I'm the third owner of a 1985 FJ1100 with 5300 miles!
The second owner picked it up at an estate sale with 1900 miles on it. Did all the work to get it on the road and put roughly a bit over 3000 miles on it.
Sweet! Welcome to the asylum.
Welcome John, you scored! Hope you can join us at a west coast rally.
RPM's shop in Oakdale is only 2 hours away from to you.
Cheers
Pat
Let's ride! Welcome aboard. Let me know when you head out to Oakdale, I'll join you.
Thanks! and the Rally sounds like a plan!!
Although the PO went through the bike once already, I find that she still needs a bit of love. Fork seals and cracked rear brake disc, not too mention the petcock leaks. I'm glad I found this site! It has already proved to be a lifesaver knowing to wire up the petcock.
Tires are good. Brake lines replaced, master cylinders rebuilt, carbs rebuilt, remote oil filter, but she is real cold blooded. Starts right up but takes a long time to warm up. I'll sync the carbs, check for vacuum leaks, fuel levels, compression test, valve check/adjust, etc.
Who's ready for sunshine?
We're in for some rain!
I have a couple of boats on Bethel Island not far from you.
Welcome to the forum :hi:
Nice find on a low mileage FJ :drinks:
Relatively close to RPM is a bonus.
Fred
Welcome to FJ fun house!
You lucky bugger, what a find. If the petcock was leaking, I'd simply replace it. The wiring method is mostly preventative. Yes you can press it back in, but for the few bucks for a new one you can keep the old one repaired and ready for your next FJ :sarcastic:.
Although you seem to know your way around bikes, If I lived close to RPM I'd drop it off there for a once over. With such low k's it barely run in :good2:. Have you checked the tank for rust?
A long time to warm up might be a leak in the intake boots. Just after cold start quickly touch the headers to see if one or more are not quite as hot as the others. If there is a noticeable difference (after accidentally removing your finger prints) then it could point to the cooler cylinders not getting the right mix, and after warming up any small cracks might just close enough to stop the problem.
If you are considering moditis then I'll take any OEM parts you decide to remove :wacko2:, like those nice cans and headers.....just sayin.
Troyskie
btw, that dent in the tank can be repaired, you shouldn't need a new one (unless that is a new tank just in front of the bike :blush:)
John, welcome to the forum. I'm in SF as well. If you have any questions or need help just ask. I'm in the Richmond Dist. Where are you? AS has been stated, riding out to RPM is not too long and Robert is an excellent mechanic. He'll give you beard envy too. :biggrin:
Joe
Thanks for the advice Troyskie. (everyone, thanks for all the advice!!) I learned my way around bikes by getting manuals, tools, and thank goodness for the Internet and forums! I just completed a 89 BMW K100RS. The tank on the floor is the original tank and it's loaded with rust! The one that is on the bike is a replacement and I'm thinking of fixing it and keeping it as a spare. The bike also came with another tank that has a different gas cap, must be a FJ1200 tank. If anyone is interested...
Hi Joe, I live in the Mission District off of 24th & Shotwell. Thanks for the offer! i'll be hitting you up for sure. Currently the bike is downtown at a DIY club, Piston and Chain, on Folsom & 9th. Come on down on Fridays, there's a happy hour open house. BTW, do you have tools & experience with fork seals? RPM is on back order for the fork rod tool.
Thanks,
John
Quote from: jahearne on February 14, 2019, 12:33:01 AM
and cracked rear brake disc...
The stock disks front and rear look like they're cracked by design... the "cracks" wear away on the fronts, but are probably still there too if you look closely enough. You might post a picture of the cracks to be sure, but I doubt you have a problem.
Best regards,
Frank
Quote from: jahearne on February 14, 2019, 12:33:01 AM
the Rally sounds like a plan!!
Look for the 2019 WCR thread to get details... this year's event is at the Bar717 Ranch in Hayfork. You can sign up now and send a deposit (as per Thread), or mull it over and sign up later. Hope to meet you there...
Frank
Quote from: Flynt on February 14, 2019, 09:19:41 AM
Quote from: jahearne on February 14, 2019, 12:33:01 AM
and cracked rear brake disc...
The stock disks front and rear look like they're cracked by design... the "cracks" wear away on the fronts, but are probably still there too if you look closely enough. You might post a picture of the cracks to be sure, but I doubt you have a problem.
Best regards,
Frank
Will do, Thanks Frank!
