A new project, the abandoned xj650RJ

Re: A new project, the abandoned xj650...

Thanks Dave, any photos of settings, or really small details that I may want to look for when opening carbs would be much appreciated.

I am also trying to get myself familiar with all the pieces' names since there seems to be a lot of them.

 

meh.....once you get used to them, the pieces aren't that many, and you'll be able to recognize any of them in a second.

Heading out to get the shim boxes now............

Dave

 

Two days of rain and I have not been able to work on the bike since it is on the driveway. I noticed that the air filter cover bolt had a socket attached to it and could not get it off, I will spray it with wd40 or heat it up to get it off. It's funny that the bike cake with a socket, my friend had it for two years and didn't even notice.

That tells me that no maintenance was done on this bike... who knows how long it sat before I got it and started trying to bring back to life.

I know for sure it is getting new brakes (pads and lines).

 

COULD be that the socket is welded on. could be it's pounded on so tight....

In any event..... if worse comes to worst, get a grinder and grind the head off. The housing will pop off, the bolt will come out easily now, and the housing is easy to find and replace...there's plenty of them around.

Dave F

 

I had a few minutes to spend on the bike. I got the bolts from the drive shaft off, now the rear wheel turns freely... hmm I believe that was the only thing holding the engine in place, now I need to figure out how to get that engine off the frame by myself. So far the carbs are still attached. The boots will not let it go, maybe a little more elbow grease!

 

You need to get the carbs off and out of the way before anything else.

As for extracting the mill by yourself: once you have the motor ready to come out, you can gently lay the whole mess on its right side and then lift the frame off the motor.

 

Thanks,

I was into something, I got the carbs off, it really took a lot of pulling to get the sucker out.


When I got the carbs off I was looking at them and flipped them upside down, a greenish liquid came out, it looked like a watered down antifreeze, is there anything else supposed to be in there other than gasoline?

I tried laying the bike on the right side after I got the carbs off but for some reason it keeps getting stuck on all the brackets (i did remove the front brackets and oil filter to make more room) I will lay it on the side and wiggle the frame out of it.

 

Double-check and be sure ALL the wires, ground straps (back of the motor) sensor wires, etc., are unplugged. Looks like the #3 plug wire is still on tight. You'll want to tie the spark plug wires to the frame, up and out of the way.

Slide the airbox back in place, put its upper mounting bolts in place, and slide it all the way back and tighten, so it's out of your way. Pull the boots out.

 

I won! After a long fight and a lot of wiggling that sucker gave up and came off



Now is time to rest and start cleaning this nasty frame and the carbs. Thanks for your help, and hints fitz and fiddles.

 

My next question will be, do you have a favorite or "best" technique to get the new engine in the frame?

 

Same way it came out.

 

Eco....I know you put a lot of energy and effort into getting the engine out, but trust me-- after you've pulled a few of them, you start to realize that while the clearance is really snug- the engine will come straight out and go straight back in. If you're laying it on the ground, the frame will lift right off when you get the angles juuuuust right. Putting it back in is the same thing.....just take it slow and steady, ease it into place.

The carb's green blood-- well, what that is, is really really old gas that has about 13 seconds to go before it turns to a hard, black, thick varnish in the carbs and seizes everything up forever. I HIGHLY recommend that you pull the bowls and soak everything down with pbblaster, Kroil, carb spray, carb dip, brake cleaner, kerosene, etc...... anything to start re-dissolving it so it can't harden up on you--and get those carbs apart and clean them! Again, if you want pics, let me know.....I just put carb body 2 in the dip for the night, 1 is all done and ready to start reassembly (except for the throttle shaft seals and all the o-rings).

Your shims will go out monday.....we got socked with a snow storm last night and this morning and by the time we got cleared to the road, the PO was closed.

Dave Fox

 

Thanks for the info about the green stuff, carbs are currently soaking in carb cleaner. I will wait until I get the new valve shims in and clean that motor before I mount it to the frame.

The center stand has been ordered...

I realized that I had the bracket for the original horns but have no horns, I will either look for it on the bay or in the forum.

 

I have regular car horns off a ford explorer. Gets peoples attention real quick. Less than $wp at autozone.

 

Eco,

the horns are going to be the standard horns for the xj550, 650, or 750 maxims. Probably the seca's, too, but I know they are the same as above. I have an extra that I just picked up.....as I get mine straightened out I'll see if I can get the extra one working again if you need...

Dave F

 

Thanks Dave,

I found a guy with a few parts for an 81 Maxim, I am trying to figure out if I have any potential costumers for them or maybe trade for parts that I will need.

He has some nice parts, I wish I was rebuilding the bike that he has parts for. Take a look on the for sale forum.

Pepe

 

Ok,

Today I got the shims needed for the engine that will go into the frame. I only need a couple of days without rain and a baby that will cooperate and go to bed early.

 

They got there quicker than I thought they would with the holiday!

 

Another finding was the brake pedal, when I took it off the screw inside the clamp that holds it in place was broken in three parts, I was able to remove the screw head and the bottom, there is still a portion of the screw inside that I will either have to drill out or chuck it and try to get another pedal. The chrome seems to be in good shape it only needs some rust removed... we'll see.

 

Soak it with krill or pb blaster then drill it and e-z out it after heating. If you drill from the opposite side of the bolt from the head, the drillmay just catch it and turn it right out, too.

Dave fox