What did you do to your Yamaha today?

I'm back on the fabrication kick again the girlfriend wants to ride along this year so custom quick detach rear seat is in the making. Took off exhaust, seat, shocks, rear blinkers, rear fender, and ordered some new parts from len, fork rebuild and valve cover doughnuts on their way. I also comendeared more blue led lights from work. :lol:

 

changed out steering head bearings for taper roller bearings.quite staightforward only problem was seating the bottom cone as it kept pulling in at an angle, took a few tries before ok.

 

Got ready to put my new starter clutch in from xj4ever, and broke a bolt for the chain guide. Can't drill it with standard bits because the drill hits the side of the case and wants to push the bit sideways. Ugh. Time to buy some long drill bits I guess. Man, I'm ready to hear this bad boy run.

 

Try using some long needle nose pliers to see if you can get ahold of it just enough to turn it out. I thought I was going to need to drill out a bolt but found that the needle nose work.

 

Iaking her out for a little spin today!!!Still need to do valve adjustment but this is the warmest day of the year so far.Good bye snow!!!!

 

Ordered new ignition and valve cover gasket. Put final coat of primer on gas tank. Should be warm enough to paint on Sunday. Sun finally came out in NE Ohio, haven't seen it in weeks...wont be long now till vroooom

 

I did nothing today cause it didn't get as warm as it was supposed to.... Hopefully Monday will be 10 like "they" say it's supposed to be.

 

Topped up the battery with distillied water, installed new plugs, got 'er started with a bit of effort, and then noticed oil running down the front of the engine!!! Turns out I didn't have the gasket installed properly when I put the valve cover on after the shim adjustment...Oooops! So tomorrow will be wash, start, and look for leaks :?

 

Replaced the rear drum brakes.

 

set float hight, bench synched, polished engine side covers, replaced throttle cable, installed new signal lights and took her for a 30 minute ride

 

I put relays in the wires to the Hi and Low beams and a thick cable directly from the battery (with a fuse in line of cause). What a difference :idea:

 

finally have her "finished" took it for a ride, and found out I have to work on the speedo... hrmmm...

 

Started it, tested the lights, back light not working, stripped out ignition switch, tank, bars, instrument cluster.

It's the ignition switch.

 

finished painting tank and it looks nice, Going to clear coat it today and tommorrow. Tore off triple tree, valve cover and am waiting for gasket and new ignition switch to arrive. Other than that, it time to clean and reassemble. Getting closer to riding.

 

Put on new Headlight retainer ring.
Took off extra lights previous owner had on.
Cleaned out front master cylinder return hole
with a .012 guitar string(this worked great BTW)
Then warmed her up and road around the
nieghborhood for about a 1/2 hour in the
30 degree weather, to make sure front brakes are
working good. Everything is fine
Now just need some spit & polish and she's
good to go. :arrow:

 

Went for a 30 km ride, then she started missing on the left cylinder, i'll have to check my plugs tomorrow and see what they look like. It's about time for new ones, and nothing has changed from last season.

 

Mounted and balanced my new rear tire, started measuring and marking where I'm going to chop and re-weld my Sportster mufflers.

 

Fixed my TCi so it wasn't occasionally dropping one cylinder. After 20 years of soldering you'd think i wouldn't miss something like a cold solder joint.. Then again, the board is 26 years old lol.

Sucks i didn't get to ride today more than 5 mins The bikes driving past, while i was fixing, were pissing me off lol

 

Worked on my left side cover again, did a little fabricating to re- install the turn blinkers where they won't get sideswiped, agian.

 

I refitted my repaired ignition barrel, Got the airfilter to carb boots on better and greased the taper roller head bearings. When I went to test the lights (Which is why the ignition switch came off) the fuse blew.....Need to bring my digital meter home from work tomorrow.

 

Nothing today, ... Yesterday got a coat of paint on 1 exhaust , need another nice day ( and more time ) Looking good so far, think I'm going to like it

Lot's on the todo for the weekend.....

 

well yesterday I put in a new battery its had the same one since I bought it and it was getting weak. Then I started it and drove to work. Took it to work again today 28*F out was a brisk morning ride but it is suppose to rain the rest of the week. rain + 50* weather makes for a sucky ride lol.

 

Put about 50 km on her, and ordered some front brake pads, asked about steel braided brake lines, damn they're expensive, about 60 bux!