Quote from: Flynt on February 14, 2019, 09:25:35 AM
Quote from: jahearne on February 14, 2019, 12:33:01 AM
the Rally sounds like a plan!!
Look for the 2019 WCR thread to get details... this year's event is at the Bar717 Ranch in Hayfork. You can sign up now and send a deposit (as per Thread), or mull it over and sign up later. Hope to meet you there...
Frank
It would be great to meet you and see your ultra low mileage FJ.
Fred
Quote from: jahearne on February 14, 2019, 09:05:35 AM
Thanks for the advice Troyskie. (everyone, thanks for all the advice!!) I learned my way around bikes by getting manuals, tools, and thank goodness for the Internet and forums! I just completed a 89 BMW K100RS. The tank on the floor is the original tank and it's loaded with rust! The one that is on the bike is a replacement and I'm thinking of fixing it and keeping it as a spare. The bike also came with another tank that has a different gas cap, must be a FJ1200 tank. If anyone is interested...
Hi Joe, I live in the Mission District off of 24th & Shotwell. Thanks for the offer! i'll be hitting you up for sure. Currently the bike is downtown at a DIY club, Piston and Chain, on Folsom & 9th. Come on down on Fridays, there's a happy hour open house. BTW, do you have tools & experience with fork seals? RPM is on back order for the fork rod tool.
Thanks,
John
Vinegar is a slow but sure way to dissolve rust. Just FYI.
Funny, I just drove past your area today on my way to Lucca Ravioli. Of course you have stocked up since they are closing...right? :biggrin:
I do not have tools for rebuilding the forks. When the FZR needed fork rebuilds I took them to O'Hanlon Motorcycles. They speak old motorcycle. Great place for our vintage rides. 162 Clara St btwn 5th and 4th streets. Open on Saturdays too.
For the FJ, I plan to have Robert rebuild them at RPM. ALready bought the springs, rebuild kit and their fork valves. Other members speak highly of the valves and springs at RPM.
When the weather warms up and is dry, let's hit Hwy 84 and Alice's.
Joe
Quote from: jahearne on February 14, 2019, 09:05:35 AM
Thanks for the advice Troyskie. (everyone, thanks for all the advice!!) I learned my way around bikes by getting manuals, tools, and thank goodness for the Internet and forums! I just completed a 89 BMW K100RS. The tank on the floor is the original tank and it's loaded with rust! The one that is on the bike is a replacement and I'm thinking of fixing it and keeping it as a spare. The bike also came with another tank that has a different gas cap, must be a FJ1200 tank. If anyone is interested... Thanks,
John
John,
You can kill any rust remaining in the tank after shaking with a chain inside, using electrolysis . . .
http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=17720.msg178876#msg178876 (http://www.fjowners.com/index.php?topic=17720.msg178876#msg178876)
.
You know... now that I've looked at that FJ1200 tank I have, and after learning about the problems with the FJ1100 gas caps (not to mention RPM has new FJ1200 gas caps) think I'll just swap out the FJ1200 tank. Although the petcocks are different, the mounting holes and fuel sender appear the same, am I right? Of course I'll preserve the original tank. Thanks for the rust removal tips!
It's a shame Lucca is closing. It's the only place in the City to buy Quilmes beer from Argentina! At least it's retirement and not obscene rents and gentrification that's kicking everyone out. The Mission has changed a lot, the City has changed a lot! I loved the City when I moved here 25+ years ago, of course the City and I were much different back then!! I grew up in Napa and used to get in so much trouble - moved to SF, had twice the fun and law enforcement never batted an eye!!! Now that kids are grown up...
John I'm sooooooooooooooo jealous of your bike. If I had it I would keep the POS leaky, annoying 1100 tank just for the originality of it.
btw-the 1100 tank issues can be fixed. I did to all of mine.
Those brakelines from the caliper to the worthless anti-dive units look much nicer when routed on the inside of the fork slider, like they're supposed to be.
And that doesn't look like the stock fender mounting bolt. Check to see if there's a washer between the fender mounting tab and the fork slider. If not, add one or else the mounting tab will eventually crack.
In the second picture, on the right side, there's a 2-wire connector with a red colored female connector and white male mate. Pull the connection apart and inspect the blades for any sign of corrosion or overheating/melting.
Where's that vacuum line on the second carb going? Looks like it's running to the front of the bike? I see the original line is disconnected from the ignition unit. EDIT: Oh, yeah, a Kalifornika emissions model with the charcoal cannisters. Nevermind. But I don't see the original hose connected to an intake vacuum port?
