Maintenance schedule

Looking for advice with tear down. My bike has 34+kms, I have the starter motor off to clean up (previous posting-thxs guys), however, I was thinking about just cleaning the easier parts, carbs, starter motor, anything i can reach around, but after seeing and cleaning the mess i encountered while removing the starter motor, obvious signs of a nothing was cleaned in the past 20+ yrs, I am thinking about tearing apart the engine too! any thoughts, advice, etc? I am moving into a bigger house in Jan '09, has a single car garage and room in basement to store and clean parts, etc.

 

Motor itself should be relatively clean inside. I would apply the "Uncle Ernie" rule here, if it ain't broke don't fix it. You will find PLENTY of "projects" on your XJ to keep you busy, personally I would not court disaster by ripping into a functioning motor. Take the primary sprocket cover off and clean in there, that'll keep you busy for a while. Check and adjust your valve clearances (when was that done last?)

 

+1 I'm with Fitz, Check bearings, flush your brakes, check the brake shoes,change the shaft oil, change the fork oil. Get to a maintenance level you are sure of and go from there.

 

I'd like to SEE that Bill, he's got a 550. (Chain drive.) Get a service manual, and take Bill's advice, get the maintenance caught up first. Best assumption (unless there is signifigant proof otherwise) is that most required maintenance WASN'T done when it should have been, and a lot of things were probably completely overlooked. The apparent complexity of the valve clearance checking and adjustment procedures put a lot of people off doing it themselves, and the cost at a dealership being as high as it was (and is) a lot of these bikes have NEVER had the valves checked. My best advice (and what I do myself when taking over an old bike) would be to go through ALL of the "routine" maintenance items in the book, one by one. Be prepared to replace each and every gasket you disturb, most rubber bits will crumble when you touch them. Install an in-line fuel filter right away. As you go through all the routine maintenance, things will crop up that need fixing. One thing is an absolute GIVEN for a 25+ year old bike: You won't run out of things to do.

 

OOPs OK Fitz you caught me not reading again

Then check the chain and sprockets for wear. (how's that?)