1982 XJ550 Maxim rebuild/restore

Well lookie here. A plug right where its not supposed to be. How did I miss that? DUH. I also found a very intermittent wire from the kill switch. All controls were cleaned and checked but I did not notice that at the time


Thank you very much Len. Probably saved me a few hours.

 

I am sure the blue wire with yellow stripe is for the clutch switch.

 

Yes you are correct. That's why I was confused with the plug that was supposed to go to the ignitor.

 

Well it has gotten nice enough to check the fuel heights in the carb bowls. I reconfigured my set up that I use for the Z1900 carbs. I took the tubing off my device and came up with a simple solution for these carbs that consists of a brass nipple with two pieces of gas line that will fit inside the bowl drain and the gage tube


Here is my set up that I use outside


and checking the fuel height.


I had an issue with gas dripping on one of the left barb bowls. I was not able to shut off the flow completely so I would be getting a drip at the drain. Also a couple of pins were mangled on the floats that caused the float to hang up. Another left bowl is on it way along with 4 new float pins. It looks like there was corrosion(holes in the cast body) at the drain which may the problem. The needle valve is pretty snug so further tightening would probably not help, it would just strip the slot or cause additional damage.

Getting close to resolving all the issues on this bike.

 

You do great work. Thanks for keeping up with it and taking the pics as you go. Cool that you put markings on the end tub, first time I have seen that.

Carbs are always the items that seem to need the most attention to detail and they have to be right. So keep on plugging away at them and have them set up correctly. Hitting the starter button and hearing the engine jump to life will be wonderful.

 

Well I got my replacement float pins from and fitted them to the carbs. I had to clean a couple up as they were a little rough and would not slip through the mounts or the float. So with a bit of careful sanding they fit perfect and no hang ups. I also fitted the new bowl that was leaking.

On to the electrics. I also fitted the safety relay I found bad and tested the turn signals and start button to make sure my start relay would energize and everything works as it should. But as I was checking things I found another issue which I didn't expect. I decided to cut back the spark plug leads a bit for a better connection to the caps. What the heck might as well check the OHM value of these caps which should be 10k. One was 35K and way out of range. Then I said might as well check the primary of the coils . WTH both coils are open. Now in hind sight I should have been checking these items from the start. When I restore a bike I normally dump the stock coils, points, caps and go with the Dyna S or Dyna 2000 and new caps so it kinda got put on the back burner. Any way I have a set of coils on the way and I have 5k caps on hand so I will run with resistor plugs to make up the difference on the total resistance. I mounted the carbs which was fun as they are a pretty tight fit compared to my Z1900 bikes. I just hope I don't have to remove them many time to get the carbs dialer in. I mounted the new gas petcock and then the tank to see what it will look like. The previous owner had a bad diaphragm on the petcock so he runs a 6-inch length of hose out to the left side of the tank and installed a manual on off valve and then a 12 inch line to the leaking carbs. I didn't think that would look so good.

 

Looks new like it just came out of the dealers.

 

Well this is embarrassing , this morning I removed the coils and thought lets test them again. Last night I cut the ends off and held my meter to the freshly cut off ends and nothing. Well today after installing the caps in the wire ends I shoved my meter in and 11k. Duh!. Installed the caps and 21K. So off to the dealer to get DR8EA plugs to make up the rest of the required resistance. Then I started to look at the carbs and thought man its going to be hard to install the gas line with a clamp, then I discovered I forgot to install the heat shield on the carb bank.


I think the shield is a good idea so I guess I will be pulling the bank of carbs to install the gas line and the shield. So maybe with some luck we may have lift off tomorrow. While I was rechecking everything I decided to check the pick up coils and they were in the perfect ohm range. So if the TCI is good I will be happy.

 

The shield is nice, but, I don't know how much of a benefit it actually provides, and in makes changing the jets (removing the bowls) a real PITA while the carbs are installed, so........think twice about using it! Note it wasn't used on the 550 Seca carbs (nor any others in the XJ/XS series)......

 

Ya I think it would be a pain to change jets without pulling the bank off the bike. Its really tight in there.. Ill probably put it on and see. It may help if anything starts to leak as It would funnel things to the outside. May also provide a bit of heat shield for the bowls full of gas

 

Yeah, that's the idea, but unless you're going to idle for 15 minutes while parked in Needles, CA.........it's not going to really make much of a difference.

