Always check your "NEW" bikes out carefully!

After pulling the carbs on my "new" 1982 xj650 seca I notced a few things while disassembling them.
1. Someone previously pulled apart and lost some bolt(fuel bowls)
2. One intake clamp was missing?
3. One of the carbs was broken and completely missing the cast pieces the float pin slides through(the float was just sitting on the bowl!)
4. One pilot jet had the top sheared off (wrong size flathead used).
This is as far as if gotten today but I'm sure there's more to come..

The lesson here is for owners of "new" bikes, never just assume the bike is ok even if it looks ok from the outside, unless you've done the work yourself. All these things were undetecable without total disassembly so PLEASE CHECK YOUR RIDES OUT CAREFULLY and be safe out there.

 

Beware the Dreaded P.O.:

http://www.xjbikes.com/forums/threads/previous-owner-masterpieces.57929/

 

I think my bike qualifies for this class. I even have no ignition switch(wires neatly twisted together and exposed)!! And coil on my fuses too...I will eventually win this P.O.: battle..
No matter what it takes.

 

Time, money, and an unlimited supply of curse words!

A service manual helps, too..........

 

You never know what you will find. Re-commissioning these old bikes is important to go over all maintenance items and look at everything.

 

I bet " it ran before it was parked".

Heck, I even bet "it ran like new when it was brand new"

 

Know this was an old post, but my bike would not start after sitting for a while.. tank full of stabil/marvel mystery oil... float bowls drained for winter... Off with the carbs removed them another way took manifold boots off with carbs ... put the carbs on the bench 2 bowls were dry as could be full of dirt and other 2 full of jelly .. 2 jets were 120 but centers were 122.5 ??? and just to make my day when I removed boots #1 carb throat was crushed and cracked.. waiting on my ebay parts carbs to arrive... damn POA oh yes the floats were all adjusted different.... boy did it run good though?? so go figure..

 

Not unusual to have odd main jet sizes. I think the centres get more fuel to cool them down as they will normally run hotter..
Good luck with it (whatever 'it' is ..)

 

You're darn lucky that you didn't snap any of the manifold bolts!!!!!!(unless you DID, and aren't 'fessing up)

 

No none of the allen screws snapped off...just bummed i have replace one carb body...i put jb weld on the throat but thought better to put new carb on instead ...all i could see is it snapping off and into the engine...right now it is 7 degrees out and my garage in not heated exept for my propane heater and no propane tank empty . I m not in the mood and need shaft and fuel rail o rings...going to order from Chacal soon