1. Hello Guest. You have limited privileges and you can't "SEARCH" the forums. Please "Log In" or "Sign Up" for additional functionality. Click HERE to proceed.

XJ550 Maxim POD success..... I think!

Discussion in 'XJ Modifications' started by UK550Maxim, May 19, 2014.

  1. UK550Maxim

    UK550Maxim Member

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    I did wonder if this day would ever come and now I REALLY understand why so many people advise against replacing the airbox with pods. By the time I had figured this out however I had chopped the frame and so there was no going back anyway.

    Due to the difficulties of doing this myself and the cost of getting it done for me I elected to make use of a local place to perform dyno testing but they kindly let me swap the jets and change the needle height in between to keep costs to a minimum.

    I now have a the bike running spot on at cruise, slightly rich when fully opening the throttle but not bogging down. Yet to go out on it but the dyno results are good.

    Main jets needed were a lot bigger than I have seen suggested: 145, and the needle was dropped two notches, clip on third from bottom.

    Early days but looking very encouraging :)
     
  2. 4freese

    4freese Member

    Messages:
    75
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    United States
    This is great news. I love a good pod success story. Now if it only stays that way. I am working into the final stages of my build and will be fighting the pods on my 700 soon. It may be a battle royale but I shall be the victor.
     
  3. UK550Maxim

    UK550Maxim Member

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    Thanks :) What are the reasons for thing to change over time?
     
  4. TIMEtoRIDE

    TIMEtoRIDE Active Member

    Messages:
    4,686
    Likes Received:
    10
    Trophy Points:
    38
    Location:
    Clermont FL near Orlando
    Hey UK - we need to see those dyno sheets !!

    and post your mods and results in the "Success Stories" thread -

    POD SUCCESS STORIES

    Why would carbs change their tune, over time??
    Carbs that are not "zestfully" clean can have crud partly blocking the Pilot jet, or the little transfer ports, the crud eventually dissolves and now you run rich.

    The float needle/seat wears, eventually raising the float level - (richer)

    Those nice, expensive POD filters eventually fill with dirt.
    Other than that, carbs should "stay the same", just needing an annual sync and fine-tune.
     
  5. UK550Maxim

    UK550Maxim Member

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    Thanks for explaining, I was wondering if there were things that were specific to having pods that would mean tuning going wayward later on, just the same scenario then.

    The final dyno run wasn't fully captured but I have a slice of the data on Run 4. The other earlier runs give an indication of the effects of the different set ups tried.

    The garage feels that I should be pretty pleased with the results and that going for perfection is perhaps not worth the effort and money especially as it is a hard tail chop so limited in how fast I am going to be going anyway.

    What do you guys think of the results?

    hmmmm.... trouble attching the file, I am being told that max resolution is 500x500 pixels which will mean you can't read it! I can see people posting higher resolution images, how do I do that?!
     
  6. BaldWonder

    BaldWonder Innocent Bystander

    Messages:
    847
    Likes Received:
    158
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Oberlin, OH
    Photobucket works well for hosting.
     
  7. UK550Maxim

    UK550Maxim Member

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
  8. Onetrackstu

    Onetrackstu Member

    Messages:
    160
    Likes Received:
    4
    Trophy Points:
    18
    Location:
    Delray Beach, FL
    im feeling more confident about these pods. I calculated the jet sizes and everything specific to "the Jet size formula" for open 4-1 headers and pods. I'll have to cross my fingers that it actually starts when I take it to get fully synced.
     
  9. UK550Maxim

    UK550Maxim Member

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
  10. paul.hardy

    paul.hardy Member

    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Tasmaina - Australia
    I can understand that you could get a bike to run " successfully" stationary on a dyno but that's not quite the same as it running properly on the road with air swirling around the intakes or PODs when you are traveling at different speed
    and in different wind conditions. I am not knocking guys that persist with POD especial the guys that like to do custom build as PODs look way cooler than an air box. However when you run these bikes with out an air box its just not the fuel are ratio you affect.
     
  11. UK550Maxim

    UK550Maxim Member

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    Well as if predicted by Paul..... the bike doesn't run well on the road :( The plugs are fouling up black really quickly and actually brings the bike to a stop after a couple of blocks. Ran so well on the dyno which I thought was ging to be a better way to jet the bike but now my plans are in the air again. It does run much better without the pods at all so I can see I need to lean out through the jetting and try again....... feeling a bit glum after all that hope.
     
