A new project, the abandoned xj650RJ

the airbox boots are all the same.

Dave F

 

Yes, I knew about intake manifolds, but I've never heard of different angles or different lengths of airboots before.

 

Ok maybe I was simply dreaming it... I have been wrong before.

 

I got the carbs into the intake manifolds but apparently I pushed to hard when pushing the boots into the airbox and I busted it on the side. Now it feels like it is a P.I.T.A to get the boots out in place and get them into the carbs...

 

The crack can be fixed. Use an old soldering iron to melt it back together; strong as new and nobody will see it anyway.

The boots are a PITA...unless.....warm them up with a hair dryer....easy peasy.

 

Yup..... either a hair drier or a heat gun. I've said in numerous different forums that the heat gun is one of the best tools to have handy.

Eco, another tool I really like to use is and older Craftsman brake tool....looks like a screwdriver handlewith an awl-type tip, but is bent in certain ways. That tool allows me to reach around the back of each boot and slip the tip into grooves to allow me to help 'pull' the boots into place aided eslecially by the heat gun.

As someone else also mentioned.... it is quite possible that the front of your airbox is no longer flat--rather, it's concave. It SHOULD be FLAT across the front.

Dave F

 

If your hands aren't too big, you could also help yourself with one hand pushing out on a boot from inside the airbox while prying from the outside with a long flat screwdriver. It worked well on my Maxim 750.

 

Here is a little update on my slow progress: The boots have been hooked back to the carbs, I was looking for the little trey where the battery and solenoid go and is nowhere to be found so instead of searching forever I was going to put the ignition switch back on... when I took it off i remember having only one bolt and the other one broke. Now I have zero bolts and two broken bolts... since it is caterpillar season and got tired of getting pooped I called it a day. I sprayed some kroil and hopefully it will loosen up at least one broken bolt so I can get it out.

Fun stuff

 

Can you get a dremel cutting disc to the broken bolts? Could cut a screwdriver slot in them to help back them out...

Why caterpillars & poop, birds feasting? :?

 

Ok, this is getting old. Every freakin screw on this thing is a major task. I tried to use the dremel to cut a groove after letting it sit in kroil. Only to have the screw snapped in half and now there is nothing to grip. The ignition switch may need to hang with zip ties or what the hell...

If somebody wants to pick 1 seca in boxes and one without title almost complete come get em. give me some cash or paint my house and we'll call it a day.

 

Don't let small things discourage you, remember the Zen & the art... thing about finding the "Quality" in things.

Have a rest from it, get on with some other stuff, maybe have a few beers with friends, and then come back to it afresh with a positive mental attitude. Pop that top yoke off, nip down the local machine shop & have them mount it up in the pillar drill, they'll be out in no time & you'll even be able to save the threads if they drill carefully

Just remember you've put in the hard miles, this is just the niggly little bits that wait in the wings to catch you out. Don't let them phase you, or they'll win!

 

Eco.....DON'T give up. ANY of us who have taken a basket case and put them into a running or show condition have gone through this.

The challenge is to NOT give up.

My way of doing it is to work til things go wrong, then walk away and do something else. Then come back later, when I'm in a mood to work. If I get frustrated but keep trying, then I start breaking things more out of frustration than anything else. I also do NOT have a time limit or deadline. It simply gets finished when it is finally finished. Example: my X-from-scratch........I thought it would be done and on the road last summer. To date, the valve stem seals are still not in, the head is not on, valves not adjusted, engine still on the bench, tins and covers still not painted.......or even primed; the goldwing still not back together, etc.....too many other things in the way, and on/on/on/etc..........

They'll get done when they get done.

Hang in there.

Othewise, I wish I could throw them all on a trailer.......I'd be able to finish up MY 650rj!!!! LOL

Dave Fox

 

Thanks for the words of encouragement Dave. I was pretty frustrated this morning, it helped to go out for a walk with the baby and 10,000 dogs.

I need to keep that is mind, this is not a weekend project or will be done in 2 months. Sometimes it is hard to think about working on it since I don't have a garage and have to take tools in and out of the driveway every time I even think about working on it.

I guess it would help if I had a bike that actually starts but needed a lot of work vs. a bunch of parts that have not seen the road since they got here.

 

I had my 650 for two years before it even started. It took 8 years before I recieved that 2nd Place trophy for it..........

Dave F

 

After the time to cool off and regain my patience I took of some more parts on the bike that will need some love.

I am hoping a friend that works at a machine shop can help me to drill out the broken bolts and even make an adapter to fit the 85' 750 dash and gauges so this bike will look sweet.

I'm also thinking about painting this part since it is already off and in need of some love.





Like Dave said this is a long process and I am aiming to take care of every single part before I call this one done. So the conclusion also is that this bike will not be road ready this summer, maybe next one.

 

Those are the wrong turnsignals, too. They are for the 85/86 xj700/X/Virago/VMax/etc...... lines, not the 82. The '82 would have the bigger round-back chrome housing with the flat-faced lenses.

But hey, at least you're sounding a little more rational now, too.

Dave F

 

Dave, I think I am going to end up with two project bikes. The first one that I am currently working on it will not be a restoration to stock since I already put a 750 engine in it and will need an electronic tach.

I think am gonna go for a non stock look, for now the turn signals that I found will do. I will also use the 85' xj700 dash that already has an electronic tach so may need a little fiddling with the wiring harnesses.

 

Ok, just checking.

Dave F

 

Thanks for the heads up, I figured that with the 750 it's not really a restoration so I will see what this ends up. I will let my artistic sprit talk (and my shallow wallet) :lol:

Something like this with the gauges I have on hand. Once this one is done (whenever that happens) I will only have to find a frame for the parts bike since now I have plenty of them for 2 bikes

 

Just out of curiosity, would this fit if I just swap parts to get the dash/gauges to bolt in?

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1985-85-yamaha- ... 73&vxp=mtr