Super noob carb cleaning - minimum requirements

Alright so i'm the ultimate noob, but i'm keen to learn.

My bike ('83 XJ650 SECA) starts cold maybe 20% of the time, super frustrating, I'm pretty sure the electrics are sweet so I'm going to endeavour to pull the carbs.

Now getting them off the bike, even removing the tank, is daunting enough. So i want to know what is the minimum I should do when I have them off. I really just want to clean out the float bowls, make sure the enrichment jets are clear, and then get them back on.

Now i'm sure everyone will tell me to do a more thorough job, but i have neither the time, tools or basic knowledge to do this.

Most basically, how do u remove the tank and tubes? How do u drain the fuel out? (this is how inexperienced I am...)

cheers in advance

 

Look on the board "XJ FAQ SUGGESTIONS" for the how-to's on carb cleaning. I PROMISE, if you follow them faithfully, you can do the job as good or better than any shop you take 'em to. The hardest part is getting the GOSHDARNED things off (LOL)!!!

skillet
BTW even perfectly tuned, all of 'em are still COLD NATURED!!!

 

Put some seafoam in the tank and go for a nice ride...

 

Sea Foam?

Please Explain?

 

SeaFoam is a "cure all" gasoline additive that some people swear by. I tried it and decided its uses are limited. Others will have different opinions.

In this case it might help, but I doubt it.

Where are you located? The 650 Seca was a one-year bike in the USA, 1982 only.

If you have neither the time, tools or knowledge, then my friend you also have a decision to make:

Do you want to FIND some time; buy a few tools, and gain (a lot of) knowledge? If your answer is yes, then you've come to the right place.

Read this: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14581.html

And this: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=24010.html

There IS NO QUICK EASY answer to recomissioning a quarter century old motorcycle. You're either in it for the "long haul" or it will eat your lunch.

If you want to have at it, welcome aboard. If you don't have time, if your answer to my question above is "no" then sell it and buy a new bike. This is not a quick or easy process, honest. I'm not trying to discourage you, I just want you to realize what all is involved.

You can't just buy a 27+ year old bike and start riding it. You could die.

 

Having re-read my post I realise how lazy and impatient I sound.

I'm really new at this, I didn't even know what a carburettor did 2 months ago.

Thanks for the links Fitz, i've been working on bicycles for many years so I'm no stranger to trials and joys of mechanics. I'm getting to like this bike more and more and we never stop learning in life.

It would appear my '83 XJ is not a Seca then, cheers.

I guess what I was trying to get at with my question was what should I do as the first job in pulling my carbs off. I can't do it all first time, I like to ride it. So what lessons are best learned early on?

cheers

 

jonathon, the hardest part is getting the carbs off & on, so give them the full monty while they are off, PM Chacal for all the parts you need before you start & plan not to be riding for a few days, as this is your first time.
Don't forget the carbs will need to be syncronized after cleaning, so you will need to buy, borrow or make the equiptment to do this.
All the help is here, if you are game. Wiz.

 

As Wiz and I have both said, if you're up to it then you've come to the right place. I wasn't trying to discourage you, just help you to understand that this isn't quick nor easy.

The FIRST place to start is your rear brake, before you ever think about the carbs or any more riding. These bikes have a known issue with brake shoe delamination and you could be riding around on a time bomb.

The next thing to do is to get a manual; either a factory book or the Haynes (or both) and start reading up on your new project.

You're going to have to drag this bike 27 years forward in time; you're going to need to work on more than just the carbs. There's a lot to be learned if you're going to succeed.

Read the two threads I linked to if you haven't already; then go pick through "FAQ Suggestions" for articles on carb cleaning, valve adjustment, fuse box replacement, front fork seals, etc. Lots of good stuff on this site.

As Wiz said, all the help is here, if you are game.

 

+1 It feels so good after however long it takes you to rebuild the carbs/go though the brakes/electric rebuilding.... whatever, after you have done all this work and rip the throttle open and feel that 30 year old bike wake up and want to leave you behind......WOW!!!! Listen to the XJ elders. It's worth it. Take your time on the carbs and do 'em right the first time. Don't ask me how I know.

 

jonathon
after you do all the things to bring the bike running. It is a lot cheaper than buying a new one or starting with another bike.
+ you will know it was worth all the aggravation. It was your work.
You never know what the previous owner did to it to make it run.

 

Thanks all.. Interesting thread..

Just to add to the encouragement Jonathon.. I started as a complete noob 2 years ago on my XJR, now I've just given it it's 3rd major service, and done a complete rebuild of a 125... Not only does it feel good to have that experience behind me, it means I'm reasonably competant to fix most, if not all, the problems the bikes (I now have 3) will throw at me.. This saves me a lot of cash.

More than that, you then start to recognise problems in other peoples bikes too, and can offer advice, maybe with a small "I'm not that experienced, but it sounds like.." You'll be amazed at just how many motorcyclists there are out there that have absolutely NO idea about engines.. Well, you've gotta start some place, this friendly forum seems to be as good a place as you're likely to find. Dive in.. if you get stuck, I'm sure they'll help.

 

Cheers for the encouragement guys.

There is more than enough info on here to help me.

So....

next week i'm going to pull the carbs and clean out the enrichment circuit. Cold starting is the biggest problem at the moment.

Baby steps.