4 years standing

[scrag]

I have bought a fj1200 registered 1989 which has been stood for the past 4 years in dry storage. I am going to drain and clean the tank and have the carbs cleaned in a sonic bath. Is the anything I should do to the engine before trying to turn it over? I was thinking of putting some engine oil into the top of the cylinders for a few days and the turning over without plugs but not sure if thiswill make matters better or worse? Thanks for any help

[simi_ed]

The oil in the top end won't hurt. Turn it over several times with the plugs out before putting your new spark plugs. I'd also examine the clutch slave cylinder for leaks,  then flush with fresh fluid. The carbies CAN be cleaned with just hot water, spray carb cleaner & compressed air if you have time, skills & tools.  Sooner or later you will have to work on them yourself (unless you're made of $$$/£££) so there's no time like the present. You maybe should consider Randy's SS screw kit, #40 pilot jets and some Uni-pod filters at the same time.
Good luck!  It's not as bad as you may fear.

[FJmonkey]

Check the tank for rust. If you see rust flaking off where the gas did not touch the tank then expect to de-rust and coat it. Otherwise it will clog your fuel filter and leave you stranded with plenty of flue.  As Ed said, checking the clutch slave is a good idea. Once running check all the rubber bits and seal locations for leaks as the rubber may have rotted some from disuse. Your tires are not to be trusted for a proper ride. Plan to change them before you depend on them, new tires are way cheaper than plastic repair and skin grafts. New battery, if the bike is a keeper then consider upgrading to an AGM battery or Li battery. Way better than any standard battery. Make sure you have oil at the proper level, and it does not smell like gas. Check your air filter and air filter box for critters, they seem to love the air box. Blinker fluid, muffler bearings, what else am I missing?

[scrag]

thank you for fast replies. The bike won't be delivered for a couple of weeks so I'm just planning ahead really. I will get a full service kit ready, but should I change the oil and filter before running or just after? Is there a problem with standard airbox or do pod filters jyst make things easier later? What is 'blinker fluid?' The tyres are were brand new when it was parked up, will they still need replacing? Clutch slave cylinder and fluid on the list of things to do now. I use compressed nitrogen for work so I can blow the  carbs through with that :-) what are muffler bearings?
Braided brake lines and R1 caliper have been fitted but pads and fluid will be replaced.

[Capn Ron]

Blinker fluid is only required if your Fetzer valve has been leaking.  Those two, along with muffler bearings are just ways to ferret out how much someone knows about mechanical things (all fictitious).

Oil is cheap, relative to an engine.  I would change out the oil (with Ed's suggestion of turning her over with some in the top of the cylinders), get things running at the basics...good idle, blip test, carb adjust, carb leak through from rust in the tank all sorted out...THEN change the oil again.  Tires are more of an age thing than a tread thing...5-years old and up, the rubber is starting to harden up and will be less sticky when you really need them to be sticky.  Nothing wrong with the stock airbox...If you need to fiddle with the cabs a lot, the Unipods just make that process a LOT easier.  The stock box can be a PITA to get in and out of the frame.  That being said, I'm running the stock airbox and have rebuilt the carburetors at a hotel room while on the road.  It's not *that* difficult.

Cap'n Ron. . .

[red]

thank you for fast replies. The bike won't be delivered for a couple of weeks so I'm just planning ahead really. I will get a full service kit ready, but should I change the oil and filter before running or just after? Is there a problem with standard airbox or do pod filters jyst make things easier later? What is 'blinker fluid?' The tyres are were brand new when it was parked up, will they still need replacing? Clutch slave cylinder and fluid on the list of things to do now. I use compressed nitrogen for work so I can blow the  carbs through with that :-) what are muffler bearings?
Braided brake lines and R1 caliper have been fitted but pads and fluid will be replaced.

Scrag,
Muffler bearings and blinker fluid are joking items which only exist in certain uncertain heads.       I'd say change the oil and oil filter, before running the engine.  If the airbox and air filter do not have resident rodents or other pests, they will do the job for now.   If the tank is not rusty, drain the old fuel and add half a can (half a pint or 250cc) of Seafoam to two gallons (8 L) of the new fuel.  A shot of oil in each cylinder and cranking the engine without the spark plugs installed, would be a good idea.  Then, install the spark plugs.  Let the bike sit for a day, to allow the Seafoam to do its' magic in the carbs, after the engine cranking.  The tyres are marginal, due to age; the FJ is a powerful machine.   Better safe than sorry, there.  Your compressed nitrogen will do excellent duty, in preserving the insides of your new tyres.  A bad (leaking) clutch slave cylinder can be replaced new by you, or rebuilt by a mechanic, for about the same cost either way.  If the leaking is minor, you may be able to ride the bike, just topping off the fluid at times, but the hydraulic fluid is rough on the bodywork, if you allow it to leak for any time.

