Does this sound okay?

I'm a newb and posting in the XJ Technical forum sounds wrong (at least I didn't post about me running out of gas), so I post here

The bike is new to me, seems in reasonable shape. Starts easily and sounds good after it's warm. But getting to warm, it makes what I'd call a "clanking" sound.

Please have a listen and let me know if you think it's okay. The video starts about 10 seconds after cranking. I should add that at no time during the video did I touch the throttle. Choke is on.

 

it's missing a bit causing the cam chain to slap around

 

Thanks for the reply!

I guess I should start with the basics and replace the spark plugs. Should I do the wires too?

 

new plugs is a good place to start. but before you do, take it for a nice ride little slow, little fast, now change the plugs and check out the old ones to get a idea how the carbs are working now. there's not much riding left this year so don't start anything big you have all winter for that.
the wires don't come out of the coils easily, so put that on hold for now.
if the clanking bothers you, don't warm it up, just start it and ride it. i never warm mine up, it'll get warm faster if it's moving.
look forward to setting the valves and rebuilding the carbs but right now get some riding in.

 

thanks.

taking it for a longer ride is not possible right now (explained below). I have taken for 3km of riding in the near month I've owned it.
I took a picture of the plugs, they don't look great imo. A more spirited ride might help their colour.

I forgot to mention that if the sound is not real bad for the bike, I probably won't worry about it too much.



In B.C. we have an insurance corporation that we have to buy insurance from. They charge insurance based solely on the displacement of the bike. A Ninja 400 is far cheaper to insure than a Kawasaki 440 LTD, makes no sense. However, they have a "collector" class that is the cheapest insurance you can buy (might rival what you pay for insurance though I don't really know atm). So for collector class the bike needs to be pretty and 25 years or older , so that's what I have been spending time on right now. I should have insurance for the bike in 3-4 weeks. Looking forward to that.

 

3 or 4 weeks is December, can you ride in December up there?
first thing to do is get a shop manual for it, somebody here knows where to download one.
then until you can actually ride it you should start at the beginning and make sure it stops.
while your working on that you can read about adjusting the valves
that'll keep you going for a while but if you do things in the right order you get to the end faster

 

Where are you at? I'm on Van Isle.

 

It rains a lot here,and we sometimes get snow, but it also goes to 5 celcius (7 F)

The bike came with the service manual and I've downloaded absolutely everything I can find

I've read a lot about it so far, but I think I'll check them first without a thought of changing first and see how they are

thanks a bunch for the replies!

 

Abbotsford.

 

Nice! I don't make it to the mainland often, but if/when I do we should ride our xj's up the sea to sky.

 

Your plugs look rich to me.

 

^^ agree, either the choke is sticking, or you riding around real slow...
New plugs and caps to start.
Pollock is right, a miss is causing the rattle, possibly from the rich condition.
Have you revved it out yet? It may simply be carboned up a bit.
I learned these bikes like 3000+ RPM even cruising or they get bitchy. Shift between 4500-6000 depending on conditions, if you bog em down too much they'll load up and miss a bit. It's not a car motor...

 

To add, minimum 1000 RPM idle or they'll miss too... 1100 is preferred

 

Has anyone even known of a worn cam chain to break?

 

Yup, and it's not cool with an interference fit engine...

 

Any Kia/Hyundai owner knows you need to change the timing belt every 100,000 km or.. Kapow!

 

Never heard of one failing on a motorcycle but there must have been times it happened. New engine design has electronic valve opening so no timing chain or belt or camshafts necessary. Cannot remember what the engine is called. It uses electromagnetic devices to open and close valves.

 

I'm in Prince George but my daughter and her husband have a place in Abbotsford I keep threatening to visit. If I ever get my XJ finished I'd love to take it down there.

My daughter is actually at UVic doing law so I'll be on the island next year too. Beautiful place to ride.

 

Shoot me a message when you get over here and we'll go for a ride.

 

Sounds like a plan. I look forward to it.