What did you do to your Yamaha today?

Wife working, Son out, too windy to fish, lit the smoker and tossed on some ribs. I was so far along with the XS, I started looking at the Ignition. re-made all connections on all coils, scrapped the resistors in plug caps as it had Resistor plugs on it. Replaced fuse panel. Cleaned and gapped points... checked timing. Mounted carbs and yes, popped it off ! A tad loud without the pipes. Mounted the pipes and took it round the block. Gotta luv that 3 into 1 sound on a triple! Waiting on some side panel decals. Pic to follow.

Got the Maxims seat ready for a re-cover.

 

Stripped off the old headlight and turn signals BUffed on the aluminum. ordered new headlight and signals , center stand, brake caliper, and a new master cylinder. .

going to buff some more on the engine tonight.

 

I plan on welding up a removable sissy bar and luggage rack combo from 1/2" square steel tubing. But last night I bent up some 1/2" EMT conduit for a quick and dirty sissy bar and mounted it to the grab bar on my Seca. It turned out nicer than I'd expected.
I'll get a picture up later.
I still need to make a pad for the back rest but the bar by it's self doesn't look too bad. Kinda Old School.
Anyone know if the galvanized tubing will take powder coat?

 

Spent a lot of this week getting parts for both XJs on eBay. I think I have everything for the 650 except the headlight glass and a front right blinker (w/ running lights). Need to set some money aside for braided brake lines and clutch/brake switches. Dang, controls and guages are just coming apart!

 

Replaced the ATF in my forks with 10W30 motor oil. Big improvement, no more nose dive! ATF is too thin for forks!

Bent the sidestand spring tighter so it won't flop around and drag on left turns.

Cleaned under the left engine cover so next Saturday I can find the oil leak. At least I hope I can, because I had to destroy one of the bolts to get the cover off... first I stripped the allen, then I stripped it again using a Torx, then I cut a slot for a screwdriver and it still wouldn't budge even hitting the screwdriver with a 2.5lb sledge. Ended up drilling that sucker out and adding it to my collection of mangled fasteners. What I wouldn't give to be able to go back in time 30 years and force Yamaha to use anti-seize on every steel bolt that threads into aluminum. :evil:

 

It would be nice to go back 30 years and have Yamaha spend a few Yen more for hardened Cap Screws used to hold the Manifolds to the Cylinder Head, too.

Breaking-off Cylinder Head Exhaust Studs and Manifold Securing Cap Screws is the worst problem we face trying to keep these old bike running.

No matter how many times the warning goes out ... somebody wrecks a nice sunny day trying to remove Manifold Cap Screws or Exhaust Nuts cold welded in place.

 

Spent most of the day going through the carbs again. Lowered float level 1.5mm, polished the needles, slides, slide bores with aluminum polish and a dremel with a plastic wire wheel, de-burred the fuel jets, polished them too, polished the insides of the emulsion tubes with a paper q-tip stem, colortuned, installed brand-new plugs.

I finally got rid of the mid-range stumble that occured only when the bike was hot. Float levels seemed to be the culprit. I just got back from a 30 mile ride, and it ran absolutely perfect. Throttle response is nice and smooth all the way through the power band. I can WOT in 5th gear from 25mph, and there's no stumbling or hesitation.

Rick, you created a monster. :mrgreen:

 

Now is when you will have the most fun with your Bike. If you keep an eye on the Plugs you will be able to "Play-with" the Pilot Mixtures to give you varying results.

Run them just a little bit on the Lean side and you will get strong, fast and crisp acceleration.

Move them a couple of degrees Rich and you get smooth acceleration and a luxury feel to the Throttle Response.

You worked real hard getting to where you have your Bike. It's nice to hear the success story ... I wish there were more of them!

The whole magic of being Tuned-up is how she Idles and comes-off Idle and accelerates. Once you have it so you can Throttle-up and get down to the nest light with anybody else ... you get high props for a job well done.

Nice work.
I forget ... how long did you work on this???

 

Ha! I've been playing with these carbs ever since I got the bike last year. It came with a 4-1 Mac exhaust, Dynojet kit and a K&N air filter. I've tried 3 sizes of pilot jets, 4 sizes of mains... It's been a game of chasing dead spots and stumbles all through the throttle range.

Needless to say, I know a LOT more about how these carbs work now. Pretty much 95% thanks to this site and about 5% to a couple of other sites that explain general CV carb theory.

