1982 XJ650 Maxim Build

Ordered from xj4ever, thanks

 

if you blink the parts will be there

 

Just like weeping angels, but with much less murder.

 

While waiting on parts, (Spin-on oil filter adapter, and new plug caps) went ahead and got some more parts dipped. Front fender is removed also and off to my buddies for electrolysis to remove the rust from the underside. I'll coat the bottom to stop the rust and dip it too to match everything else.

IMG_1486 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

So since I'm waiting on engine parts ( Plug boots, spin on filter kit, K&N filter, MAC 4-2 exhaust, and new carb jets) decided I would take the old exhaust off and start going through the front brake and suspension.

Stock rusty exhaust
IMG_1487 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

Pulled the front tire, brakes and forks off
IMG_1488 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr
IMG_1489 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

So I'm trying to disassemble the forks to replace the fork seals and for the life of me I can't compress the top cap at all to allow me to get to the retaining clip to release the cap. Any hits or tip on how to do this part? It looks rusty so I shot some Kroil in there and I'll let it soak for a while. I've tried it off the bike and now I just put the forks back on the bike and removed the handlebars. I saw a post talking about clamping it down but cant figure out how to do that, there's no where in line to get a C-clamp on it. I did remove the air valves as to not damage them.

 

i uuse a block of plywood bolted to the handle bar brackets. I put a bolt in the wood over the tubes to screw down on the cap.

you can epoxy a nut into a hole for the bolt to pass through

 

I was able to get them down and the retaining clips out but the caps didn't come back up

 

I got one of the caps to pop by turning it over and pushing on the spring and the cap popped, the other one doesn't want to budge. It's soaking in kroil hopefully it will loosen up.

I got the first fork apart using the extensions and backwards spark plug socket trick. Got the dust seal and retaining clip out but the seal itself doesn't want to budge, been prying with large flat screwdriver careful not to scratch the inside or hurt the rim of the tube, but it's not wanting to release that way.

 

Those seals get stuck in there pretty good, especially if they are the original ones. They make a flat tool to pop them out but a flat screwdriver works fine and is actually what the shop manual shows. Put something on the edge to protect and give the screwdriver a good bang with a rubber mallet, should pop right out.

Shoot me a PM if you need a copy of the FSM for that bike, I have a PDF copy.

 

Here was @Polock solution to pressing the cap down, might help you break it loose. One of mine was rusted pretty good and was stuck as well.

 

Thanks, I got the seal to pop, larger screwdriver and hitting it with a mallet as opposed to gust prying did the trick.

That looks cool. I was able to depress the caps just by hitting them with a wooden dowel and a hammer, guess there was so much rust they held in place down and i was able to remove the retaining rings. Getting them to pop back up was a challenge with one of them but after soaking in kroil for a hour or so I just flipped it upside down and pushed on the lower leg and the extra force on the spring popped it loose.

 

Got everything apart and cleaned up. Now waiting on seals and oil to put the forks back together. Thanks for the help.
IMG_1490 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

I've been productive the last few nights. Got a few care packages from XJ4Ever, awesome as always chacal. Installed my one size up #112 main jets and #41 pilots in the carbs and got them back onto the bike again. I'm glad I was reading random threads and stumbled across the replacement diaphragms one, and followed the link to the website. I saw a picture that showed the 2 holes in the slide cylinder and said they needed to be towards the engine. I don't remember seeing this anywhere before so when I rebuilt mine they were just all in random spots, well now they are all facing the engine and the discolored spots on the slides all line up with where they were before. What happens if they are not in the correct orientation?

Got the awesome spin on filter kit installed from XJ4ever, had to ditch my jack under the frame in the front so I now have a suspended XJ. Filled it back up with Rotella T 15W-40 and a purolator boss filter.

IMG_1492 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1493 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

And got my new plug caps also from XJ4ever put on

IMG_1494 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

Looking good! Nice to see another XJ getting fixed up and back on the road. I really enjoy riding mine.

