PROJECT 900

i guess i have the wrong ones!!! :? :?

cheers albear

 

Hi Wiz, the Haynes manual says to install new copper washers on re-assembly.I,d be interested to know if generic washers the same size are available and o.k. ,or if they are unique to the engine.Theoretically a copper washer is a copper washer.I believe I will also need to source the steel washers , as several of mine seem to be missing(could explain the broken studs) Cheers ,Murray

 

I've got beaucoup years of experience with copper washers (the're ALL OVER the Norton.) In most cases, you can anneal them (heat and quench) and reuse; but in this particular application I would certainly replace them.

 

I was going to ANNEAL them in case I can't get replacements.

 

Still waiting for engine parts, so I did a little pollishing.
This grab rail is structural, you could pull a semi with it. :lol:

 

Hey Wiz. I had the original remote rez shocks on my 900 when I got it. I really liked the look and wanted to keep them but they were shot - leaking a bit and sagging. Making a few inquires, I got quotes of around $C400 to restore them. Too much to make it rational. Not that I'm always rational, mind you, but this time my wife said no. Anyway, casting about I found a new set of dual-rate shocks that fit made by some Taiwan outfit under the brand name Monza. They're 12.75 inches eye-to-eye. The stockers were 307mm or 12.8 inches eye-to-eye. The Monza shocks have surprised me because they only cost $C120! Damn cheap for shocks! I thought they might be crap but I took a chance and I've been pleasantly surprised. They are of good build quality and have performed very well and very predictably during the past season and a half. The length difference hasn't been noticable at all - even with a passenger. They have 5 stiffness settings. I don't know if you can find these Monza shocks in Oz and they might be under a different brand name there but definitely worth hunting about for.
thx,
baz

 

Thanks Baz, have made a note, Alive in NZ has found me a good set of OEM shocks, so I'm 8)

 

Hey Wiz,
I have a tail rack made for the XJ900. Very nice close-fitting design with a black satin powder coating. I bought it off a forum member in Penn but never used it. I want to take a few trips with the wife on the back and she wants a backrest so I've sourced a different tailrack that I'm adapting to my 900. I paid $120 plus shipping for the rack. It's mint. I'll sell it for $80 plus shipping. If you're interested, email me for pics. baz666@yahoo.com
thx,
baz

 

Not a rack man, myself, someone will pick up on it. Wiz.

 

Got my S S bolt set thanks to Albear, you're a star.

 

The c..p rack that was on the bike was resting on the tail fairing & broke the lugs & snapped the tail light bracket, I have repaired the bracket using the rivet & solder method.
Pic 2 shows the head with #2 & 4 exhaust valves replaced & lapped, the head is ready to go back on, but there is a problem with the gasket set I got, as Chacal flagged there might be, the head gasket is for the smaller engine, not sure if it will work.

 

Can someone identify these 'O' rings, from the gasket set for me, the three are about the same size as the YICS, but not quite as fat.

 

Hi wiz,
I,ve found in trawling through websites looking for the best price on gasket sets for the 900,that, even though they give a different listing for the 853cc and the 891cc models, the part no. is often the same. The other thing,is that the head on my 891cc motor is marked " 31A" ,indicating either,that the heads are the same,or that the PO has swapped heads. (the marking is on the underside near one end) Can,t help with the O rings. Cheers,Murray

 

hi wiz,
iam glad to see that they arrived!!

cheers albear

 

More about the head gasket.
Although the gasket is 1/2mm smaller than the bore of the cylinders, laid on the head it is 1/2mm bigger than the ridge on the mating surface, I'm going to fit it, can't see how it will be a problem.

 

All ready for the block.

 

Hey Wiz,
Quick question,what size rings did you finally decide on, OS or standard ?

Cheers,Murray

 

Hi Murray, after much discussion I went with standard rings, the end gaps were still in spec' having just lightly honed the bores.
I have read since, that the Yam bores were 'Teflon'? coated & best not honed if the original cross hatching is still visible, they should just be washed with soapy water.
Hey Ho, job's done now, the head is ready to go on, but the boys in the States are checking about a separate gasket that fits around the cam chain cavity & does not seem to be part of the gasket set. :?
I did speak to a Yam tech' about rings & he said only fit O/S rings if you re-bore. Wiz.

 

Bad day at 'Black Rock'
Got the head back on, camshafts on sprockets lined up & bolted on (1 bolt),
auto tentioner on, turn the motor over (with wrench) @!#*#@ chain isn't on the lower sprocket, will have a return bout tomorrow. :x

 

Big thanks Wiz, just the info I needed.My barrels were water damaged,with a ring of rust around no.4.They were able to hone them out and still keep them a few thou. under the service limit,so it seems that standard rings will do the job. Cheers,Murray

 

Hey wizard... since i was gone for so long... i never got a chance to see what the bike looks like... can u post up a before picture and a current picture?

also... u should use photobucket and link ur photos so u dont have to delete them

 

I once had the same problem Wiz. Had a friend hold a light and mirror while I worked the cam chain back on the crank sprocket. Had to remove the cams, tensioner and front chain guide (XJ750) to get enough clearance between the chain guide and sprocket. Once I got close, my friend rotated the crank for me to bring it completely around at the cost of a 6pack .

 

Nobody likes a smart a..e, Schooter. :lol: here's your pics anyway, now I have to get my head around 'photbucket' whatever that is.
Anyhow, all back together, now, & I didn't have to give any beer away.
Now for some good news:
New compression readings:
1- 160 psi
2-158 psi
3-160 psi
4-155 psi

Have to re-shim it again, erring on the larger gap (smaller shim)

 

I just thought, Schoot' did you mean this XJ900 I am working on now?

 

WOOHOO! Those are some damn nice numbers from a rebuild! I think you got yourself a solid mill there now my friend. Good on ya.

