PROJECT 900

It's home, I think I'll take Fitz's advise & get it running before I sell the 650.

 

wow, that rack killed it.

 

Very cool bike! I love it! I even like the rack. If it were mine I would probably cut the sissy bar down several inches and lean it back so it blends in more with the lines of the bike. But those racks sure are handy.

 

Very first order of business...

Remove that abortion that's hanging off the back of that beautiful bike.
Then melt it down and make toilet parts out of it.

On second thought, never mind. Just scrap it.

I wouldn't even want to take a crap on that hideous thing.

Cool score on the bike though.

Any idea why it's not running?

 

Did it come with the small fairing? I wouldn't worry about the rack too much. Just cut down the sissy bar a ways. I have a small rack on my 900 and they're very handy. I also put mini-stalk signal lights front and back on mine. The stock signals (you appear to still have the stockers on the rear) are big as lunch boxes and twenty times as ugly. I know it's akin to working for Satan as far as some forum members are concerned, but I put airpods on my 900. It had no airbox when I got it. The flasher driving the signal lights also seems to be a weak point on some XJ's. It didn't work on my 650 Maxim either. So I rewired car-type flash units and they work real well on both bikes. Cheap too, about 4 bucks each.

 

That rack... As Mr. Zappa once said: "Do yoseff a favum 'n DON'T USE IT!"

Great looking bike, Wiz. I'm jealous. Now get to polishing!! :mrgreen:

 

Ans:
Rack is history.
It did not come with a fairing.
I intend to fit small turn signal lights.
No compression on 2 pots, I will start to investigate this W/E.
Wiz.

 

Don't trash the rack, sell it.

So many nerds out there willing to buy it haha.

Interesting pipe... wonder how it sounds.
Wonder if they researched what to put on - or just threw some crotch rocket exhaust on.

I dig me the 900's as far as the power/weight ratio goes. But did they ever make a 900 MAXIM?

Not one for the SECA riding position for a daily rider.

 

second order of business:
Move the horns off the forks and put them on the frame above and behind the oil cooler. Get a set off an XJ750.

Third order of business:
Maybe have the right front turn signal aim forward?

:lol:

Provided the engine is salvageable, that's a heck of a find and i'm jealous.

 

Apart from the 4 into 1 (and the "rack") that's pretty damn original.

Nice one :wink:


EDIT: on second look, I'd say those rear shocks aren't original (and a tad too short) - how much space is under the rear wheel when it's on the centrestand??

 

12 mm, what should it be?

 

That sounds about right, but the rear end looks pretty low (like it might bottom out). Maybe the shocks are sagged??
Measure their length eye to eye when it's on the centrestand v's the sidestand. Should be about an inch difference.

 

Nice looking bike...mainly because it looks exactly like mine right down to the black and red color scheme.

I must drop by one day on a weekend when the weather gets out of this cold snap. I had to ride in HAIL a couple of days ago. It's like shotgun pellets hitting your helmet!

Any questions or the need for an additional pair of XJ hands, just let me know and if i can I will assist.

Cheers.

 

Nice looking bike...mainly because it looks exactly like mine right down to the black and red color scheme.

I must drop by one day on a weekend when the weather gets out of this cold snap. I had to ride in HAIL a couple of days ago. It's like shotgun pellets hitting your helmet!

Any questions or the need for an additional pair of XJ hands, just let me know and if i can I will assist.

Cheers.

 

Thanks Red, you can start now
I like the way the elec' equipment is laid out.
Note the original tool kit, but I think I might need it.
Test # 1, shop air to each cylinder, on compression stroke, blows the piston down, exhaust stroke, blows air out the exhaust, inlet valve open, blows it out the airbox, I can't see much wrong with that.
I don't have the comp' results that the vendor carried out & why he said 2 pots had none. :?
Should I replace the valve cover while testing the comp' will I get covered in oil?

 

I spun a 550 over ONCE with the valve cover off. Once. I'll never do that again; I had NO IDEA how much oil is actually up there... (it went everywhere...)

