1982 XJ650 Maxim Build

So I thought I'd start a build thread since I started the disassembly. I got the bike home today and parked in its spot for the winter. I pulled the seat and tank off and connected a new battery to test some things out. Starter works, motor turns over, turn signals and brake lights work, headlights dead.

Here is the bikes condition when I got it, I posted these in my intro thread but just re-posting in the build thread. It's got just over 17K miles and cosmetically in pretty bad shape. Also I think the front caliper may be sticking and it was a pita to move and on the snow the front wheel was locked, I could get it to roll on concrete but it was a hard push.



And it's home.



Now I have to wait for the guy to get back to us about the title. This was a friend of my fathers who passed away and his son said we could have it, now were just waiting and hoping he gets back with us with the title before I go any further with putting money into it. So hopefully this will be a build thread, I may have to by a frame with a title and swap everything over.

Still debating on whether I want to completely disassemble to powder coat the frame or just leave it as is. It has some rust spots where the paint has flaked off. If I do decide to do a total disassembly it will be my first.

 

If no title shows up there is always Vermont.

 

Not familiar with Vermont.

 

Saw you or your sons post about this bike earlier. Not a bad starting point. It may look rough but it's complete and unmolested overall. I have the same bike and it is a great rider when running perfect. See link in my sig. Proof of ownership/ability to get a title or registration is no 1 for sure.

 

You can register in Vermont via mail, no residency needed. The Vermont registration also serves as proof of ownership. Since Vermont does not issue titles for vehicles more than 25 years old, you can get a title in your home state by using the Vermont registration as proof of ownership. Vermont will require a VIN inspection report from a LEO, and a bill of sale.

 

Most all of my frame surface rust is located around the swing arm and the swing arm pivot section of the frame. How difficult is it to remove the swing arm on these bikes? I may just try pulling the swing arm re-finishing it and doing the spots of the main frame around there without complete disassembly. I'd like to have this running and ride-able by spring/summer since it's the only bike I have now. Well I guess that still pivots on getting the title. If I do a complete tear down to bare frame I don't see it being ridden this year.

Could always just get it ride-able then tear it down next winter to re-finish the frame.

 

Swingarm removal.

1. Remove the rear wheel

2. Remove the final drive, and driveshaft.

2 A. Peel the u-joint gator away from the swingarm.

3. Pop the round swingarm bolt covers off of the frame.

4. Unstake the retaining washers.

5. Unscrew the swingarm retaining bolts.

6. Remove swingarm.

 

Thanks K-moe doesn't sound too bad.

I went ahead and did some more disassembly today. Pulled the tank, airbox cover, filter (looks brand new) and removed the carbs. Hardest part of removing the carbs was pushing the boots back into the airbox.

Also I'm changing over to Flickr as I'm tired of how slow photobucket is.

IMG_1314 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1315 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1311 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1308 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

+1 on Photobucket - it is painfully slow.

Remember JIS screws on those carbs NOT Phillip's, also a good idea for the slotted screws/ jets to customize a few flat screwdrivers for a 'perfect fit'.

 

Thanks, but I'm pretty sure I'll be sending the carbs to hogfiddles for the carb rebuild.

 

That is an excellent choice, he will make them brilliant both in appearance and functionality.p
However do not be intimidated by the xperience of tackling the job yourself. Lots of digital pics, sketches and notes (plus asking questions here) and just about anyone can do it.

I did it, and I did things wrong, but people here straightened out my mistakes and in private circles I tell others that I and I alone rebuilt my carbs!

 

ALL the crosshead screws on the machine are JIS.

 

I may try the clean and rebuild myself after today. I got a lovely surprise on my way home from work, my sunroof in the car just decided to shatter for no reason. Called the stealership and its almost $500 for the new glass. Gonna try and find a junkyard sunroof. So I got that going, plus it's supposed to rain here for the next 4 days.

 

Cleaned off my workbench in the basement and moved the carbs and tank inside. Pulled the emblems, petcock,and gas cap off the tank. It's pretty rusted and I'm going to clean it in my buddies electrolysis tank. Also removed the dreaded Stealers sticker.

