xj550 82' Maxim 4 cylinder, only 2 running

I just bought a 1982 Yamaha Xj550 Maxim and I am having a few problems with it. The previous owner left gas in the tank for god knows how long and let it sit in the rain.

At first I loaded it up with gas, got a new battery and started it. It ran on full choke and died when I let down on it. After that, I noticed fuel spraying out the bottom whenever I would get it running. I cleaned out the carbs a little bit and the fuel problem stopped.

Well, got it running but only on full choke again. Felt the tubes coming from the pistons and the left two (facing the bike) were blazing while the right two I could grab on to and only felt slightly warm. Bike would not idle for love or money. All the sparkplugs fire.

I don't have an air filter yet, should be coming in the mail soon. Tried using foam in various thicknesses and compressions, nothing.

This seems more like the right two carbs are not getting enough fuel. I took the carbs out and am going to give it a hell of a scrub down tomorrow. Any tips?

If this doesn't work what do you guys think the problem may be? Anyone experianced this?

P.S. the battery doesn't seem to be getting charged while the bike is running. Is the rectifier prone to problems?

Thanks in advance, nik

 

Your carbs are filthy dirty inside and perhaps other problems. The starter jet in the bowl is probably clogged shut. The carbs need to be completely rebuilt. Doing it halfway will only prolong your misery and frustration!

Check the alternator brushes and make sure that they are not below their wear limit (they have 'wear bars" scribed into them so you can tell when they're ready to be changed). Scrub the commutator while you're in there with 1000 grit paper or 0000 steel or brass wool. Check the resistance of the charging circuit with a multi-meter and make sure it's within spec. Make sure the battery will actually hold a charge, and isn't wasted internally.......

 

I'd put a new set of sparkplugs in too.

 

Incidently, the CV carbs do not like running without an airfilter. They just hate it. Get a filter on there straight away and watch your throttle response and idle step into line. Welcome to the fold by the way.

 

Ok, the electrical problems were fixed by locating a short in the headlight circuit. It was a PO thing, not wear and tear.

The side cylinders fire now but not as well as the other side. The left side has normal exaust while the right side has a lot less and a lot of putting when i guess a cylinder kicks in.

The carbs were rebuilt. Should I try seafoam?

 

>The previous owner left gas in the tank for god knows how long and let it sit >in the rain.

My 750 Seca was like that. I had to clean the carbs about 9 times before I ever got it running good. Just one or two times won't do it. In the Hitachi carbs there are hidden emulsion jets down underneath the pilot jets that are a bitch to get clean since they won't come out.

 

Invest in a Rubber Ear Canal Flushing Syringe.

You put the tube of the Carb Cleaner in the Syringe ... Get some Carb Cleaner in the Syringe ... and, use the Syringe to "Power Flush" the Pilot Jet, Pilot AIR, Pilot Mixture and Main AIR Passages.

Using the Syringe's Squeeze function ... you can blow-out the passages.
Using the Syringe's suction power ... you can dislodge foreign matter by squeezing and suction ... followed by an evacuation and cleaning of the Syringe's Carb Cleaner ... reloading it with fresh, clean Carb Cleaner and doing a final flush-out.

Works GREAT on the Start Circuit thin, brass Siphon Tube ... because the tube fits inside the nozzle end of the Syringe.