Varnish inside Tappet Cover??

Hi Guys,
This is my first post & I hope it's not a stupid question.
I'm trying to get a 84 XJ750RL back on the road.
Thank god for this site because it's so much help.
Having the usual carby issues but I'm working my way through them with your help.
I've cleaned the carbies & checked the valve clearances.
I am ordering some new shims, gaskets & colourtune from chacal today.
My question is this:
On the inside of the tappet cover, there seems to be a covering of varnish (like what was in the carbies).
It comes off with a spray of carby cleaner & a rub with a rag, but should I be concerned it was there to start with.
When I bought the bike a few months ago it hadn't been running for a couple of years & there was a good couple of litres of fuel in the oil.

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Tim

 

Paraffin oil in the past?

 

No Idea!!!
Not sure if that's a common product here in Oz???
PO wasn't big on info when I purchased it.
I was thinking it might have been from fuel in the oil but I might be on the wrong track...hence the question.

 

That "varnish-looking" stain is nasty result of residue from oil that had severely broken down or had been contaminated with fuel.

It is proof-positive of PO irresponsibility and neglect.

The signature of all too "infrequent" oil changes. Typical of an indifferent PO who regarded the Bike as a toy, didn't care unless it didn't start, and whose collection of tools was fingernail clippers and a coke spoon.

 

Sounds NASTY!!!
Is there anything extra I need to do to clean this "gunk" from the engine besides change the oil every 500k's or so for the next little while once I get it on the road?
What long term problems should I keep an eye out for?

 

Spray the Cover clean with Carb Cleaner.
Use a Bubble Syringe to evacuate the Cam Galleries and look for any evidence that there is any crud around the Valve Buckets.

Get a few quarts of Wet Clutch Safe 10W/40.
Get some SEA FOAM.
See how much Sea Foam to add to the Oil for a Crankcase / Oil Passages flush.
Put the Sea Foam in with the 10-40 and run the Bike until warmed-up good.
On the Center Stand.
Keep the rpms below 3000.

Drain the Flush Fill.
Change the Filter.

Put in Castrol T-4 ~ 20/50 and treat it nice in the future.

 

Thanks Rick, I'll have a look tonight around the buckets.
I didn't notice anything when I was checking the valves.

Is it common for just the inlet valves to need re-shimming?

Is SEA FOAM a brand name of some type of cleaning agent....haven't heard of it down here in Oz.

I will certainly treat it a bit better than the PO (won't be hard).

Tim

 

The ratio of seafoam/oil is 1 ounce to 1 quart. The use of seafoam in the oil is somewhat of a nasty around here. I am sure you will get the usual warnings of dire consequences.
Follow Rick's advice and change the oil again immediately. Then follow with 3-4 regular changes in the 300-500k's range, and you should be able to get that motor cleaned out good.

My personal preference for oil is valvoline 20/50 motorcycle oil

Ghost

 

Thanks Ghost.
I live in Australia & haven't seen anything called "seafoam", is it a powder or a liquid?
What am I looking for?

Cheers,

Tim

 

http://www.seafoamsales.com/motor-treatment.html

I tried looking to see if there was anything in your direction, but they only list US and Canadian auto parts stores. After poking around your local White Pages website, I noticed a place called Burson Automotive which looks like the typical parts stores you'd see here. Perhaps you could swing by there and see what they've got.

 

When I was looking for seafoam, I found it is only available in the US/Canada.

 

Forget the Sea Foam.
Evacuate the Cam Galleries and around the Buckets with a Bubble Syringe.
Jack the Engine over by hand.
If the Buckets look excessively stained or surrounded with crud, ... Shoot some GUNK Degreaser into a jar and apply it to the Buckets with a 1/2 Inch Paint Brush.

Suck out the Degreaser with the Bubble Syringe.

A couple of Oil and Filter Changes should make it crud free.

(( Be sure to CLEAN the "Guts" of the Oil Filter Bolt. Theres a Spring and Ball bearing Check Valve that might need attention if the Oil was filthy. ))

 

Hi Guys,

Thanks for the input.
I checked the buckets, etc. last night & the whole valve train is covered in a film of slime/sludge.
I will take your advice Rick & attack it with some degreaser & a paint brush.
I have a bit of time while I'm waiting for my parts to arrive (GREAT service from Chacal!!! He's the best!!).
I'll ask at some of the auto stores around here to see what they recommend for the clean up of the engine.
I'll let you know what I find.

Tim

 

Make a "Large Economy Sized" Fluid Separating Jug.

You need a Big Jug and 2-Long Hoses.

The "Long" Hose extending way down into the Jug is the Hose you use to collect the nasty mess you'll be sucking-out.

The "Short" Hose gets Hooked-up to the Vacuum Hose of a Shop Vac.
Dump the Jar before the level gets high enough to enter the short hose.

 

Nice.....I like it!!!

Rick, you're what we Aussies call an "Ideas Man"!!
Necessity IS the mother of all invention.....

Tim