XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz (Solved)

I had posted this in a response to another thread ( http://xjbikes.com/Forums/posting/mode= ... 00907.html ) but rather than hijack that one further, I brought it here:

Here's one for you guys:

In the brochure pic below, there are at least three things that should be attended to before riding the "brochure bike."

One is obvious; one not so much, and one will probably only be spotted by fellow 550 owners.

What are they?

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

-Brake lever is too high, it is striking the underside of the footpeg and may not fully disengage. Adjustment needed.
-It would appear that the #1 cylinder plug cap is not fully seated. Check for tightness.
-It would appear the clutch cable is out of adjustment, as well but I am not certain on this one.

I actually had this brochure, as well as a poster showing a canadian spec 550 Maxim up until last year when I finally accepted the fact that it had been almost ten years since I sold my 82 XJ550 and it was time to move on. Now I wish I hadn't binned them.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Put a bolt in the YICS passage, or someones passage.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Hank got one; the "less obvious" one. The brake lever is indeed way too high; the adjustment spec is for the top of the lever to be 20mm BELOW the top edge of the footpeg. Good spotting.

Spark plug wire is fine (mine all look the same from that angle) and no missing bolts.

Two to go.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

What about the oil level? Is that kinda low?

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

*BINGO* It sure is.

That is the "obvious" one. XJ owners know to run their oil level right at the top, with just a little bubble showing. The bike in the pic must be vertical, or no oil would be showing, so...

If it were mine, I'd definitely add some oil before heading out. Good catch.

One to go. And to be fair, this one will probably only be spotted by 550 owners that have experienced it. <clue>

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

VALVE CLEARANCES!!!

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Eh, I got spoiled on my Ducati's, their sight glass stays half full. Thats right, I compared this to a Ducati.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

are the cylinders numbered opposite on ducati's too?

CN

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Ducatis are V-Twins. Less math.

The answer is something that any 550 owner needs to be aware of. And since this one's not easy, I'll tell you that it's something that you have already been dealing with... :?

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Is it the heat shield on the carbs? I thought the 550 maxims didn't have those...

Came up recently, otherwise I'd have no guesses...

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

don't know what the book says but the clutch arm is in the wrong place

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

This thread sprang from that one; I originally posted it there but didn't want to hijack the guy's thread and no that's not it.

And it's not valve clearances; one would assume the brochure bike to have less than 3000 miles on it. Apparently zero miles when that picture was taken, because in the "action shots" (with a rider) in the same brochure, they've got the rear brake adjusted correctly.

The biggest clue is that it's 550 specific. Hmm...

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Clutch arm is set a little tight; but that's not it. Although you're getting warm... getting warm... getting warm...

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Lacuca pointed out what was said on the other thread about no heat shield on the maxims' carbs. They came out only on the secas.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Fitz, I see on one of your 550's there is a sliver sleeve on the clutch cable where it is routed after the arm. Is that shield supposed to do something besides avoid rubbing on the engine (maybe getting hot), at this point I am guessing since I don't have a 550.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

got the oil level one ,right off. did'nt notice the brake pedal, but is it the clutch cable resting on the engine, could burn through the outer?
stu :wink: :?

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

*DING*DING*DING* Bob, tell that man what he's won! Getting warmer indeed. Eco beat you to it though.

The clutch cable is hard against the top of the end of the crankcase. You can see that it is curved over it even; it's definitely touching.

IT WILL MELT.

The little silver sleeve you noticed on my bike is heat-resistant tape, put there AFTER the sheath started to melt but BEFORE the big dummy (me) realized that all I needed to do was tweak the little cable bracket up a couple mm and the cable would stay clear of touching the case. (I figured it out by looking at my other bike, don't say it.) I left the tape because the sheath was already melted slightly. I'll replace it with black heat shrink eventually.

Good spotting, Dragon Warrior. You really are a natural at this stuff.

Want a real hoot? Here is the "action pic" from the brochure; if you look closely it appears as though the cable sheath is already melting and they may have even shoved something in between it and the case for the photo shoot.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Is it just me or is there no inline fuel filter in that pic?

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

You're right, there isn't.

Yamaha didn't install inline filters; they trusted that silly nylon thing in the tank.

