need help fixing an 1986

hi
i recently bought a 1986 yamaha maxim x xj 700, and it doesnt start.
i got it checked out and they say i need to clean / rebuild the carbs and replace the starter.

Any help on how to attack this sitution, with either tips on how to fix or where to find a new starter

thank you

 

Who is "They"?

After I bought my bike (on eBay) August '06 it wouldn't start for the PO and the oil was full of gasoline. He took the initiative to have it fixed before I took delivery. He took it to the dealer where "they" told him it needed carburetors cleaned and adjusted, plugs, and oil and filter change.

When we went to pick it up from the dealer (several weeks later) the bike ran like a champ. He paid them $471 for the above service and we loaded it onto my trailer.

While tying down to the trailer I noticed the fuel valve was on "RES". No problem, i figure the mechanic only put a bit of fuel in tank. Stop and top it up and switch fuel valve to "ON". Get home and put bike in garage.

An hour later, strong smell of gasoline in the garage. Fuel is running out of carb(s). Check fuel valve, leaks like sieve when 'ON', ok on 'RES'. Put valve on 'RES' until I get the $8 part it takes to repair. After 10 minutes putting on new part everything was fine.

This winter I pulled the carbs for a good cleaning. No hint that anyone might have removed them or cleaned them in August. I had to repace the carburetor drain screws because they had siezed (funny how that happened in just four months). Took carburetors apart and cleaned the float valve that was the other part of the leaking fuel problem. Now carburetors don't leak fuel even with a head of fuel on them.

So, in summary: The PO paid "THEY" $471 to set the fuel valve to "RES", change the oil and MAYBE put in new spark plugs.

BTW: "They" also recommended new fork seals ($350 installed). The ones on the bike were less than a year old and still haven't leaked a drop.

Bottom line is post your symptoms. Someone will be along to help. In the end you'll learn how to fix it yourself or at least only pay for work that needs to be done.

 

They=Defined--Over paid lawyers,Over medicating doctors and under educated mechanics.

 

Hallo whiteshadow,

MiCarl is quite right.


"They" mentioned two different cases which could cause your problem.

Case 1, if you push your starter switch and your starter motor doesn't work then you probable have an electrical problem. Battery discharged, starter motor defect, electrical problem.

Case 2, if you push your starter switch and your starter motor works fine but the engine will not fire on, then you probable have a carb, fuel or ignition problem.

To be of any help I would like to know what you mean by 'it doesn't start.

I am curious to your reply

 

to get it to start, i need to jiggle the starter with a screwdriver while pressing the starter button

 

Remove the starter, disassemble it, clean it, lube it and renew the brushes if they are worn out.. It's a simple electric motor, quite easy to repair.

 

is there somewhere i can go to find out how to remove the starter myself
thank you

 

1 - Disconnect (-) lead on the battery.

2 - Remove two mounting bolts (#21 in the diagram). Careful, they are easy to break. I suggest you tighten them a bit by repeatedly tappping on your wrench (gently) with a mallet or light hammer. Then loosen them by tapping with the mallet.



3 - Pull starter out of housing (about 1").

4 - Rotate starter 1/4 turn counter clockwise so you can get to the wire from the solenoid (#18 )

5 - Remove nut (#17) and loc washer (#16). Put them in some kind of container so you don't loose them.

Now, you can take the starter to someone who knows what he is doing, or continue below....

6 - Put some newspaper on your workbench or a table to work on.

7 - Look at the starter. You have basically a cylinder made of 3 pieces; a gearbox, the stator (#2) and the cap on the other end which is the piece that was bolted to the top of the transmission. Use a crayon or marker to put some marks on these pieces to aid you in ligning them back up for reassembly. If you put them on the bottom of the starter assembly you won't have to worry about anyone ever seeing them.

8 - Remove nut (#15)

9 - Remove two long screws (#14) from end with gear. Try to hold the starter together as you do this so you can see where things come from.

10 - Pull the gear box (not labled, but between part #4 and #12). Make sure you don't loose the planet gears. Pay attention to how this goes together (good time for a sketch or digital photo). Keep an eye on washers (#8 ) and (#13). You need to put them back in the correct locations.

11 - Pull the cap off the other end (the piece that bolts to the top of the transmission) while pushing in on the bolt that you took nut (#15) off of.

