What did you do to your Yamaha today?

Hi!

New forum member and motorcycle owner here. I just wanted to ask a quick question, so i hope this thread is appropriate. I will likely start a new thread for my new bike and all the problems that i will unavoidably get myself into with it (see i read up in the forums ). Also since this is my first post and bike: Yes i will check the breaks and other safety details!

Bike is a 1981 Xj650 4Ko, and i just bought it rather cheap for a guy last week (and yes i will spend the required amount of money and time to get it safe/running good). It is equipped with a 4-1 exhaust, and i noticed when i took down the carburators (HCS32) for a thorough clean that the pilot jets was different from the spec i found in the info overload thread. On the airside it was equipped 195/55 (from what i understand 195/50 is standard) and on the fuel side it had 110/45 (i think 110/45 is standard), this seemed to match the xj650 police edition though.
The bike has the original airbox (no, not changing to pods ). If i understood correctly i could up my main fule jet with about 2 (112) to work better with the 4-1 system? What about air side?

Now to my question! What should i put in the carbs for it to run good? Original specs jets, or up the main jets a bit for the 4-1? Keep the 45/55 setup or back to standard?
Also. For buying a carb kit, will something like ebay nr: 262620791458 work, or are these just low quality junk?

 

Chacal sells the correct parts every time start a conversation with him or his web site has email www.xj4ever.com

plug chops are the only way to tell about the proper up size in jets, if you have a color tune you can check that way.

this link shows stock jets http://xjbikes.wikidot.com/carb-specs
you may want to consider jetting to Canadian specs if different than US models
info over load covers jet changes with the disclaimer A GOOD STARTING POINT.
this link tells how to rejet http://www.factorypro.com/tech_tuning_procedures/tuning_carbtune,CV,high_rpm_engines.html

this is how to rebuild carbs correctly
IN THE CHURCH OF CLEAN

 

Bit the bullet ordered remaining shims for xj700x along with original air snorkel. Last night tried to install snap rings into pistons did not get far like none completed. Turned to you tube and found a video that showed how to do it easy. Hopefully this afternoon or evening will have those installed .

 

pulled a set of Hitachi carbs today. I would like to thank the inventor of the hand held hair drier. heat made the hard air boots so soft very quickly

 

Installed the snap rings in less then 15 minutes after watching YouTube video on how to do.
This is the exact reason why I try to make these little videos so that they may help others.

 

Yesterday when i take head down i found that was in the corner where is came valve cover repaired from there was a leaking oil and gasket of valve was damaged so i take head to my freand wich will repear that problem becouse was fixed with hard plastic-ok what a f***????
He will fix it corect with wellding a alu plate.
Then i didnt like to work on bike so i fix my lightening in garage ,that i can see hhehehheeh hhehe i know is not everything straight,people i dont need straight i need light.hehehehhee

 

got my new fuse box 3 oil filters, air filter and oil and threw her old ass on the trailer. gonna see if my battery is still under warranty before i drop it off. and rode my buddys 07 VTX yesterday....still think i like these more.

 

That reminds me, I ought to replace the fork oil in mine. Who knows how long that's been in there! (I can guess)

 

Weather's clearing up. Gunna wait for the roads to dry a bit and go for a rip. Come back, wash her. The engine end nut of the tach cable keeps coming loose, despite all my might. Might be loctite time.

 

Mine was terrible. Really terrible. Looked like dirty ATF with a nice dose of steel dust. Strongly suspect it was original oil, or at least oil that went in back in the 80's sometime.

 

I wish I lived in the south.....

 

Ouch, even where i live in Sweden the snow is gone!

 

sold it. sigh. back to pedal power for Matti.

 

Yeah, there are predicting a little wet snow overnight. Seven more years and I will get out of this state, and have more riding time.

 

Repaired the silencer to collector joints. Was going to change the fork oil but them realized I didn't have the right Allan key type tool to remove the top fork plugs. Cleaned the engine up a bit after that.

 

Ahhh the joys of new York State....Damn lakes....I did check out a nice VTX 1300 that I think my cousin is going to snag from the Harley dealer in town. And found out that the sales manager has an 82 Maxim 650

 

Saturday the 8th of April we or the city of Medford is having their annual Pear Blossom Festival- People running around, car show and motorcycle get together- Unfortunately I will be at work besides still waiting for last few parts to get here. Soon very Soon I hopefully ride again!!

 

Although you have sold your bike I would like to think that you have one in the works?

 

I got to ride again. Second time this year. As long as I don't get horribly sick again this will finally be a riding season.
I also confirmed that a worrysome noise is just a loose baffle in the exhaust collector. A far better option than the piston slap that I had originally thought it might be.

 

friday am put my new front tire on and went for a ride in the rain. it is snowing out now. very happy I went for a ride, its been far to long.
still have about a foot of snow in the yard

 

Took my bike to the gym. Showed a kid how to start it. Apologized to his mom for giving him motor-fever.

Went to my local empty parking lot and practiced slow speed handling and panic stops in various situations.

 

Bought a new battery yesterday, filled it, charged it, went for first ride of the season! Happy

Still an awful lot of sand at intersections/ corners around here.

 

More riding. I was complimented on my helmet too by a nice lady who said she had painted a yellow happy-face on her helmet when she lived in the bay area.
My current plan is to hoot the trailer up so I can commute via Seca all week. That will allow me to bring my cold weather gear home from work and still leave room for the normal stuff I need to take every day.

