1986 FJ tank

[ozzstar]

I recently purchased a 1986 FJ1200 with 12K miles on it. It was basically tucked away in the previous owners garage for almost 13 years and has not been started or ridden in that time. Yesterday, i opened the gas cap and nearly fell over from the fumes of the gasoline. It has turned into a turpentine like smell. There was a lot of corrosion and rust built up directly under the gas cap. It looked liked a yellowish paste and rust powder combo. There was about a 1/4 tank of gas left inside at storage. Since it has been indoors almost all its life the bike is pretty much rust free. I want to fully prep this bike before i even consider pushing the start button and would like any valuable suggestions.

My questions are:

(1) should i just consider replacing the fuel cap with a used one? The rubber seals look pretty brittle under all that gunk

(2)What should i expect when removing/cleaning the carbs? Anything special with the FJ i should be aware of when doing this procedure? While i have everything apart.

(3) Besides flushing ALL of the fluids, what other FJ1200 mechanical things should i check for before bringing this baby back to life?

(4) What other fuel tank model years will be a direct fit/replacement for this bike? And what should i look for with the fuel gauge float and other stuff under the tank like petcock, insulation, etc.

Thanks in advance for your help. I am looking forward to getting this bike up and running.

Ozz

[Arnie]

OzzStar,

1. Probably be cheaper than buying all the bits needed from Yamaha

2. Nothing very special in there.  Check the diaphrams carefully for any holes or cracks, you will probably want to get David Raforth's 'carb kit' which includes the O-rings that mount and seal the float inlet jets, and replace all the hardware with SS allen cap screws.  Check the float needles carefully as the tips may have hardened and no longer seal.

3. It is likely that your clutch slave seals are dry, cracked, rotted and need replacement.  The clutch slave piston may also be rusty and the spring defunct.  Randy at rpm (on this list) has a kit with seals and spring for not much $$.
Check the brake system carefully.  That's a long time sitting.
Tires almost certainly need to be replaced.
Swingarm bearings probably also need to be re-greased (and check all other greased items)

4. I think all year tanks fit, but there are some changes in location and design of cap and petcock setup.  I'm sure others will be able to help you more here.

Cheers,
Arnie   (near Geelong)

[ozzstar]

Since i'm a newbie, where exactly is Randy on the list?  I would like to get the slave rebuild kit, i have zero pressure in the clutch line.....leaky.  Paint is peeled away next to it on the engine.

Look into the carb kits, need (4) so its gonna get pricey i guess :-(

Thanks for your input

Ozz

[McWood]

http://fjowners.com/index.php?topic=69.0

[Dan Filetti]

Since i'm a newbie, where exactly is Randy on the list?  I would like to get the slave rebuild kit, i have zero pressure in the clutch line.....leaky.  Paint is peeled away next to it on the engine.

Look into the carb kits, need (4) so its gonna get pricey i guess :-(

Thanks for your input

Ozz

I think the carb kit, for all 4 is dirt cheap -a few years back it was +/- $14.00 USD or so -Check with David R. -'Old Slow Guy' to see if he is still selling them.  Armed with the kit, a decent sense or mechanical things, the carb clean and re-build kit instructions -some one will point you to them, and a fair bit of time, it's not the worst job in the world, -fairly straight forward in fact.    The $$ is in the intake boots (+/- $100.00) and the diaphragms --not cheap either...

Good luck.

Dan

[ozzstar]

Yeah thanks.  I have plenty of knowledge working on cars and bikes.  I have 2 other bikes (Hondas) and have no problem cleaning out the carbs.  I was just wondering what the deal is with the boots, what to look for. Also the fuel float and the electronic fuel shut off valve.  Not familiar with those, but gonna learn quick.  Great forum here!  Thanks

Ozz

[Dan Filetti]

The intake boots (and diaphrams for that matter) sometimes get old and cracked/ dry rotted and draw in extra air though the cracks making the bike run lean.  It's not hugely common, although on older bikes, especially one that have sat, there is the potential for dry rot...  Best bet is, if there are no obvious cracks, worry about the intake boots second.  Get the bike running first as the easiest test involves starting the bike, and spraying the intake boots with... (WD-40? -someone check me on that) to see if the RPMs rise some when doing so.  If they do, then there is a leak.  The carb rebuild instruction discuss inspecting the diaphrams I think...

Good luck.

Dan