 

While driving the Chrysler, I saw 79* and knew it would be a shame to NOT take the Seca 900 on a little fun run.

 

Started my winter projects

Yes I have been neglecting the girl

 

stripped all the paint from the frame and other components prepped with primer, ready for final painting
I'll be posting pics when I'm done, I've taken lots of before pics

 

Try XS650direct.com )MikesXS in canada
I think the longest run (41") will work and they

http://www.xs650direct.com/products-70.html

$30
Been thinking about that one myself

 

Did some prep to get the old girl out of storage:
Found old battery was cactus & purchased a new one (currently on charger).
Hope to start her later tonight, or tomorrow a.m. & ride her around to my garage.
Then the rear wheel comes off for a new tyre (this week) & I start to troubleshoot that ignition issue. :cry:
Wish me luck!!

 

Rebalanced the carbs and rode with the vacuum line off ant the petcock on PRI.

 

Repainted my dinged exhaust and made/mounted a centerstand stop to prevent future damage from the missing stop. Then took her out for a spirited run..... Oh and re-attached the hook from the rear brake lever to the switch....
Now that everything else seems good, over the next few weeks will be working on some ideas for new side panels and a nose fairing...
May try my hand at some fiberglass work...

May be new grips, bars and new front signals as one of my buell style got damaged when she blew over last year (may incorporate into the nose fairing....)

 

I got my old girl going....just. She's running like a hairy goat (on only one cyclinder).
Have moved her to my garage & removed the back wheel for a new tyre.
Will be checking running issues next.

 

Rode all weekend, everything seems to be right. Put over a hundred miles on her without any issues. Need to check brake fluid, but cant get the master cylinder cap off. Will work on that the next couple of days.

 

Prepping for paint. No more Rasta Colors. Might actually prime her today and just get a nice coat on.
She runs really... really good.. Better than last year
I need to fix front wheel squeak, find out my no start problam (New/Old controls on the way) and replace forks.
But I think I'ma go ahead and prime her grey.
-Chris

 

Got the ignition switch put back together & had the bike running PROPERLY for the first time in ages

 

Thing that makes it expensive is i have to get new banjo bolts and ends for the line as well, the brake line itself is only 40 bux.

 

What i did was almost have a total breakdown. Wasn't starting after I ran it for a while. Went through a whole ignition test and everything was checking out. Found out, after checking what should always come first, that I was out of gas.

 

Doh! Sometimes easy to forget the little things & think to far :?

 

Today I replace break pads. Installed new tires. Replace fork oil seals. What came out of the ofrks was not oil any more. It was like baby poop. After I finished I took her for a short spin and WHAT A DIFERENCE!! I can't bilieve I was ridin the bike with almost no oil and really old.

Any way I just wanted to share because I am exited to go for a ride.

Carvall

 

Replaced my rear tire and gave it a pre-season oil change and new filter. Then took it for a ride to break everything in. 80 degrees in Vermont today!

mikeg

 

Hauled the motor out of the basement, hauled the bike out of the shed and put the two together without any assistance. It's amazing what you can do with 4x4 blocks and 2x4 levers. Started all this at about 1pm and stopped as daylight waned at 7:30, so for my 6.5 hours, I have the carbs, exhaust, oil & filter, fairing and seat left to go.

Would have been completely done if I hadn't had to do things three or four times. Been about 6-months since I took her apart and the re-assembly order of major pieces went awry once or four times. For example, put in the engine, starter, battery & box. Then tried to put in the air box. What an idiot!

Anyway, tomorrow will see the old girl hit the streets as long as she starts and works. This was quite a project for me and I have learned a pile, thanks to this site and the help of its members (all strangers really) and Len at XJ4Ever.

Question for the voices of experience - during removal, I did not mark the mating points of the drive shaft flange and middle gear output shaft. Is this a huge issue? Will I run into an imbalance running the bike? Also, is there a technique for filling the oil filter assembly to be sure the pump is primed well, without making a mess on the floor?

 

Well, took her out for the first time since last fall. Did the back brakes, new tire for the front, new brakes pads for the front, changed the brake fluid and did some polishing.
One of my screws on the brake fluid cover was seized, but with the dremel cut a small notch and tapping it slowly she got lose. I guess kroil helped too. Used 2 screws off an old set of carbs and they worked out fine. Had the battery in the basement fully charged. Fresh gas and after the 3 rd turn she fired up. Drove 25 Km without any problems. Still lot of small stuff to do. But I just couldn't wait any longer in this nice global warming April 2nd.