Cheers,
Red

[Pat Conlon]

I just did this on a old chopper I'm resurrecting (storage for 30 years)
Instead of oil, I used some PB Blaster and soaked the cylinders for two days. Once I freed up the rings then I used some oil. The PB Blaster did a good job unsticking things.

Re: First turning it over...Do NOT use the starter motor.

Instead, with the plugs out,  remove the left side cover, get a socket on the ignition rotor nut and 'gently' in small increments, move the crank back and forth.
If you crank on the starter you can easily break a frozen ring, then you have real problems.

Some starting spray was needed to get the cylinders firing allowing the oil to clear out.

Hope this helps.  Pat

[FJmonkey]

Check the magnet on the drain plug for metal bits when you pull it to change the oil. I would also inspect the old filter exterior then tear it filter open to see if it has metal bits as well. The standard air box is fine, it just takes up room and makes getting to the carbs a real Bitch. UNI dual pods are the way to go, they filter better than K&N and tend to stay on when not over tightened. I would change the tires on the simple fact that the bike sat for 4 years, how old were the tires before it sat? The rubber in the tires have been exposed to the 20% Oxygen in our atmosphere all that time. That breaks down the compounds in the rubber changing its properties. I don't think the changes are in your favor. Its fine for rolling around the shop but I would not trust it if my ass were on it at any riding speed. If you are going to have the carbs off I would change the pilot jets to #40. The #37.5 is a bit lean and they are likely clogged solid. #40 jets made my bike idle with less fuss.

Get the valves checked unless the seller has the last check documented in less that 5000 miles.

Don't worry too much about the blinker fluid, it is rated for the life of the bike.  The muffler bearings are another story. But only the 84/85 years are affected... 

[giantkiller]

I have an 87 that's been crashed since 87. And never turned over for all those years. I too sprayed pb blaster. and let it sit. Then took the cam cover off and put a little oil on each cam lobe. Then turned it over by hand. It didn't have any stick to it at all. Turned over like a well lubed new motor. I love Yamaha's my brother had a Yamaha dirt bike. I went to visit him and took my ATV so we could go riding. He said"I'll have to get it running" I followed him out into the woods behind his shop. there it was leaning up against a tree. He drained the crank case which was full of water ran some oil through it. Put a new plug in it and fresh gas. Rode it all day the next day and put it back out in the woods. Said he didn't have room in his shop for it.

I'll never forget that!

[ribbert]

Lots of advice already given on this subject, while much of it unecessary IMO for a motor that's only sat for a few years, there's no harm to be done.

My only comment would be that I wouldn't bother replacing the oil (and filter) before you start it, unless it is VERY black and very thin. Oil should never be drained cold anyway and in this case all the sludge and contaminents that you want get rid of will be solidified and settled on the bottom and will not drain out.

I'd check that there is sufficient oil in it, fire it up and ride it a 20km's or so without thrashing it THEN change the oil and filter while it's hot.

An engine that was free spinning when laid up, with the exhausts, carbies and plugs fitted and has been store in a relatively dry environment will still be free 70 or 80 years later. Why woudn't it be?
Stuck rings are something you hear a lot more about than you actually see and the external appearance of the bike is generally some sort of indicator of the likelyhood of this.
Oil doesn't evaporate and there will be as much oil covering the critical parts of the motor after 4 years as there would be after 4 days.
Even after all that time it will still get oil pressure faster than is does after a routine filter change because the system is already primed.

If the bike was new to me, I would just establish that it turned over ( I never take the word of a PO for anything and am highly suspicious or any excuse why a running bike won't run, I've heard them all), either with the nut on the end of the crankshaft or put it in top gear and push it forward, as Pat said, do not use the starter until you know it's free, then fire it up. I would only turn it in the direction of rotation.

As I said, no harm done following all the other advice on engine prep but just my 2 cents worth.

Then follow all the other good advice that's been given, especially getting rid of the tyres.

You are going to have a lot of fun on that bike and no doubt become a victim of the slippery slope that modifications leads to.

Noel

[scrag]

I've already been looking at mods, we'll see how we get along first before any of that  thanks guys I think I've got enough to do for now :-) Thinking of the carbs though, might be better to do a full service on them while they're out so how much difference do the #40 jets make?