It's Aliiiiiiive!

Okay, so I have this thing... All my bikes get a name. My Honda Shadow is called "The Balrog", and so far I haven't named my xj900 as it didn't run (I bought it as a fun-hobby-type "take it apart and if I can get it to run, keep it, otherwise take it apart again to see how it works and then get rid of it or keep it for parts". Anyhow, today I took the carbs completely apart, found pinholes in the mambranes (so will replace them, polished the pistons so they all clunk nicely, bench synched them and put it all together again. Put in new battery. Poured a bit of gas into the tank, primed the carbs, opened the choke and touched the starter, not really expecting anything. But. Wham. It started the second I touched the starter and the engine raced way up until I closed the choke again half way, then it idled. roughly, but stable.

I took it for a turn around our underground parking garage and learned a valuable lesson. I should have cheched the brakes first. Front brake - zero. rear brake, digital (i.e. full lock or nothing). :roll: Oh well.

It's running on three cylinders (number four is cold), so tomorrow I'll check the spark there. Now new sparks all around, new brake fluids, new oil and then I'll take her out...

... and give her a name. She's earned it, now that she started. maybe "The Banshee"? The way she howls... Wooooooooheeeeee...

Cheers, Dani

 

good luck, I'm sure we'll get the 4th hole firing, let us know. if you're having a hard time getting it fired, check plug wire and the intake boot and boot gasket. Once you remove the boot you'll probably find a detoriated paper gasket running or not

 

We tend to see corroded caps or poor cap connections in these "one hole not firing" senarios. Let us know what you find.