IMG_1327 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

So I bought a Ultrasonic Cleaner and got a few parts in today including my JIS screwdrivers, so now I can start re-building things. I went through cleaned and rebuilt the petcock and started on the gas cap but Im gonna need to get a new gasket for the cap so I can put it back together yet.

Ultrasonic Cleaner:
IMG_1347 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr
IMG_1348 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

Fuel Petcock before:
IMG_1336 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr
IMG_1335 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr
IMG_1342 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr
IMG_1356 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

Fuel Petcock after cleaning and rebuild:
IMG_1357 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr
IMG_1358 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr
IMG_1359 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

Be sure to polish the seats on the petcock.

Rebuilding the Yamaha Vacuum Fuel Valve w/pics

Gas cap rebuild in case you haven't found it yet.

Gas cap repair

 

+1. I skipped when I did mine and it leaked. Looks good so far!

 

Yeah, I didn't do that, kinda jumped into this one blind and didn't look for a how to on rebuilding the petcock. So you think pulling it back apart will mess up the seals, should I order another rebuild kit?

 

You should be good to pull apart now, the gaskets will only start sticking after time. I redid mine after using it with no issue. Easier now then after you get bike together.

 

Re-did the petcock this evening polishing the valve seat.

Also a present arrived from chacal, my deluxe carb rebuild kit. So I started taking them apart. I have a carb question. Does the brass piece behind my big finger come out on the carbs? It's spinning freely in the carb body and looks to be connected through to the throat but it don't come out.

IMG_1397 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr


Here's the lovely shade of neon green of my carbs.

IMG_1371 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1373 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

I got it out, had to hold the bottom part of the shaft with my finger to unscre the jet

 

The bit that the main jet screws into is called the needle jet (or emulsion tube). It needs to come out for cleaning as well. You push it out through the slide bore after removing the slide. Sometimes they stick, so a push with a wooden dowell or similar non-marring tool usually does the trick (I sometimes use a phillips screwdriver with a rag over the tip).

 

Thanks I got it figured out now.

Onto the next problem, I'm re-assembling carb #2 and I'm having issues with the throttle return spring. It's hooked on the carb and on the bracket that connects to the butterfly bar just like I did on #1 and just like the others but the spring keeps wanting to bind on itself and sticks the shaft and the butterfly doesn't want to snap closed.

 

Post some pics.

It is possible the butterfly itself is binding.
Is the butterfly in the correct orientation and position?
Did you lock down the butterfly prior to tightening the shaft on the outside of the carb?
(Ask me how I know this one . . . )


Try loosening the butterfly on the shaft and see if it makes a difference.

 

No I haven't even put the butterfly on the shaft yet

 

Here's pictures.

First pic its sitting right, I can move it with my finger.

IMG_1413 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

But after rotating the shaft a few times it moves over and starts binding on itself and the carb body.

IMG_1414 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

I can take my finger and just push it back over a little then it works fine for a few open/closes and then binds again.

 

That's set correctly. You won't feel the butterflies snap shut if you don't have them installed.

 

It binds up, I'll take a video to show you guys soon

 

Sounds good.

 

Put the butterfly on with one screw to show whats going on.

 

When you put the linkage plate back on how did you put the spring on? I think you overwound the spring. It's only supposd to be wound enough to get the linkag plate set up between the stops. Less than a full turn of the spring.

 

I tried that, it binds even without the plate in there. The spring is what's binding not the butterfly plate in the tunnel.

 

Read my edit. I missed what the spring was doing before.

 

Yeah, it's only about a 1/4 turn of the spring

 

Hmm... Try tweaking the prong that curves over the spring. What I think is happening is the spring is moving past it, instad of being guided by it. Bend it just a bit down toward the throttle shaft, and a bit in toward the carb body.

