aren't set up for such leading edge communications technology as email. So, my wife spent an hour and a half struggling to get the 27 pages she's printed out faxed to State Farm. They finally went through. I called back State Farm and they told me they had six pages, twice! None of the web site data came through! Fine, here's the URL, try it now and let me know that it works... it does? Good.

    Last I heard from them was three days ago when they called me to tell me that they had passed on all the case information to an external company they deal with that handles customized and collectible vehicles. I am now waiting to hear the results of that.
     
  3. RickCoMatic

    RickCoMatic Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    13,843
    Likes Received:
    65
    Trophy Points:
    48
    Location:
    Massachusetts, Billerica
    I hope the guy is a Biker!
    That would cut a lot of ice.

    Good luck, man.
    You deserve to be compensated.

    I'm sendin' a cubble uh duh boyz aroune tuh say hi to the jamoke who run-ova da bike!

    Badda-bing ... badda-boom!
     
  4. chevy66driver

    chevy66driver Member

    Messages:
    44
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Saint Louis
    Awesome. Good Job on all the fab work!
     
  5. jeepsteve92xj

    jeepsteve92xj Member

    Messages:
    267
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Milwaukee, WI USA
    damn
    insurance companies suck. They dont like to pay out.
    How much if you keep the bike (so you can get your E.F.I. parts and part out the rest? I dont mean you have to tell us the actual $, but would it be worth keeping the bike for that?

    I am just getting back to this thread, and now have your web page open to read.

    With all the bikes on the road now, you'd like to think cagers would be a little observant!

    good luck!

    Steve
     
  6. FinnogAngela

    FinnogAngela Member

    Messages:
    205
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Copenhagen, Denmark
    Best of luck; hope your insurance case works out to some kind of benefit for you.

    Also hope you´ll keep up your faboulus EFI work; whether as DIY or progressing into a sellable kit it´s bound to get full attention.

    Thumbs up, man.
     
  7. SQLGuy

    SQLGuy Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,140
    Likes Received:
    175
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
    OK. After two months and settling for a number of aftermarket parts, I finally got my bike back mostly repaired.

    I then fixed the self-cancelling circuit for the turn signals to work with the new LED's and installed a new fuel rail I had built while waiting for the bike to be repaired. I also swapped in a second set of injectors that I had sent out to Cruzin Performance to have rebuilt and flow tested.

    [​IMG]

    The bike now has a MAC 4-1, since that's the only replacement exhaust I could find. It's not bad, though. Will take some getting used to the sound and the extra volume...

    [​IMG]

    Here you can see how the new fuel rail tucks up under the tank, so there's nothing sticking out to the sides anymore. I'm very happy with how this came out.

    [​IMG]

    The bike's running well, though a bit rich. Next step is back on the dyno to retune for the injectors and MAC exhaust.

    Cheers,
    Paul
     
  8. Gamuru

    Gamuru Guest

    Messages:
    1,275
    Likes Received:
    19
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Granite Falls, WA
    What, if any, flasher did you use? Do you have the part number and where you purchased it?
     
  9. Zookie400

    Zookie400 Active Member

    Messages:
    1,046
    Likes Received:
    3
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Connecticut
    whats size copper pipe did you use for the intake manifold?
     
  10. SQLGuy

    SQLGuy Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,140
    Likes Received:
    175
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
  11. Ease

    Ease Member

    Messages:
    752
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    NL, Canada
    There's a pic of the flasher on pg 8 of my thread too... (see link in my sig)
     
  12. SQLGuy

    SQLGuy Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    2,140
    Likes Received:
    175
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Colorado Springs, Colorado USA
    I looked at that before, but I didn't see anything about the self-cancelling functionality. Does yours work with the stock self-cancelling circuit?

    Just to re-cap, what I was talking about here was that I converted to LED turn signals, without load resistors, and built a new flasher circuit that works correctly with these turn signals and still supports the stock auto-cancel system (time and distance based).
     
  13. tomandjerry00

    tomandjerry00 Member

    Messages:
    145
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    Washington DC/Philadelphia
    That is the most incredible mod I've ever seen to any 80's motorcycle...
     
  14. schmauster920

    schmauster920 Member

    Messages:
    94
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Ventura, CA
    Love the EFI, i would love to do this, along with a turbo :D


    Have you considered using a non heated 1 wire oxygen sensor for less electrical drain?

    I have a wideband in my bike (too bad you werent closer or i could have let you use it and saved you some cash at the dyno)

    http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... tml#147297

    If i leave it on, the whole header pipe gets hot, so im sure its drawing quite a bit of power for the heater.
     
  15. bunglejyme

    bunglejyme Member

    Messages:
    101
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    New Jersey
    I've always wondered about replacing those %#$@*^& Hitachi carbs on my Xj650H.
     
  16. tumbleweed_biff

    tumbleweed_biff Active Member

    Messages:
    1,259
    Likes Received:
    5
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Gahanna Ohio
    Absolutely beautiful.

    I so wish I could do that.
     
  17. Decapitated_Toy

    Decapitated_Toy Member

    Messages:
    37
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    burlington, wa
    a tip of the hat to you..... great work.
     
  18. rightwinger

    rightwinger New Member

    Messages:
    24
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    St. Louis Missouri
    I was looking at your pic, and I thought thats what that was. Good job!

    I wonder if a single carb (for us poor folk) is a possible setup.
     
  19. chuckles_no

    chuckles_no Member

    Messages:
    660
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    16
    Location:
    wisconsin
    Was wondering how things are going with this project. Hoping the reason for the deleted pics and other project links are due to a possible patenting project. There are loads of people on these bikes, hondas, kawasakis, etc that would love to convert. Anyway, how are things?
     
  20. koolaid5

    koolaid5 Member

    Messages:
    788
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Chambersburg, PA
    +1

    I was reading this thread and wondering what heppened with it as well....
     

Share This Page