82 Yamaha XJ550 Dies after 5 Minutes

I have an 82 Yamaha XJ550 Maxim, I have changed the voltage regulator, and put a new batter in the bike. The other day the bike started running rough, I looked at the carb and one of the rings was coming off so I tightened that up. This seemed to work for a about five minutes, then the speedometer stopped working and the bike died when I stopped at a red light. The bike started right up and went down the road about another 1/4 mile, Then the bike died and wouldn't start again. After work I went to where the bike was parked and tried to start it. It fired right up and I tried to get it home, died again about 2 miles down the road and would not start. Long story short, the bike fires everytime, runs pretty good for about five minutes, or until it is about warm and then dies and will not start. I am thinking that there is a relay bad somewhere on the bike since the speedometer has stopped working. Any idea's?

 

put a small amount of fuel in the tank and open your gas cap....see what happens......



jeff

 

What "ring" on the carb?

yeah a plugged vent or a vacuum line shrinking due to the heat and cutting off vacuum to the fuel valve could do it.

Your speedo is unrelated. It's cable drive off the front wheel. Likely a broken cable or gummed up gauge or drive unit. BigFitz has a write up on cleaning the gauges.

 

Sounds more like fuel starvation than electrical - speedo is probably coincidental. Gas cap vent, vacuum line/ fuel line blocked, fuel filter(s)/ Petcock clogged....

 

Speedo is mechanical, no relays there and probably no connection.

A little back ground info will help. Did you just purchase the bike? Has it ever run right? Why did you put the new battery and regulator?

I'd say there are a couple of possibilities:
1. Running out of gas. If the fuel flow to the floats is VERY slow (clogged fuel filter or beanie screens, or stuck float) the bike will burn through the fuel in the bowls then "run out." It'll refill after sitting for a few. Do you have your petcock on PRI or ON? Verified that it functions properly? Wet set your float height?

2. Something changes in the intake when warm. Either you are getting an air leak, the carbs aren't adjusted right, or the valves aren't in spec. You'll need to check each of these. Properly cleaned or rebuilt your carbs?

3. Something fails electrically when warm. Component housings or wires can expand when they get hot and short or break contact.

What all have you done to the bike since you got it?

 

Manbot13:

Thanks for all the information; I bought the bike about three or four months ago and it ran pretty good. The tack has never lit up but all the other lights and gauges worked fine. I replaced the voltage regulator because I kept blowing fuses and this was the recommendation of the local bike shop. I replaced the regulator and it stopped blowing fuses. Then when I bought my house I moved the bike in order to load a trailer and like freaking rookie, I hit the kill switch, but did not turn the key off so the battery died. I jumped my bike and let it run for 30 minutes and rode it for about 15 minutes and the battery wouldn't hold a charge. I had the local battery store test the it and it was shot. So I bought a new one and then this is when the problem started. I am thinking that you are right in the fuel department. I have not had a change to do a usual tune up that I like to do on a automobile when I get it. Spark plugs, wires, air filiter, fuel, oil, ect. Thanks for all the help, I will let you know what I come up with.

 

Can I ask you to define what "ran pretty good" means? Did it start and idle? Did you drive it? Run it to redline?

3-4 months is enough time for old gas to go from "kinda flowy" to gummy. There are many detailed carb cleaning threads on this site. Do some research and ask questions, but expect a full carb tear down and rebuild as just standard new-to-me XJ operating procedure.

The rectifier/regulator is pretty hardy and doesn't fail often. Although the connector terminals do often get corroded and cause the wires/connector to melt (especially the red wire). Testing is easy with a running bike, you just need a voltmeter to test the charging system and ensure that the voltage is being regulated through the rpm range. You should check this anyway to make sure you don't lose another battery to a failed charging system.

Fuses blow because there is too much current flowing somewhere. Usually, it's a short, so I'd be looking for one if I were you. Knowing which fuse could also tell you which circuit to look at.

Tach light is just a bulb. You can disassemble the gauges and replace it.

 

It could also be in serious need of a valve adjustement.

