SUCCESS STORIES of PODS and 4 into 1 EXHAUST

1. XJ650G
2. 39,000
3. unknown compression
4. 4200' ASL
5. K&N Pods and breather
6. Stock
7. Unknown jets

The bike seems to run well. Possibly the pods are a good match for the altitude. The engine gets more air with the K&Ns which helps to compensate for the lower air density, creating a better A/F mixture with the overly rich sea level carb settings. I'm pretty sure this bike does not have custom-tuned carb settings. The previous owners were probably just happy that the bike seemed to run well.

As someone just discovering this pod debate I think some of you are missing the point. The guy with the 100% original bike and the guy with the stripped bobber are enjoying their bikes for vastly different reasons. Who cares if you give up some power/mileage if your bike looks and sounds awesome.

I still wonder why people spend so much damn money on a certain make of American motorcycle that doesn't turn, stop, or accelerate as quickly as a Toyota Camry. Why do some motorcycle riders dress up like pirates? Why does Europe get a large number of do-everything , upright sport bikes while the US focuses on cruiser clones?

 

Sounds awesome, btw. Less harley and more WWII fighter.

 

bradyb just keep an eye on your plugs. A lean-running XJ is a real screamer, right up until it holes a piston.

The XJ motor was designed to run to a 9K or 10K redline; and all the really fun stuff doesn't start until 6K. If you never get over 5 grand on the tach, you may never notice "the loss." Just be sure you're not burning up your motor in the process.

 

I'll be careful. My Dodge 383 will burn through plugs every 6-10 months.

This may sound like a strange question but can you smell the engine running hot? In my auto/plane experience I've been able to smell an engine running lean. The nice unburned gasoline smell is replaced by a burnt metalic/carbon smell. You can also smell the engine block getting too hot when grease and dirt begins smoking. Has anyone used a laser thermometer to check head temps?

With the bike using the stock exhaust, the standard back pressure is probably enough to restrict air flow.

What are the pistons made of btw?

 

A cheesy type of cast aluminium.

 

All the aluminum on these bikes is some sort of aluminum-butter alloy. Use of a torque wrench for virtually every fastener is highly recommended; stripped and/or broken bolts are way too common if you don't.

I've never needed to use a torque wrench on the Norton, except for torque-spec'ed motor parts like the head. These bikes have a torque spec for every blasted fastener on the bike, and you'd better adhere to them, trust me.

 

And the torque specs are found in the repair manuals, do we have a torque spec list?
Looks like I'm going to have to find a smaller torque wrench.

 

You'll need a "micrometer" wrench that does inch-pounds; one with a range of 25~250 in/lb is ideal; and a larger wrench with a 10~100 FT/lb range (which it sounds like you already have.) Check out K-D Tools' #3459 for the lighter one.

Yes, there is a comprehensive torque spec chart in the back of every factory manual.

 

1. (Model) XJ650J
2. (miles, or K's) 17000
3. (compression average) IDK
4. (elevation) 715'
5. (intake) 4 Cheapie eBay PODS, soon to be 2 K&N dual flange Oval filters
6. (exhaust) MAC 4 into 1, muffler removed, no baffle, short pipes
7. (jets, other mods) Stock engine otherwise.
(comments) Runs Great!!! colortuned perfectly!!! Success!!! Of course, I will have to retune when I get the K&N filters.

 

Congrats on it runnin' so well! Is it ear bleedin' loud with muffler removed and no baffle???

skillet

 

1. (Model) XJ750J
2. (miles)pushing 60k
3. (compression average) PSI unknown
4. (elevation) 841feet
5. (intake)K&N ovals
6. (exhaust)Vance and Hines 4-1
7. (jets, other mods) Dynojet carb kit (drilled slides) 128 jets I think
(comments)When properly tuned (I have a toddler) runs like a monster

 

When someone gets-around to fabricating a "Atmosphere Vent Bypass" that alleviates the Lowering of Atmosphere at the Kidney-shaped Vent due to Intake AIR passing-over the Vent Orifice due to a cyclonic and turbulent flow across that opening; the prevalent Lean Condition caused by PODS is going to be easier to defeat.

JETTING without addressing the REDUCED Pressure within the chamber below the Rubber Diaphram, ...

Which NEEDS Atmosphere, ...

To allow the presence of Atmosphere to let the Diaphragm collapse when its volume of Air is reduced by Intake Air Flow beneath the Piston.

And, ...

Supply the NEED for Atmosphere to Circulate through the Main AIR Jet to the Emulsion Tube's surrounding AIR Metering Micro-bored Ports to facilitate siphoning of the Main FUEL Jet Supply from the Fuel Bowl.

 

For those new here, or hiding under a rock, here's a link to Rick's Research -

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=3 ... vious.html

Let's keep the Success Stories flowing - - 20 more and I'll collate the data, by Displacement and Model even.

 

those fernco couplings might work for someone thats missing the original tubes

 

1. (Model) XJ seca 750J
2. (miles)pushing 52 000
3. (compression average) PSI unknown, but starts easily in the cold ( -1 C today)
4. (elevation) sea level
5. (intake) cheap ebay pods mounted on flexible couplings for pvc pipes
6. (exhaust)4 -1, unknown brand
7. (jets, other mods) 6sigma stage 3 jet kit, which included 135 mains, 45 idles, 2 shims on needles, 3.5 turns out on mixture screw, and drilled slide holes. Original jets were 120 and 40.

I just installed the pods and jet kit. Prior to removing the airbox, the bike ran strong and pulled hard. Now with some tinkering with the jet kit and pods, it doesn't seem to run quite as well as before, but starts easily (t was -1 today) and pulls hard, but sometimes stumbles at 6000 rpm. However, this stumble doesn't always happen and seems to occur when at higher speeds. I aslo don't have a proper crankcase filter yet, could this affect anything? Like I said, seems at occur at high speeds....

Anyways, it already runs a lot better than I expected and I am willing to accept this tuning challenge. Plus, I love the look and am not riding a 30 year old bike for top performance.



pods vs airbox? I love that gap!

 

Here are some short clips of the bike accelerating. Please comment if you have any concerns about how the bike is running. Audio is poor, but I will try to get some better footage. There is also a rattle at 2:22, I hear it when accelerating hard sometimes, but never hear when just reving. Perhaps not engine related?

[video=250,200]http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=VE8KZVcp_MM[/video]

 

Sorry, here it is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VE8KZVcp_MM&feature=youtu.be

 

lhicks, did you fab those carb to filter manifolds or buy them premade? Interested in doing something similar to my 550 Maxim.

 

Newb21, I bought them at canadian tire, but I would think that any hardware store should have something similar in the plumbing section. They are flexible coupling for pipes. I think they were 1.5 inch couplings.

Hope this helps

 

What size pods fit in the space given?