 

So I got the exhaust in and installed today. Hooked up my external fuel tank and tried to start it for the first time. The starter button seems a little flakey, sometimes it would make contact and sometimes I hit it and nothing Anyways pulled full choke and once the starter button made contact she fired right up. Probably first time it's run in 7-10 years. Not bad.

New exhaust MAC 4-2

IMG_1496 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

It lives!



Now all I have to do is the running carb synch and then colortune, then put the front end back together and then tear the back end apart and rebuild it, then its road worthy.

 

The exhaust looks sharp!

Starter button might just need a quick disassembly, cleanup and a dab of dielectric grease. Careful, if memory serves me there is a tiny spring in there that likes to sproing to the 'dark corner' of the garage.

 

also the metal holder inside can bend, from thinking pushing it harder will make it work its an easy fix

 

Love that first run up!

 

Fished up dipping the lower forks.

IMG_1500 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

Also got the XJ4Ever replacement fuse box installed.

IMG_1501 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1502 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1503 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

what is dipping?
"Fished up dipping the lower forks."

and what do you do with the fish after?

 

Plasti-dip

 

Fish and dips!

 

Got the bottom of the front fender de-rusted and painted.

IMG_1504 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

Attempted to source new sliver emblems and couldn't find any that fit worth a crap so I decided to re-finish the 1 good stock one I had, turned out pretty good. Also got a OEM emblem for the other side on order from chacal tht will get the same treatment.

Painted all bright silver then taped off the letters and sprayed the background black.

IMG_1505 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1508 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

Also ordered some Emgo superbike bars and have a request into chacal for the rest of the parts needed to do the swap.

 

Nice! Love that you went from "got this old bike, not sure I want to mess with it" to "lets get it back on the road in perfect mechanical shape and enjoy it!" I have the same bike and I can say you're really going to enjoy riding it. I've owned and still have a couple other 4 cyl UJM and the maxim is my favorite.

 

So when I was putting my exhaust on I noticed the previous oil leak on the front of the motor. I'm hoping that this was from the valve cover gasket and not the head gasket. What do you think?

I plan on using some de-greaser and cleaning it up once I get the bike back together and I can roll it outside where I can clean it. Then running a while and see if more oil appears. I replaced the valve cover gasket when I adjusted the clearances.

IMG_1510 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1511 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1512 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

Polished up the front wheel and got the new rotor installed.

 

Leak: looks like the valve cover gasket to me. You plan for confirmation is solid. Dust the cleaned area with talc so you can pinpoint any leaks quickly.

 

Got more work done this evening thanks to care package from XJ4ever.

New bars are mounted,along with new MC, and brake lines.

IMG_1523 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1516 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1515 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1517 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

Then I ran out of parts, waiting on the next package to arrive to finish the bars.

So I moved onto disassembling the rear.

IMG_1522 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

1. Question about the rear as this is my first shaft drive bike. Can I remove the "rear differential" from the drive shaft just by taking out the 4 bolts?

2. Is there a gasket in there that should be replaced? It looks like grease is leaking out where the shaft meets the differential.

3. Also is there anything inside the differential that should be serviced like fluid change?

4. The rear bearing kit included 3 bearings but I believe that I only use 2 of them correct, the 3rd bearing is for a chain bike?

 

1. Yes. The drive shaft may, or may not, have a wir circlip that helps locate it in the rear u-joint socket. If yours has the circlip the driveshaft will likely stay connecte to the U-joint.

2. No gasket at that flange. There is an oil seal (several actually, and an o-ring) on the input side of the final drive that may be leaking, or you could have a leak at the output shaft seal on the engine, which would allow oil to run down into the swingarm tube.

3. Gear oil change would be wise. Otherwise nothing will be needed unless thre is a leaky oil seal, or signs of a bad bearing.

