Resurrecting the 750!

Spent some more time on the 750 today. If it was made of mostly dirt and neglect before, it's now made of mostly bike and neglect. I've said it before and I'll say it again: When you buy a strange bike, the first thing you should do is CLEAN IT.

Under all that dirt, I found some strange wiring, stiff and broken rubber mounts for relays, no air filter whatsoever... and some amazingly shiny exhaust pipes, along with a bike that actually looks halfway decent! Hooked up a damaged battery (still provides 12V, but can't crank an engine) and got the tail light to light up! Yay!

Nothing else - and I mean NOTHING - works yet, though, including the brake light switches, unfortunately. It looks salvageable so far, but chacal is going to make a lot of money, I think.

Since my training is mainly in computers, I tend to go for the electrical stuff first. The head light doesn't come on, even though the light works (when connected directly to a battery), and the fuse has been bypassed. According to the wiring diagram, the headlight is actually hard-wired into the Atari I found just above the handlebars.

Does that computer have a bypass built in, or does it have to work for the bike to be usable, or is there a testing procedure to test through it? Basically, I don't want to waste a bunch of time testing continuity of tons of wiring only to find out that the computer is bad and there's no way to get a new one.

 

Headlight ONLY comes on when bike is started, not the key. In fact I have to give my bike a quick 'rev' after its started and then it turns on. You will have to wait until she's running to tell if your relays are working alright. That's the only way I know to test, but someone will correct me if I am wrong, I am sure.

 

The headlight is fused in the headlight bucket w/ a 5 amp fuse. Pop in there and make sure it is intact.
Your bike can be made to run without the computer but I don't have my schematic on hand to tell you specifics.
Worst case you replace it with an aftermarket unit (no too difficult if you have some electrical savy).

 

my headlight comes on as soon as i turn the key to on, then goes off when the starter button is pushed, this is a xj750j

 

Polock, yup. XJ750J here as well. Still no headlight because...

...computer is definitely fried. Pulled the instrument cluster off, checked all the bulbs (none burnt) and pulled the computer. Computer is definitely fried; you can see the scorch marks on it.

Are these nigh impossible to get? Or just expensive? I'm good with electrical work, and the Haynes manual has a decent schematic. Would I be better off just bypassing it? What do I lose (other than the various warning LEDs) by doing so?

Incidentally, I did find and check the fuse in the headlight shell. It's good. Checked all the diodes in the rectifier yesterday (all good).

Somewhere on the list to do soon is to pull the plugs to make sure they CAN be pulled, spray some fogging oil in the cylinders, and let that soak in. Also want to pull the exhaust (except the headers) so I can try to find the oil leak. Also intend to pull the starter motor and alternator cover for examination. I've removed the starter before, but never actually done the renovations to it. Hopefully, it will just need some cleaning and lubing. Also need to give the steering head a quick push/pull/side/side check for worn bearings.

 

Got distracted poking around trying to improve my tool set, which for me includes a shop manual for the 750. Bought some parts to make better testing leads for my shiny new multimeter, all the better to test relays and wiring.

Didn't get a chance to mess with the 750 itself much. Started figuring out how to remove the airbox and carbs, which are probably filthy. There is a lot of mud (not just dirt, CHUNKS of MUD) in the airbox. Apparently, I just pull the rear fender, pull some bolts, and it comes out backwards. Kind of a pain, but not THAT bad, really.

If this thing is ever going to run again, everything on it will need to be lubed. I think it sat in either an outside shed, or just plain outside for a long time. There are remains of climbing plants in strange places in the engine. Been clearing those out as I find them, along with the spider nests.

Hopefully, some more progress tomorrow. Been trying not to let this project pull me too much away from the 650, which isn't entirely finished yet either.

 

I faced the same situation with my 750 find. It was leaned-up against a Pine tree. Bug cocoons, tree sap, weeds, flat tires and a completely outside for a long time look about it that made ne want to part it out, make a few bucks and forget it.

Two years later and its all painted, polished and running like an Atomic Clock!
It's so much fun my 900 got parked in the back of the garage and covered-up for three seasons.

As I put the Carbs back on the 900,, tonight, from Cleaning and Race Prepping those Big Mikunis ... the 900 could see a lot of weekend action.

Funny thing about thaht 900 ... it always ran good until I forgot to pull the Drain Screws leading to why the Carbs came off her this week.
The Original Brass Plugs covering the Pilot Screws are in the trash can.