REALLY cool find; I'm jealous too.

The rear does appear to be lower than it ought; US-market bikes had remote-reservoir shocks; I suspect those are aftermarket and shorter than stock.

The turn signals someone put on the front are similar to the ones I put on my '83; they're from the early nineties FZ, FJ and Radians. I got K & S "pattern" units from chacal.

Good strike.

 

Looks like a good start. My rack supports hug the seat line and bolt onto the top shock bolts, that one does hang low, does look daggy. I use mine for commuting so the rack bag lives on it, amazing what you can fit in it. The pipe looks neat, much nicer than mine, probably sounds better to! Was -3 going to work this morning, so i love having a fairing. Whats planned for it?

 

that is one cool looking bike...figures, all the really cool bikes ended up overseas

 

Eye to eye, on centre stand, = 12 1/2"------ on side stand, = 11"
What do you recon?

 

Sounds like the shock springs have sagged, or the springing is too soft. Have a look under the rear guard to see if there's any evidence of the tyre rubbing. Then sit on the bike (maybe 2 up?) and jump up and down to see if it's going to bottom out.

If it doesn't, it will be OK - your rear end will just be a little low.

But it sounds like you could do with some new (possibly heavier sprung) shocks.

 

Hillsy, these shocks are pretty beat up & would need a fair bit of work to bring them back, I would like to fit new aftermarket shocks, as you say stiffer & longer, to sit the back up some, don't know what the options would be, any ideas?
I am going to check the valve gaps now & will post up the figures, then do the compression tests again.

 

Anyone ever put air ride adjustable on the rear of an XJ? That would be real nice on a 900.

 

Here you go:

http://www.ikonsuspension.com/content/a ... tion.shtml

This is the mob that took over Koni shocks (Ikon is an acronym of Koni...clever chaps...)

XJ900 is listed as 7610-1506 - which is 307MM eye to eye. Sounds pretty close to what your current "extended" shocks sit at (but no doubt the new springs will keep the back up).

 

Hi,

I don't have the necessary equipment but when I did an initial compression test on my bike I just left on spark plug in and turned the bike over manually using a spanner on the square end on the timing plate located on the left hand end of the crankshaft. Just undo the four screws, pop the cover off and get the right sized spanner and turn anti-clockwise (i.e. toward the front of the bike if the spanner handle is vertical). If you're feeling resitance then that's compression. It's a start at least. A proper compression test will tell you the numbers and whether anything is really wrong.

Not sure how many miles/kilometres on the clock but I'm guessing that it might need new rings at least. Once you've established it's got good compression and it runs then you could possibly make do with that for a little while however In my view I reckon if you've got the time then I'd take the head off and have a look inside. Are all the pistons OK (mine were fine but were caked in carbon). Are the rings OK (mine looked fine but the bike kept fouling plugs - the rings were not OK at all). I replaced the rings eventually.

I also replaced the bottom gasket and you'll need a new head gasket (it is possible to re-use the head gasket by refurbishing it with copper spray) but either through Yamaha (a new head gasket will cost around $130) or through ebay (a whole gasket SET will cost around the same) might be worth considering.

Any specific issues post them here or send me a PM and I'll see if I can advise.

 

Valve clearance, bad numbers :cry:

1-----IN .006--F255--N250-----EX .006--F280--N270
2-----IN .008--F255--N250-----EX .006--F280--N270
3-----IN .005--F260--N250-----EX .005--F270--N255
4-----IN .005--F260--N250-----EX .008--F265--N255

F = Fitted----------N = Needs

SO: IN1 to EX4---IN2 to EX3---EX3 to EX2

Need new: 3# 250---1# 245---1# 270

Anyone double check for me?

Should be:
IN 0.11 - 0.15
EX 0.16 - 0.20

No point checking the compression again until I sort this lot out.

 

Looks good to me but I'd use all new shims and not swap the old ones over to different pots. #3 exhaust is downright scary.