 

What a clean looking bike....keep up the great work. I too would not put that heat shield on there....as stated PITA.

 

Ok well I spent some time correcting a few things and mounted the badges on the side covers, installed the vacuum and gas lines so she is ready to start tomorrow. I mounted the heat shield on the carb bodies just because. If it's a problem I will remove it later. Well they were easier to install the 2nd time around but with that being said I don't want to become an expert at removing and installing them. Before I put them back in place I decided to double check the butterfly openings. I do a rough adjustment with a light then fine tune them with a caliper setting them within a few thou of each other. I will take a few hours and go over the entire bike looking for loose nuts and bolts.

 

It's alive, started up without issues. Let it warm up a bit and then synchronized the carbs. Engine sounds very smooth. So now I need to go over the entire bike before a maiden voyage in the next few days. Not sure how to upload a small video so here is a still from the sync. Close enough for government work

 

@Wayne Passow - I have to ask: How do you get such a nice polish on the aluminum side covers??

 

When I started to restore these bikes I had a small electric motor with a buffer wheel. As you may know its a very dirty job and can get the area you'r buffing area dirty also. So I decided to build a dedicated room where I could contain all the fibers and debris that comes with the job. The room is not very big which is fine for the small parts we do. I have a filtration system that pulls in the fibers and everything else that comes off the wheel. It goes through a 1 inch pre filter then a 4 in main filter and back into the room. Even with this I still wear a full paint suit with hood and boots and a mask. After 4 hours or so i'm pretty black. I also have a dedicated blasting room where I prep cases and some go the other parts. I use a stainless steel media in two grades which works very well.

 

Hey Wayne - Motown here from Detroit. I'm in the process of restoring my 82 XJ750 Seca and I had a couple questions for you.
1 - what is your method for bringing your engine covers to that brilliant shine you got on them?
2 - Valve cover painting - what finish did you use? Semi-Gloss or Eggshell?
I need to do both these things on mine and am always looking for tips from someone who does it well.

Thanks - Eric

 

I polish with several types of buffing wheels and grades of compounds. I start with black on a sisal wheel, the go to white or brown compound on a sewn cotton wheel, then move to the loose pad with with compound. The valve cover is painted with satin PJ1 back to black high temp engine paint. The side covers are hand painted using testors black model enamel paint with a tooth pick allowing it to flow into the recessed areas after the YICS letters are painted and dry. Still time consuming and patience is required
https://www.amazon.com/PJ1-16-SAT-S...ocphy=9029626&hvtargid=pla-566765953100&psc=1

 

Thank you for the info!! Anytime I get advice from someone whose done it and done it so well is much appreciated!!

 

Just got back from another short ride to check things out. My first ride I noticed a slight weep of oil from the rear 1/2 moon on the valve cover gasket. I normally don't use a sealant on those 1/2 moons because they normally seal very well. Not sure why this one developed a leak so I removed the valve cover a used a small amount of sealer on both of the 1/2 moon areas and let it sit overnight which cured that issue. I was also waiting for my 12mm color tune to check the color of the burn and things looked good so off I went but ran into a snow shower about 8 miles down the road. O well spring is slow to come this year.

 

I'm also about to install a VC gasket to correct a leak issue, and was wondering what kind of sealant you used. The gasket I used after the last valve adjustment was one that came from a kit for the XJ550, and it was a harder-feeling (synthetic?) one than the original, and it didn't do the job properly and leaked under the half moons as well. Hoping for better luck this time around.

 

I have been using this for a lot of things. It can be a little messy so I use a small screwdriver and twist a bit on the end and then transfer that to the part if its small like these 1/2moons. Let it sit overnight. I also used it the install the gasket on the cover by dribbling a small amount in the grove. Its used in the marine industry when changing bellows on IO units and also on the rings when installing the lower unit.

https://www.amazon.com/MERCURY-92-8...ocphy=1016140&hvtargid=pla-571139943288&psc=1

 

Probably the last update. After fixing the small leaks at the half moons on the valve cover gasket I was able to take it out for several 20 mile runs. Still pretty cold around here. Had a problem with the blinkers after it was warmed up. When it was cold the blinkers would work but a few minutes after it had warmed they would stop working properly. Both rear lights would come on and the dash indicator was dim. First thing I pulled was the signal self cancel mystery box. Took it for a ride and no problems other than having to remember to cancel the signals so I have a used one coming that looks good but who knows. So I would say the build is a success. Going up one size on the main and pilot jets was a good idea as the bike runs very well and pulls strong with no hesitation.