4. The rear wheel has three bearings. Two that stack on the drive-spline side, and one on the brake drum side.

If you have to service the final drive beyond a oil change, you will NEED to have a service manual on hand. There are things that you have to know, and do correctly, which go beyond what I think is reasonable to write up here (and waiting for answers when you have it apart sucks).

 

just a thought your handle bars are painted/coated, make sure that your starter ground has aplace to ground to.it should go back to the 6 pin connector and have a ground to mate to.

it looks like it does in the wiring diagram.


nice HD shirt in the mirror

 

Yeah the start button has a ground wire, it even works not on the bars, I verified it worked when I disassembled it to clean it, it works better now.

 

Still have quite a few of them, even though the HD is gone now.

 

When you replaced the valve cover, make sure to get all new donuts, too.

Also, the '82 should have the ground wire to the right control.......as yours does. The early ones did not

 

Yep, new doughnuts, pain to get installed but they are new.

 

they go on real easy with the little cone tool

 

I just push them on by hand. Warmed up in the sun, and a drop of oil-- they slide right on

 

@MattiThundrrr

 

Mmm. Donuts!

Wait, Dave did what to the donuts?

 

Warmed them in the sun and then put oil on them to make them slippery so he can push it with his hand. . . . .





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taking things out of context could make me a great politician or news reporter!

 

not in on and he didn't need a cone.....

 

While I have the rear end tore apart I decided to re-finish the grab rail. I was just going to paint it but decided to make it shiny instead. I guess there was a clear coat on it before that was coming off so it looked like crap. So I sanded, scuffed, and buffed till I got this.

IMG_1528 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1527 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

 

How'd the install of the MAC exhaust go? My original exhaust looks the same as yours so I've been considering going that route when the tone comes, but have read other have had issues with them not lining up right.

Great work so far, looking forward to seeing the finished product!

 

Install went pretty straight forward, the only figment issue I see is the mufflers are really close to the axle and nut in the back but they clear when secured to the brackets, the mufflers are pretty tight fit into the headers also but that's good for leaks.

 

Got the rear wheel put back on with a new brake shoes, bearings, changed the gear oil in the final drive, and progressive shocks. Also painted the drum cover, the final drive, touched up some rust spots on the swingarm and frame where the swingarm connects, and polished the rim.

IMG_1533 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

IMG_1534 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

Then pulled the headlight off to clean up the wires for my new bars and decided I need to go ahead and order new gauges.

IMG_1540 by Justin Schwab, on Flickr

I believe I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, have the bars and gauges to finish up, clean up and dip the rear fender to match front and tank, fine tuning the carbs, and possibly recover the seat.

 

Justin, your bike is really being refurbed very nicely.
You are either single, or have a VERY understanding spouse, or work at the speed of light because your attention to detail has not gone unnoticed and that can take up a good chunk of time.

 

Yes, that's what separates the men from the boys............

 

Well it's a combination, my wife is understanding to a point ad I believe I'm getting close to it, plus I get most of the painting stuff done while I'm at work. We have a warehouse with a nice exhaust fan in one section so I take my breaks and lunch to go over there and get painting done.

Thanks, I think I can make it look decent but the one eyesore is going to be the finish on the motor. I really didn't want to pull it to blast and re-finish so that's going to be the one spot lacking attention.

 

Need help.

I'm trying to do a running synch on my carbs now and it's not going as easy as I see online in the videos and such.

I have a 4 gauge synchronizer and i have the YICS tool from chacal but I don't seem to be getting anywhere. I got the bike warmed up and running off choke and everything seems to be good. Then I put the YICS tool in and I keep getting different readings. I had to adjust the idle screw to bring it back up as that dropped the idle. I'm getting like 5psi on #2 and 10psi on 1 and I tun the synch screw and the vacuum doesn't change the idle slows down and it wants to stall and I hear little backfiring. I tried going both ways with the screw and can't bring the readings together. Also when I blip the throttle now it kinda hangs and then slowly drops back down.

 

Made some Videos