 

Are you sure that is the correct spring for the #2 carb? On the HSC model carbs, carbs #1 and #2 use the same spring, and those are made from a much thinner wire gauge than the "heavy-duty" #3 spring. If I recall correctly, the #3 spring will fit in place of the #1 or #2 spring, and such a situation might lead to the issues you are experiencing.

P.S. nice clean carb bodies!

 

^That was another thought I had, but it looks to be the thinner gauge wire.

Did you use a new E clip, or reuse the old one?

 

^^^ hear what they say.

To me it is very strange that the closing is not binding as tightly as the opening appears to be.

Suggest that you disassemble, verify you have the correct spring, then check all of the linkage components for burrs, flatness/ twisting, etc. Check the edged of the butterfly and the throats also. Follow up by securing the butterfly in a 'running condition' (both screws) finish by cracking a beer (or seven) and ask the question: "If I were this carb what would be my hang up?"

 

It's the right spring, well it's the one that came off this carb and its a lot smaller gauge than the one on #3.

Thus carb doesn't have an e-clip its one with a 12mm nut holding on a bracket on the other side There is a little play in the shaft back and forth when I tighten the nut all the way down, by a little I men like a 1-2mm at most.

I'm pretty sure this is whats happening, If I hold that spring over and under that prong it never binds. It's when it decides to move a little past the prong it goes bad. I may try and make some kind of spacer to hold the spring over under the prong and keep everything in line.

 

Thanks, I'm really enjoying my new ultrasonic cleaner.

 

So I think a combination of things has led me to a working solution. I pushed the bar all the way to the opposite side and attached the butterfly keeping the spring side as close to the carb body as possible , just that 1mm keeps the spring under the tab on the bracket and doesn't let it bind up. Pics below, you can see the 1mm gap on the second pic.

IMG_1435 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1436 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

I have been opening and closing it for a good 10 minutes now and hasn't bound.

 

That's it. There isn't supposed to be any visible gap. I'd also take the synching bracket (under the nut) back off and inspect it's bore and the throttle shaft for burrs to be sure that it can seat fully on the shaft. Careful to not overtighten the nut, or that will also cause the shaft to bind or drag.

 

I got everything cleaned and lined up and all put back together tonight. Well except #4 is missing the main Air Jet. Somehow I lost it between my ultrasonic cleaner and the wash tub where I was rinsing the parts after cleaning. I looked on the floor for a while then figured maybe i dropped it in the sink and it went down the drain. Anyways got another one on order from chacal and went ahead and put the rack back together and bench synced the rack (just setting all the butterflies to open and close in synch right?) I know I read on here somewhere but I can't remember where whats the starting pint for the idle mix screw? 2.5-3 turn out from soft bottom??

So here is the Before cleaning and rebuild pics.

IMG_1310 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1311 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

And here's the after (still need to paint the diaphram caps, they had rust spots so I sanded them smooth and will paint them tomorrow at work)

IMG_1439 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1440 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

If the jet is down the sink it will still be in the P-trap.

 

Thn bench synch os to make sure that the throttle plates are all equal, AND in the best position for initial idle. You se those little tiny holes at the top of eachcarb throat in this pic? You want each throttle plate to be just evern with the edges of them when closed. Some people use strips of business card, or unbent paperclips under the throtttle plates as gauges, but I just set it by eye.

 

Ive done a little plumbing and this sink is older, I don't want to take the chance of undoing everything and having a leak and taking me hours to get it fixed. It's worth the $16 to me to not have to undo the pipes.

 

Decided to go and look again around the utility sink in the basement. Low and behold I found it, it fell into the other side of the utility sink and was nestled under some painting trays that were in there.

 

Aluminum foil and water. You will be amazed at how it refurbishes your rusty caps.

 

Got a little done tonight, Put the gas cap back together, got my new gasket in today.

IMG_1443 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

Also Plasti-Dipped the top since the chrome was flaking and it was rusting.

IMG_1444 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

I did the plasti-dip on my gas cap too, but fora different reason. The shiny chrome was causing a nasty reflection in my windscreen. It's still holding up after two years of all-weather riding.