My xj 550's Rpms stay high for a sec when i let off the gas

Does anyone know why me bikes rpms dont drop fast enough with the idle screw adjusted where it will run??? please help

 

Check to make sure your throttle cable isn't sticking and is properly adjusted and routed.

 

After checking that nothing is binding;

Are you saying that the rpm's are "hanging" up high, then dropping? If so, it's too lean and drop the idle a smidge....on a lot of bikes, if the idle setting is too high, it will do exactly that since you are leaving the idle circuit and moving into the low speed circuit which is very lean. As a last resort you can richen the screws,

Sometimes, it a very fine line between to high a idle and hanging.....you need to find the sweet spot.

Always turn your bars full lock to lock to be sure there is no change when adjusting carbs or cable.
jeff

 

OR

Like so many other recently acquired, long neglected 30 year old bikes it probably needs the carbs cleaned and serviced, and the valves adjusted so the carbs can be properly adjusted afterward.

You might want to read this: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=24010.html

 

Thanks guys im gonna go check it out and get back with you.... Im getting lots of good advice on these forums thanks so much guys!!

 

I went out there and started with what I halfway know (carbs).... I recleaned them the correct way as i know it and it seems that they where gunked up so bad i had to have my idle screw set to high for the bike to idle ok... I took it for a test run and the rpms dont hang up when i let off the throttle and she purrs when im sitting at a stop light.. I think my carbs still need a little syncing up but from what I understand I need to make sure my valves are adjusted to be able to do it correctly and that looks kinda tough so I will try to get some know how before I get into that... Once again thanks for your time guys

 

How many miles on the bike? Don't put off the valves too long you could end up damaging the motor. They tighten up with mileage, neglect won't make them not go out of spec.

The how-to's are here: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=14827.html

and Part Deux: http://xjbikes.com/Forums/viewtopic/t=29209.html

This is something you'll need to learn to do; it needs to be done every 5000 miles.

 

And it's really not that hard. Pull off two covers, turn a wrench and slide in a measurement tool. Take notes.

The tool only sounds hard because it's hard to explain; when you find the ones that need to be changed from the last step, you just bolt it down in place, and turn a wrench, and pop it out with a pick or screwdriver (or magnet, if you don't feel like heeding bigfitz' warning but trust the manual--at your own risk).

Really, it's not that bad.