I Finally Got My Bike!

Well, Its been about a whole week since i joined this forum and i'd just like to say you guys are awesome. I finally picked up my bike last night and it wouldn't start. The guy i bought it from said it started in the spring. I was going to start by cleaning out the carbs and checking the petcock. It almost started, but it didn't get warm enough. Lots of sputtering and coughing but no real sign of life. Any other places i should start at looking for problems?

 

did you put fresh fuel in it? Also if the tank was not 'winterized' or fuel was left in it you most likely have water in your tank as well get some Heet and pour it in, let it sit a and try again. Drain the bowls on the carbs as well.

Now, even if you get the bike to run you should do these things:

1. check the rear break shoes for delamentation.

2. Check your valve clearances

3. check the front break pads master cylinder, brake lines check the date code on them they may be old and need to be replaced ASAP!

4. check your tire date codes make sure you are not running around on rubber time bombs.

5. check the fuel and vacuum lines for dry rot. (I would suggest installing or replacing a in line fuel filter)

As you may or may not have read here. All work on the carbs will be in vain unless you have your valves in spec. Are the 81 models YICS motors? If so you'll need a YICS tool to block the ports to get a proper synch of the carbs.

As Bigfitz says "It is not a used car" You will have to do some work to insure it is safe to ride before you ride it.

 

The '81 650s are non-YICS motors

Along with what Doc suggested:

Compression test
Battery fully charged and take it to an auto parts store to have it load tested
New plugs
Probably gonna have to clean the carbs, check valve clearances, and sync
Make sure the air filter is clean

This is just a short list to get her started, not to get her roadworthy

Welcome to the club! Pics soon!

 

Yeah if she sat with fuel in the carbs, most likely it has varnish in there now from the ethanol...

 

Thanks alot guys. How can i check the valve clearance? Im guessing that has something to do with the shims?

 

popping the valve covers, pointing the lobes away from the shim and using a feeler to check the clearance. pretty simple (yet important) stuff!

 

Oh, come on--- reallyyy? http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html

Give a man a fish,...

 

While you're cleaning the carbies (no short cuts!!!), be sure to check the diaphragms for pin holes....this was my major problem.
I had 3 holes in #2 & an even dozen in #3!!!
It kind of ran...spluttering all the way!!!

Welcome from a fellow newbie!!

Tim

 

from the signatures it seems like everyones bikes have decently low kilometers or miles. mine has 45500 and the speedo cable doesn't work properly so that could be off still!

 

Welcome fellow Canuck!

 

Well today i did some test as to why it wasn't running with the help of my Dad. We checked to make sure that each cylinder was getting spark and each one gave us a thumbs up. Took the "boots" (from what ive read, thats what they are called, the rubber from the air box to the carbs... but i could very likely be wrong) and sprayed gas directly into the carbs. We got a few vrooms but not a whole lot of anything else. After a few more sprays and choking it out with our hands we did manage to get it to for more than 5 seconds. Headers 1 and 3 were pretty warm, number 2 was really hot and number 4 was cold. I took off the carbs to start cleaning them. Got the bowls off and got as far as taking the jets out. Both of the jets in number 4 were clogged with green corrosion. I blew them out with an air compressor and soaked them in brake cleaner. Thats as far as i got tonight. So a few questions on what i have done.

While taking the jets out, some were stuck pretty tight and the slots for the screw driver got bent a little bit. That shouldn't be a problem should it?

Also, after taking the jets out, i noticed some more green under them. How should this be cleaned?

 

?????

 

http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=2908.html

 

Give a man a fish, and he'll eat for a day.
Teach a man to fish, and he'll leave you alone.

 

You can lead a horse to water...

Or maybe we should consider the Blind Men and the Elephant...

 

So i checked the valve clearance on my bike. The exhaust was .006-.007" and the intake was less then .0015". The second cylinder on the exhaust was about .004 or so. It seems kinda weird to me that they all wore just the same except for one.

 

You need to get some METRIC feelers and recheck, mm feelers will be more accurate.

Sounds like you're going to be tight on ALL intakes, and most likely a few exhausts, if not all.

Need to measure these as close as you so you get the right shims.

 

Agreed. .006"=tight; .007"= in spec; .004" is TIGHT for an intake and REALLY tight for an exhaust.

.0015" is CRAZY tight. I wouldn't try to run that motor until you get them in spec.

 

ok guys, so i looked over the how to on the valve check and it turns out i wasn't measuring right. I had the lobes pointing straight up. I will go check again today.