The brake lines running on the outside just looks like an accident waiting to happen, snag them on something and down you go! What are the chances, but I'll run them on the inside like they're supposed to. Okay, washers and I'll look for original fender bolts, thanks! I have been pulling wire connectors, and there has been some light corrosion. I cleaned them up with contact cleaner and dielectric grease. And I pulled the battery box and removed the intake box to clean up in there. The hoses are just sitting there for now. It will all go back together with new vacuum hoses. I suppose there's no harm in leaving the CA emissions stuff in there. It's kind of a PITA to get to anyways.
I'll be keeping the original tank once it gets cleaned out. The key is hard to turn the one time I put fuel in her. Got a service manual, GYSM, off eBay with english on one side and french on the other. It does have a nice colored fold out four page wiring diagram that will get scanned.
Quote from: Tuned forks on February 16, 2019, 12:25:50 AM
Funny, I just drove past your area today on my way to Lucca Ravioli. Of course you have stocked up since they are closing...right? :biggrin:
Joe
I read this and had to google it. It is unfortunate end to a family business. I read when he sold the parking lot, he got multi millions. Now selling the building he will get many more multi millions and retire in style.
I told my wife last night and we will be taking a trip in the next few weeks to see where the ravioli I have been eating for 45 years was made, get some fresh ones and have that memory.
Randy - RPM
Just had some meat and spinach ravis last night at a dinner party along with their marinara meat sauce. Yuuuummmm. Got some lefties in the refer and more in the freezer. Randy et al, the place is a madhouse on Saturday. Literally packed like sardines and later on the shelves are nearly empty. Arrive first thing in the morning or go during the week. I'm sure John will confirm this. Where have you been buying their product in your area?
Joe
Cool, I met forum member Andyoutandabout in Iselton CA last Sunday. I figured an FJ with RPM sticker had to a member of this forum and sure enough! I was on my Flying Brick. Since Andy's from Napa, you guys have to check out the ravioli and malfatti from Lawler's Liquors in Napa!
I'm down for it, plus there's the store in Vallejo that Troskie recommended for Shepherd's Pie.
Joe
I like pie.
Another chance meeting with an FJ fancier, who would have guessed? There I was in an obscure spot near the Sacramento River when John came over and struck up FJ related conversation. Naturally we went on and on about FJs and I plugged the WCR. I think he is in.
Quote from: andyoutandabout on February 27, 2019, 10:18:40 PM
Another chance meeting with an FJ fancier, who would have guessed? There I was in an obscure spot near the Sacramento River when John came over and struck up FJ related conversation. Naturally we went on and on about FJs and I plugged the WCR. I think he is in.
Small world indeed. If the weather clears up, Andy, the first race weekend is March 16-17 at Sonoma. Stop by if you're "outandabout".
Rick, that sounds like a good time; a day at the races. March 16/17 is pencilled in. How about getting some bikes together and taking the horses for a run?
Quote from: andyoutandabout on February 28, 2019, 08:58:58 AM
Rick, that sounds like a good time; a day at the races. March 16/17 is pencilled in. How about getting some bikes together and taking the horses for a run?
Just say when, and I'll check my schedule.
Quote from: ZOA NOM on February 28, 2019, 09:43:43 AM
Quote from: andyoutandabout on February 28, 2019, 08:58:58 AM
Rick, that sounds like a good time; a day at the races. March 16/17 is pencilled in. How about getting some bikes together and taking the horses for a run?
Just say when, and I'll check my schedule.
Gentlemen,
The snow finally melted so I can get the FJ out after six weeks of hibernation (the FJ - not me). Cylical weather seems to happen about every 10 years or so... strange how global warming works - seems to make things snowy & cold...
Anyway, I just asked my parents & they say I can tag along...!
Midget
You were next on my list...
Wonder if we can get Randy, Robert and Ryan to bring the legends and give us a lap or two?
Actually, if the weather cooperates, we could have a mini rally here in Napa.
Fluff those sleeping bags
What? A sleep-over (Road trip) at Andy's, I am interested... The last one was a real blast.
Quote from: jahearne on February 14, 2019, 09:05:35 AM
Thanks for the advice Troyskie. (everyone, thanks for all the advice!!) I learned my way around bikes by getting manuals, tools, and thank goodness for the Internet and forums! I just completed a 89 BMW K100RS. The tank on the floor is the original tank and it’s loaded with rust! The one that is on the bike is a replacement and I’m thinking of fixing it and keeping it as a spare. The bike also came with another tank that has a different gas cap, must be a FJ1200 tank. If anyone is interested...
