Airbox.....Really?

Great site, lots of good information. I just got my first bike and got a screaming deal on it ($950.00). Ill attach a picture after I get it put back together. I put about 400 mi on it the first week I had it with very few issues. The blinkers were going nuts on me but I narrowed it down to a ground problem in the left side. I just bought some round blinkers to replace the square ones becasue they are not going to go with the round headlight I am going to get to replace the hideous square one. I also have left bar controls on the way and a new speedo gear and cable coming (tell me that is going to be an easy replace) along with a new throttle and cable to eliminate some of the play that I have because I am tired of having to re-grip to move..... anywhere, LOL. The PO's PO put aftermarket pods on the carbs but did not re-jet it so I cannot take the choke off EVER, even after an hour of highway riding, or it will die. I found a factory airbox and am anxiously waiting its arrival. I read a few posts that said that you can replace the box with out dropping the engine and a few that said that you absolutly have to. If that is the case I might have bitten off more then I can chew. I am a gear head with a passion for fixing things but I have been out of practice for a while, I don't even have a socket set yet. Any advice would be appreciated. Also WTF can I do with that fishfinder of a control panel. I am a newb BTW. Any one from the Green Bay area?

 

Well it sound slike your pilot circuit is in desperate need of a cleaning. Even with pods the bike should idle where most see the problem in lean when accelerating and WOT as the pods flow more air into the motor. You could try to turn in the idle screw a bit and amybe it is just set too low for the pods(it hangs down between carbs 2&3 clockwise should raise the idle) But IMO thats just wishful hoping.

 

Welcome to you Chicayne!
You will find lots of folks here to help you navigate the conversion you are attempting on your Maxim. Acewell sells a nice speedo/tach setup for about $250 that is a great match for the lines of the roundness you seek. I'd be interested in your instrument cluster and those square signals you have. I have the round gauges off of an XS750 sitting here, look in my gallery for photos.
Welcome aboard!

 

You're pulling the motor and cleaning the carbs.

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... oader.html

PM me if you need the dimensions.
There's a few good, long carb cleaning threads:

http://www.xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic ... clean.html

And welcome to the site !!

 

hi chicayne - not in green bay, but a little ways north - 15 miles north of iron mountain, mi - if you're ever heading up my way PM me.

 

Well thats great. I think I will just keep playing with the choke until I get the time/tools/motivation/help to put the airbox on. I have a friend that is going to help me rebuild the shocks so maybe he will help me with this too, otherwise I am going to have to take it in and get it done because this is way beyond my knowledge and skill level at this point. This kind of sucks because there is so much that I want to do to the bike but I do not have the ability. Oh well, I am sure I will be able to by that Harley one day, as long as this one makes it through the summer.

 

Welcome chicayne, got me an 82 this year too. Getting ready to pull the carbs again (enrichment problems), it's not really too bad to do. I think I may have rushed on the first time around because after the 82 I did the 84 and took my time now it runs awesome. I'm about a half hour from you and if you need a place to get rid of your ugly square headlight and blinkers, just toss 'em in my yard I'll find them.

 

Rest assured that with this site in your pocket, they only ability you may lack is the intense fabrication some have accomplished on here. Very first thing I did to my XJ was pull the engine to put in a stock airbox, and I was amazed at how easy it was.

The great thing about an early 80's bike is that there isn't too much you won't be able to accomplish. My Dad was a generator mechanic in the military, and he told me some time ago that "there is nothing you can't do without a book." With the XJ, the tools are typically basic, and the ones that aren't are either cheap from chacal or easy worked around (i.e. sync tools).

Just have the faith that something will go back together after it comes apart, and you'll have no troubles.

 

P.S. These gauges (as well as handlebars and the chrome clamp) are from mikesxs.com

 

Chicayne,

You can do any/all of the work with a manual and this site. Before you pull the motor to put an airbox in you can get the pods managable. The pilot circuit in your carbs has to be plugged up. With the pods you can take them carbs off alot easier than those of us with the airbox. A couple of cans of carb cleaner and some basic tools, phillips, small flat head, and a cresent wrench if you have'nt the right size for the main jet. Take your time and only take one carb apart at a time. If you get stuck just pop on here we will get you thru it. If you have a digi cam it is even easier for us to help you. Have a little faith in yourself unless you cut something in half that you shouldn't we should be able to get you back together.

 

I don't think that I could use the handlebars and the clamps becaue My bike has two separate handlebars that bolt to the tree individually and that sucks cause I would really like to get some different ones. Are the gauges universal? I don't know if the gauges are specific to the bike or if they are all geared so you can get aftermarket stuff of the same make and general year. Sorry for all the questions, I know how to work on them but I do not know about customizing them very much. I will learn eventually. Thanks much

 

How much of that stuff on mikesxs.com would work on my 81 xj 650 maxim?
I love some of the stuff there and the rices look real good!