Inline fuel filters are an enthusiast's improvement. Yamaha never outwardly admitted to the problem of rust in the gas tanks, they just threw band-aid after band-aid at the problem.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

"Official" Answers to the Quiz:

1- Low oil level.

2- Rear brake pedal adjusted way too high.

3- Clutch cable pressing against top of crankcase, where it will melt.

Ummm... Look closely at the "quiz" pic. See the shield? This is one of those rare cases where chacal slipped up; he trusted the parts fiche. The heat shields came on the Maxims too; at least beginning with the '82 model year from what I can tell. The fiche says different but it is known to be wrong in some cases.

It was pulling up the brochure pic with the heat shield that started this when I noticed all of the things wrong with the bike in the brochure.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

I'm getting pretty good at staring at this things since that is all I have done to mine lately (and sadly). Having a child and trying to work on a bike (or two) has been a bigger challenge than I ever thought.

I am even considering options (pay with one bike to get the other one fixed) or something. It's sad that all I've learned is good for nothing when you have no time for wrenching.

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

Which is why my 650 is taking even longer than yours. "Life 101."

And what you've learned is not "good for nothing." You're young yet and will still have plenty of time for motorcycles. You're building your experience encyclopedia.

You got two out of three and you don't even own a 550 yet. Your XJ-Fu is strong, Dragon Warrior. Be patient and do not despair.

The Master is pleased. You have done well this day. Now go change a diaper (hey I raised 5 kids, two all on my own.)

 

Those cases are not so rare! Fitz is being too generous. A new year's resolution of sorts, I suppose?

On the other hand........I've never had nor seen (outside of the brochures) a set of Maxim carbs that had the heat shield on them. Not a one. And we've had probably 50+ sets of 550 carbs in the shop over the years.

 

Is it just me or are there no clamps on either side of the boots holding the carbs??

 

Neat little quiz there Fitz. I like learning all the little differences across the xj models. Wasn't aware there were so many things that were specific to the 550's.
So what was Yamaha's reason for the difference in the design of the clutch cover and routing the clutch cable this way on the 550 and not under the tank like other models. And why did they put the heat shield only on the 550? Did they figure people would sustain a higher RPM on the smaller displacement engine, resulting in higher temperatures?

 

Not sure if they are the original carbs that came with the bike YET. These carbs came with my max which I've owned for about 10yrs. The heat shield on the max 550 carbs.


Jim

 

Like I said, I too have a rack o'carbs that came off a 550 Maxim, as identified by the jetting and needles, and they have the shield.

 

So does the throwout shaft being straight up and down have anything to do with it being chain driven? If so maybe that's why they changed the design on the shafties. Or perhaps because of the less constricted space in the larger bikes and it was more aesthetically pleasing.
It's hard to tell what the Japanese engineers from 30 years ago were thinking. Like why they went from disk brakes on the rear of the XS to drums on the XJ (aside from the 900 and 1100 of course). Did they figure it'd be lower maintenance, or maybe cheaper to build?

 

This is how I exercise my XJ-Fu, go on Craigslist, look at descriptions and play "find the difference" between description and pictures or find what might be wrong with the bike.

Here is a good example:
https://nashville.craigslist.org/mcy/4264603037.html

The guy is the original owner and he says that his bike is in great condition, except for the fact that he removed the plastic air box. He didn't even bother to put pods on anything, you can see blue pipes so that engine is running lean, who knows if he has serviced the valves but with 19K my bet is he has not and does not care about the blue pipes. He also replaced the fuel line from the pet-rooster to the carbs with a clear hose which to me looks weird (and he didn't bother to add an inline filter). Oh well, good luck getting that much for the bike and then I bet we will see this bike back for sale in a few months because it does not run

 

Very good. That thing is well on its way to a couple of holed pistons.

 

ahh, eco' you bet me to it, your post wasn't there when I composed mine (honest)
laptop froze whilst posting, :roll:
well done
stu

 

Re: XJ Maintenance Challenge Quiz

You raised two kids on your own?? Dude, I thought you had XJ-fu skills, that is a whole different ball game. I have an awesome wife and only one little one that takes most of our time.

I can't even imagine raise one by myself so that really gives me hope that I will be able to raise my child and work on the seca at some point.