I'm going to tune the 900 so damn nicie that who ever comes to buyingn it after it gets on eBay nest Month will want to ride it home.
I wish I could havge a set of those Big Mik's on my Maxim.

But, I do have a 900 Engine in a box getting all rebuilt real nice.
Maybe this winter I'll have to figure-out a way to put that 900 Engine in the Maxim and make it go!

 

Okay, came up with a couple of questions. First of all, how do I get the airbox off? I loosened the bolts that hold it in place, and I was able to break it loose from the carbs by slackening the clamps on the boots, but do I have to remove the carbs to actually get the airbox out?

Secondly, for those of you who replaced your fuse panels, what sort of connectors did you use? I got the female ends to mate with the blade connectors on the replacement box, but the heat shrink ends make the new connectors so long that there isn't enough slack in the wiring to actually plug into the panel. Did you guys splice in extra line, or bend the heat shrink portion while it was still hot, or what?

This bike remains something of an enigma. I pulled one of the plugs, and it was extremely fouled, but still wet. Hopefully, that means that the critical engine parts have remained lubed enough to still function. Wiring and plug boots seem supple. Throttle/choke/clutch cables are very stiff, though, found lots of spiders, there's the computer problem, and you just KNOW that the entire fuel system is full of varnish. The tires are almost entirely rot, and the brakes are a nightmare. Pulled the stator cover, and it's PRISTINE in there.

See? Wierd. Anyway, any advice on the above issues is appreciated.

 

Without bending or prying, I couldn't get the airbox out of a '82 Seca 750 parts bike (which will go in my '81 Seca 750 to replace the pods).
I've heard you have to remove the engine!!! I didn't try removing the rear fender.
One guy here removed his without a problem, but he might have a 550 ???
I can cut my frame, but that won't help me during the install.

 

solder the wires to the new fuse panel, less resistance and more room
take all the cables off, poke the end thru the corner of a baggie, tape the baggie tightly to the cable outer sheath, hook the baggie to the ceiling and put some ATF in it, and a rag under it, let it hang till the oil makes its way thru
keep it up till the cable works free
or just buy new ones

 

Soldering always sounds like a good idea, until you try it. I did some soldering the other night building myself some custom cables for my multimeter (LONG, and with mini-alligator clips). P.I.T.A! Used about three times as much solder as necessary, and even that was with all the manoeuvering room I could ask for. Trying to solder on the bike with those tight tolerances would be crazy.

I likely need more practice, but in the meantime, I was really hoping to use these heat shrink ends, since they'll at least make a good, tight connection...

ATF = Automatic Transmission Fluid? I don't have any of that, but it sounds like that idea would work with cable lube or some other not-ridiculously-volatile lube (NOT WD-40).

That would suck if I can't get the airbox out. It badly needs a cleaning to the extent that it would have been FAR easier to do OFF the bike. <sigh>

I thought about taking it backwards through the fender, but the 750 airbox flares at the front, so it can't move backwards. I thought about removing the battery box and other plastic along with the carbs for maximum room, but thought I'd ask here first for tips. MOST of the time, if you're working at something that hard, you're doing it wrong. Both of the airboxes have been removed from my 650s, but I don't know if they were just destroyed in the process.

Thanks for the advice, guys. I'll be tearing it down some more today.

 

I have taken the Atari off my Seca and what a job it was getting everything working again. It wasn't broken, just didnt suit the style of the bike with all the mods I have done to it.

 

I soldered Pigtails to the new Fuse Panel on both sides and positioned the new Fuse Panel before splicing the wires to the wiring harness. Once I had the lengths needed for a nice fit. I wrapped the wires with tape some ... soldered the Pigtails up ... heat shrinked them ... then, taped 'em the rest of the way.

I made it look like the Fuse Panel came with the bike.

 

Okay, some successes and some stuff to do later.

Successes:

Aired up my compressor and blew a lot of crap out from around the plug wires. Might be able to pull them now without getting crud in the chambers. Blew a lot of other junk out from all over the bike. Should make it easier to work on.

Pulled and tested the rear brake switch (works).

Got the starter motor loose, but didn't pull it, since I'm not quite ready to work on it yet, and didn't want to allow crud to get in where the gears mesh. Power connector is pretty corroded...

Re-assembled the instrument cluster. Still doesn't work, but it means that I can claim I know how to do it and that I won't lose parts while I'm searching for replacements. We'll call that "success" for today.


