babaloo01 project.... adventures in ignorance

OK guys,

Frustrating day today. Still f***ing around with my turn signals. Checked the left bulb. Bulb was ok but there was so much corrosion I had to eventally heat it up to get the bulb out. Rebuilt the bulb seat with an o-ring and some putty made sure the contact was there, new bulb, recleaned all the little bits up on the handlebar assembly and it promptly....STILL WON'T WORK!!!!! Did I mention it was working before I moved the horn button to the other side? Oh well guess it's hand signals for a bit.

I sure hope the CD has lots of pics. I am NOT a mechanic! I was looking for the alternator, but all my shop manual mentioned was a genereator. But I recall RickCoMatic mentioning 3 allen heads. So I found those took off that cover and promptly had only a vauge idea what I was looking at generator coil? javascript:emoticon('post',%20'message',%20'8O')... where are the brush thingys? So put that back together and called it a day.


XJ650 not afraid to take it apart but no idea what to do after that!!!

 

When you pull that cylindrical cap with the three allen bolts, you've got the alternator. (Perhaps yours is a generator, but it doesn't matter.) If the 650 is like the 550, with the cap off, you'll see a brass ring; inside the cap you'll see a little assembly, with two carbon "thingys" sticking out (there's spring loaded). Those are the brushes; they ride on the brass ring and allow electricity to run from the alternator to the battery. I haven't yet changed the brushes, but I'm pretty sure you just pull two screws on the assembly and replace the brushes with new ones.

If you're just checking the brush lenght, then from the end of the brush to where the brush goes into the assembly. You don't need to touch the screws inside of the alternator cap.

 

Thanks SalCycle,

That'll be the first thing I do.....Wait make that the second. Took the bike out for a quick spin this morning and it left me stranded about 5 miles from home. It was a long hot walk! (98 today) It was running fine until I down shifted for a stop and it just sputttered out and died. Let it sit for a few minutes and got it started up again, got up to the stop and same thing, it died when I down shifted to stop. Carb problem? Alternator problem? General piece of @**!!##@@@@!!!!! problem? :evil: Beats me. I'll try to pick it up later tonight when I can hitch a ride. I've only put about 80 miles on it since I got it. It had a full tank, so it shouldn't be empty yet. When I first got it it was running good and started right up. AFTER I changed the oil I started having starting issues! Go figure. Other than that I've upgraded the fuse box and addded a bottle of seafoam to the tank.

 

Topping my list of possibilities is the float valves, one or more could be sticking and starving the bike for fuel. Try to run the SeaFoam really heavy into the carbs and let them sit overnight with this concoction in the system. Add more fuel to thin out the mixture in the morning and fire it up.
Last resort is pulling the carbs and cleaning them.
You sure your tank filter isn't dorked? Have you pulled the petcock? Is it sound? Just some more thoughts off the top of my head.

 

Hi Robert,

Thanks for the thoughts. I stopped by tonight and couldn't get it started at all. Looks like I'll have to get a trailer tomorrow. Is there any way to get seafoam to the carbs/ float valves without the bike running?

 

Not without the float valves operational or disassembling the carbs. The valves wouldn't let the mixture into the system unless they feel the fuel level fall and given that I suspect they are stuck closed, nothing will get past them very easily. While you may be able to just let it set for a spell and work it's way into the carbs (a very likely scenario given you get enough fuel to fire it up again after a while), I guess it is best to let it do it's thing in your driveway and not out in the boonies. Best I can suggest at this point is to tap the carb bowls with a bit of spirit and a plastic handle off of something (screwdriver, hammer, what ever falls easily to hand and will reach). Do Not use metal unless you don't really care about appearances and can live with the dings that will result.

 

Re: babaloo01 project.... still stuck!

Hey everyone,

So I just got back from trying to get my bike running again this afternoon. Still can't get it to turn over. Poured in a can of seafoam and I'm going to let it sit. I figure there's about a total of 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cans of seafoam in about 1 1/2 gallons of gas. Is it possible to put too much seafoam in?! If I can get it back tonight I'll try tapping the bowls with somthing plactic. Then perhaps after that I'll bang my head against the wall for a while..... As always ANY suggestions would be helpful!

Thanks all

xj650 Maximus stuckus in the boonies.

 

you need to get that seafoam in the carbs....

you might try this little trick - pull the plugs (one at a time), shoot a small amount of B12 chemtool in each of the cylinders, put plugs back in... see if she fires up.. maybe just long enough to cycle the seafoam into the carbs.

 

oh... another thing, if your bowl drain screws are not stripped out, put your petcock on PRI, back the screws out on the bowls for a few seconds and let some of that seafoamed gas circulate through. It will be messy...

 

Hey stereomind thanks for the ideas, I'll give that a shot tomorrow! I've also found another problem but it should be an easy fix. My alternator brushes are indeed tooooooooo short. One is 7mm and the other barely 10 so I'm ordering those tonight if I can find 'em. If RickCoMatic is right that alone may fix all that's wrong in the world!

 

Hey if anybody needs brushes I found them in stock here

http://www.motorcycleproshop.com/acc/ri ... trical.asp

part number CRB1. A set of 2 will run a bit less than $25.00 (14.95 plus S&H)

 

Hummmm.... looks like I've got some shopping to do when I get to Sacramento....

 

Hey all,

Well, I backed out the bowl drain screws and let it sit for a night. Still no start. So I repeated, thought maybe I didn't get any seafoam in there. Also changed the plugs. It will almost start on the first try, after that it doesn't really seem to catch. I'm going to get some B12 chemtool and try that today and after reading several posts, check my petcock vacum line and make sure it's not screwy. And pull and check the petcock per Roberts earlier suggestion. Waiting for the alternator brushes before I break down and try cleaning the carbs as I have no expeience other than oil change type maintanence... Well, guess I can just follow RickCoMatics card cleaning post and hope for the best.

 

Yo everybody!

So after a bit of B12 chemtool (thanks stereomind) I finally got the beast fired up! Sure enough a fair amount of white smoke started coming out. Not the thick fog barrier I was expecting but still white smoke. So now I'm letting the seafoam sit over night and crossing my fingers that I can put off the carb overhall until this winter! I also got my turn signal working again! Turns out it was a broken solder joint, so the new ones kinda ugly but it's working!!! Also got my new aluminium starter and horn buttons sweet! Hey I got a spare button and 2 springs if anybody needs 'em. Later.

 

Mike's XS site sells the plastic replacement buttons for cheap if anyone wants to go that route. I'm interested in the aluminum simply from a sense of curiosity about appearance and life span. Do they last? Corrosion issues? How much for a button?

 

Re: babaloo01 project.... still stuck!

Yes it is possible to put to much seafoam in the tank. Too much seafoam will foul the plugs. If you get to Colorado Springs, bring your carbs and some carb cleaner, look me up and we will tear into those carbs for you. We can set float levels and benck sync those babies for you. Probably take an afternoon and a few beers.

 

Hey everybody,
So still no luck starting the stupid thing...guess it's carb cleaning time. Oh well, had to learn sometime. Robert (and anyone else interested) here's the link to the buttons. It was 11.99 for a set of 2, a buck extra for springs then S&H, my total was $16.11 for 2.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... 0138101766

If I can figure out how to attach a pic I'll upload one of the buttons installed.

Samsr it would be awsome if you could help me out. My biggest problem right now is time. If I can free some time up and you're still open to the idea I'll contact you.