XJ500 "Cafe" Build story :)

I didn't think it had the side stand relay either, because I didn't see any switch where the stand goes, however the relay still exists in the spot that is described. The clutch relay for sure exists. I'll be messing around with it later this evening and see what I come up with. Basically just going to follow all the wires and see what I find. Right now I don't even have the sidestand on, so maybe somehow it actually does have the switch and I just didn't look very carefully.

 

I couldn't see any switch in your original picture. On US bikes it's up by the stand pivot.

 

So quick update. I was messing around trying to find all the relays and switches that could possibly stop the bike from starting. Well then I remembered that when I bought it, a couple times with the guy it wouldn't start. So he put it in 1st gear rolled it back and forth a bit then back to neutral and it started. So I hooked up my rear end and gave it a shot. I finally heard the starter turning some but every so faintly, then I checked my new lithium ion battery and it was completely drained haha. Clearly 96cca isn't enough. So I'm charging the original battery and we will see what happens tomorrow. So does this mean that the neutral switch in the engine/transmission is actually faulty? No idea how to check that.

However, there was another weird thing that happened. Before I got the starter to actually work. I plugged in the headlight, since it's been unplugged for rewiring the new gages, and when I turned the light on and tried to start the bike, it blew a fuse... So no idea why that happened.

 

Hey guys. You've probably seen some of my other post about my '81 XJ500 I'm working on. First build and all. When I was buying it, I noticed there was a couple times the bike wouldn't turnover to start, and the guy put it in first rocked it back and forth then put it back into neutral and it would start. The guy I was with didn't exactly translate to me at the time why he had to do that. Anyway, I've had to do it a few times to, but it seems its getting worse. Do you guys think it's a faulty neutral switch? Also, where the heck is the neutral switch? Maybe I should just replace it, or take it out and it needs cleaned or something. Pics are always helpful

 

The neutral switch is on the oil pan on the left side of the bike, near the gear lever (sort of). Thre is a single sky-blue wire hooked up to it. To rest the switch you can connect the wire to the frame. The curcuit is completed when the wire is grounded, and a faulty (or dirty) switch will prevent the circuit from completing.
If the circuit works when the wire is hooked directly to ground, you can use a solvent added to the oil (Naptha is prefered (about 25 ml per 950 ml of oil, so around 100 ml to a full sump) to help free up any oil sludge that may have accumulated around the switch. The switches do fail mechanically, but that is uncommon.

 

Ok so the indicator works fine. So if the indicator works fine could it still be a mechanical issue? I mean... does this sound like a neutral switch issue or something else? I really have no idea. It’s strange that it doesn’t always happen. And when it does I just have to put it in gear rock it back and forth and then it’ll turnover. But it doesn’t have to be in neutral to turnover. It’ll do it in first as well.

 

If the indicator is working then the switch is working.

I think we need to do some diagnosis treating the starting system and safety interlock system seperately.

Are there any indications of a prior owner making changes or repairs to the wiring?

Does your bike have a sidestand switch? (not all models and years do).

 

No side stand switch. Also took the starter off and took it apart to see what was up. Here are some pics of it. I cleaned it up, and pretty sure I put it all back together the right way. Good news is the starter runs every time I push the button now! Bad news is, its not starting the bike. I checked the plugs for spark, and they are getting little to no spark I just cleaned them the other day before messing with the starter and they were sparking fine. Thoughts? Did I put something back together wrong?

 

Also I realized this has a broken piece. Not sure if it is a huge problem or not.

 

That insulator is quite important, and new ones are included in the rebuild kit (I think they can be bought separately as well).

A cracked or broken insulator for the positive stud can (often will) result in a starter that does nothing and a blown fuse.

 

Thanks Do you think it is also the issue of not pushing enough current to the plugs? Just weird to me that it turns but the plugs suddenly don't get much current. And I'm in Europe at the moment, having a hard time finding a rebuild kit, any ideas?

 

The electricity all comes from the same place, and a starter can grab enough of the juice that there isn't enough left over for the ignition system (it can even keep spark from being made at all). If the battery tests good (load test) then the starter is the next suspect when you have a no/weak spark contition. Keep in mind that a TCI has a lower voltage spark of longer duration than a CDI or points system has, so it will look weak in comparison.