Stuff To Do Later (much more):

Still haven't managed to get the connectors on the fuse panel the way I want, and I despise soldering. Did find out that I CAN bend the heat-shrink connectors the way I want... before my torch quit working. Insert many expletives here.

Tried to remove the right side engine faceplate (what's under there?) and was able to break three of the stuck bolts loose, but haven't quite gotten the fourth. May have to break down and get an impact driver.

Tried to remove the after-market highway pegs (ugly and in my way), but space is getting too cramped to properly get at them. Need to do some rearranging in the garage. Did find all the bolts and correct wrench sizes for that, though. Hopefully won't screw up the engine mounts getting those off.

Attempted to pull the battery box as a prelude to an attempt on the air cleaner case, but after much arguing with the wiring harness discovered that I'll probably have to remove the rear wheel first. The idea now is, rear wheel, then battery box (out the back), then carbs, then air cleaner case. The air cleaner case MAY come out forward if the carbs and battery box are removed first for maximum clearance. May also have to remove the starter motor (which is fine) and the side covers from the air cleaner case.

I note with some amusement that neither the shop manual nor the Haynes manual give any indication of how the air cleaner case should be removed. They just tell you how to replace the filter. I'm tempted to just cut it out and put pod filters on it, like the 650, but I don't know enough about carb jetting to get that right, at least not yet. Something to think about.

 

Ha! First things first, I always say. Took the torch back with the intention of returning it. The guy there adjusted the fuel flow so that it actually works properly and showed me how to do it. Brought it back and got the heat-shrink connectors on the way I want...

...and they reach! I'm attaching them such that once the shrink material has, well, shrunk, I bend the wire while it's still pliable so the connector makes a 90 degree turn. That way, it doesn't add 3/4" of width on each side to the whole array, and all the leads will reach! Yay!

Only done the headlights so far, but plan to do the others tonight. I'll replace the fuse panel on the 650 when I know whether or not the 750 is going to be a viable bike. No point in buying a second fuse block only to junk the bike...

 

your torch quit ? good golly man i thought you were a computer guy, quit using plumbers tools, no wonder your having a hard time
atf is automatic transmission fluid, a quart is cheaper than cable lube, follow up with motor oil and those cables are lubed for a long long time
somebody you know needs some atf anyhow
once you get the carbs off, put plastic bags over the intakes, plugup any holes
push it outside and give it a bath, wash out the airbox and theres no need to remove it
keep the coils tci and regulator dry, and the motor sealed up and engine cleaner and garden hose it up
thats the first thing i do to a fixer upper

 

Make a 70% Solution of DAWN Dish Washing Soap and Grease Cutter.
Spray Bottle.
Spray the whole Bike and hit the nooks and crannies.
Let the Dawn work.
Keep spraying it on the heavy soil.
Rinse.
Re-apply a 2nd coat of Dawn ...
Keep it moist and spray it directly on oil and grease.
15 Minutes
Rinse.

You should have a clean bike to work on now.

 

Didn't get to working on fuses. Will tackle that tomorrow, I suppose.

Plumber's tools. Ha! Well, it's working well now. I've never been any good at soldering. There's something about it I just don't seem to "get". No good at welding either, though I'm GREAT with a cutting torch. Go figure.

I'll work on that motor oil + hanging cable trick. Cables definitely need to come off this bike.

Pulling the air box is mostly an academic exercise, since I may want to replace or remove it at some point. I will pull the carbs and give the rest a bath, though. I'll just pull (or bag) anything electronic first. It's all disconnected already anyway.

Rick, 70% solution? 70/30 Dawn and engine cleaner? 50/50 dawn+cleaner and then THAT in 70/30 mix with water? I have both (and distilled, filtered, and tap water)... and a hose.

Funny thing is, having had the air gun applied to it, plus some plain old wet shop towels, the 750's frame and engine actually look a little better than the 650! Go figure...

Thanks for the advice, guys. Time (and funds) permitting, I may just have this thing operational by the end of the summer! I've been telling my wife "next Spring" though, since she thinks I'm going to spend a fortune fixing it. ;p

 

Sorry Rhys, I have never been able to get my airbox out of the frame without pulling the engine. I've broken one trying.

 

Well, crap. At least I know NOW, before breaking it myself, so thanks.