 

You XJ900 guys, are these bars stock? they have a great feel, retro.
Pic 2 typical XJ fuse box.

 

Those look like Fitz's Euro bars?

 

you can just see the bars on my bike...

they are 2 or 3 piece aluminum. they are adjustable in a couple of different planes...

it certainly looks like your bars are original based on the clamps on the triple tree...

 

I blew out a 900 shock and fitted the air shocks from my 650 Turbo.
They are longer, with the bike on center stand the back tire is barely off the ground. Riding with one dead shock was no fun.

Wizard, your bars and gauges are correct for Australia.

 

What year is your 900? I think there was an unfaired version available, which yours appears to be.

The forks look like they have been replaced with later ones from the 86-88 year model. They are the same as mine, which are non-air, no anti-dive. If you want to get your fork top bolts undone, I can recommend using a 17mm Allen socket driver from an industrial supplies shop. Got my top bolts undone no worries.

The smooth vented front brake discs are on the 83-84 model. The 86 - 88 have slotted non-vented discs.

Was your rack a Ventura or a Gearsak?

 

Railtrolley, the bike is '85, the rack was Gearsak, the plastic coating was coming off, so I recycled it.
Lt, your bars are what is shown in my manual, that is why I asked about mine.
The rear shocks are air assisted.

 

I had a Gearsak on my previous XJ900RK. Sometimes I banged my toe on it while I was swinging a leg over. I'll probably just use a tank bag on this one. Racks are useful, but ugly.

The bars on yours are different from the faired model. Mine has 2 one piece non-adjustable bars bolted straight to the top fork clamp with 10mm Allen bolts. No clamps used.

I'm dismantleing my forks at the moment, which I should be doing now, but it is very cold outside.

 

Fuse box upgraded.
I know I have a 20A in the main, have to get a 30A Monday.

 

Looks like one of these:

MODEL NAME: XJ900N
STREET NAME: 1985 XJ900
MODEL ID CODE: 1FX
FRAME ID: 1FX
SERIAL NUMBER STARTS AT: 000101
NOTE: 891cc engine, no fairing, no anti-dive.


I believe they called these the "Naked" models since there was no fairing, and originally used those style handlebars rather than the "infinitely adjustable" versions as placed on the earlier models.

Use the big 8" headlight, too, it appears.......

 

Wiz; from the closeups, I'll bet a lot of what appears to be rust on the frame, etc., turns out to be crud instead. I see the same color residue on plastic parts and they don't rust.

Super cool bike I'm jealous.

 

Hi wiz,your bars look the same as mine,which is excatly the same.
gheers albear

 

Spot on as usual, Len.
Matching mill & frame #s 1FX 000268.

 

I put 15 lbs of air in there & they measured 12 1/2" on & off the stand, but if I am going to reuse these I need seals, does anyone reconize the make? I can't find a name.

 

Clutch switch refurb', kids don't try this at home

 

Is that a regular clutch switch? Are all XJ clutch switches the same?

 

Some have a round body & some don't have one at all.

 

And some of the round ones pop (snap) in place, and some use a screw.....

 

Update:
Valve shims replaced.
Compression test: W.O.T. & air filter removed.
DRY:
#1-50 PSI
#2-0
#3-110
#4-50
WET:
#1-120
#2-0
#3-200
#4-180.
So: 1---3---4= rings.. 2-valves, yes I did check there was a pistion in there.

 

ok stupid question #1.
what does W.O.T. MEAN,
iam thinking it means without tank?

cheers al bear

 

It's not a stupid question at all. Means - Wide Open Throttle.

 

Having the throttle plate open allows nearly unrestricted airflow in, so the cylinder can get all the air it needs to compress fully.

 

Zero on #2. Really? 8O I'm thinking it might have a blown head gasket as well or a hole in the piston (hopefully not :cry: ) - you should get SOME reading out of a cyl if the valves are close to closing.....

albear - WOT = wide open throttle.

 

Well, as they used to say in the French Revolution, "off with it's head" :cry:

 

the suspense...