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[PIC HEAVY] New XJ Owner!!

Discussion in 'Hangout Lounge' started by philbrewer, Mar 13, 2008.

  1. philbrewer

    philbrewer Member

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    My first bike! I Just bought a 1981 XJ650 from a fellow in Ohio. Needs carbs cleaned and new front rubber. I payed 400 for the bike and hopefully I'll get her running on Saturday. I plan on changing the air filter, plugs and oil. I need to drain the gas tank also.

    Any suggestions on what to do to get her ready to run, or any body mods?

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    The other bike is my buddys CB550 cafe project. Cant wait until this weather breaks! If the carbs arent too bad hopefully I can get her to start up this weekend and get a nice video of her purrring.

    :) :)
     
  2. MiCarl

    MiCarl Active Member

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    Howdy neighbor!

    Looks like you got a deal. I rode today, although the weekend isn't looking too promising.

    Check your PM.
     
  3. rpgoerlich

    rpgoerlich Member

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    Nice Bike for the Money !

    Looks like you'll be ready to ride Hines Pkwy on the weekend ! Lol

    Stop by and grab MiCarl on the way Eh !
     
  4. MiCarl

    MiCarl Active Member

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    I rode it a bit today. All the salty slush melting onto the road. My oil pan will probably be rusted through by morning :D .
     
  5. rpgoerlich

    rpgoerlich Member

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    I used to like to cruise Hines when I lived in Plymouth. Used to make the run from Lincoln park to the Plymouth Industrial center and back when I lived in LP with almost all of it on the Hines.

    I never did like the salt on the roads. Went through more mufflers and tailpipes on almost every car when I live in Mi. I haven't changed one out since I been in TX for 28 years... they use sand here.
     
  6. MiCarl

    MiCarl Active Member

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    BTW, I think philbrewer musta taken the pictures last week. Didn't actually snow today.

    I think they make mufflers better than they used to. I drive a '97 Yukon that has 170K miles on it. Still has the original exhaust system on it.

    Of course, it'll probably rot off tomorrow :cry:

    The rock shield on the fuel tank did completely rust away though.
     
  7. philbrewer

    philbrewer Member

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    You are correct MiCarl, I took the pictures last saturday. I drove down to Toledo to pick her up, what a day to drive to Toledo! Anywho.... Its parked in a buddys garage in Ferndale right now with hopes of getting it running this saturday.

    The guy I got it from let it sit last year, and left gas in the tank. I need to drain that, change oil, airfilter and plugs, and see what happens then. He said it ran but was a bit hard to get to start in the cold.

    XJ's look great in the snow!
     
  8. MiCarl

    MiCarl Active Member

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    They look great in the snow, but they don't handle very well.

    Interestingly, I have a rack of carbs on my bench now for I bike I picked up in Toledo that had been sitting awhile.
     
  9. philbrewer

    philbrewer Member

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    Ok, I changed the oil, new oil filter, new air filter, new gas, new plugs. I also dropped a little oil in the cylinders to coat the rings. After a little playing around she purrs like a kitten. I had to soak a rag in quick start and put it in the air box to get her to start, but after about 5-8 minutes of running she starts great on her own.

    think I need my carbs cleaned.

    heres a video:

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qr32Dzwaato
     
  10. RangerG

    RangerG Member

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    Sounds good. It idles nice and revs clean. I'd spend my time riding rather than cleaning carbs.
     
  11. MiCarl

    MiCarl Active Member

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    Sounds like a good recommendation.
     
  12. philbrewer

    philbrewer Member

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    Any advice for the pain in the butt cold start?

    She'll be registered and insured this week!
     
  13. Travis-Mc

    Travis-Mc Member

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    I think lower bars would look good!
     
  14. philbrewer

    philbrewer Member

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    After shaving the front turn signals installing drag bars and polishing the exhaust.

    Tomorrow I will finish the brake light and I may put a some type of graffic on the tank. I still need to figure out how to mount a rear fender too!

    [​IMG]

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  15. willierides

    willierides Member

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    Nice looking bike! Congrats! Just in time for spring.

    If cold starts are still a problem, you probably need to clean the enrichment passages in the carbs. It's easy. You can find a wealth of info on this site to help. Basically there's a hole in the bowl connecting the float bowl to the part of the bowl where the brass tube from the upper part of the carb slides down in. Hard to explain, but easy to understand once you look at it. That brass tube is the main source of fuel on cold starting with the "choke" on (as I understand it). If that passage way is clogged, and it is very common from what I've read here on this site, cold starts are nearly impossible.
     
  16. Gamuru

    Gamuru Guest

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  17. philbrewer

    philbrewer Member

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  18. donhoe

    donhoe Member

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    wow, I'm jelous....
    it sounds better than mine....

    I just got my colortune in the mail this weekend, and I'm going out to buy the things I need for my YICS tool, and my home made manometer at lunch today.
    so look out......
    good deal, nice looking bike.
     

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