So how much trouble is re-jetting carbs? Having taken a good look at the pod filters on the 650 and the air box on the 750, I'd kinda like to stick pods on the 750, but I know close to zilch about the way carbs work. Is there a formula one can use involving air flow through the filter, size of the cylinders, etc. to choose the right jets, and then use the mixture screw to tune it, or...?

I'm out of my depth with the carbs, mainly because I don't know any of the *theory* of how they work, other than that they use the vacuum of the engine to suck varying amounts of fuel and air through the jets, mixing both and send them into the engine through the intake valves. I also have a vague understanding that "pilot" jets essentially determine the idle mixture and the "main" jets determine WOT mixture. Jets are the "coarse" adjustment and the mixture screws are the "fine" adjustment. The carbs also need to be closely synced so that one is not providing a significantly different fuel/air volume than the rest (so the individual cylinders contribute close to equal power).

Is that about right? Way off base? Good link to learn theory? I know there are several howtos for cleaning and rebuilding carbs on here that I intend to read, but do they go into the theory as well, or just the "remove this, tighten this, read plugs" part of it? One can't assume that I have chosen the jets correctly.

 

"pilot" jets essentially determine the idle mixture and the "main" jets determine WOT mixture. Jets are the "coarse" adjustment and the mixture screws are the "fine" adjustment.
50% credit for that one, WOT is all on the main jet size on these carbs
overall 80%, could have got 95% but you left out midrange (needle position)
next semester you'll do needle taper and slide cut-away
keep up the good work

 

I'm not going to stop you if you want to go the pods route but if you are not that well versed with carbs, I'd stick with stock until you get some experience on something a little cheaper in terms of parts.

 

Well, I tend to switch between long-term and short-term planning without warning, and given that I'd have to either drop the engine or destroy the air box to get it out, it's likely to stay for the near future.

Also, I have a spare carb rack for the 650, so my plan was to familiarize myself using those, then work on the 750 (since I can't break what doesn't run). Also, the Ninja and CBR not mentioned in my .sig are carbureted, so at the risk of breaking working bikes, I can always pull those off for additional reference material.

I figure that as long as I don't bend, break, shear, twist, or tear anything, the worst I can do is foul plugs and waste gas. Besides, getting the 750 to run AT ALL will be a huge win. Tuning it will be be bonus of this decade!

 

While I'm thinking about testing things (see "CDI" thread), what parts of the electrical system to I actually *need* to get the engine to run?

Will need a good fuse panel with main and ignition fuses intact. Start button, kill switch, starter relay, reg/rect, TCI, coils, plugs, alternator (need to check brushes), starter motor (need to inspect and lube), battery (of course)...

...that's it, right? I may have to hot-wire some things to bypass the missing computer, but that's about it, right? Also don't need various sensors (oil, neutral, clutch, side stand) I don't think, though I'll want to change the oil, put it in neutral, and listen for valves clacking (if the oil pressure doesn't rise)!

Just trying to think of how I can quickly get to just running an ignition test on the engine without spending all summer waiting on guages. If I can get to testing the engine, I can work the engine/carbs and electrical system (and brakes, and suspension) all in parallel. But if the engine is toast, there isn't much point in working on the rest.

 

Not much, but not nothing. Took the TCI from the 750 and put it on the 650. It did, indeed, run kinda rough, but it ran. Took the 650 for a little spin for maybe 30 minutes or so. Nearly got run over twice by idiots in cages.

 

You will need the Main and Ignition and that is it. You don't need lights or anything else. Just make sure the Ignition system (this includes the TCI and voltage regulator) gets the voltage it needs to keep alive and you should be just fine without anything else.

 

Pulled the coils, flasher relay, and cancelling unit from the 750 to test on the 650 tomorrow. About to go peruse the Haynes manual to familiarize myself with the other three relays (one is obviously the starter relay) so I know what they do and can test them on the 650 as well.

Hopefully some real progress on Saturday.

 

Tested the flasher relay and the self-cancelling unit. Also tested the starter cut-out relay. All good. Will test the coils tomorrow.

At least, I *think* I tested the starter cut-out relay. I have come to find out that none of the relays (other than the main starter relay) on the 650 are where they are supposed to be (see other thread), which is making things a little more complicated. I may need to re-run some relay tests.

But for now, it looks like most of the electrical system is a go. I need to remember to run continuity tests on all of the control switches on the clip-ons tomorrow.

