82 650 Maxim

So last night I finally got a chance to fire the bike up after taking the carbs to church, deluxe rebuild kit from chacal, throttle shaft seals, the whole bit. Wet set the floats. Everything is good to go in the carbs, slides passed the clunk test, etc. Valve clearances are in spec. New battery that is up to snuff. Fired up pretty well. As it was running in the first minute or so I had my hands on the head pipes and noticed that #4 wasn't getting warm. I let it run for about 20 min and in that time it did finally get hot but still didn't sound like it was hitting on all 4 until I gave it throttle. Once at idle, which it does idle all by itself, something it did not do last year before carb overhaul it still seems to not be hitting on #4. Of course I had run out of play in the garage time as I had to get the boy in the house and through the shower for his school night routine so I didn't have much chance to do any further diagnosis other than to pull the plug wire off 4 and check for spark with a screwdriver against the head. Nice blue consistent spark jumping from the screwdriver to the head. Tonight I will be pulling the plug to inspect as well as performing some resistance checks on the ignition system. My question is what else should I be looking for as it only seems to be isolated to #4? I will probably also bring a compression tester home as I don't recall having ever done that. Another note is that I have not yet gotten a chance to perform a running synch or to adjust any of the pilot mixture screws. They are all currently set at 2.5 turns out. (Fine threads on the mixture screws) I'm really hoping I don't have to pull the carbs out again since everything was set just right before putting them on. Am I on the right track? Any ideas or advice? Slightly frustrated here...

 

Do you think #4 is firing once you give it some throttle? If so could be the bench sync if off on #4. If that is off a little then at idle it might not tire and get the pipe hot. Now this is just if it only happens at idle and when you flip the throttle it is firing and getting the pipe hot.

The frustration is normal IMHO, it takes some playing with these carbs and all the rest of the components that get these bikes running well. Just know you are heading in the right direction and you are so close to the satisfaction of listening to her prrrr.

I pulled my carbs more times then I want to admit to get them running on my "X".

 

It's hard to tell but when I give it throttle it seems smooth not missing like it does at idle. Like I said it eventually does get hot just takes awhile. I am hoping that a synch will help followed by some pilot mix adjustments and synch again. Just want to make sure I'm not overlooking something obvious and headed on the right path

 

Try new plugs...I had the same thing and last year my 71VW had a bad plug...after replacing plug wires and cap and rotor ...pulled plug looked fine had not been in there that long ...put new plug in and ran great. On my seca number 1 cylinder pipe was cold , took cap off trimmed plug wire put cap back on and still cold , plug looked ok so put in new plugs and drum roll she ran great . For giggles I kept the suspect plug from the others and put it back in only running on 3 so this verified it. You could try swapping plugs around and see if it follows to a cold cylinder.

 

I was thinking of that as well. Have 4 new plugs sitting on my toolbox right now.

 

If you have access to a colortune it will show what is going on in that cylinder. Rather than use the new plugs I would just swap #4 with one of the others and see if the problem moves. (New plugs are really helpful in getting the pilot screws set when everything else is fine.) Run it with the “choke” on and see if it heats up faster. Have you checked for leaks around the intakes? I had a leaking intake gasket and had to open the pilot 5 turns just to get it fire. If you do have to go back inside the carbs pay special attention to the pilot circuit.

 

I don't have access to a colortune. I know I should probably get one. When I noticed the issue it was running on the enrichment circuit. I will be getting out the the garage later so I can check for any intake leaks, even though the boots are in good shape and the gaskets have been replaced still worth checking. I also plan on swapping plugs around or even putting a known working used one in before the new set.

