Well, I was reminded on the weekend I haven't started to document my project, so heres a start. I recently acquired from our friend Doug (Baldy), a bike (100 000 kms) that he had bought a year or so earlier. The previous owner had not looked after it well at all, and I was really only wanting the Givi luggage from it, (detailed here http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=12824.0 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=12824.0)), but Doug being the generous soul we know said keep the whole bike.
So, after looking this poor machine over thoroughly, it was decided that only a full ground up restoration would work. So, first job was to jump onto some near mint plastics found in the US to replace the mismatched ones that came with it, and try to start it. :wacko3: It wouldn't start but did deliver a healthy stream of fuel from one of the overflows. Ok, so carb overhaul was going to be the first job before trying to start this beast. Doug did say the bike had been sitting for a while, and the gummed up carbs/fuel tank would back this up, plus the fuel was pretty off. I haven't pulled apart a set of carbs before, but armed with the files from this site and others, set to it. They are pretty logical things when you look at them, nothing too scary about them at all. After discovering why the slides wouldn't move freely, all small parts were removed and soaked in acetone for a week, mostly worked apart from the emulsion tubes which were clogged solid. At this stage I said if I'm going to do this properley, new kits are going into these carbs. We can't buy any proper "carb dips" here, so a few cans of carb cleaner took care of the external and internal cleaning job.
I'm ordering some carb kits soon, plus a heap of other parts will be needed to do this job properley.
The person Doug bought this bike from had jammed different screws into fairing mounts, bits were missing, the sidecovers, scoops and dovetail I received had been painted a crap faded blue, its going to be a big resto, but I'll just take my time and do it as best I can. The good thing is I have my bike to refer to if I get stuck anywhere during reassembly etc. It will be a long term job, ( up to a year ), but I'm looking forward to it. :biggrin: Heres some piccies to start --
As Doug Bought It.
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/15114_467a63f03fd34c52.jpg)
Home
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16296.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16298.jpg)
These cost a bit, but were worth it.
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16342.jpg)
This syrup used to be fuel
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16818.jpg)
Dirty Carb Teardown
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16819.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16820.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16823.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16826.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16828.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16829.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16830.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16836.jpg)
Starting to look Cleaner
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16838.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FujiF550-16839.jpg)
A small side benefit to having the same model bike is I could possibly donate some parts to the resto bike, and buy myself some nice shiny new bits! :good2:
More to come.................
Looking good, always love to see a bike restored with love and attention to detail. Keep the posts coming...
Hey Ray, I'll swap you a polished screen for that RHS scoop.
Great report. Have you assessed the condition of the motor yet. 100,000km's shouldn't be a problem. I'm surprised at how gunked up the carbies were with our fuel, or is that from the 10% banana juice they blend it with in QL?
Noel
Now that I've started this Mark, I will have to keep going, it will cost a bit to do though. :drinks:
Mmmmm, polished screen Noel, :wacko3: I know what your polished screens look like. Tempting but unfortunately no. However, you can HAVE the faded blue coloured scoop if you want it. It needs repainting, thats why I ordered the other plastics. The motor has done less than my bike, but I still haven't heard it run. First priority is to clean/rebuild the carbs, do a complete oil/filter change, and hopefully get it started. I have been told the shims needed doing, but motor is otherwise good.
Quote from: X-Ray on February 03, 2015, 07:22:58 AM
Tempting but unfortunately no. However, you can HAVE the faded blue coloured scoop if you want it. It needs repainting...
Thanks Ray, but that is the problem I already have, repainting. I dropped my bike a while back and damaged the paintwork on the scoop.
FJ#2 ('93) however needs a RHS scoop in you're serious. I have a photo of Pat's 1100 on my wall that seems to be the paint job I have settled on so colour doesn't matter.
Like yourself, I am doing a similar resto on the second bike.
Unlike yourself, I have not progressed other than to pinch the motor for my bike after it blew a base gasket. It had a 145,000k's on when I fitted it a few years back. It goes like the clappers, uses next to no oil and compressions are good (audio check) It probably has another 30,000+ on it by now.
Noel
Yep, I don't need that scoop Noel. Someone has actually painted directly OVER the original FJ colour, and after I realised there was no way to remove this without damaging the paint underneath, ordered the replacements. (got lucky with a parts wreck overseas).
Hi Ray
will be following this restoration with interest as there are some parts I need to refurb on my FJ.