 

Ya, i meant the 900, but thanks for those pics.... amazing.
hey pm me if u want some info on photbucket... That way you can get bigger pics and stuff

photobucket is a cyber harddrive to hold pics and videos, you then copy andpaste the link into a litle window on here when posting and it will appear on ur post

 

OK Schoot' I have signed up for that & will have a play later, here is a pic of the XJ900, when I got it home.

 

Valve clearances. (ALL IN MM)
INLET: 1=0.16
2=0.13
3=0.14
4=0.13

EXH 1=0.19
2=0.15
3=0.25
4=0.25

Should be: INLET 0.11-----0.15
EXH 0.16-----0.20
So nothing to do with the inlet, EX 2 changed from 255 to 270
EX 3 changed from 255 to 260, same with 4.
I am amazed after all that work that the inlets were near as spot on, 2 & 4 exhaust valves were replaced with new, so that was not surprising, don't know what the story is with 3.

 

Check 'em again after about 500 miles and see what happens. Lots of new mated with old going on in that motor, see where you're at once it's all had a chance to make friends.

 

Pic.1. Parts to be chromed, not much is it.

Pic.2. Carbs before.

 

MIKUNI BS 36.
The cleaning begins.

 

Hello Wizard, just wondering, what is that brass assembly sitting next to your floats? I have the same carbs, but don't remember seeing that when I cleaned them up. Although I didn't end up breaking the rack. That is a future project.

How are your diaphragms? I got a can of liquid electrical tape for mine. From Jaycar. Pin hole in #1 and #4 diaphragms

 

Hi Rail' diaphrams are all good, thats a big plus.
The brass part is the enrichment device, which on these carbs moves sideways, unlike the Hitachis which are vertical.

 

Out with the old & in with the new.

 

Much better. Those stock signal lights are as big as bloody lunch boxes! They look like they belong on a school bus!

 

One clean carb.

 

Everyones worst nightmare, first try easy out brought out 1/2 the screw, second attempt easy out, hard in. :cry:
What now?
Answers on a postcard please.

 

Machine shop?

 

Skip it, set that float using another bowl.
Glue a screw head in the hole for that concourse look.

"Life is easier when you plough AROUND the stumps"

 

I have SO done that before...

 

I'd find a Technical High School.
One with a modern Machine Shop.
Show them your EasyOut Nightmare.
Buy Pizza and Cola's for the bunch while they EDM the EZ-Out and Drain.

I entrusted a Cylinder Head to a Technicak High School.
I broke and EZ-Out trying to get a Manifold Stud out.
Worse. Fractured a chunk of the Intake Manifold Casting with an errant Hammer blow.

The nice folks at the School, ...
EDM'ed the EZ/Out and Stud fragment.
Tigged some Aluminum on the break.
Machined the material they welded-on.
Can't tell it ever happened.

 

Thanks guys for your input, the cosmetic screw head is very tempting, but could I live with myself? What if I need to store the bike & can't drain the carb bowl?
The tech school is good, but I think they are still using stone implements here. :lol:

 

Ongoing saga.
The man in the shop sold me a COBOLT drill, "this will drill through anything" he is probably still laughing.
So I carefully drilled a 2mm hole from the other end & knocked out the 'easy-joke-out'
Plan is to re-tap the thread, dress up the tappered hole & make good the bowl casing with 'Q Bond'.
Plan 'B' is, I have a dear friend looking for a replacement bowl.

 

When I broke the easy-out in my master cylinder screw, a replacement master cylinder from eBay was the solution that worked for me. Took a while to find one, but what can you do?

 

Hey wiz - take your old carb bowl to the wreckers and ask if you can try and find a matching one off their shelf of old carb bits. The older the wrecker the better - they all have a shelf full of incomplete carb racks that are collecting dust. Probably only cost you a few $$.

 

hey wiz,
sorry about the rushed eail that i sent u ,it was between 4 customers at the counter.
i estmate about $45.00 + freight.
but i will wait untill tomorrow to get a firm price on a m6x.75 plug tap.

cheers albear

 

I'd say ask around the machine shops about spark erosion to get that out, if you can't find a matching float bowl.

 

Hey Wiz,

I have a couple sets of different carbs and parts out on the shelf. I'll take a look at my 900 and see if any of those bowls match up. If so, I'll pull one off to the side for you.

Also, if the HS technical school/Vo-Tech/BOCES/whatever-it-called-where-you-live is a good one, that would be a good place for help, as long as the instructor is a very good, picky, detailed one. It's also inexpensive... cost of a couple boxes of donuts. Those of you who have seen my tank paintjob in person, know how nice it is. Those who don't, it's tough to see from the gallery pics, but it is a 750 tank, deep gloss black with a very subtle bluish-silver flame. So subtle that unless the light is just right you probably won't see it.......great to watch the harley guys flounce past a Yamaha with their noses in the air only to get a couple steps past and quickly turn around....."hey! There's a FLAME on that tank!" Anyway, I digress............back to the topic: My point is that it's a gorgeous paintjob done by the auto body shop up at the BOCES on the other side of town from the school I teach in.. Cost........ a couple boxes of donuts and a lot of "thank you" 's. The kids got to see the bike, too, when I got it back on. Just seeing it was cool enough for them. The instructor didn't even charge for paint since he had just gotten done painting a gloss black truck, and used extra metal flake for the flame. All leftovers from another job.

Dave Fox

 

Pic 1. rack being re-assembled on a flat solid plate.
Pic 2. bench sync' done & enrichment rail in place.

 

Those "side-valve" enrichment plungers are interesting; so the rail slides horizontally to engage them?

I wonder why they did that; are the carbs so much bigger that the conventional placement would have made them way too tall?

Nice work as always, BTW.