New Guy...old bike

Hey all,
I'm Randy and I'm from Eagle, CO. I recently acquired a 1982 Yamaha XJ550 Maxim from my father in law. It has been sitting in the backyard, exposed to the elements for a number of years, but surprisingly is rust free!

I have a serious problem about not letting old iron sitting out, left to rot. Allegedly, this bike was "running when parked." So far, I've not done much other than pull the plugs to find the cylinders rust free, no water in the crankcase and a totally rusted out fuel tank!

I've got preliminary plans in mind for this bike, but I've never worked on one before. I've worked on all my own cars though since I was 15 (now 33). Looking the bike over, everything is there and in fair condition. My main concern is the wiring harness and electronics.

That being said, where is the best place to start to determine if everthing is serviceable? When I hooked a battery up to the battery terminals, I got no power to the bike...not surprising.

I would really like to get this bike running and back on the road. Just wanted to introduce myself and my project. Maybe as things move forward, I'll post up some pics and lay out my plan for all to see.. lol

edit: Oh yeah, any information on the engine, transmission, elec system or other details of the bike would be greatly appreciated!!

Thanks,
Randy

 

Welcome, check the ground at the frame for corrosion, then check the fuse block because they tend to be a problem. As soon as you get it running be sure to check the rear brakes for delamination and get the rust out of that tank. Sometimes the old cars or bikes that look to be in good condition can be the biggest headaches, hope that's not true in your case. :wink:

 

WELCOME from TN!!!

skillet
"running when parked" same song, second verse (LOL)...

 

Thats addressed in my project. I'd like to do some basic troubleshooting to see if I can get it to turn over. Part of my overall plan is to strip the bike down to the frame, repaint and rebuild most (or all, if necessary) of the bike.

The fuses block looks shot..so I don't know how successful any testing will be.

Thanks!
-Randy

 

Thanks!
:lol:
Tell me about it!

- Randy

 

Welcome!

Just a quick question for ya. Does your bike have a kick-start? I ran into a guy riding a 550 Maxim and it had a kick-start. Thought it was pretty cool. And would definitely make getting the bike running a bit easier.

 

Welcome from Va. and sounds like you got a work in progress for sure. I think talking to bigfitz would be a good start. He has the xj550's and I would say he would know how to help you out with just about anything you could possibly come into contact with your project. He is a great guy and doesn't mind sharing his knowledge as well as anyone else on this forum. Welcome again and best of luck to you.

 

Nope, no kick start here. Would be cool tho!!

 

Thanks for the welcome and the info!! Much appreciated!!!

 

Welcome from the not so great state of Ohio! The other guys have something meaningful to say, I'm just saying howdy!

 

Welcome! And congrats on the bike. There are a lot of very helpful people on this forum, and one of the best things about the XJ is a member here by the name of Chacal has just about every part you could imagine for the bike (OEM mostly I think). Also some info on the bikes can be found in this forum: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewforum/f=23.html]XJ4Ever[/url] It also has the parts catalog.

BTW, take pictures, I think most here love to see pictures

 

Welcome aboard.

The best place to start is to get a set of manuals. I say "set" because the aftermarket book (Clymer for the 550s) has a lot of gaps that are covered by the factory book, but the factory book is sparse on details that are covered by the Clymer.

While you're waiting for the manuals to arrive, read the first six or so linked articles in here under "Cool Hand Luke:" http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=27544.html

Best practice is to go through the "maintenance" section in the manual, procedure by procedure, skipping none and leaving nothing out. Along the way you will discover what needs to be cleaned, renewed, refurbished or outright replaced. If you DO ALL of it, the bike can and will be quite reliable afterward. My '83 550 has just rolled 5200+ miles on the odo since I put it back on the road, with nothing more than regular oil changes and a couple of chain adjustments.

Here's a basic list:

- check tires, condition, and date codes.

- inspect wheel rims for damage or excessive runout.

- check front brake pads.

- inspect disc brake calipers for damage, wear (thickness), or excessive warpage/runout.

- VISUALLY check rear brake shoes for wear/delamination; adjust rear brake pedal linkage. This is very important. Delamination is common, the only way to detect it is to SEE it. http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=15874.html

- inspect/lube/adjust/replace final drive chain and sprockets. Keep an eye on the chain. If it "bleeds red" when being lubed and won't hold adjustment, it's rusted internally and will need to be replaced. Always replace both sprockets with a chain.

- check and adjust if needed operation of front and rear brake light switches.

- replace rubber brake hoses (check the mfg date stamped in them).

- unless known to be otherwise, plan on rebuilding the brake master cylinder and caliper(s).

- check and clean/replace the air filter element.

- change all fluids: fork oil, engine oil, and brake fluid.

- check and repair any engine or drivetrain/suspension fluid leaks.

NOTE: almost any original oil seal or engine case gasket will need to be replaced when its cover is removed for the first time.

- check and adjust/lubricate/replace steering head bearings.

- check and adjust/lubricate/control cables and speedometer and tachometer (if applicable) drive cables..

- check and adjust/replace rear shock absorbers.

- electrical system inspection, replace fusebox and most probably alternator brushes.

- check battery condition; replenish fluid (distilled water only!).

- clean the battery terminals.

- check all lights for proper operation and brightness (headlight, tail/brake light, turn signals, dash illumination).

- check horns for proper operation and loudness.

- check stator resistance.

- check rotor resistance.

- check battery.

- check coil primary, secondary, plug caps resistance.

- check engine cylinder compression; record your findings.

- check and adjust camchain tensioner.

- check and adjust valve clearances; record your findings.

- drain carbs, check for foreign matter in bowls, install in-line fuel filter.

- check function/operation of fuel petcock; correct any leaks and/or rebuild the petcock if indicated.

After all that (and having corrected anything that needed attention along the way,)

-Install a new set of properly gapped NGK D8EA spark plugs, and with a fully charged battery, clean air filter, fresh gas and a little luck it might fire up.

Nothin' to it.

 

bigfitz - I'm rebuilding basically from scratch and the bike sat outside for more than 3+ years. I'm really wanting the frame more than anything and looking for another engine...The bike is bad but not bad enough that I want to stratch the project just means more time...and checklists while braking down and building back up?

I've posted the pics in another thread http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=42647.html

 

check on the lowest parts of the frame for splits from water getting in there and freezing