12 - Use a crayon or marker to put marks on the stator (#2) and the Brush holder assembly (#9) to help you get the brush holder assembly back in the right spot.

13 - Carefully pull the brush holder assembly off the armature (#3). There are wires that go from the brush holder assembly (#9) to the stator (#2) which are not shown in the diagram. If you break them this project just got much larger and more expensive,

14 - Push the brushes (#10) and (#11) toward the center of the brush holder to free them from the little cages that hold them. These buggers are probably your problem. Measure them (not the wire, just the boxy end length) and post your results here.

14 - If possible take a picture of the commutator (the end of the armature #3 without the gear where all the copper strips are) and post it so we can evaluate it for damage.

 

Ladies and Gentlemen:

BEFORE you begin any work on electrical components ... and, absolutely BEFORE you begin removing a Starter Motor ... the FIRST thing to do is:

Disconnect the BATTERY!

Disconnect the battery
Pull the mounting bolts
Position the starter so that you can remove the Electrical Lead from the Power Post.

On with the overhaul of the starter.
As mentioned ... an excellent project to familiarize you with the marvels of magnificent Japanese Engineering.

 

If he has to "JIGGLE" the starter with a screwdriver while holding the button to start sounds more like a loose connection than anything. The disassembling and cleaning is a good thing but
I was always taught the "KISS" method first and foremost.
Might want to check, cleanand tighten all his connections on the starter and related circuits first.

 

a starter is pretty much a jiggle-proof device, it should be bolted down nice and tight, does the starter relay click when you push the go button

 

Disconnect battery.
Remove starter securing bolts.
Withdraw Starter and disconnect electrical connection.
Work slow and deliberately.

Pull your starter. Clean the heck out of it.

After you get it on the bench ...

Two long screws hold BOTH indexed ends to the main body.

(Old School) --> Use a Notebook - make sketches or,
(New School) --> Snap mega-pix with digital camera.

Remove the gear end and COMPLETELY clean and re-lube that end.
You'll need to spread one Circlip to get the Planet Main Shaft out.
Keep track of washers and spacers.
Look on the ends of the shaft and inside the housing for thin Thrust Washers that like to stay stuck where they are.

Keep everything in order as you disassemble the Planet end.
Two small Planet Gears on opposed shafts.
The Ring Gear and Main Shaft.
Every Spacer and Thrust Washer.

Clean the "Whole-works" of the "Business-end." All of it so nice and clean a Marine Drill Instructor would have the Company check-out yours as good example.

Check for washers and thrust washers hiding on shafts and bearing ports.

Clean the Electric end; too.

Pull the Case away from the Motor -- slowly.
There's NO slack in the wire connecting the Brushes to the External Power Post.
Slip the Brushes off the Commutator.
Look for a Thrust washer - inside the Case - surrounding the port for the case bearing bushing.

With the starter exploded. Clean.
Use straight Isopropyl Alcohol loaded into a sprayer that has the Stream or Spray option or buy Electric Motor Cleaning Spray containing Iso-Alco.
("Honey, did you see the Windex. I can't seem to find it.")

Withdraw the Armature.
Spray everything until its completely clean and what you are spraying ON is as clean as what is dripping OFF!
(Honey ... did you see that new toothbrush I bought to bring to your Mother's?)


Shoot the Commutator, Brushes, Brush Housing, Electrical Lead and the inside of the Electric end Case. Clean.

Shoot WD-40 on the CLEAN windings and magnets.

Lube the whole-works as you reassemble the Starter.

Using Top Quality Synthetic Waterproof Grease:
Everything and every surface on the Planet - Business End - gets lubed as it's reassembled.
Shafts, shaft bushing ID's, washers, spacers, gears, pivots, bushings, etc.
Grease everything. Either liberally -- for function, or smeared-on for both rotational forces on it ... or, to hold it from slipping as you reinsert bearing shafts into bushed port on the case.

Spin the Planet Shaft after its re-clipped in and grease the rotating Planet Gears -- "On the Fly" ... as they rotate around the inside of the Ring Gear.

Lightly smear washers and spacers on the Electric End ... but, don't allow the grease to contaminate electric connections and Commutator.

Get a dab of grease into the port on the Electric end; and smear the end of the shaft which fits there.

Now, the fun and games of getting the Brushes lifted onto the Commutator and everything lined-up and back together begin.

It's like a Chinese Puzzle.

Only ... "Made in Japan" !