So I thank Len at XJ4ever.com for supplying some of the parts needed to complete this project. He has provided a lot of info for these XJ bikes.

I still need to complete the 1973 Z1900 I started at the same time I started this project. Im waiting on some machine work for that. But I also started a 1968 Yamaha DT1 250.

 

Just one more post. Well it finally warmed up here so I went out to the garage to take it for another spin. Hit the start button and the starter turned but did not fire. WTH it was running fine 2 weeks ago. So I get on one of my other bikes and go for a ride. Got to thinking about what could go wrong then it dawned on me I should probably put it in prime mode. I have had only two other bikes whit those vacuum petcocks, maybe the gas had evaporated just enough in several weeks for it not to start. Went out today, put it in prime and waited for a few seconds and bam started right up. So now I get to test my new turn signal canceling unit and it works just fine now. Cancels great. Wish my FJR1300 would have self canceling signals

So now the question, I probably will be selling this bike at some point so what do you think would be a fair price. If you have followed this thread you know what's been done to it. Which is basically everything.

 

When I do a bike it is a labor of love. So my time spent on the bike does not go back into the price. If you add up your time, I am not sure you will ever get the money out of it you should. As far as a cost, start high and see if anyone will bite on it. All you can do is say no.

It is a great looking bike and you have done wonderful work on her. Looking forward to your next project. I XS1100 just came up for sale here in Wisconsin for $500. They don't know what they have, listed as a Virgo.

 

Tough question Wayne for sure, these XJ's just don't command the price like Z1's and some other bikes. I did a similar restore on a 650, pretty much same level but I didn't touch bottom end. Had almost $4k in receipts but doubt that bike would've sold for much over $3k and even that would've taken the right buyer. My plan was to keep it and enjoy it though.

Beautiful bike!!! Hope it finds a good home if you don't keep it for a bit.

 

Yes if I get my investment out of this I would be happy. I really like to see them come back to life. My time is of no great concern especially during the winter months. Keeps me out of the bars I guess. Some of these Vintage bikes are commanding some good prices. I plan on listing my RD350 on Bring A Trailer and may list this one on there also. Might get a better price than on Craigslist or some other form of selling. Problem now with eBay or Bring A Trailer is you get a tax form for sales over $600 which will be a pain. I will ride it some more to make sure its sound. Bike night tonight(small vintage group we have) so I will be riding it there.

 

I'm up in Hayden and I just bought an 83 XJ650 with only 4700 original miles on it. I really don't know much about working on bikes, but it runs like a dream. If you have the time, I would love to show it to you. I just now joined and found this site not even an hour ago (because i was confused by the fuel switch ha ha) but I am assuming there is a way you can message me. GREAT bikes!

Sandy

 

Hi Sandy, I have been on a trip with my FJR1300 for a few weeks. I would like to see what you have. You can PM me with your phone number and I can get back to you. Maybe we could meet at the Porch and have lunch or something.

 

Well the bike just sold. Smart guy decided to pass on one for $1600 because he knew how much he would need to put into it. It did sell for $4,000. He is very happy. I also give them the option to bring it back to me for any work.

 

Is this the beautiful little Maxim you are referring to?

 

Yes its he one in this thread

 

Great deal for the buyer and you put one back on the road. Don't be a stranger on here, would love to see your other builds.

 

Wow I think they got a good deal on that Wayne!

 

Yes it looked new. Beautiful bike.

 

Super quick question for you - I have the same bike, and I was wondering if you have the service manual, or know where to find it. I'm definitely not a mechanic by any means, and flying by the seat of my pants here, so any help would be very much appreciated. Thanks!

 

Yes I do have the service manual, however I tend to keep all my manuals just in case I work on someone else's bike or pick up another one down the road. When I buy or work on a bike I try to get the factory manual and or clymer so I'm not guessing what Im doing, even though I have been working on these bikes for over 50 years.