Help Me Get It Started, I Have Tried Everything I Know

Damnit man, I knew you were goig to say that......what's the remedy if its there? Just an oil change or is there more to it? I'm working so I'm going to look when I get home

 

Well I crushed my finger and earned a finger full of stitches so Still no progress but I have the plugs out so the fuel in the cylinders can evaporate. I'm thinking that getting the carbs off again so I can get the pilot screws out and go through them again is next. Anybody wanna weigh in on where my priorities should be with this thing? I'm also going to test the coils and change the brushes in the starter and generator.

 

My 1.35¢

1: don't get gas on your stitches.

2: One thing at a time.

Drain the oil, let the case air out, change the filter, put in new (cheap) oil.

Finish getting the carbs set up.

Once it's running do everything else. There's no sense moving forward if it won't run.

 

Gas in the oil won't hurt anything as long as you didn't run it. Change the oil and filter, squirt a couple shots down each plug hole and turn it over by hand a few times. You will have to address those carbs..OFF the bike. Most likely it's overfilling the bowls and rolling down into the jugs. Better to fix this with the bank off.

 

Would this keep it from starting? I happen to speak to the previous owner and he said when he had it running it wasn't a hard starter at all......but like I said when I got it the carbs were off of it.

 

Probably. They start right up, IF the carbs are just right, strong battery that is fully charged.
The carbs are definitely the place to start. They need to be:
a) Spotlessly clean inside (Read Chacal's Church Of Clean article):

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14692.html

This includes blowing out each and every passage with Gumout Jet Spray and/or compressed air to ensure they are not only clean, but CLEAR as well.
b) Bench synched after your cleaning
c) Float height wet-set
d) Mixture needles set...preferably with a ColorTune, but at least by ear and/or engine RPM increase
e) Carbs synched with sync tool and YICS shutoff tool (if yours is a YICS bike)

That covers the carbs. If it still starts hard, look at:
a) Starter brush length. Short brushes cause high resistance which saps a lot of the starting juice. XJ's need a lot of it
b) Just because it rolls over doesn't mean there's enough juice. If there is ANY doubt, install a new battery
c) Replace spark plugs....cheap insurance.
d) Make sure your fuse block isn't giving you trouble i.e. high resistance. Chacal sells a blade-type (automotive) replacement for around ten bucks. Ditch the glass tubes. They suck.


If carbs and ignition are known good, or you've done everything on the above list, it may be time to check valve clearances and re-set if required (each 5000 miles). If you do, note that you will have to re-synch the carbs, as changing valve sealing will affect the efficiency of the cylinders, and cause a change of airflow through them.

Simple enough? 8O

 

You guys make it sound so easy......8O

If nothing else I have a good start.

Done: Blade type inline fuses
New plugs
New battery(uninstalled)

The carbs are coming off anyway for pilot air screw surgery any way so Im gonna give them a good cleaning.....hopefully for the last time.

 

Do it according to the Church of Clean, and it WILL be the last time. Take shortcuts....you'll be doing it again. Trust me.

 

Dually noted

I'm thinking its time to find a final resting place for my battery so I can properly wire and power the ignition system so I may fab up a tray and electronics box while the bike is apart again.