 

Decided I'd go back out and check the sparks again in the dark of the garage. Almost all were sparking except one, so I swapped it out and the bike started up with spray. Ran pretty rough then died out almost immediately. I thought perhaps it wasn't getting enough fuel because I know it was running rich before so I adjusted the air/fuel screws pretty low. So I unscrewed them back out to about 3 turns for all 4 of them. Started up, ran for a little longer with choke and me revving it, but it was putting out black smoke (too rich right?) let it idle for a bit and then it died. I pulled the plugs and sitting on the bike from left to right which I think is 4,3,2,1? Either way, the left two were wet around the plug and and the right two were super black. So I screwed the left two air/fuel screws to just 2 turns out and the right two to 2.5 out. Result was pretty much the same. Just for some info, I changed the main jet size, because of putting pod filters on, from 105 to 115. I never adjusted the pilot jet, although it is a 40 and I have a 42.5 I would like to try, and maybe put the main 105 jets back in. I also lifted the needles up 3 notches (so the highest notch). Maybe I should just drop those back down. Also I did all those carb fuel adjustments before all of my membranes got holes and I repaired them. It wasn't running rich then. Then after I repaired those holes it seemed it was running way too rich. So now that those are repaired I think I just need to start back at stock and go from there. At least now I have a few different main and pilot jets to work with also here are some pics of the plugs after did that air fuel adjustment the second time. In my hand the left two are from the right side of the bike when sitting on it, and the right two are from the left side of the bike. So I think in the pictures the plugs are 1, 2, 3, 4.

 

left to right sitting on bike is 1,2,3,4
have you cleaned out the enrichment wells in the carb bowls and enrichment tubes?

did you soak enrichment plungers in carb cleaner? the plungers have rubber tips and should not be soaked in cleaner. make sure the plungers are closing when you turn off choke.

your 550 should will start and run with out an air box ( you have pods) with normal jets and exhaust removed . this is for getting it running .

what do you have as an exhaust?
why are you using resistor plugs?
are your spark plug caps resistive?.
your plug gap looks wide to me check the gap.


under 2000 rpm the bike runs on pilot jet circuit and choke (enrichment circuit when used)

if it does not run and idle you may not have got every thing clean in those circuits.
did you bench sync the carbs?
did you wet set fuel levels?

are your valves in spec?

you are trying to do to many changes at a time.

first is to get bike running with stock jets. set mixture screws to 2-3/4 turns out from a soft seat.
set your idle, sync the carbs

you should have no problem moving pilot jet up 1 size from stock .

 

main jet sizes (just to 125 there are larger jets and smaller jets)

HCP6900 OEM Mikuni MAIN FUEL JET #105
HCP6901 OEM Mikuni MAIN FUEL JET #107.5
HCP6902 OEM Mikuni MAIN FUEL JET #110
#112.5
HCP6904 OEM Mikuni MAIN FUEL JET #115
HCP6905 OEM Mikuni MAIN FUEL JET #117.5
HCP6906 OEM Mikuni MAIN FUEL JET #120
HCP6908 OEM Mikuni MAIN FUEL JET #125

.
the main jet is the jet that you work on first when happy adjust pilot if it is needed.

you need to buy a color tune to adjust mixture screws and change pilot jets.
you also need to sync carbs build or buy the tool

every thing else is guessing


this link after spec tells how to decide whatmain and pilot jets to start with

http://xjbikes.wikidot.com/carb-specs

 

Thanks for all the info and questions. Yes a lot of these things I have done. Others I haven't. I haven't posted the entirety of the build on here for certain reasons and hesitations I have about forum sites which have alredy proven true on this one. The reason it seems I'm doing too many changes at a time, is because some of the things haven't been posted. Also, there were things that seemed like they were going well and were fine, i.e. the bike was running and even sounded great, and as I got further into the build I discovered I needed to go back and change what I had previously done. Usually because things were adjusted with a flawed piece that I missed, and when that piece was fixed everything needed or needs to be adjusted again. As it is my first time doing any of this, and I'm working with an XJ500 which is slightly different than the xj550 it has also been difficult to find certain info. I won't get into all the reasons why I've changed what I've changed and so on. So there is that.
But, to answer your question about plugs and caps, I just used what was on the bike when I got it and replaced the plug with the same one, as it seemed they weren't a problem. Should they not be resistor plugs?

The next part in this whole process will be putting back the original main jet, dropping the needle back, and upping the pilot jet from 40 to 42.5. Also doing a wet fuel level set. My original jets don't line up with those in the links, because it's an xj500 but I have a parts catalogue so I know the original sizes.

Because I don't post everything I do on here and just bits and pieces, it is harder for you guys to see those gaps in the build. It also doesn't help that when I fix something or figure it out I don't reply back, especially if it was a stupid fix like "battery wasn't charged enough". Thanks again for the replies.

 

Stock mian jet needles do

If the factory-spec plug caps are used then the plugs need to be of the non-resistor type.
If the plug caps are resistorless, then the plugs must be of the resistor type.
Total resistance of the plug cap combo needs to be 5K ohms.

 

if the plug caps are resistor caps you do not need the resistor plugs. non resistor looks like the standard.

I do understand you are working on a 500, 4 cylinder. I do not have a manual for that so I do not offer any sizes on jets or such.
the jetting formula in the link should be the same process for your bike for finding a place to start.
in theory your original size jets should burn lean. with the pods what you will be looking for is proper running at the speed/rpms you like to ride at.

 

And that is what XJ550H means by making too many changes at once. Do exactly one of those changes, test, then evaluate before making another change.

Start back at factory baseline, then go from there.

 

will do. thanks again guys.