Oil everywhere

ok, so i got the bike(82 xj750) and was told that the oil leaked out over the winter(bad floats/petcock led to gas in the oil(suspected reason for leak). finally got around to changeing the oil and petcock and firing it up.....oil/gas started coming out from what looked like the bottom of at least one of the bowls and around the drive shaft? started and sounded ok for the 15secs it was running..... is it even worth my time/money to try and diagnose/fix this or does anyone else want a project/parts? if its not on the road/going to be too expensive id rather see it goto somone here than a craigslist ad. but im starting school in a month and wont have time to deal with anything at that point. ill upload a pic....and try and take some better ones later.

 

How much oil did you put in engine should be about 2.8 qts , it is possible your airbox was filled with oil/gas ( should be dry..pull top cover and filter see if it is wet inside) .

 

It's worth fixing, but only if you stop running the engine untilteh problem is addressed.
Gas in the oil is a direct result of the float needles not sealing, either due to age, or stuck floats.

You need to remove the carbs, and at a minumum replace the float needles, float needle seats, and wet-set the float heights.
Do another oil change after that, along with a new filter. 2500 cc of oil goes in the sump, run it for a bit, then top off using the sight glass.

A leaky petcock alont will not cause fuel to get into the sump, but rebuilding the petcock is advised.

 

Imo sell it if you won't have the time (it'll take longer than a month) or $ (about $1k for parts and tools) to fully recommission it.

Gary H.

 

i would fix it but i dont have a garage, gonna see what my mechanic says it would cost me... rocs where do you get a 1k price tag from? thats outrageous....if i had a garage i could bang it out in a week or 2....cant be as god forsaken as my magna was and to do the carbs on that(got lucky and didnt need any parts) was about 2.5 weeks. i already replaced the petcock with an on off aftermarket option for now.

 

He gets that figure from knowing what it takes to turn a 30+ year old neglected motorcycle back into a reliable daily rider. $1,000 is on the high side though. Typical costs run around $600 to $800.

Consider the cost of tires, brake lines, rebuilding the master and slave cylinders, new pad and shoes, new shims to get the valve clearances in spec, new tires, rebuilding the carbs (throttle shaft seals in particular), potentially replacing the intake boots, rebuilding the starter, replacing the battery, replacing the alternator chain guide before it fails from age, rebuilding the starter clutch, and the list goes on. Some of those things are optional, but all of them will need to be done at some point. Old motorcycles are like any other old peice of machinery; neglected, abused, and in need of refurbishing. You still end up with an inexpensive ride though.

Since yours has luggage and what looks like a Vetter fairing, you'll end up with a bike that is worth a bit more than the typical refurbished Maxim.

 

+1. We can make it run as you described but how reliable will it be? It appears to be a complete bike. If you choose to keep it and continue as a member here you'll see why the recommission estimate is between $600 - $800.

Gary H.

 

i guess i should add that the tires are only 2 years old and only have like 500 on them, it was on the road 2 seasons ago, brakes are good newer batt. im hoping i can find someone to do the carbs for less than an arm and a leg....kills me not being able to do it myself but i dont think itd fit down in my basement and a stone/uneven asphalt driveway isnt the best place to try doing work.

 

You can do the work yourself. I did most of the work on my bike in the driveway. I only brought it in the garage due to rain while I was working on the breaks. And it isn't that hard ... or I wouldn't be able to do it. If you simply don't want to do the carbs, there are folks who will do them for you at a reasonable price. Hogfiddles is known for excellent carb cleaning and is only a few hours away from you. He also holds a carb clinic where you can learn how to properly maintain the bike. I went to my first one this year and learned an amazing amount. If you want to keep the bike and have it run well, you can do so. It is a great looking bike and the luggage is, in my opinion, a fantastic addition.

 

Umm..... you take the carbs off of the machine to work on them.

The brakes can work good, but still have 30+ year old brake lines on them. which is asking for them to suddenly not be good at the least favorable moment. Check the date codes.
Check valve clearances.
Check everything; assume nothing.
TECH TOPIC: The Real Costs of Maintenance
The Information Overload Hour

 

brakes/line are about 5 years old, drained and refilled with oil(not gonna change filter till i know the leaking is fixxed) seems to not be leaking....not gonna run it more than a min or 2 to keep from doing any damage. but it didnt leak this morning.... hoping the floats free up so i can at least get it running... got 2 filters on order and 3 gallons of rotella lined up..... if i can get it running and on the road for the end of the season i have a mechanic that'll do a full rebuild over the winter for cheap. i know the carbs were cleaned and synched/checked by a competant mechanic before it was parked.....anything else specifically i shouls watch for? common electrical or other mechanical issues to watch for?

 

Ditto; assume nothing.
As mentioned you CAN do your own work on these bikes with assistance from people here.

What should also be said is you SHOULD do your own work - that is the only way you know as to what level of proficiency the task(s) have been done to.

 

Everything is covered in The Information Overload Hour link provided above.

 

i prefer to do my own work but wont have the time...I actually just found out that my mechanic is the one who did the last carb cleaning/tune when he worked at a different shop...and he has suggested then that he replace the floats..... so now I guess my question is what's the best way to go about it...I want to replace the gaskets that will be accessible when he does the floats as well but after looking for a bit I'm not sure which parts exactly I'll need.... want to get them ordered asap...

p.s. I read that and enjoyed it thoroughly... if I had the time I would absolutely be doing this myself but I'm working ft and going back to school ft in a few weeks and want to spend any free time I have with my 5yo before he starts school too.

 

The best way to go about it is to walk away from that mechanic. The floats in your carbs are of a design that never requires replacing, ever.

If you need someone to take care of you carbs start a conversation with Hogfiddles.

 

I may have to do just that... he lives close to my parents/where I grew up... first time I've missed my truck in a while.... I just want to get back on the road... I need something to lift my spirits in between soul crushing work and brain frying classes...

 

found an excellent mechanic(family friend pointed me his way) was wondering if these are the right kit/if anyone has any links/sources/additional items to replace. was thinking about pulling the carbs myself but have my car in the driveway with a few issues and that takes priority...damn me and my love of old shit(read:93 volvo wagon with 294 on the dash)

 

Imo order the carb kits from Chacal, find a flat spot in the driveway and pull them. Give the rack to your mechanic and fix your car or send the rack to Hogfiddles and fix your car.

Gary H.

 

definitely going to fix the car in the next few days... couldn't find a good link/price on the ones from chacal... the mechanic is going to do a full run through for me and make sure nothing else needs work. so he's getting the whole beast.

 

No links. Conversations; start one with him and you'll have the parts before other places can even get an order ready to ship.