Are you planning to dip the carb bodies in an ultrasonic bath ? I hear that soda blasting is a good non intrusive method of cleaning up the outer surfaces without leaving any grit or residue that won't wash off with water.
The carb bodies I just cleaned inside and out with the spray after soaking them for a few hours in hot water with dishwashing liquid. Read so many articles on dips and lemon baths etc, but I think these have turned out quite ok. Still have to order the rebuild kits from Motorcycle Spares Warehouse in Vic, our current exchange rates make them too expensive to buy from RPM presently.
There are a few places around I checked out that dip carb bodies for around $80 and do a good job, but I decided to do it myself. :drinks:
Ray
My last prompted me to splash out on soda blast rig and media. (I must keep off ebay :shout:)
BTW -
If the lower belly pan is in reasonable condition and looking for a new home I'm interested..........
Jools
Mmm, the lower belly pan has snapped in 2 places, and I have to repair/paint it to stick on this bike. I'm going to do that with all of the damaged/painted over plastics and try to get them back to something nice, they are a mess. The two scoops have a thick layer of bog smeared over the back of them, they really need some work. :sorry:
Edit: Noel, have you seen this scoop? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/Yamaha-FJ-1200-Right-hand-side-panel-air-scoop/171639293829?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&_trksid=p2050601.c100125.m2672&_trkparms=ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140212104718%26meid%3Dbc3153e3a2824e2fa5d67dde315a4ffe%26pid%3D100125%26clkid%3D3857848129708186319&_qi=RTM2003752 (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/Yamaha-FJ-1200-Right-hand-side-panel-air-scoop/171639293829?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&_trksid=p2050601.c100125.m2672&_trkparms=ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140212104718%26meid%3Dbc3153e3a2824e2fa5d67dde315a4ffe%26pid%3D100125%26clkid%3D3857848129708186319&_qi=RTM2003752)
Ray
good ones seem to be in short supply.
I repaired mine by creating the missing part from an old LC side panel but my armature plastic welding gave way
while I was having all the exhaust woes, and after I had painted it :ireful:
It will give a second chance to do it properly this time.
Quote from: X-Ray on February 05, 2015, 01:19:37 AM
Edit: Noel, have you seen this scoop? http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/Yamaha-FJ-1200-Right-hand-side-panel-air-scoop/171639293829?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&_trksid=p2050601.c100125.m2672&_trkparms=ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140212104718%26meid%3Dbc3153e3a2824e2fa5d67dde315a4ffe%26pid%3D100125%26clkid%3D3857848129708186319&_qi=RTM2003752 (http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/like/Yamaha-FJ-1200-Right-hand-side-panel-air-scoop/171639293829?hlpht=true&ops=true&viphx=1&_trksid=p2050601.c100125.m2672&_trkparms=ao%3D1%26asc%3D20140212104718%26meid%3Dbc3153e3a2824e2fa5d67dde315a4ffe%26pid%3D100125%26clkid%3D3857848129708186319&_qi=RTM2003752)
Thanks for the link Ray, but the close up shows it to be much worse shape than mine and as for FJ#2 that needs one, some bloke in QL promised me one, thanks anyway.
Noel
Wots happening...wots happening.... (popcorn) (popcorn)
Quote from: Timbo-1 on May 08, 2015, 11:18:28 PM
Wots happening...wots happening.... (popcorn) (popcorn)
:rofl:
Unfortunately no progress on the bike so far apart from having the carb kits turn up. I really have to clean out my shed and install some big workbenches to keep things in order. This is going to be a bare frame tear down/rebuild, and I have no room to do it. 20 years worth of "storage" is being moved out over the next few weekends, and then I can get stuck into the resto properly :good2:
Nice big project Ray! Looks like it will be a good education for newbs like me. :good:
Wow, where has the last 3 months gone?? Haven't progressed all that far, but the carbs have been finished, and this weekend got the bike ready to start for the first time since I got it from Doug. The old black oil was drained, new filter and oil went in, and the carbs were remounted. Glad I had my bike at the ready for reference, leave things too long and some things get forgotten. Man, aren't those throttle cables a joy to get back on, flamin heck!
