xj550 sitting for ten years// first bike

Hey everybody,

Just got xj550 (first bike) from grandfather that he had in a barn for ten years. I soon found out after a new battery that they don't just start up. So now got carbs out (first carb cleaning (whoa!!)). Still waiting for main jet seals as two were missing to get back together. Getting ready to oil change and brake fluid change. New tires on way. My question is if there is anything else very important that I should be checking/replacing before I try to start bike again. Thanks.

New to xjbikes but have not got off site for 3 days.

 

Brake lines are good for 4-5 years. Yours should be changed before you ride. Back brakes should be checked for delamination. Stopping is far more important than going forward.

In the going forward, there will be suggestions from the Wizards about your valve clearances, etc, and they'll give you a sequence. Trust them, and do things in that sequence, it all relates together.

Welcome to the addiction!

 

Rear brakes for delamination, and front brake hose lines (probably 30 years old, 4-5 year life)

To START.

 

Valves gotta be in spec before you can sync the freshly-serviced carbs.

 

Replace the fuse block and fuses with automotive blade-style fuses. If it hasn't failed it will

 

^^ good idea captainkirk,
any idea on a good place to acquire a blade style fuse block to wire in?

 

Fleet farm, any autoparts store, Len, eBay, availible many places.

Then just grab a handful of assorted fuses out of cars, next time you're at the local pick n pull

 

+1

 

Ok, definately will check out blade fuse box. As far as valves, whats a link for step by step. Also do I need to set gap on new plugs? Who are the wizards?

 

Here you go man, throw up some pics when you can, we're all a fan of pictures around here

Valve adjustment part one:
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=1 ... art=0.html

Part Deux:
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2 ... art=0.html

Spark plug gap:
http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=34431.html

Excerpt: For the 550s the factory gap is 0.6~0.7mm (.024"~.028")

 

Update your signature as well so people can help you easier in the future

Welcome!

 

Ok I think I got a picture in but I'm not sure about signature. Ill keep trying tho.

 

the part below my post - that lists my bikes V V V V

V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V V

 

congrats on your first project bike! sitting for 10 years you are very brave! for sure start with valves and carbs, oil change (and other fluids as well) get that back tire off and check out the brakes im sure they will need repalcing. basically give everythign a one over. there are a ton of write ups on here on how to to just about everything, and some great videos on youtube if you know how to search (check out youtuber mrmaxstorey). good luck!

 

Dave, welcome!
That's a great first bike. You'll be rewarded for your careful and thorough work - sweet summer, autumn rides. And the satisfaction of bringing a classic back to life. Not everyone has the focus to achieve that, but you will. (And we're here to help along the way.)

peace

 

alright, oil change and pulling off covers to take a swing at valve clearances today, and hopefully my main jet seals show up today and hopefully I hear her purr, right? Then brakes and brake lines. Thanks guys for the warm welcome.

 

Hey, signature thing worked.

 

OK, so I finally find drain plug for oil, and when it drained it seemed like there was nothing but stale gas in there. Waterlike consistency. Is that from where I was trying to start the bike with seized up carburetors or is pretty characteristic of ten year old oil to lose its texture.

 

also, how can I load up pictures to a thread. And thanks guys for support. I hope I can get her going, cuz I would definitely consider that a good accomplishment.

 

The easiest way is to use a free photo hosting site. I like Photobucket.

 

Ahhhhhhh!!!!! I am going to need a lot of help here I think. So I hooked up the carburetor and went to prime and gas started running out of the second air boot. Now heres what ife done prior. I completely stripped down carbs, pullef out all jets that are removable then I boiled them in water and lemon juice. I gave everything a carb spray down with 2+2. It was shining. I then checked float needles by blowing in them and moving float up and down. One didn't quirk due to rubber tip damaged. I replaced it. I did a dry measurement on floats and all were the sane measurement +/- 1/64". I replaced float seals. Im scared to do a wet set because of mass confusion when trying to learn how. Anyway, any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

Ok, so I think I got the idea how to do the float check thanks to ravens suggestion about youtube except mrmax showed clear tube on a nipple at the bottom out the float bowl. So how do I hook one up to mine where I have a "female" drain?

 

First things first get it started. then worry about all the rest of the stuff before riding. Hope not but it could need rings or something after sitting that long. After its running then set the valves and sync the carbs. Then you can work on the brakes and other things. But if it was me get it running make sure the motor is good before spending any more money. Hate to see you jump in blowing a lot of money then find out the motor is bad. More then likely its not better safe then sorry

 

Ok, so I think I got the idea how to do the float check thanks to ravens suggestion about youtube except mrmax showed clear tube on a nipple at the bottom out the float bowl. So how do I hook one up to mine where I have a "female" drain?

 

Thanks cutlass. Thats a huge fear of mine mostly because I think my wife might strangle me in my sleep but I am very optimistic. I an concerned about trying to start bike at this point because the gas is pouring out so fast. However,i am very inexperienced in the ways of all things motorcycle and will attempt starting bike if I'm not going to blow myself up. Thanks for the help.

 

I hope not too many people are throwing you private messages, I am brand new to the forum as well and bought xj550 81, with similar problems. I have already had the carbs off twice and just got it back from a shop where it sat for four weeks waiting to be serviced to no avail. I am interested in hearing and seeing what does it for you, hoping it might work for me as well

 

Straitwalker - sent you a PM

Irritateddave, sounds like you got a stuck float, or the wet set is off. Any time you service your carbs, always verify your wet set.

You also need to change your oil + filter before you try to run it.... as you got gas pouring into your cyls too....

 

Get over being scared, it's not uber difficult. The process is explained in detail here: http://www.xj4ever.com/setting%20fuel%20levels.pdf Once you get them 100% you can forget it for a while.

