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XJ600/FJ600 51J Project Advice

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by Ciarán, May 12, 2020.

  1. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.. and is why we always need people with your perspective on a lad's night out.
     
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  2. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    Hey Ciaran, I have an xj 650 fitted with 600 mikunis and airbox - my question is, how the heck do you get at the idle speed screw to adjust it - it's buried way in there between the airbox and the starter?
     
  3. bensalf

    bensalf Well-Known Member

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    the idle knob has notches on the end , get a long flat blade screwdriver and set the end in a notch, and lightly tap the end of the screwdriver , from the r.h. side of the bike, tap at the bottom to increase revs , tap at the top to decreace
    stu
     
  4. Minimutly

    Minimutly Well-Known Member

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    Thanks - I had thought about doing it this way, it just felt wrong.
     
  5. Ciarán

    Ciarán Member

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    So, absolutely terribly overdue with an update on this bike. I took a chance on ordering a replacement starter relay because mine was in such shoddy shape and I fitted the replacement last weekend. The replacement is slightly larger than the original so stuffing all the wiring back into place turned into a right nightmare and will have to be addressed properly down the line. At first I thought my work had been for nought - not a peep from the bike. Of course, I had been an idiot and had the engine stop firmly at off.

    A flick of that this evening and she tried to turn over. I refitted the old tank and let a bit of petrol through but she doesn't want to start right now which is a shame. Battery has been on a trickle charge and I fitted new spark plugs a few months ago so had hoped she would go. I'll try again in the daylight and see if I missed anything obvious.

    We're in near total lock down right now here in Ireland but I'm hopeful that I might be able to get vaccinated in the autumn. There's a motorcycle repair course a few miles away and I spoke to the guy who runs it previously - people all bring project bikes to it to learn what to do with them. In the interim I'll try and tackle smaller jobs as and when I can get my hands on parts. I now have my mind firmly set on a pure resto mod so the bike will largely look as it would have new (all going well). I am relenting through and have gotten the top clamp from a radian and will fit standard 22mm bars to it down the line. The one trick piece I might splash on are the rebel moto switchgear - I've seen them on a few bikes and think they just look amazing.

    Now that I don't appear to have any electrical gremlins to chase down I am feeling motivated so I'm going to try and tip away a little bit every day - I have just switched jobs and have a few other commitments so finding time will be the challenge.
     
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  6. lostboy

    lostboy Well-Known Member

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    I have done this with a stick as a roadside adjustment.
     
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  7. lostboy

    lostboy Well-Known Member

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    I have done this with a stick as a roadside adjustment.
     
  8. a100man

    a100man Well-Known Member

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    What's the plan for these switches? Start and kill ? setting up for indicators could be a nuisance.

    WRT to lockdown my friend in Co. Donegal is still working and gets stopped once or twice a day by the Garda to check on her while driving to and from work. Seems like they have nothing better to do at the moment!
     
  9. Ciarán

    Ciarán Member

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    Yeah the indicators could be the problem. Rather than a switch you end up with an independent button for each indicator left and right. I had a think about it before and it's amazing how many functions standard switchgear takes care of. It seems the rebel moto switches pair really nicely with the m-unit - so buttons can cycle through functions. I'm not entirely sure just yet what is down the line for it - those are style considerations I'll have to keep till nearer the end of the project - one I'm only just scratching the surface of. This guy (skip to 12:20) runs through a brief overview of how his system is set up with the rebel moto switches.
     
  10. k-moe

    k-moe Pie, Bacon, Bourbon. Moderator Premium Member

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    Just like BMW. Though their switches are one on each bar.
     
  11. bensalf

    bensalf Well-Known Member

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    yeh , pretty sure if you use the motogadget control box ,you would loose any self cancelling feature ,for the indicators
    stu
     
  12. Ciarán

    Ciarán Member

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    Hi. sorry to revive an old thread but I've finally gotten around to working on this bike again. Just summarising where I am to date on it for anyone looking now.

    So last year I got the bike running with an oil change, new battery, new filters (oil and air), and new spark plugs, and an inline fuel filter. It ran for a while before dying completely. I have no understanding of electrics but by process of elimination guessed that the starter relay was at fault. Replacing that with a new relay got the bike turning over again but it won't start. And so the project rested while life got in the way.