Back to the carbs, so far the liquid electrical tape trick for holes and tears in the diaphrams seems to be working. It seems to become part of the rubber itself and is pretty hard to scratch off. One of the photos shows what I had to do to get the new emulsion tubes back into the bodies, which certainly did not go in as easily as the old ones came out. They were a very tight fit and actually required some solid taps with a hammer to drive home, lining up the locating lug as it went in. Glad these won't have to come out again for a long time. The first day I had the carbs back on and started the bike, (with the battery and Unifilters borrowed from my running FJ), it actually ran, but was spitting a bit back through the carbs, and sounded very rough, I guess it hadn't run in a couple of years.
Today I was thinking that it really should be running a little smoother than it was, and decided to put all the vent hoses back onto the carbs that I had left off, and reinstalled the original airbox/filter. Off came the carbs again with the help of a ratchet strap, (that rubber locating ring in the boots sure grips), hoses replaced, and proceeded to fit the airbox. Again I cursed the design of this damn thing, took 40 mins to get the airbox boots seated correctly around the carb inlets, :ireful:. This time after starting the engine sounded a lot better, no spitting, and the throttle responded quite nicely. Overall its still a long way from a clean bill of health, as the shims definatley need doing, and even though the clutch lever has good pressure, snicking into first gear was more of a *CRUNCH*. Full clutch inspection/service will be done when the engine is removed. Its done as mentioned previously 100 000kms, although how well it has been looked after is unknown. My bike is up to 130 000kms and still purrs along. I'll do a compression test on the Project '92 after the shims are done to check as well. :good2:
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18011.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18014.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18016.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18028.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18029.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18037.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18049.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18051.jpg)
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18054.jpg)
Heres a link to the video of the start up, :yahoo:
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/th_FJ1200%20startup.mp4) (http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/FJ1200%20startup.mp4)
Quote from: X-Ray on June 08, 2015, 08:34:48 AM
.......Man, aren't those throttle cables a joy to get back on, flamin heck!
Ray, for the next time your doing the carbs: This is a recent PM I sent someone.
Quote from: ribbert on April 05, 2015, 08:07:43 AM
The good new is it took less than 60 secs without tools or bad language for both cables, the bad news is trying to explain it so it's clear. I'll have a go.
Jam the butterflies wide open.
Open the throttle fully (at the twist grip) it will stay there because there is no return spring yet, this makes the inner on the return cable longest.
Poke the whole return cable, from the back on the carbies, on the path it will take when hooked up.
You now have oodles of cable poking out the front with lots of slack.
Hook it up with your fingers ( you have bucket loads of slack to do this)
Remove the chock from the butterflies and pull the outer cable onto it's mounting bracket.
The pull cable is easy, hook inner up first and then pull outer into bracket.
Adjust accordingly.
(https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7599/16420821813_03d05bf459_b.jpg)
(https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8712/16853438590_83df43f0e0_b.jpg)
As you can see, I'm not holding anything here and there is plenty of slack
Return cable first, then pull cable.
Both cable inners connected before outers mounted in adjusting bracket.
Probably as clear as mud :biggrin:
If you have any questions or I haven't made something clear, PM me.
Noel
And fit them
before fitting the carbs to the bike.
Noel
Quote from: X-Ray on June 08, 2015, 08:34:48 AM
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18029.jpg)
Ray, the buffing wheels are a new toy aren't they? :dash2:
OK, you've got me on this one, I only polish what I can see!
Noel
Quote from: X-Ray on June 08, 2015, 08:34:48 AM
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18028.jpg)
/quote]
Ray, I hope they're not your prescription lenses to the left of the photo.
Noel
:rofl2: you crack me up Noel. Good tip for the cables, although I did eventually get them fitted before I put the carbs in place, but held the butterflies open with my thumb the whole time :dash1:. I was going to paint the carb tops, but decided to polish them with my new buffing wheel toy things, what fun! :greeting: Can't leave them all grungy and dirty. Ummm yeah, definatley not my normal specs, got them as a sample from work. 3x magnification helps a lot when looking at tiny numbers /parts etc. We sell these for around $1900.00 a set to the professionals.
Quote from: X-Ray on June 08, 2015, 08:34:48 AM
(http://i367.photobucket.com/albums/oo115/raywise_2008/FJ1200%201992%20Restoration/Fuji%20F550-18029.jpg)
For anyone using these buffing wheels, it's not a bad idea to give them a "haircut" when they get like this to get rid of the long strands.
Depending on what you're polishing, they will mark your work and then you've got to polish
those marks out.
Noel
Looking good Ray. Might polish mine next time I have the tankcoff ( then probably clear coat them) have you got noise out of the old girl yet?
Mark