Runs at high idle with choke, Idles but dies with throttle

Orange-n-Black, I just read in your build thread about using pinesol for cleaning carbs. How did it work? After reading about the throttle shaft seals not being removable (technically speaking) and most carb cleaner demolishes plastics and rubbers, I am looking for a less toxic and less destructive method for cleaning this aluminum pain in the ass.

 

>After reading about the throttle shaft seals not being removable
>(technically speaking) ?

That's so not true....

The throttle shaft seals are most certainly removeable......that's how you replace them with ones that aren't worn out......you remove the throttle-shafts, pull the old wornout seals out, and stick the new ones in. Re-assemble, and then as you connect the bodies back together, you put new fuel rail o-rings in, as well.

THEN you'll have a rack that you can be sure of. Until YOU KNOW that the seals a rings have been done, you'll ALWAYS be wondering if there is a leak there.

DON'T be afraid to do that. I was for the longest time, and finally decided to tear a rack all apart. I wish someone had convinced me to do it earlier. Now I automatically do it to any bike project I bring in.

Do it. Doit... you KNOW you wanna......

Dave F

 

And, tfish, you know you wanna measure your valve clearances also. I noticed that you commented that your compression is good, but may have overlooked the previous step mentioned... check valve clearances. Do it. Do it. You should KNOW you have to.

These guys know what they're talking about. It truly affects how these bikes run.

 

:[ I really really don't wanna. I know I have to... Would there be any symptoms of the clearances being off?

 

Yeah you won't be able to get a decent carb sync.

And as a bonus, if you put it off long enough you'll burn a valve (and there goes the compression.) Repairing that will be a whole lot more expensive and complex than maintaining them.

Also, remember it's not a one-time thing. They need to be checked every 5000 miles; if you plan to actually ride the bike it's something you'll need to learn to do.

 

Fiiiiiine. I'll get out the ol' feelers, take the engine off of the bike, and have a go at it.

 

Re: Runs at high idle with choke, Idles but dies with thrott

Never did valve lash on a 400 but it'd be VERY unusual if you had to take the engine off the bike.

It is routine maintenance, not an overhaul.

 

Check out the engine mounts that hang the engine from the goofy frame on a 400 maxim/seca and then look at the valve cover. Now that I think about it, I could just take one engine mount off but I might as well just take the engine off anyway and do a much needed cleaning.

 

There is a lot more holding the motor than just those two front mounts. (I believe you only need to pull one to extract the valve cover.)

If you need a manual, send me a PM with your mailing address. I have a PDF of the "Multilingual" world-release manual for those bikes but it's too big to email. I can burn you a CD and drop it in the mail.

Being the "international" version (in like, five languages including English) it's a bit "interesting" to navigate; but it's better than nothing.

You don't want to pull the motor every 5000 miles.

 

I've got the manual printed and I've referred to it once or twice. Seeing as the bike is stripped down to nothing, I can have the engine off in 10 minutes. That's about the only nice thing about this weird frame.

 

Design Engineers wouldn't make it necessary to remove the Engine to adjust the Valves.
Sure, ... they make it difficult, sometimes, to pull routine maintenance.
Burying a Oil Filter beneath exhaust pipes.
Having to remove several panels to expose fasteners and components.

But, I have never heard of having to remove the Plant to do Valve Adjusting.

But, it you are going to pull the Engine to paint the frame of clean-up the Mill, ... consider having the whole Plant "Media Blasted" with Walnut Shell as the Media.

Walnut Shell removes grime, paint, oxidation, and cleans the Aluminum so nicely that it shines.

•••This Plant was Walnut Blasted•••
::: Note Carbs & Velocity Stacks :::

 

Re: Runs at high idle with choke, Idles but dies with thrott

That engine is stunning. 8O I'll try looking up someone that does media blasting and try to find a good price.

 

Never got to the carb cleaning on mine because I changed the carbs out for the round slide carbs. My son-in-laws bike needs it now so I guess I'll find out.

 

>Seeing as the bike is stripped down to nothing, I can have the engine off in >10 minutes.

So you're quibling about 10 minutes??? LOL

>Fiiiine............have a go at it

AHHHH!!!!! THERE you go.....SEE? We KNEW you wanna!

Dave

 

Re: Runs at high idle with choke, Idles but dies with thrott

Don't give me a hard time, Dave. :roll: I'm trying any excuse to not do it. The guy who had it before me bought it new and rode it all the time and had it taken care of by the same shop the whole time. Thing is, I don't know how many miles I put on it before I cut it up or when he last got the valves checked. I will start working on the valves and the carbs tomorrow night now that I got my Shure Bros tail light finished (looks sick, btw). I'll put up a picture in my profile that shows the HIDs, bar-end signals, apes, bags, fender, tank, and the mic tail light.

 

Hey, I'm not giving you a hard time. I'm trying to ghet you to where you WANT to do the work yourself. That way you will learn YOUR bike inside and out. THAT way when something does happen that's not quite right you will sense it almost immediately, be able to diagnose what is happening, and even if you can't fix it yourself at that moment you will be able to either tell us exactly what IS happening and we can give you the correct way to proceed, or if you (heaven-forbid) have to take it to a shop you can tell them what DOES need to be done AND you can checkto make sure that they do it the RIGHT way.

Now, regarding your comment about the shop servicing it since new.....

If they indeed did, they should have records of what was done and when. Too many shops have gotten to the point where they:
1. Don't want to work on older bikes
2. Won't work on older bikes
3. Don't know HOW to work on older bikes
4. do a quick repair hoping that it lasts long enough to get past the warranty period so they don't have to be responsible for anything

So here's what often happens:

1. They charge a very high amount for the repairs so that they make a lot of money off of you

2. charge a lot so hopefully you don't come back

3. do a shoddy or cheap repair, hoping it lasts long enough so that the warranty period is up, and then you won't go back to them--and they really don't care because they would rather work on the newer more expensive computer-diagnosed bikes because that's what they know how to do......read what the computer says, rather than actually listen to what the BIKE tells them they need to do.

etc........ etc........ etc.......................

We've all been at the point you're at. Some have said, "I'm gonna jump into the pool", others haven't. You're standing on the edge, man Jump on in.....the water's fine.

dave F
a. so that you make it waaay worth their time for a repair that they

 

I think this shop is one of the ones that does quality work on older metric bikes but charges premium prices. Their front office is completely full to the brim with 60s-90s metrics. It's beautiful. Either way; I want to do these things and for the most part I know how to do these things, I just need to convince myself that I HAVE to do these things. Thanks again for all of the info xj gurus. And thanks for putting up with my not-really-an-xj-kinda-is-but-really-isn't xs400 maxim!

 

It's half an XJ. And you need to learn this stuff if you plan to actually ride the bike.

 

Yes sir.

 

Get a Factory Workshop Manual.

You get all this:

• Workshop Manual
> Trouble shooting
> Maintenance
> Illustrated Repair Sections
> Diagrams
> Testing procedures

Plus: The Complete Owners Manual