FJ 1200 in the Colorado Rockies

[junkyardroad]

Hello,

I've always been a fan of the FJ, finally I own one.

1989 FJ1200 with 21000 miles. I'll put it on the lift table this weekend for complete checkup.  I have only ridden it 160 miles before cold weather set in. Planning on some new Avons and a paint job, carb syc, gold valves, valve shims, etc.

Hope to learn a lot here.
Scott

[threejagsteve]

Hello, junkyardroad, and welcome!

[racerman_27410]

welcome   friend !


KOokaloo! ( = 2nd gear at 8000 RPM) 


Frank

[higbonzo]

Scott,

Hello and welcome

89 FJ, that has got to be one of the best ones...   

Later, Phil

[junkyardroad]

threejagsteve,
Read your thread with interest about running problems. My bike has only run once in the last 6 years. It absolutely will not idle.  Have run a whole can of Seafoam in a full tank thru it to no avail, so I'll have to pull the carbs too.


I just got done rejuvenating an '86 VN750 Vulcan yesterday, (after 3 months).  I didn't mean to relive the 80's here, but the 80's vintage bikes are coming to me cheap, or free, and broken.

Guess my intervening decades of hot rodding have not been too wasted...

Anybody recommend a brand of paint?  I like PPG Concepts base/clear, but haven't painted plastic, and that stuff is pretty nasty.

I rode my non-idling FJ1200 160 miles today thru the best twisties around here and loved it. The worn out and dry Metzler MEZ2's are slippery and squared off, so the handling was quirky. 

Has anyone tried Racetech Gold Valve emulators?

Thanks for the replies
Scott

[Harvy]

Has anyone tried Racetech Gold Valve emulators?

Thanks for the replies
Scott

Yes Scott, many on the group use them.

Welcome to the group.

Harvy

[threejagsteve]

threejagsteve,
Read your thread with interest about running problems. My bike has only run once in the last 6 years. It absolutely will not idle.  Have run a whole can of Seafoam in a full tank thru it to no avail, so I'll have to pull the carbs too.

Then you saw all the admonitions of the others to get Dr. Raforth's kit.

I successfully sourced all my own parts, but it would have saved hours of research and running to different parts stores (and I'd've gotten stuff I didn't bother with, like new setscrews for the choke rod, and the idle mixture screw caps) if I'd ordered the kit.

Follow his cleaning guide in the Files section. If I'd done that from the outset, I'd've saved myself several days of ineffective work. (At least I already had the outsides and the float bowls nice and clean before I bit the bullet... )

IMHO, one thing that isn't stressed sufficiently in the cleaning guide is the importance of setting your float levels within a gnat's ass of each other, and toward the lower side of the allowable range. Although my bike is now running "very good" it's still not spot-on since I still need to do this and haven't yet felt like pulling the carbs one more time.

Cheers, good luck, and the duck says, "Kookaloo!"

[doright1]

Hey Scott, welcome!

What part of Colorado are you in?

Bob (in Greeley)

[junkyardroad]

What part of Colorado are you in?

Bob (in Greeley)

Hey Bob,

I went to college in Greeley.  I now live near Silt, CO and work in Aspen. Caught myself bitching about having to ride 40 miles on the interstate to get to my favorite road.
Lets ride next summer!  I used to really haul it up the canyon to Estes Park on my Suzuki GS1100 b4 it was stolen in 1990.  I would like to do it again at a more sane pace with todays better tires.  I really like riding with guys on similar bikes.  I haven't seen a FJ1100/1200 around here for years.

Scott

[junkyardroad]

one thing that isn't stressed sufficiently in the cleaning guide is the importance of setting your float levels within a gnat's ass of each other, and toward the lower side of the allowable range

I hadn't yet read of the Dr.s kit but I will now.  Thanks for the heads up on the floats. Tips like that really save my sorry butt.  I tend to set floats high due to my history street racing with Holley carbs. You just saved me a ton of work.

What else should I look for?

I got the seller to throw in a Motion Pro mercury manometer for the carbs that was new in the box.  Bet those are hard to find now.

Had a hell of a time getting the FJ strapped to the lift.  All of my ties are too long. Who knew 10 inches was too long? lol

[threejagsteve]

one thing that isn't stressed sufficiently in the cleaning guide is the importance of setting your float levels within a gnat's ass of each other, and toward the lower side of the allowable range

I hadn't yet read of the Dr.s kit but I will now.  Thanks for the heads up on the floats. Tips like that really save my sorry butt.  I tend to set floats high due to my history street racing with Holley carbs. You just saved me a ton of work.

