Yet another new guy - just saying hi

I bought my first bike last year . . . an 83 xj750 maxim . . . I needed a second vehicle and the xj was exactly the picture that I had in my mind of what I was looking for - also the price was right.

I confess that I have very little mechanical background - unless of course you count taking things apart and trying to find out how they work and then doing your best to put them back together. I had no idea the following that these bikes had when I bought it but after having it for a season it is easy to see why. It's a great bike - super fun - though it needs some love.

It now needs the gaskets and rings replaced and I am toying with the idea of doing this myself . . . with the help of a manual of course . . . I figure what's the point of buying a bike to fix it up and then hiring all the work out? That being said - if there's anyone out there that has taken this on and has any advise or tips I am all ears. I'm sure that I will have many questions over the next little while . . . thanks in advance for the help.

 

Welcome.

Edit your profile so we can see where you are. You may have a handy neighbor.

Rings is a big job for a beginner.

Why do you think it needs rings?

 

Welcome! There is alot of good advice floating around here waiting for people to ask for it! Just don't take mine! lol I mean it! Anyways... I am in the same boat you are in as far as these bikes go but I still manage... So far! Good luck and happy riding! Or fixing as your case may be. Also you should put your bike info on your signature in your profile acct. It helps people see what kind of bike you have.

 

I'll edit my profile as soon as I figure out how . . . it's unlikely that I have many neighbors as I'm in rural New Brunswick, Canada but you never know . . .

As far as the rings etc. It definitely needs gaskets all the way around as it is spraying oil on my leg when I ride . . . a mechanic friend said that if I was going to have it apart that far that I might as well think about rings too . . . again, toying with the idea and looking for advice, I'm certainly not cocky enough to think I know what I'm talking about . . .

I was also having some oil blow by last year but I think that was because when I got it back from the shop it had way to much oil in it and it was blowing it out through the air box . . . still not exactly sure what was causing it but an oil change and the right amount of oil in the bike fixed it.

Looking forward to reading all of the information that I can and looking at the pics. This site is officially bad for my small pocket book. Everytime I look at the picture of what some of these people are doing I think "man, my bike has so many possibilities"

Well that's all for tonight. Thanks again for the welcome

 

Welcome aboard! There are plenty of knowledgeable people on this board from all over the world. (I'm not one of them though!)

You might also want to edit your signature to list what you're riding.

mikeg

 

And mileage, mods etc.

The valve cover gaskets on these are notorious for leaking, especially when dry and brittle after 25 years. The oil from them gets all over your leg and runs down the engine making it look like everything is leaking. Doing that gasket is WAY short of getting into a ring job.

 

[/quote]

And mileage, mods etc.

The valve cover gaskets on these are notorious for leaking, especially when dry and brittle after 25 years. The oil from them gets all over your leg and runs down the engine making it look like everything is leaking. Doing that gasket is WAY short of getting into a ring job.[/quote]

Good to know . . . so, from a guy that has never done this before, to do the valve cover gasket looks like I simply need to move the fuel take etc. lift the cover off, clean and replace - this is very simplified I'm sure but it does appear to be a lot less then getting into a full engine job . .. what are the odds however that I'm going to have to do this all over again next year to do the rest of the gaskets? is the valve cover the only one that is notoriously noted for leaking on these things? I just don't want to have to turn around and do the same job again cause I didn't do it all at once. . . that being said my budget is small and I'd rather be riding it then working on it so the fastest (and best) solution is what I'm looking for. Thanks again for the warm welcome and the already great advice.

 

You could start by cleaning it off really well, then run it for a short bit (not moving as the oil would blow around) and see what place(s) it comes from.

The valve cover gasket is just as simple as you think. The 8 outer bolts have rubber grommets between them and the cover that provide the pressure on the cover. They should be replaced if you have leaking at the cover as they've probably lost their springiness.

While you're in there you should check your valve clearances.

 

Welcome to the board

 

Thanks . . . Now all I need now is a manual and parts . . . I keep reading about a guy named "chacal" but have yet to find a posting where I can ask him questions about getting parts . . . If he's as famous as it seems maybe he'll find me . . . how about it chacal . . . how much are manuals for an 83 xj 750 maxim and valve cover gaskets as well as the afore mentioned rubber grommets?

I'll keep looking for the proper place to post this question too . . . Us new guys you know - just learning the ropes and not posting in the right places - some people's kids -

 

Chacal has a post in the "sell,trade,swap" forum. Shoot him a mail or PM.

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2584.html

Valve cover gaskets and parts as well as feeler gauges, shims and advice on gasket installation is under "VALVETRAIN PARTS:" on this page:

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... t=195.html

(Warning: the list of parts is rather long..Chacal!: You should get yourself a search-function with inks to parts

Also, you might wanna consider getting af copy of the XJCD which contains a wealth og advice (a.o. a velve-checking guide), manuals parts diagram etc. for the XJ:

http://members.tripod.com/dave_jack/id47.htm

Good luck with diving in to the bike; the most important requirement you have already described: "taking things apart and trying to find out how they work and then doing your best to put them back together". That, patience, good working environments and seeking knowledge (internet is a great invention) before you wrench anything that can break really is all there is to it

 

thanks again for the help . . . I'll check out those other forums.