 

Installed stainless acorn nuts on the engine mounting bolts and on the foot peg mounts and crash bars. That was the last of the stainless hardware I needed, most all the bolts have been replaced with stainless. Sure does shine nice.

 

Re-checked the float levels after my re-carb cleaning yesterday...
All looked good, no leaking, everything in spec....
RE-installed, new gas filter too, Fired up 1st touch of the starter, wouldn't fire up yesterday at all.
Took her out for a test run, all seems well, will let it sit and then check the plugs again..... see if I'm still getting gas seepage into the right cylinder

If the problem returns I guess it will be new float valve seats/valves

 

Finally remounted the rear cowl. The PITA had all four mounting tabs broken off & has been floating loose for the longest time.
I think the luggage rack was the only thing holding it on. Fixed now!

 

I pulled the clutch cable, drained the oil, removed the carb, pulled the exhaust, and unplugged the wiring so I can take the engine out on tuesday to RTV the gaskets and hope for the best.

 

Prepping up a shopping list for the old girl now, seems I have a slow leak on my right side float vale seat, showed up this morning, was fine yesterday, but I either left it on Prime, or someone played with it in my driveway (most likely me)

 

Waiting for parts,,,,

 

Lubed the CLUTCH cable.
Cleaned the Perch Adjuster.
Adjusted the Clutch.
Cleaned and Lubed the Clutch Lever Pivot.

Installed a New Gas Shut-off Valve.
Inline Gas Filter.

The three Hose Clamps attaching the Straight Gas Shut-off Valve looked way too DisneyLand for my liking, ... so I disappeared them by coating them with two coats of Black Ladies Nail Polish.

 

I was thinking of a gas shutoff as a failsafe......saw a right ange one.... thinking that may be the ticket.....

 

Today is a good day!!!!

Started at the weekend when my second hand set of diaphragms arrived from the States. So took the carbs back off my XJ700 Maxim X Sunday morning took them round a mate's place, tore them down again, completely blew them out with an airline & the idle jets weren't completely cleared out from when I last cleaned them with carb cleaner.
Fitted the replacement diaphragms after cleaning the bores of the sliders and now they 'snap' closed.
Fitted the carbs and the bike runs now at long last! Only taken since last October to get this far
So by the end of play Sunday I had a running bike .... although it still had the underlying rough hunting idle that it's had since I bought it mid last year, but it was a start.
Then Monday nite I took the whole bike back round my mate's & we did the fork seal that was leaking as made the mistake of only doing the one before.
Tuesday I had to work in a different office where I knew there is a reasonable bike shop I've used before so booked it in for an M.O.T. while I was at the office. Came back to collect it and got the ticket with a full bill of health with no advisories.
Rode it to work today and got pi$$ed off that the idle would drop & hunt to to point where it seemed to stall at every set of lights on the way home
When I went out for a cigarette this afternoon I was showing the bike to a work mate and realised that after all the cleaning and adjustment that I have recently done on the carbs there were a set of screws that I hadn't adjusted or cleaned, so I looked them up on the exploded diagram on the Yamaha website and realised they are the pilot screws.
Came on here earlier and read up that they should be roughly 2.5 turns out. Armed with this information I went out to the garage with my lodger and checked the pilot screws ....
Here are the results: 2.25 turns, 1 turn, 2 turns & 1.75 turns. This could be the running problem!
So wound them out, cleaned them & the recesses & refitted them winding them out 2.5 turns ... and guess what, then bike runs smoothly for the fecking 1st time since I've owned it!!!!
Adjusted the idle screw to get it running about 1000 RPM and took it out for a blast. $hit it feels like a NEW bike, even the throttle rolls on & off smoothly! Readjusted the idle again when I got back home & am now looking forward to the ride to work with a big grin on my face.
Lastly I would like to thank everyone here on XJbikes.com who has helped me out answering my dumb a$$ questions since I joined the forum last year as without your advice & how to's I would never have gotten the bike back on the road! This is the 1st bike I have really got stuck in to working on myself & found it's no harder to work on than my 1964 VW Split Screen campervan, I just needed a nudge in the right direction.
Cheers guys!

Babylon