Oh yeah. The side stand switch is toast, I think. I'll double-check tomorrow, but if I was testing the right leads, it read 20 Ohms in both positions. I could bypass it, but it should really be fixed at some point.

 

The Relay that controls the Safety Related is a "Special" Relay. It is, in fact, the Safety Relay and NOT configured like a generic power relay.

The Load and Trigger terminals are different from a Power Relay ... so, dont get confused.

Side by side they look like twins.
Power signal in and out ... totally different.

Generic Relay:

+__+
#__#

Safety Relay:

+__#
+__#

If you hook-up a generic Relay where a Safety Relay belongs ... the Safety Circuit becomes a nightmare.

The Bike will not start unless the Shifter is actually in Neutral.
Worse:
The Starter Button will engage the Starter Motor with the Bike IN Gear and the Clutch Lever >> Released!

This is an extremely hazardous condition.
The Bike will lurch forward as the Starter is engaged.

Look at a wiring diagram to see the difference.
This Post is so you know they are diffferent!

 

Sorry, my post wasn't very clear.

The relays are the correct relays and do what they're supposed to do. They're just in the wrong places. Someone has fiddled with the wiring.

For example, the relay mounted below the TCI is supposed to be the side stand relay, right? But if you start the bike and pull that relay, the headlight goes out. This makes sense only because the relay is marked blue. If you then go to where the headlight relay is supposed to be (by the self-cancelling unit), you find an all-black relay (the safety one). Sure enough, if you pull that relay, you have all kinds of problems starting the bike.

The right relays are attached to the right circuits... just mounted in all the wrong places. It's really strange.

I could verify it all completely, except the side stand switch has its leads cut, which makes it more difficult to test the side stand relay (and I have other things to work on yet).

Coil swapping today!

 

Removed the highway pegs. That was tricky, since the lower front engine mount bolts held them on, and the engine dropped about 1/8" when I pulled the bolt on the right side. Took some work to get that back in there.

Removed the right side engine cover. What is supposed to be in there? I found a black seal (looks fine) and a LOT of white powder that looks like corrosion. Only one bolt was *really* stuck, but it came loose with WD-40 and vice grips on the head. Only a few degrees turn with the grips and it came free. Yay! No drilling! I'll replace these bolts anyway...

Tested the coils by putting them on the 650. Turns out that both bikes had the coils on backwards. It doesn't *really* matter, since 1-2-3-4 and 4-3-2-1 ignition is compatible on these bikes, but as a purist, I'll set them up correctly when I swap them back. Coils work like a champ. Kept on firing steadily through 9k RPM.

Tested all of the controls and switches on both handlebars for continuity. All passed. Woo!

Got the remaining fuse connectors replaced and the heat-shrink covering bent so the new fuse panel could be mounted. Looks fantastic! I'll have to get another one of these when the 750 is back in action. The 650 might get envious.

Got a fair amount done today. Need to send some people some money for parts on Monday.

 

Hi There,
I've been attempting to reinstall my newly cleaned carbs and so far have gotten 2 of the four air hoses back on. What I did according to one of the members here, worked by pushing the air hoses back into the box in order to remove the carbs out the left side. No Problem. Getting them back in is a real test of patience. Anyone out there have a technique? I managed to pull hoses forward but having a hard time coaxing them over the carbs. Is there some kind of "persuader" tool or will I need to remove battery & air box too? I'm so close to getting them on my 85 XJMAXIMX700, I love this bike! Had it for 6+ years (33K) Anyone? Help?

 

Do the two Middle ones first. Reach-in the airbox and push-out the Boot and get the two middle carbs done, first.
Greasing the locating channel on the Boot helps to rotate the Boots as they capture the airbox lip and need to be rotated.

Once you have the Middle two done, the outsides are next.
There isn't a lot of room so you have to be ready to put-on the Clamp when the Boot fits over the Carbs.

I make a little "Shoe horn" out of a piece of steel rod. Heat the end and flatten it out to be able to slip the end in between the Boot and the Carb.
You need a short right angle and a flattened-out tip that has been sanded down dull so it wont cut or tear the Rubber Boot.

Wrapping the Boots in a Moist towel and microwaving them for 45-seconds will make them soft and pliable to arrange in the confines of the limited space.

 

Only two things happened with the 750 today... sorta. Got my thread hijacked by a newbie (see above) and found out that my 750 is actually a Maxim, not a Seca.