 

So I drained the tank, cleaned it out with fresh fuel, put new fuel in the tank and it still runs like crap! The speedo cable did need to be changed, did that and that is fixed. But I am already tired of this thing nickel and dimming me. I pulled the spark plugs and they have oil on them. I am not ASE certified but I am a former military mechanic and know that this is bad. So given the fact I haven't been a mechanic in about three years, I am a little rusty. Thinking that there is a seal somewhere that is broken and needs to be replaced. The oil on the plugs is probably causing the bike to run like crap. So new plugs as the ones I have will more than likely be fouled now, but what else do I need to do. I am to the point where I am going to sell the bike and just buy a new one new spring. I bought the bike to get better gas mileage and not dump money into it. GRRRRR!!!

 

Well, unfortunately, since old gas went through the carbs, the gummy junk is still stuck to it. Even though you "cleaned it out with fresh fuel," it will not fully clean the carbs. These carbs are so finicky that any slight gunk in them will cause problems. Sounds like you need to remove them and do a full "church of clean" job on them. I know you didn't want to hear that, but none of us do. It's just part of the XJ club thing. The oil on the spark plug thing sounds like you may need to change the seals inside the engine. Are you sure it was oil, or was it just running very rich? Just asking. I would begin with cleaning the carbs first. That is the easiest thing to do. Don't give up on it.

 

How do I clean the carbs? Pull them off would obviously be the first step, but what do I clean them with?

 

How do I clean the carbs? Pull them off would obviously be the first step, but what do I clean them with? Guessing carb cleaner, anyone know how hard this is?

 

BigFitz52's Valve Adjustment
RickCoMatic's Whole 9 Yards Carb cleaning

I don't remember if there's a How-To on this site for breaking the rack, but you might as well do that to the carbs and replace fuel rail o-rings and throttle shaft seals. Expect to replace most of the rubber bits in there too.

These bikes will "nickle and dime" you until you take care of ALL of the neglected maintenance. Unless the PO had records, assume everything in the regular maintenance section of the repair manual needs to get done.

You were a mechanic so at the very least, you can do this on your own. That's a step ahead of most members on this site who stuck with it, learned, and end up with a roadable motorcycle. However, it will cost you more than you've already put into it. BigFitz52 has been posting about this over the last year, that these bikes aren't like old cars, you need to do EVERYTHING just to make is reliable and safe.

A new bike in the spring will be an easier starting point. Depending on what you paid, these bikes can easily be reliable and safe for between $1500 and $2000 in initial cost and parts. Not bad if you don't mind doing the work yourself, but if you want something reliable today, a bike that hasn't been neglected is a better bet.

 

ManBot's got it right. Yes, it costs some funds, but it is worth it when you are done. Cleaning the carbs is not hard at all. I just got done with mine and getting ready to put them back on the bike tomorrow. Just make sure you follow the steps fully, "the first time", or you will definitely be doing it all over again until you do it right. My first time cleaning them, I thought it was "clean enough," but I was wrong. Also, please do not neglet breaking the rack. That is a very important step. Those o-rings and v-seals need replaced. If you do it right the first time, you will be dancing on the roof when you finally get it started and you hear that awesome sound. Good luck to you. Don't hesitate to ask questions. These guys on this forum are great and they will help anyone.

 

Well, you're going to have to. Put some money into it, that is.

Plan on spending approximately $600~$800 (in parts, no labor, you do that) for a proper recommissioning. That (along with no small amount of work) will get you back up and running AND stopping reliably.

Mikuni carb exploded view: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=31061.html

Others have already provided links to the valve adjustment and basic carb cleaning procedures.

The brakes will need to be rebuilt as well; or they will just start "acting up" when you start trying to ride the bike. Start with the rear; this one's invisible and quite dangerous: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=15874.html

As far as oil on the plugs, there could be many causes. If indeed a seal has failed, it would probably be a valve stem seal. But I wouldn't worry about that just yet.

If you haven't done it yet, run a compression test. If you get wacky results, get the valve clearances in spec and test again. I would definitely want to ascertain the viability of the mill before sinking a bunch of time, effort and $$$ into it.