I'm just going to throw this out there:
I'm sure some other members here have used this method also in the past but... I had a life changing experience with a tank liner that I try to pass on to everyone I can because I'm still thrilled with the results after three years.
Back story... I have had enough rusty tanks over the years that I have ended up doing the Kreem kit tank liner a few times.
It was a mess and a pain to clean all the loose rust out and sometimes it worked good, but I never ended up keeping the bikes long enough to see how it held up.
HOWEVER... I have a tank that I have had since new, lined it with a Kreem kit years ago right after I bought it to try to make sure rust was never going to be an issue. It has been off a bike and not being used for about 12 years. About 3 years ago I put it back into service only to have the old Kreem liner come loose and plug up my carbs over and over... no matter how much cleaning... it never stopped.
I did NOT want to give up this tank as its one of kind paint job and there was a lot of nostalgia attached to it for me.
I mentioned this to a friend who told me to stop messing around and just get a Caswell kit for it.
He told me that he has repaired tanks that were rusty to the point they had holes in them... LARGE ones... and he said all you do is duct tape the OUTSIDE of the tank for the large holes and continue with the liner process and it makes an new solid indestructible shell inside that will last forever.
OVER THE RUST.
And further... he had used it to repair flaking Kreem liners.
I mentioned it to a local Indian collector/restorer .... who confirmed he used Caswell liners at least 4 times to save some Scout tanks that were complete done for... he said he had one that had holes everywhere and it worked perfectly.
He said he NOW lines old tanks prematurely even before they have started to have rust come lose.
(I don't think he does that on the high end restorations, but I could be wrong)
This guy is VERY PICKY about his work on his Indians... and he is not the kind of guy who would do something like this unless he was EXTREMELY confident in the repair or modification.
I bought a kit, and per instructions removed the large and looser parts of my old Kreem liner by shaking a bunch of drywall screws and acetone around in the tank, but having seen how it works now, I don't think it mattered that much, I probably could have just lined right over top of the flaking and peeling Kreem kit. This stuff is as hard as bowling ball and captures EVERYTHING in the coating... even the one drywall screw that I didn't realize was in there still and is now suspended in the clear liner materiel. :biggrin:
This stuff is amazing.
I can't believe it took me 25 years to hear about it.
My new FJ has a good tank with light surface rust, but I have bought a Caswell kit for it to install next winter for preventative purposes.
If you don't want to mess around with removing ALL the rust and junk and want that tank to be good for the next 100 years... then you might think about this.
My only regret was that I bought a clear kit instead of one of the colored versions like this red version here:
https://www.caswellplating.com/epoxy-gas-tank-sealer/dragons-blood-gas-tank-sealer.html (https://www.caswellplating.com/epoxy-gas-tank-sealer/dragons-blood-gas-tank-sealer.html)
The clear was a little harder to tell if I had rolled the tank over enough and got all the areas covered properly... but... I still managed to do so and I am beyond thrilled with the results.
So much so that I keep the leftover coating that I had mixed up in the bottom of a coffee can so that I can show it off to people and let them try to break it with a hammer... no one has managed so far!
Anyway, just my 2 cents... I couldn't be happier with the results.
One way to remove Kreem is to use MEK (methyl ethyl ketone). The stuff is wicked so you need to use it outdoors and a respirator is a good idea too. Don't get it on anything you want to preserve.
Quote from: FJ_Hooligan on February 17, 2019, 08:48:01 AM
Those brakelines from the caliper to the worthless anti-dive units look much nicer when routed on the inside of the fork slider, like they're supposed to be.
Done
Quote from: ZOA NOM on February 28, 2019, 08:15:02 AM
Quote from: andyoutandabout on February 27, 2019, 10:18:40 PM
Another chance meeting with an FJ fancier, who would have guessed? There I was in an obscure spot near the Sacramento River when John came over and struck up FJ related conversation. Naturally we went on and on about FJs and I plugged the WCR. I think he is in.
Small world indeed. If the weather clears up, Andy, the first race weekend is March 16-17 at Sonoma. Stop by if you're "outandabout".
Bummer, I'm out of town this weekend! And looks like we're in for some good weather for a change. Rain has stopped...
Good to meet you Andy! Look forward to some rides!!