Ah, well. All knowledge is learning and therefore good. At least I won't be buying parts for the wrong bike!

 

Still a 750 though ... right?

That means you can tune-it into a screamer.
Think of all the fun you'll be having inthe upcoming months.

Dusting a few HOG's off-the-line.
Showing-of your Brake Light to cagers trying to out-gun you.
Not having to spend 50-Bucks to fill-it-up!

Have some fun.
Maxim. Seca.
It's all good!

 

yet

 

Definitely still a 750. 15R means 750 Maxim! This helps explain a lot about why the electrical component diagrams were "all wrong". When I re-check against the right diagrams, I'll bet things match right up!

I need to buy a filter and some oil for it and I think I'm ready for a compression test (though not a running test). Any words of advice before trying it?

It has oil in the crankcase, so it hasn't been completely dry, but that oil has been leaking, and I don't think the engine has actually been turned over since about 2000. My intention is to pull the plugs and spray fogging oil in each of the cylinders and let that sit overnight. Then spray in a little more, remove the timing plate cover, grab hold of that center bolt and turn it counterclockwise a few times to lube the cylinders a bit.

Change the oil, make sure the covers are secure, make sure the starter is secure (it's currently loose), hook up a battery and let 'er rip!

Coils are removed and I don't care about these plugs. I'll connect the tester to each cylinder and let the engine crank until it reads max pressure, then on to the next cylinder. As long as I prep the engine and change the oil (and there isn't anything else horribly wrong with it) it ought to be a proper test, yah?

Wish me luck!

P.S. Rick: "It's all good." You bet it is! The idea of having another running XJ just fires me up!

 

Sounds like you got it all under control.

Rather than Fogging Oil ... I'd use Marvel Mystery Oil.

I'm betting on that bike running.
The Cycle Press said it best in several articles about the legendary XJ Engine.

They actually gave the Engine high praises! They're exact words were:

"Hard to Kill"

 

Finally got back to work on Yamahas today. Removed the fuse box from the 750 so I could put it on the 650, so I'll need to get another of those at some point. (Main fuse on the 750 is a bigger fuse anyway.)

Removed the rear wheel to have a look. The splined hub and inner parts seem to have been sealed well, still greasy, no visible damage. However, the rear axle pinch bolt was so rusty that I want to replace it, and I'll tap out the holes for it just to be sure. Clouds of dust when that was pulled.

When I removed the cover plate for the rear brakes, the brake material on the shoes FELL OUT. Yeah. Those have been sitting for a while. I had intended to replace them on both bikes anyway, so now I have a good reason to learn how!

Pulled the starter moter for examination. I'd like to clean the power terminal - pretty corroded - but the gears are in good shape and it runs fine when power is applied. I was going to take it apart, but since it seems to be fine, I'll leave it as it unless it has problems under load. Remounted.

Pulled the plugs and sprayed some fogging oil in the cylinders. (I should get some Marvel at some point, but I already have the fogging oil.) I decided that since this bike seems to be in decent shape other than the neglect, that I would go ahead and try to turn the engine. Pulled the timing cover and turned the engine over a few times by hand (counter-clockwise). Turns smooth, no grinding or scraping sounds from within. Didn't feel at all like I had to break something loose to make it move. That's a good sign.

It *does* sort of settle into a "notch" at some interval, though. Is that normal, or does that indicate some sort of wear in bearings/shafts/gears? It seems to be about every 2/3 of a turn at the timing plate, though I'm sure the exact amount is different. I know for sure that it isn't exactly every turn or 1/2 turn or 1/x turn at the timing plate, since it doesn't "notch" at the same place on each rotation.

Unless someone warns me differently, based on this post, I think this engine is about ready for a test! Plugs looked pretty black, number 1 and 4 plugs were a little wet, and I still need to at least CLEAN the air box first (no filter yet either), but I can test the compression and see if she'll fire pretty soon! Yay!

 

That hitch in jacking-over the engine is normal. You probably feel the point where all the Cylinders have an open valve.

If its spinning free ... like you say; you might as well see if it's going to go!
It either will ... or, ...
It won't ... or, ...
Try to start but needing Fuel Jets and Passages Cleaned first.

It's fun for me to read these threads about someone bringing a bike back from oblivion.
I know its a time consuming and labor intensive adventure.

But,, it sounds like you got a handle on it and are making good headway.
Keep-up the good work and supplement your Posts with a photo or two so we can see how things look and are shaping up.