As for the Mikuni's lack of a "nipple" for the drain hole, just make up a little plastic "fitting" from a vacuum hose fitting turned to size in your electric drill using a file. I used one from the auto parts or stole it from my Mity-Vac kit, I forget.

 

Like this:

IMAG0394 by buellosaurusrex, on Flickr

1/4" aquarium tubing, cut to desired length. Bend a piece of house wiring into the desired "L" shape and slide tubing over the copper wire. Heat the tubing with a heat gun until soft and pliable, then quench it in cold water. Tubing will retain the L shape.
Heat the short end to soften, twist into bowl opening and allow to cool in bowl. Remove when cool. Voila! Wet-set tube.
I made up a coiled holder bracket by wrapping gardening wire around a screwdriver. This holds the tube stationary when the springy ends of the brackets are inserted in the air bleed holes.

 

First of I want to apologize for all the crazy missaspellid word, my cell phone gets a little wacky sometimes.

As far as floats go, should i remove air box and set on bike with bike on center stand because I have no way of getting that PVC thing.

 

i found that the clear hose that comes with new batteries, that is used to fill the acid level fits perfectly in the female port of the carb bowl. just make sure its clean and not been used for acid first. mine came with a second small piece so it was perfect.

 

Thats a good idea. I do actually have a battery hose. I also found some tubing but alas, no heat gun. At least until my brother comes tuesday.

 

Dave, if yours is a Seca, the airbox won't come out. The boots will, but not the airbox. Not without a SawzAll, anyway...
You should be doing the float heights off the bike anyway. Drop the bank.
If you remove the airbox boots the bank will come out easily from the left side where you can then remove the throttle cable. Easy as pie. Now you can set the bank on a table and level them to check wet set.

 

Thanks. Mine is a maxim but I still can't see a way to remove air box. So.....assume that youre saying to set them on the float bowls level. Level side to side and front to back?

 

Yep. You can use a level across the domes side to side and a small level, if you have one, fore & aft. I use a torpedo level or string level for that.

 

Feeling good bout it now. I have actually been to the link mr fitz gave me a couple of times, but this is the first time I understood what I was reading. Guess I'm finally starting to learn a second language. I'll keep you guys posted, straight walker I've only got one pm so youre right with me.

 

Actually, you pull the bank of carbs out from the right. (The starter is in the way on the left.) With the tank off, it's easy to unhook the throttle cable from the 'stub' cable before you remove the rack.

On the 550s, there are three bolts into the TOP of the airbox. One is under the tool tray; you remove that one and loosen the two up on the slotted bracket just below the rear of the tank, below the frame backbone. Then you can slide the airbox rearward a few CM allowing for more clearance for the rack.

 

:?:
I just did it with no issues?
Maybe because the boots, tank and side covers were off? IDK....

 

Looks like two stuck floats but I can't get the blasted pins out. Scared I'm gonna break the towers. I'm probably gonna have to borrow a torch.

 

Dave, to get the pins out, do the following:
Separate the bank, take off the carbs that need work.
Place the head side on a 1/4", 1/4 " drive deep well socket or barely open jaws of a bench vise
Lightly tap the end of the pin using a small diameter pin punch
You should not need a torch, and you'd probably "torch" your carbs in the process.
The reason they are so tough coming out is that the end of the pin is not round, but rather, flattened to prevent the pins from coming out on their own.

 

I think MiCarl's approach to extracting stubborn Float Hinge Pins is ingenious.

Spring Loaded Nail Set
With precision.

http://www.woodcraft.com/PRODUCT/202106 ... 4AodW0UAgA

 

ok got bank apart and checked one float which was good before i had to go back to work........again......sigh

 

Spray the heck out of the pin with carb spray if the gas has gotten hard on the pin this will clean it off. Also if the pin does not move one way try the other. Sometimes the flattened out end of the pin gets put in the opposite way if they have been apart before.

 

In the Mikuni carbs, the float pin has a "fat" area just below the head that binds into the float tower. The non-head end of the pin is a slip-fit, the "retaining" is going on right below the head of the float pin, if that makes sense.

 

The most important thing you need is Kriol it is great for loosening all kind of fasteners and things that are seized up.

 

watch this below:

 

http://youtu.be/y9Tx1IQfIiQ

 

it says your video is private

 

ok try again. sorry

 

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Hey guys, I bringing up this thread again because it pretty much covers everything I've done up to this point and I read in the "newbs do this" forum that I should try to keep all post together to help troubleshooters. (Good tip) Right now the list done is:
1. carbs cleaned *
2. carb lowers new gaskets *
3. wet set floats*
4. bench synced*
5. valves checked and then shims moved or replaced to get in spec*
6. replaced spark plugs (wrong plugs but get to that in a moment)*
7. vacuum synced carbs*
8. screwed in pilots all the way then out 4 flats*
9. new brake lines and fluid changed *
* start indicates the things done to bike that I would not have been able to do without the help found on this forum. Thanks

To be done

1. new tires and rear shoes (this week-end hopefully)
2. rebuild brake caliper

Now to my next question. I read on some other forums about resistor
cores and resistor plugs and how they do not go together. I remembered that I put in Autolite performance plugs (4164). I didn't know anything about resistors at the time, so I check the box. Whew!!! no "R"s anywhere. Just to be sure I checked the autolite website, and sure enough they were resistor type plugs. So today I went and bought the NGK D8EA (2120). When changing them I noticed that all four tips of the resistor type plugs in the bike are black. I know that indicates a rich mixture, but I don't know if I should change anything yet. The bike has not been on the road yet, so I couldn't really ride for any amount of time, and they were the wrong plugs to begin with. Sooooo, any thoughts? Thanks in advance