 

While taking a shower my wife decided to slip pieces of my latest order under the door-
The valve shims LOL and yes they were packaged.
Once I realized that they were there I about fell out of the shower trying to get at them.
Chacal comes through again-place order request 3-5 shipping and 3 days later it at your door.
Remember that I live in Oregon and he is located on the east coast.
Now I just need the piston rings which should be here Monday and I see a long night of gleefully reassembling my bike.
Might even call into work requesting a reassemble my motorcycle day

 

Reassembled my front end. Wanted to get it done earlier but life didn't cooperate.

Pleased as a pickle, though, that all the electrical worked first try, and she started right up.

 

I spent half the afternoon fixing wiring issues on the Virago project.
There are still wiring issues.
I'll start building a new harness as soon as school lets out.
I have found a direction, and the factory wiring harness won't let me do what I want to do anyway.

 

Finally got to go for a short ride today. That made me happy. Discovered that i do have vacuum leaks at the intake boots and the throttle shaft seal. That made me sad. And that i am missing the washer and retaining clip on one side( not sure how i missed that). I guess ill start saving my pennies so i can place an order with chacal.

 

Pushed the bike outside and gave her a wash ready for the first ride of the year tomorrow. Can't wait.

 

Ordered my first carb sync. tool, will be here Wednesday. Also should have remainder of parts by Tuesday and Thursday and Friday days off so I gonna reassemble-Hopefully be riding to work next Saturday.
I hope that the stars are aligned for this to happen

 

I haven't done anything to it today, and yesterday, I was too covered in grime to /think/ about touching anything electronic other than plug wires. So... yesterday I installed the carbs, did a running sync, double checked the fuel levels, checked the mixture wait, no, that was Saturday. Yesterday I took it out for a blast to get it hot for the second running sync. The ride was an absolute disaster! I could get up to 25 and ride just fine, but when I hit 40, the bike starved. I was flabbergasted as it finally died pulling into my sub division with half a tank of fuel! So I shook the tank and waited on "Prime" and wondered what I had stuck in my fuel system or could be leaning me out so badly. I got home and as I pulled off the fuel tank in exasperation, saw the fuel line was kinked. Well, I straightened that out (pun intended), and went back out... I'll be writing a review about it, but Hogfiddles carbs suck. OH MAN! They suck fuel and air at the proper mixture and stretch out my arms. I think they're the suckiest carbs I've ever had. Sucky carbs are the BEST! So I reset my idle speed and got out my old mercury sync gauge and got them as close to perfect as I could. Today I ride.

 

Had me going for a bit there!

 

Hey, how do you guys wash? I assume we want to stay away from pressure washers. As I resolve the few oil leaks I have want to get my engine nice and clean...

 

Got my brakes juiced up and bled, left em.sitting overnight with the level zip tied down. Gonna give em a rub down with the vibratory sander after work to be sure, then it's riding time!

 

I use a spray bottle of straight Simple Green and a detail brush on the motor. And Meguire's car soap on the painted bits.

 

Did get out today had to do a few things on the honey do list at the same time. Boy howdy it was windy. Was able to do invountary lane changes . It was a scary ride.

 

So you want to know what I did with my Yamaha today? Well, this...This happened. this was one of the screws to my master cylinder And best believe there a few profanities and a good hour and a half fight when my extractor broke, used a Flathead as a chisel to Hammer it in for a solid bite and snapped the Flathead off in the screw and now preventing me to get any deeper for penetration. After much grunting, sweating, and swearing I wrangled it out. I win

 

Wash?

 

Invest in a good set of left-handed drill bits (and a #2 JIS screwdriver).

 

I had* left handed bits, until they broke. Heads were pooched before I got to them, but I did order the right size driver

 

4" of snow fell last night up here . . . .
Worst part is the plows actually came down our lowly county road and of course they tossed more sand on it!!!!

 

84 degrees F yesterday... 200 mile cruise after work. Today, more of the same with coastal viewing roads in the route plan.
Oh how the sandy beaches are filling with such lovely scenery already!

My my. my.

 

Spent a couple hours polishing the chrome Sunday, Drove her to work Yesterday and Today, it felt good to be back on the bike after a long cold winter!

 

Tried riding last Sunday ....WAY to windy 30mile an hr gusts ....

 

Found a pinhole leak in the tank when I stored it over the winter (big puddle of gas was a dead giveaway). I stripped the old KREEM liner the previous owner shoddily put in and lined it using the Caswell kit. Gonna give it the rest of the week to completely dry before putting it back on the bike. Overall very pleased with the Caswell kit. Would definitely recommend.

 

I wish Calgary used sand. We get this awesome "pea gravel" - generally rounded gravel of approximately aquarium gravel size. Brutal to ride on, like piles of ball bearings. Super sketchy; can't wait for the spring street cleanup to get rid of it.
Whoever though it was a good idea has clearly never ridden a motorcycle.

 

Just took first night ride...77 degrees

So......Many......Bugs!!!!!.......

 

Today I finally got my piston rings-Now I start the reassembly. Have work tomorrow and a paper due by 1159pm. As soon as I get that paper done it is on!!!! I may start right now matter of fact I think I will at least get the rings on the pistons.....FINALLY

 

Question regarding oil ring install on pistons ? When I install the oil rings how far off do I off set the gaps ?
I realize that the rings all need to have off set ring gaps according to the manual. Just curious about the oil ring as it has two rings with a wash band in the middle.

 

Make my own foot pegs

 

You may recall I located my first bike a few weeks back...... She's now sitting at home--I boosted the battery, and after a few minutes she fired up. I rode her around the lawn a couple times. I can feel that the carbs need cleaning, and I bet the valves haven't been checked since I sold her......and YES, I still have the paper with the current shims on it---LOL..

An exhaust collar bolt is sheared off, will hopefully try to drill it or dissolve it soon.