 

I think you're right. Upon further inspection, I feel that hitch when the wrench is at about 1:00 and at about 6:00 on every rotation. It's still smooth; I just feel resistance that could very well be the cams opening valves.

Didn't do anything to it today, but took lots of pictures. Will upload them somewhere and post about them later.

 

Got a replacement lid for the air box. Now I need to pull the carbs and clean them. Also need to clean out the air box, change the oil and plugs, and she'll be ready for an engine test fire.

Brakes, tires, guages, mirrors, and some other odds and ends to follow if the engine fires.

Pictures I Mentioned

 

you mean the engine in my maxim is actually Steven Seagal?

 

No. Steven Seagal bought an XJ and has been trying to live up to it ever since.

 

I like your adjustable handlebars, very trick

 

Being a computer guy mysef I would love to see some pics of the project at hand. I am learning as well and have my 82 750 Maxim as my project. I plan on getting some pics up soon so people can see the results of my slow paced modifications and restore.

It definately sounds like you have your work cut out for you, good luck.

 

Link to 750 Pictures

The 650 is starting to come back together as well. I'm trying to get to where I have *fewer* garage projects, which is directly opposed to taking good care of machines, so I guess I'm just doomed.

The 750 project is mainly stalled waiting on a replacement computer for the guage cluster. I don't feel like rewiring all that junk to bypass it, but without it, just about nothing works. Once that's resolved, though, I can put the instruments back on, hook up a battery, and it's ready for an ignition test!

 

FINALLY got to spend some time (and money) on this bad boy again. Funny how a single part can suddenly make things start to come together.

I located a gauge cluster on Drum Hill Cycles for the low, low price of $280. Having had so much great luck with other sources, I went for it.

Gauge cluster came and looked to be in good shape, so I hooked it up (not mounted, just connected), stole the fuse block from the 650 with a 30A main fuse stuck in it, and jumpered the battery from the 650 to the battery leads to the 750...

...and turned the key.

Got lights on the dash! Naturally, the warning cluster is all a mess, but all of the indicators work, all of the blinkers, lights, switches, etc. work, neutral sensor works, starter works!

This is the encouragement I was looking for. I disconnected the jumper cables and put the fuse block back in the 650 (yes, with the 20A fuse), and then got to work on putting the 750 back together. Regulator/rectifier and TCI remounted, plug coils remounted, tank mounted, head lights mounted (mostly).

Left to do soon: Need to replace spark plugs, oil, and oil filter. Need to GET an air filter. Need to put some Seafoam and gasoline in the tank (and test the fuel level sensor). Need to run a compression test on the cylinders. Need a fuse block of its own.

And then we're ready for a test fire! Yay!

Even if the engine runs - which I doubt it will, since I haven't opened up the carbs yet - it'll still be a while before she's street ready. Need new mirrors, rework of both sets of brakes, tires, etc. But if I can get the engine running, this bike is headed for some serious win. I picked up this sucker for $325. If I can make it work for less than $1000, I'll have paid what the thing is really worth.

 

Got oil, oil filter, air filter, spark plugs, and fuse block. Got a new headlight shell on its way (since the old one is cracked).

Going to change the oil and run the compression test today. A true test fire will have to wait until tomorrow, most likely, since there's no fuel in the tank. MAYBE get that done today, children permitting.

 

!$#^*!&*~#$*&!

Well, pulled the drain plug and some fairly clean-looking oil came out. That's good news after sitting for so long. Cleaned some grit off of the plug, which is possibly why it leaked. No seal.

Then I entered the Sixth Ring of Hell: The filter bolt. That sucker is not coming off. I've tried drilling it out, but it really, REALLY doesn't want to budge. Most of the bolt head is missing, and the way this stupid bolt is made, the giant flange gives me tons of mechanical DISadvantage over the thing (that is, if it had a head, which it doesn't).

*sigh*

I'm open to suggestions. How deep does the oil filter bolt go? About an inch in, the drill "popped" inward. A peek in the hole suggests that I've reached a port in the bolt and that there is more further in. Is this correct?

Or do I have a ruined engine? Or do I need to destroy the oil filter HOUSING to prevent damage to the engine and just replace that piece? If so, is the housing the same on the 750 Maxim as the 650 Maxim? I could steal the housing from the parts bike in my basement, if so.

Curses! And things were going so well!