New Member 82 XJ750 project

Hey guys and gals. First off thank you for maintaining these terrific forums. I have been lurking around for a while now while I tinker with an 82 xj750 I picked up. I greatly appreciate the expert advice I find here. Thank you in advance for any help you can provide.

I have a question regarding what I think is a seized engine. So here goes. Hopefully I make sense.

The bike has been sitting for an undetermined amount of time and has some rust (see pictures). I removed the side panels to see what I am working with. This drained most of the oil out of the engine/clutch assembly etc. I adjusted clutch assembly making sure to align the dots and used a torque for tension to spec. The disks/friction plates did not seem worn/warped and there was no sediment.

I am only getting 1 gear and neutral. It is dry though. When I put it in gear only gear I have and try to rock the bike the rear tire skids. In neutral everything spins well. I have been going in through the spark plug holes to use penetrating oil/Marvels mystery/Deisel etc. for a few weeks. I most recently used Kroil which seemed to pass through much faster in 3 of the 4 cylinders. 4th is plugged. I feel like it is making progress because it is draining faster now. I am not sure. The cylinders when filled to overflowing would probably take a week or so to mostly drain. The bike was parked and sat in Southern California so I think it is rust primarily. I do know the owner started it a few years ago. It could have been started dry.. The previous owner did not mention any problems at that time though I am not sure they knew much either. I have to charge the battery before I can resume using the starter. I have not removed the head gasket or tried using the crank shaft bolt (I couldn't find it). I have a few questions. I am very much a novice and probably have not tried all of the things you might think are obvious. This is my first bike.

1. At what point do you just look at replacing an engine?
2. What steps would make sense now?
3. Any last ditch efforts you would try?
4. Where other than Ebay do you look for a replacement motor.
5. What would you search for to find a police engine? I have heard they are interchangeable.

Thank you so much for your invaluable feedback as I do not know anyone that works on bikes and want to learn. Also I am in the South bay Los Angeles area.

 

1st and neutral could be your chain guide has broken and is jaming up the shifter
or that the springs and things are broken you will be looking in the same spot for both problems.

http://www.xjcd.org/emergency_guidectomy

crank shaft bolt location ... when sitting on the bike down by your left foot is a engine side cover they say Yamaha yics its that square nut looking thing you can see it in your pictures.

I am going to make a guess here but do you have a repair manual yet??

cl has motors so do parts yards or just buy a parts bike

 

There is a chap, close to me, who got his bike going finally after quite a long rebuild process and the primary drive chain (hivo) had rusted up so badly that it basically mangled up and seized everything after breaking into bits when he went for a ride around the block.
I hate to be a negative nelly... but damn that alternator looks like its had a whole HEAP of water in it.
Not sure how you would get a good look at the chain without a boroscope and/or yanking the sump and oil pump out.
Replacement motors seem to be a luck thing, you are definitely going to have more joy buying a parts bike and/or just pulling your own motor down before outlaying any money.
The police 750 in australia seems to be the same as the normal 750 but with a larger alternator FYI, so definitely interchangeable.
I have to be honest... I love nothing more than pulling an engine out, splitting it putting new bits and pieces in and then re-installing the engine... these XJ engines are good value... good luck!