 

Others have said it, but I will too. You have an older bike. You have things That MUST be done. It WILL cost some money. But if you only do the needed things at given times, you're gonna be nickel&dimed to death. However, If you take the time to go through everything the right way, to start with, you'll end up with a bulletproof bike.

Now correct me if I'm wrong......your first post was July 2, 2012. July 12, 2012 you said, "I am to the point where I am going to sell the bike and just buy a new one..." Dude........that's only 10 days. Some of us have worked on our bikes for weeks/months or even years to get them to the trophy conditions they now are. Hang in there, don't let the "I gotta have this fixed NOW" syndrome get you.

Dave F



Virtually everyone on here that has their bike as 'Ole Reliable' has done that. Myself included. Yup, it means carb teardown, valve shim adjustments, electrical cleaning, brakes, tires, battery. THEN.....it becomes Ride, ride, ride, ride, and ride.

 

Thank you everyone for the information, I do appreciate you sharing your knowledge with me. With all the work that this bike needs I think I am going to upgrade. I got into riding to try and save money and have a good time. The money I save on gas is going into parts and then some. So I am not saving any money and getting frustraighted with the bike breaking down. I don't mind doing little things because I like to tinker, but I don't have the desire to basically rebuild the engine. But, thank you again for all your help.

 

No problem with you coming to terms with what the bike will take to recommission and making a decision to "upgrade". But understand, the reason BigFitz52 told you to do a compression test is to determine if the engine is good. If it blows good compression numbers, there's no need to rebuild it.

Everything else that everyone has mentioned is just basic maintenance. It's a lot of "little things." None of it individually amounts to an engine rebuild, but it does take time and money to do, and are required if you want to have a reliable ride. I've personally recommissioned one xj, and working on a second, and I haven't rebuilt an engine. But I've done (or will be doing) all of these little things to both.

 

I wasn't talking about rebuilding the motor either. Far from it.

What I WAS talking about is reversing 30-some-odd years of neglected maintenance, so that the bike COULD actually be safely ridden, and reliable enough to use.

My suggestion was that you determine the viability of the motor before sinking a lot of time and effort into it if it DOES turn out it needs to actually be rebuilt; rather than discover "after the fact" that just reversing neglect won't do it.

The dollar figure I gave you ASSUMES "solid motor." If you need a top-end rebuild, triple the estimate.

The items I was referring to are just what's necessary to get it up, safe and reliable.; maintenance items.

Keep in mind that ANY motorcycle over about 6 years old will need the SAME things attended to before it is safe and reliable as well.

(Old bikes and old cars are NOT the same situation whatsoever.)

 

Couldn't read All of these so I don't know if ur bike is fixed or not but my bIke was doing the exact same thing. Called something like cgi igniter. It a little black or dark blue electrical component, I think it's mounted somewhere around the battery.

 

I did get rid of the bike, but I talked to a guy that has owned 6 of these things and he told me that is called a CDI box. It is located unddr the seat and it is either that or something called the stater, not starter but stater. They run anywhere from $200-$300 for a CDI box.

 

Stator is part of the alternator. There is the "rotor" which rotates, and the "stator" which is static, meaning doesn't move. Michael Faraday (1791-1867, thanks internet) showed that a current is "induced" when a magnetic force is moved in a rotating fashion around wire. Just f.y.i, it works both ways, changes in electrical current create a magnetic force at right angles to the flow of current, but not as useful since bikes don't run on magnetism.

The upshot of this is the basis of every electric motor and generator in use today.

Just a little basic college physics

 

Hey BigFitz!
Remember our discussion a while back about using fuel line vs vacuum line in a vacuum application? Not that this is the solution, but these ARE the classic symptoms.
The bike warms up, the vacuum line (fuel line the is used) collapses as it warms up (that is used as the vacuum source line on the petcock) and then the fuel delivery stops. The bike dies.
Then the bike acts normal when cold, the line has cooled and regained its shape. Vacuum is then present at the petcock once again.