1981 XJ 650 Maxim Head Bolt Question

So, I am new here and have enjoyed reading all the how-to manuals. I have a quick quesiton though. I have been working down the motor on my bike and have finally removed the 12 head bolts that hold everything together. The 4 outer are the tallest and the 8 in the middle appear to be all the same size.

My quesiton: When I go to order them through any parts website it shows multiple part numbers and it appears that these head bolts are all different and some are on back order. Can I just order 8 of one for the inside shorter ones and 4 of one for the outside?

These are the head bolts that are covered by the acorn nuts. I had leaky gaskets and heavy corrosion on them after 30 years of MI winters and sledge.

 

I can add pictures to if it would help... Thanks!

 

The Yam' parts list says all 12 are the same PN 90176-10049-00
I guess yours are realy rusty ? c
'cos they ain't cheap, try Len (chacal xj 4 ever, top of page)

 

Hmm, that's weird. They're two different sizes though. The 4 outside head bolts are the same size and longer then the 8 on the inside. Those 8 are a little smaller but they are all the same size...

 

I think we're having a terminology crisis here.

Are you talking about HEAD bolts or the VALVE COVER bolts on a non-YICS 650?

Either way, get ahold of chacal (XJ4Ever,) as Wiz suggested.

 

It's a non-YICS 650. There the bolts threaded on both side that hold the cylinder head to the cylinders themselves. They thread into the crank case.

 

Gotcha.

Why are you pulling the head again? Or are you just looking to replace the studs for some reason?

 

Well the whole reason for this is a bit of a story... ha. I started originally with the cylinder head cover gasket which was leaking. Then I figured I would replace the cylinder head gasket becasue that had a nasty leak. When I got the cylinder head off I figured well why not get the glazed cylinders cleaned out and make sure nothing is warped. To get the cylinder out I had to fight through some nasty rust and the head bolts were in some rough condition. The ones missing came out when I was first takinf the cylinder head off. Picutre attached... these are the bolts I am looking for. Note the HEAVILY rusted one... this is why I figured I'd replace them. So these are what I am looking for. Sorry for no photo earlier.

 

You realize that as soon as you lift those cylinders off you're looking at a ring job in all likelihood, right?

 

Yes sir I do... I am looking in to a good machine shop now to hone the cylinders and have already been looking for sets of replacement rings from different websites. Just can't seem to find a good place to get all those head bolts at.

 

Yes the parts list does call them bolts, except 1 that they call a stud, as we would call them all, I guess.
So there is 1 stud 90116-10329-00
4 (bolts) 4H7-11364-00-00
7 (bolts) 4H7-11363-00-00

Have you PMed Chacal ? ???????

 

No, not yet. I am new so when you mention him and XJ4life on here it's almost like a legend to me. Heard of but don't know where to find him. Just wanted to make sure I can get these first. Everywhere I check is on back order.

 

Regarding those STUDS.

Get yourself:
2 Hardened Hex Nuts ... and
1 Flat Washer ... that fit the Threads atop the Stud.

Put-on one Nut, ... add the Washer ... and then add the other Nut.
Tighten the Hardware.

Holding the Top Nut from turning, ...
Undo the Bottom Nut and pull the Stud.

You may only need to Wire Brush the Oxidation from the Stud.
You can Wire Wheel them clean.
Spray them with Rustolium and replace them.

Same deal replacing the Stud.
Opposite torque.
Hole the Bottom Nut ... TORQUE the Top Nut.
Apply opposing force upon the Nuts to loosen them in place.

 

I've already gotten them all out. They are pretty chewn up from the corrosion. Some are visibly thinner and taking some of them out using the double nut method they got a little tweaked becasue of the corrosion holding them in. I think after 30 years I should just replace them. It may be a little expensive but feels like the right move.

 

It is.

Forum member chacal is the proprietor of XJ4Ever.com. You can get to his catalog by clicking the logo/link in the site banner at upper right of this page; PM member chacal, or email info 'at' XJ4Ever.com.

See the "XJ4Ever, Supporting Vendor" forum as well, he has all sorts of good stuff in there besides parts.

He stocks virtually everything you could possibly need for an XJ, the correct parts, and at very reasonable prices.

I certainly couldn't keep 2 (soon to be three) of these on the road without him.

(He'll have your rings, too, as long as you can get by without going oversize; and he may have those too.)

 

Wow... that's awesome man. Maybe I'll just get all my parts through him then. Just send him a list of what I need and he can help me out. Thanks for all the help. I greatly appreciate it. I'm sure I'll have more questions.