    Jetfixer likes this.
  12. paul.hardy

    paul.hardy Member

    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Tasmaina - Australia
    Hi UK550Maxim I learnt the hard way as well and I actually cut my air box up so I could not go back to it, So I made a sort of an air intake manifold out of 2" PVC pipe and use a single pod on it as a filter and the bike run as good as with the air box. As I kept my bike pretty standard this " Manifold" is hidden behind the side covers so I did not spend too much time making it look pretty.However I have always through you could spend a bit more time and make it look neater and even set it up so that the single pod came out the side of the frame like on harley's if you where doing a custom bike build, I did post some pics on this forum some time ago if you like I can PM you with them they sort show a couple of steps on how I made it.
     
  13. UK550Maxim

    UK550Maxim Member

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    Hi Paul, it would be interesting to see that solution, yes please. I'll try again with the main jets as the Dyno did show it running rich anyway, the shop interpreted it as good enough but I think I should have aimed for a better result. Another problem I notice is that with the pods off, to test a leaner set-up, the plugs were much cleaner but plug no. 1 was really sooted up. Not sure why just one plug would be showing a rich condition?..... Pilot screw?
     
    Jetfixer likes this.
  14. paul.hardy

    paul.hardy Member

    Messages:
    79
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    6
    Location:
    Tasmaina - Australia
    No worries UK550Maxim I will find up the picks. However I think you are still missing the point its not the Jeting alone that affects how the motor runs with pods. very basically on some carbs the throttle cable pulls the slide that contols the main jet directly, so the air pressure in the venture is not that critcal. However in these type of carbs air pressure or vacum in the venture moves the main jet to supply the right amount of fuel, so it is critical that the air pressure in the venturies is stable and constant across all carbs and that is what the air box does. Yamaha obviusly worked this out and thats why these bike have air boxed and not just air filters.
     
  15. UK550Maxim

    UK550Maxim Member

    Messages:
    72
    Likes Received:
    2
    Trophy Points:
    8
    Location:
    Bournemouth UK
    Hi Paul, I found the thread in which you have placed your photos of the pluming tube air box solution. It would be handy to get the tubing specs off you though as I didn't understand the ones mentioned. In the first place though I am going to try to tackle the problem with the airbox boots.

    I did have the turbulence issue on my radar and had postulated that the pods might run better if connected to the stacks from an old airbox. Reading the same thread I see that other people have come to the same conclusion and tested with 'success'. My pods fit the stacks really well. They struggle to squeeze in around the frame but I have managed to get them on in a test (this was pre dyno run testing). Obviously this doesn't mean the carbs share a single air source but may be good enough to overcome the lions share of that issue? It would be more convenient to go that route as I am close on the jetting now and obviously going to a single pod / air filter will mean starting from scratch re jetting. (Jets are not cheap too and I can't return them after a test run).

    What do you think?
     
  16. Bobbers4life

    Bobbers4life New Member

    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Austin mn
    So what was the verdict on your 550 my I can't break 65mph without bogging what did you end up doing to your carbs . Bike looks nice btw
     
    Jetfixer likes this.
  17. Bobbers4life

    Bobbers4life New Member

    Messages:
    11
    Likes Received:
    1
    Trophy Points:
    3
    Location:
    Austin mn
    What wBaldWonder, post: 412459, member: 14220"]Photobucket works well for hosting.[/QUOTE]
    Whatbwas
    What was his end result did he use pods or build a single pod intake ?
     
  18. Jetfixer

    Jetfixer Well-Known Member

    Messages:
    3,173
    Likes Received:
    1,485
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Nothern Indiana
    That is one BIG problems with pods , you say your running 145 main what about pilot? My 750 seca has stock airbox and I'm running a 124 main 41 pilot ( stock 120 main 40 pilot) . for a 550 your main is HUGE hence fowling plugs. Even id it runs ok at idle you might want to go down in size . This is another reason I don't like pods , but this is just me. I hope you have fabricated some type of bracket to support carbs, relying on just the rubber intake boots is asking for cracks . Again others may have more to add and disagree with me , I just know I'm riding and don't have to mess with my carbs, jetting, fouling plugs , adjusting mixture etc . Good luck Cheers
     
  19. Joey5j55

    Joey5j55 New Member

    Messages:
    8
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    1
    Location:
    South Dakota
    Hey Paul I was wondering if you could send me the link of post with the manifold you built so I can get an idea or send me pictures and a little info please if you wouldn't mind thanks
     
  20. XJ550H

    XJ550H Well-Known Member Premium Member

    Messages:
    13,199
    Likes Received:
    3,854
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Great North Woods
    paul has not been here last seen sept 2014. maybe if you start a conversation with him he will answer you
     
    Joey5j55 likes this.

Share This Page