 

swap the plug to another cylinder see if the problem follows is the quick way to check things before you start with the complicated items. also try about a 1/16 turn on #4 sync screw to open it up a little more (after you try the plug swap).

there are a few threads on building your own sync tool , simple as just a tubing set up to tubing and glass baby bottles

 

Here is the two bottle manometer. Use glass, not plastic, bottles. Plastic will collapse—I know from first hand experience.

http://xjbikes.com/forums/threads/how-to-make-a-2-bottle-synch-tool.15650/

 

Thanks for all the replies guys. Between mother nature dumping some wet heavy snow on us and painting walls at the house most of the weekend, I haven't made it to the garage to mess with anything. I do have a manometer style synch tool that I will be using. Have a trailer lined up and planning to go to my buddy's heated shop to work on that tomorrow after work

 

Well I am happy to say after a vacuum synch and new plugs she runs like a champ. Need to get a colortune so I can dial in the pilot screws and re-synch but she's hitting on all 4, crisp throttle response, only a very, very slight hang on decel but I don't feel it's anything to worry about as it's far improved from last year. Plan to put some miles on it when mother nature allows, read the plugs and go from there. Thanks to all for the replies/advice. Now on to the GF's 81 650...

 

Howdy,
In my infinite wisdom I lost Air Jet #205, cant find it anywhere on ebay/ JP cycles/etc. You guys have any input? I can easily get jet #50 and and all others, but not #205...

 

XJ4ever. Top right corner of every page. Send Len a PM and he will hook you up.

 

After a few minor tweaks here and there, including a colortune (thanks xj4ever!), sitting outside the garage basking in a lovely spring time evening. I am thoroughly impressed with how this bike performs and I could not have done it without the incredible group of people and knowledge base here along with stellar parts and service from xj4ever.com. Both maxims are running and performing 100% better than when I purchased them. Now that these are sorted for now I'm going to have to find another one to feed the addiction...oh wait, i still have a 750 midnight maxim in hiding...just don't tell the girlfriend...

 

Show us pictures of the midnight!

 

I'll have to get some first but I absolutely will. It's definitely not original but we'll worth the 300 or so I paid for it with a title. When I get a chance to make it over there I will snap some pics and post them

 

Is it possible to install the steels in the clutch backwards or not all the same direction and cause it to excessively wear the friction linings?

 

no

 

Kinda what I was thinking as well but I have been searching for an explanation as to why my new clutch plates are junk after less than 500 miles. Also noting that I checked and rechecked the cable adjustment after basically every ride and soaked the new plates before install.

 

junk as in they measure too thin or it slips and the cable is adjusted?
did you put new springs in it?

 

Junk as in a couple of the plates you can't see the lines in the linings anymore. I could completely disconnect the clutch cable and it still wouldn't engage. Yes I put new springs in it, clutch center dots were aligned and the cable was adjusted multiple times. New plates will be here today, plan to soak them over night and try again tomorrow night. It's supposed to be raining anyway so I'll have time to mess with it. I didn't find any burrs or notches on the basket where the friction plates sit or on the center where the steel plates contact so I'm not sure what caused it.

 

did you torquue the bolts to spec?

inspect the clutch basket and housing see if the fingers are smooth "gauling on the friction plate dogs will cause eratic clutch operation"
clutch can hang up if they are not smooth

 

Yes all bolts torqued to spec. Inspection of clutch basket and center showed no knicks/burrs/galling or anything but I am definitely going to be looking much,much harder this time though I don't think I missed anything. Have new plates soaking in fresh oil already and will start the process all over again later this week. I am only able to ride it because some very nice people were kind enough to drive 125 miles to bring me my used plates which aren't totally shot but do seem to want to slip on a hard pull. First hard pull with first set of new plates had the Speedo buries in 3rd gear, at least I think. By the time I looked down and realized it was buried I had already backed off and upshifted hahaha. It felt like way more of a rocket ship with those plates than it does now with the old plates back in it even with the new springs still installed.

 

i'm sort of not the guy to ask about clutches

but i know what NOT to do !

 

Sometimes that's half the battle! Hopefully I don't great that much carnage before I get it figured out

 

What not to do: use grenade to disassemble the clutch.

 

Well just finished up installing the second set of clutch plates. Everything looks in very good shape. Everything torqued to spec, free play adjusted to spec. Hopefully these last much longer than the last.