    I recently returned to the project and found that I have spark, and fuel (at least getting to and through the clear filter). I knew the carbs would need a rebuild and suspect they're gummed up and need a rebuild.
    So today I set about the task and reached the point the Haynes manual optimistically refers to as 'sliding' the carburetor backwards to release it from the intake rubbers. Well, I've nearly put my back out and was nearly lifting the front of the bike off the ground trying to release the carbs. I've slid the airbox backwards as per the manual, loosed all the clamps, the throttle cable, and technically nothing should be stopping the carbs from coming loose.

    I'm trying to keep those intake manifold rubbers intact as they're very expensive to replace - but - given they've been there since 1989 (as far as I can see they look in reasonable condition) should I replace them anyways?
     
  13. nedc

    nedc New Member

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    They may look good but will be hard as a rock with no flexibility. That is why they are fighting you in getting the carbs off. A heat gun or even a hair dryer may soften them up enough to get the carbs off. Then you can evaluate, but would be best to get new ones. Good luck.
     
  14. Ciarán

    Ciarán Member

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    Thanks for the reply. After posting this on Sunday I went back out and used a heat gun to try and soften them up and with some difficulty managed to get them off. Only got as far as removing the float bowls (which were well on there). The float bowls themselves were amazingly clean. I hope to order everything I need for a carb rebuild this week and will post photos when I tackle the job in full.
     
  15. nedc

    nedc New Member

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    Glad to hear you got them off. If the old rubbers are not cracked, you can put them in boiling water or just use the heat gun again when you put the carbs back on.
     
  16. Dave in Ireland

    Dave in Ireland Well-Known Member

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    Google for "Rubber softening with wintergreen"
    It works. If the rubber isn't cracked this will prevent it from doing so for a long time. However, it only buys time before they definitely need replaced. That might be a year, maybe two or more.
     
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  17. Ciarán

    Ciarán Member

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    Hi all, long time since I posted (life very much got in the way). But I have a bit of an update. I somewhat lost hope on this project and briefly considered selling the bike when I saw an XJ900 in good condition for sale for small money from a reputable dealer but ultimately I decided to commit to a restoration.

    The bike is with a mechanic who has a number of vintage yamahas of his own and he is working on it when his shop is quiet. He has given it a once-over to make sure there are no catastrophic issues that would require significant unforeseen costs and it has gotten a clean bill of health.

    I'm hopeful that the swap to the top clamp from the 1991 model is as smooth as I read (about a year ago now). I have invested in new springs for the front suspension and will research the best option for a budget rear shock replacement given the one on the bike has seen better days. I think my only option for a replacement exhaust (new) is from Marving so that's the next big purchase.

    Other than price I can't determine the difference between their 4/1 Master and 4/1 Racing systems so if anyone is familiar / or can even hazard an educated guess I'd be glad to hear it.
     
  18. Ciarán

    Ciarán Member

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    IMG_20231003_204809_333.jpg
    The XJ is alive. Just got it back from my mechanic yesterday and there's some fine tuning required but it is running and driving. I love how light and flickable it is, plenty of power, and stops well. Cosmetically it's a hot mess though.
    I need to sort the carbs out a bit more, he had to adjust the air fuel mix and the power comes on a bit strangely in first as it is. I also need wing mirrors that will give me more clearance with the fairing - as it is the handlebars are tilted backwards to stop the brake reservoir hitting the fairing at full lock.

    Mods (front to back): Braided brake lines (rebuilt brakes with new pistons etc), new progressive Wirth springs, new led indicators (matching at rear), top yoke conversion to run gazzini sports bars, nissin master cylinder, new wing mirrors (to be replaced), replacement fuel tank (old one had a big crease in it), Marving exhaust, YSS rear suspension.

    Mods to come: New bellypan, new mirrors, bar ends, replacement rearsets (I bought a set of Tarozzi rearsets that were advertised as a direct fit but the mechanic couldn't fit them, considering Raask rearsets).

    Comments, suggestions, criticism welcome.
     
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  19. Dave in Ireland

    Dave in Ireland Well-Known Member

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    The original mirrors have a weird horizontal dogleg on them before they rise to the mirror head, might be that's what you need.
    As far as I know, the fairing is the same part as on the XJ9, the belly pan might be, too.
     
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  20. Dave in Ireland

    Dave in Ireland Well-Known Member

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