Reinstalling the airbox from velocity stacks

Hello all and thanks in advance.

I am brand new to my 1982 XJ550r seca and am loving the bike so far. I bought the bike for $800 which I consider a steal.

The previous owners made some cafe mods, which I like, except for the velocity stacks. Visually it looks cool put practical? No, from what I've read up on.

I found an oem airbox on ebay and it should be arriving soon. Mind you, I'm not the most mechanically inclined but I'm far from helpless. The biggest factor working against me is time and tools.

I know that whoever did the mods must have rejetted and adjusted the carbs. So as to revert back to the airbox I'll probably have to do the same. Which in the end is fine as I am also dealing with a difficult cold start at the moment, mornings are typically in the mid 30's. If takes some cranks and often a few snorts of starter fluid.

I feel like for the life of the bike, taking it do a shop for the work to be preformed would be the safe route. Also, because I'm sure the valve clearances should be checked cause I have no clue when or if those have been done.

I will mention that the bike once warm seems to run just fine. I've only run through one tank, which I had added some seafoam (current tank I have added startron), and got about 37MPG.

Again, thanks for any advice or suggestions, and i hope to continue to have a lot of fun on this bike.

 

The right way to put it back in is... Yes remove the engine! Argh.
It slips right in that way.
The less hard but still pretty hard way to do it is,
Remove tank, carbs anything at all that is in the way, remove the airbox cover, maybe heat the box up to make it softer... And wiggle that sucker in.

Good times. I've done it. I did crack the box a little bit as I should've heated it up maybe.

Still, your right the bike does look nice. Not good for longevity having no filtration though, let alone the whole tuning thing.

Just realised it's a 550, I did it on a 750. Maybe wait for a 550 guy to reply.

 

On the plus side you have no driveshaft so the motor is easier to remove.

 

Hard to start?
If you pull the carbs off to put the airbox in, remove the bowls and check the little passage at the bottom of each bowl to verify the enrichment will work for all cylinders.
Jump to 2:20 from this video

 

OK, here's what I know..

1) Is it a Seca? Forks and wheels suggest it's a Maxim with a Seca tank. Does it matter? Nah not really as long as the airboxes are the same - which I'm not sure about.

2) I've heard but not done - airbox installation with engine in can be easier if you rock/pivot the motor forward by removing some of the mount bolts.

3) Unless you have a very trusted shop I would do all the work your sellf. Also do yourself a favour and get soem new airbox rubbers if toou can . Old hard ones will
make carb install a right bitch.

 

"Also do yourself a favour and get soem new airbox rubbers if toou can"

A100, you talking about the rubber boots between air box and the intake to carbs? Those are not cheap or easy to get I thought? If it was me, I'd be re using what I had unless they were really bad.

 

Yep. You're probably right about availability. 'Washing' with diluted wintergreen oil will soften but you have to be careful with the strength of the solution else they 'melt'.

 

heat gun or some people will dunk in hot or boiling water. I use heat gun and keep moving it around so I don't burn anything.

 

Agree get new rubber boots for airbox...xj4ever has replacements .