 

I haven't had much of a chance to ride the bike yet with the new clutch plates installed as mother nature seems to think we need an absurd amount of rain for some reason. Tomorrow should be the day. Plan to ride to work, making sure I'm extra nice to the clutch, then to Menards after work which will be a nice 20 min or so ride. On the way home from there we will see what's what hahaha

 

So the second replacement clutch plates seem to be working nicely. However, when I moved it out of the garage to ride to work i noticed a small drip of oil on the floor. A quick once over found this. Why the heck would this crack here and now? I was very careful putting it back on torqued all fasteners to spec. Thoughts?

 

just like lug nuts, your supposed to put them all in till they touch then do half torque in a criss cross pattern then full torque in a criss cross pattern 0r the gasket was missing under that screw. maybe your torque wrench sucks or most likely, shit happens

 

Shit happens would just be my luck lately it seems. Hopefully I will find a replacement locally then make another gasket, lay it on its side again, and swap it over. Hopefully this will be the last time I have to remove the clutch cover for awhile... (famous last words)

 

I'd just degrease the crack, drill both ends to keep it from spreading, and fill it with 2 part epoxy.

 

JB weld if you clean it really well let it set up 24 hrs or liquid steel. You can sand it down and should be good to go.

 

I guess I didn't give epoxy or jb weld a thought. I may have found another cover so I'm going to check that first, if that fails then I will likely do as suggested. Thanks guys!

 

Replacement cover was a bust as the engine the guy had was conveniently missing it, along with the rest of the entire clutch assembly. Not that I needed anything other than the cover anyway. Oh well. Calling for rain tomorrow so I may go ahead drill the ends of the crack and apply some sort of jb weld or epoxy to seal it up for now

 

drilling holes is good for vibration cracks but that's not what you have. that bolt broke it.
i'd squirt some brake cleaner in the crack as it is now and try to force some of that gasket sealer you used in the crack, take the bolt out finish that part and put the bolt back in.
the whole cover is sealed except that crack, if you take the cover off your inviting that murphy's law guy to the party

 

Very good point. I wasn't planning on using any sealer on the gasket when I first installed it except for a thin coat of high tack just to keep it stuck to the cover for install. Unfortunately since I had to remove it to replace the clutch plates a few more times the gasket started to leak. So when I put it on the last time I applied a very thin coat of the right stuff gasket maker by permatex which is what can be seen squishing out slightly. I will do just as you suggest as drilling into that cover gave me an uneasy feeling just thinking about it. Also it will be plenty easy to do that with what I have at home without having to get it into the shop at work. Thanks for the replies guys. First rate group here.

 

But would drilling holes prevent it from growing larger due to vibration?

 

I wouldn't think the clutch cover could vibrate necessarily but I am also curious about this. I had planned to clean it up good and apply some type of sealant to it last night but was unfortunately pulled away on more pressing issues

 

It would. And it doesn't matter how the crack was formed, the ends need to be terminated cleanly so the forces can move equally around the gap or the crack will eventually grow. Even when welding a crack back up it's good practice to drill the ends (though more to ensure good weld penetration, since the weld will 'erase" the crack).

 

The whole bike vibrates as soon as the engine starts running.

 

Stop drilling a crack should keep it from growing longer , this is something that the poster of this thread should do only slightly larger a #21 bit and then fill with JB Weld.

 

Numbered drill bits...dont have any of those. I'm not saying that I won't stop drill the ends of the crack, it just makes me nervous. It will get fixed when time allows

 

if you were to take it off and drill it, how tight would you make that screw next time
i can't believe that cover vibrates in relation to the engine case, sorry

 

The cover does not vibrate in relation to the engine case; the whole dang engine vibrates, and the ends of the cracks are full of stress risers. That will cause the crack to grow over time.
That flex seal stuff is great, for water (sometimes). Not so much for oil.

 

Classy.

 

is a 650 cover the same as a 750 cover?

 

Yep.

 

Is it a gasket or big o ring that seals the center cover onto the clutch cover itself?