What else should I look for?

Glad something from my incessant chatter here helped someone.

These carbs will suck gas right out of the float bowl at idle and small throttle openings; if your fuel level in the bowls is too high, you can get a rich spot just off idle. I've read elsewhere that a 1mm difference can be noticeable; Read the Carb Tuning Guide(s) in the Files section before you put 'em back together.

What else?

RichBaker told me about this here so you may have already seen it, but it bears repeating. If you have a stock airbox, in between the two middle rubbers is the crankcase breather elbow and hose. When you go to take the airbox out, pull the elbow out of the airbox and leave it (with its clamp) on the end of the hose.

When you reinstall the airbox, (quoting Rich) "make sure the elbow is in the hose, and that the hose/elbow is sticking up in the general vicinity of the hole it goes into, then I take a big-AZZ screwdriver and lever the elbow into the hole in the airbox AFTER all the clamps are tight and the bolts are in that bolt the airbox to the frame. Any other method takes forever to get it in...."

And also, when you put your carbs back on, make very sure that none of the overflow/vent hoses are crimped, mashed, or otherwise blocked.

Cheers, good luck, and the duck says, "Kookaloo!"

[junkyardroad]

RichBaker told me about this here so you may have already seen it, but it bears repeating. If you have a stock airbox, in between the two middle rubbers is the crankcase breather elbow and hose. When you go to take the airbox out, pull the elbow out of the airbox and leave it (with its clamp) on the end of the hose.

When you reinstall the airbox, (quoting Rich) "make sure the elbow is in the hose, and that the hose/elbow is sticking up in the general vicinity of the hole it goes into, then I take a big-AZZ screwdriver and lever the elbow into the hole in the airbox AFTER all the clamps are tight and the bolts are in that bolt the airbox to the frame. Any other method takes forever to get it in...."

And also, when you put your carbs back on, make very sure that none of the overflow/vent hoses are crimped, mashed, or otherwise blocked.

You are the man.  I got my first look at that air box today...I'm glad I have all winter.  The plugs came out looking VERY good. Light brown, no oil or carbon fouling. 

I am going to need to repaint all the bodywork to make it look right.  It's not bad, just dull with a few scratches.

[threejagsteve]

I am going to need to repaint all the bodywork to make it look right.  It's not bad, just dull with a few scratches.

Unless you want to repaint it, why not try just giving it a good waxing first? 

[doright1]

What part of Colorado are you in?

Bob (in Greeley)

Hey Bob,

I went to college in Greeley.  I now live near Silt, CO and work in Aspen. Caught myself bitching about having to ride 40 miles on the interstate to get to my favorite road.
Lets ride next summer!  I used to really haul it up the canyon to Estes Park on my Suzuki GS1100 b4 it was stolen in 1990.  I would like to do it again at a more sane pace with todays better tires.  I really like riding with guys on similar bikes.  I haven't seen a FJ1100/1200 around here for years.

Scott

Hey, Scott

Yeah, I was up your way a couple of times this last summer!  The ride up to Estes Park is still a great one too, I never get tired of it.

[andyb]

These carbs will suck gas right out of the float bowl at idle and small throttle openings; if your fuel level in the bowls is too high, you can get a rich spot just off idle. I've read elsewhere that a 1mm difference can be noticeable; Read the Carb Tuning Guide(s) in the Files section before you put 'em back together.

Dunno if that's true for the lot of them, but I'm running no airbox so meh!  

1mm is a quite noticable step.

From a link at the FactoryPro website:

To get best low-end power, set float height (fuel level) so that the engine will accept full throttle, without missing or stumbling,  in 2nd gear from 2.5k to 3k rpm at minimum.

Reference: a bike that runs cleanly at small throttle openings when cold, but starts to show signs of richness as it heats up to full operating temperature, will usually be leaned out enough to be correct if the fuel level is LOWERED 1mm. Check out and RESET all: Suzuki (all), Yamaha (all) and Kawasaki (if low speed problems occur). Needless to say, FUEL LEVEL IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT!!!

If there are low-end richness problems, even after lowering the fuel level much more than 1.5mm from our initial settings, check for needle wear and needle jet (part of the emulsion tube). ... It is VERY common for the brass needle jets (in the top of the "emulsion tube") in 36mm, 38mm and 40mm Mikuni CV carbs to wear out in as little as 5,000 miles. Check them for "oblong" wear - the needle jet orifice starts out round!

Hopefully that helps.