BTW the idle is very smooth, no loping or hunting. Idle comes up maybe 150RPM from normal after a long highway run. I colortuned a tad on the rich side, so it comes down nice and smooth, but doesn't hang either. No popping on deceleration. I'll wait a couple of days and read the plugs.

 

stereo:

It sounds to me like you are IN!
Good feeling to have the bike running so well ... isn't it?

For those stumbles and dead spots ...
Run the bike up to 3,000 rpm's
Listen carefully to the exhaust note.

If you hear it "Pop, pop, poppity-poppin'" ... add a little tiny bit of Richness to a Cylinder and see if it goes away.
Return the Screw to where you started if nothing happens.

You should find you can tune that out by adding a little Mixture to the Hole that needs it ...
(More than one might.)

 

I went to a bike graveyard and bought a headlamp bucket and bezel. The PO laid it down just before heading to the ER so I have been spending my time straightening things out and riding of course.

Earlier in the day, I went to a bike shop and picked up some Castrol 20w/50 oil. When I got home, I left the keys in the ignition, in the on position of course. When I came out to take my daughter to soccer, the danged bike wouldn't start. So, I took the key out and let it sit for a couple of hours. And, the durned bike had recovered enough to spin the starter for a few seconds.

I took pity on the battery and after adding water (See Rick, we do listen) I put it on a charger and took the kids to see the new Indiana Jones movie.

Got home and battery was fully charged and it spun right over and started without any choke. (Not sure if that is good or bad)

Now, I am trying to decide if I should change the oil before I go for a ride tomorrow with PainterD and MN Maxim or do it after.

 

I took my "new" 85' XJ700 maxim on a 200 mile group ride with a local club. We road from the Minneapolis area over to Wisconsin and followed the Mississippi river down for a while and then crossed back to the Minnesota side and followed the river back up.

This bike makes long trips, enjoyable.

 

250 mile mile ride with the wife and a buddy on his 2002 Sportster Custom. (over night trip to Pittsburgh to fight with the waterfront traffic)
I'm hitting 3rd gear before he shifts to second. But at 85 mph I can twist her tail and leave him searching for 6th gear!
Great ride good times and cold beer!

 

I pulled the carbs this morning and then my son and I started the long process of cleaning them. It seems that they may not have ever been cleaned before! LOL! Having some issues getting 2 of the hinge pins out and at least one float needle is stuck, ARGH! Hopefully after sitting in cleaner tonight it will come out. Being this is my first time, a good day!

 

Hit the Hardware Store.
Buy a Hardwood Hammer Handle.
Cut a section to fit between the Float Pillar Posts (tightly)
Drill a hole in the end of the Handle.

Use the Handle with the hole drilled into it to absorb impact and lessen the chance you will break a Hinge Pillar Post.
Line everything up so that using a NAIL ... grinded down to be a suitable drift ... you can apply Impact to the HINGE PIN without the HINGE PILLARS moving with the IMPACT!

See sketch:

 

Pulled the tank off, popped out the fiberglass and bondo patch. Found a sad state. Rust everywhere under the "fix" from previous owner. I started to clean the rust out but found two holes and decided it was a lost cause. Now looking for fuel tank in better shape.

Weoxstan

 

Today... Nothing. Yesterday: New rear brake pads, replaced Speedo drive on front wheel (still not reading accurate, have to replace speedo) and tightened triple clamp to get rid of a slight play in steering.

 

Went home at lunch and pulled the plugs. They are closer. Counting left to right while sitting on the bike (I think this is "backwards" to the manual??):One is slightly lean looking, almost perfect. Two is a bit leaner than that. Three is very lean and four is about the same as two. Pulled the seat and tank off, tweaked all four mixture screws varying degress based on the plugs and took it for about a 10 or 15 minute ride. Seems to run pretty good, but still needs tweaking. I shut her down and put her in the barn. I'll read the plugs again and continue tweaking.

 

In stock!:


HCP127-6G OEM original steel Gas Tank, factory gloss black color, fits all XJ650 Maxim and Midnight Maxim models. NOTE: the gloss black finish on this tank is correct for 1980 XJ650 Maxim and 1981 XJ650 Midnigh Maxim models only. All other years of XJ650 Maxims that used a "black" paint color actually used a gloss black with a very subtle metallic "star" flake coloration inserted.

Bare tank does not include the front trim, gas cap, petcock, or any mounting hardware or bushings, but those items are available separately if needed.

Also, due to the size of this item, the "over $100" freight discounts do not apply to this product.
$ 299.00

 

Tapped out the ragged 6mm bolt hole in the lower triple clamp that holds the headlight bracket in place. Not much else to do yet...