Some troubles.. Oil drip, "hard gearing", etc.... :(

[lars_helgek]

Hi fellas

Just getting ready for the season in Norway, and have started driving more with my 1984 FJ1100

However, i had a small oil drip (a drop now and then) before, and i managed to change oil and filter to fully syntethic oil on my old machine.
The drip has increased somewhat, and it seems to me that the gear shifts are "harder", it tends to gear from 1`st to neutral instead of up to second.

I am considering that this might be the result of the syntetic oil.. Theese old bikes are probably best used on mineral based oil. :/

The oil had a "JASO MA" requirement fulfilled, so no clutch trouble should be expected from it.

And suddenly now, the driving lights, and park lights have gone dark. Turn lights and brake lights still up and running.

Any thoughts? Hope to keep my old 84 alive for some time

[FJmonkey]

Changing from Dino to Synth does have reported issues. It did for me, but it got better and I stayed with Synth. However, I recently discovered that it was not a OEM clutch. It had reddish-brown colored fibers and one extra of each. So put in an OEM clutch pack (did the thin to wide fiber upgrade) and an RPM roller bearing shift kit. Now my shifting is smooth and predicable. I love how the shifting feels, and not having a shitty clutch.....well nuff said.

Fiddle with your start switch, if it does not return fully it will cause your lights to stay off. I charged $50 after I fixed this problem on the spot at a West Coast Rally. I did not get paid in cash, but did get paid in the friendship and good will offered by our members....

Oil drips eh? Check around your starter and alternator with a flashlight (torch). It will be easy to spot if the leak is up high, and easy to fix. Is the leak oiling your chain or coming from the drive shaft cover? Look for the places where seals are, most likely it will one or more of these locations. And they can be fixed without splitting the cases.

Keep us posted, we learn more with every post on fixed problems.

[Pat Conlon]

If the drips are coming from the left side of your bike....check the clutch slave.
Check your fuses...

[lars_helgek]

Hi again, and thanx for the advices

I tried wigglign the starter button, but no solution there. Just find it odd that both parking lights, driving lights, and long lights are gone suddenly..

Might be fuces as mentioned here.. Still waiting for the mail for my repair manual, dont know where they are Haven owned the FJ for so long

When in comes to the oil drip it might seem that the problem is on the lower engine, as it gathers and drips from the point where the 4 exhaust pipes gater in the front below the bike.. Any thoughts there?

Seems to spill a bit just around where the exhaust pipes gather, not too much, but enough to make me worry about it.

Thanx for replies

Changing from Dino to Synth does have reported issues. It did for me, but it got better and I stayed with Synth. However, I recently discovered that it was not a OEM clutch. It had reddish-brown colored fibers and one extra of each. So put in an OEM clutch pack (did the thin to wide fiber upgrade) and an RPM roller bearing shift kit. Now my shifting is smooth and predicable. I love how the shifting feels, and not having a shitty clutch.....well nuff said.

Fiddle with your start switch, if it does not return fully it will cause your lights to stay off. I charged $50 after I fixed this problem on the spot at a West Coast Rally. I did not get paid in cash, but did get paid in the friendship and good will offered by our members....

Oil drips eh? Check around your starter and alternator with a flashlight (torch). It will be easy to spot if the leak is up high, and easy to fix. Is the leak oiling your chain or coming from the drive shaft cover? Look for the places where seals are, most likely it will one or more of these locations. And they can be fixed without splitting the cases.

Keep us posted, we learn more with every post on fixed problems.

[FJmonkey]

When in comes to the oil drip it might seem that the problem is on the lower engine, as it gathers and drips from the point where the 4 exhaust pipes gater in the front below the bike.. Any thoughts there?

Seems to spill a bit just around where the exhaust pipes gather, not too much, but enough to make me worry about it.

Thanx for replies

There is an oil galley plug down low and up front. It has an O-ring that can fail.

[keand3]

Did you reuse your copper seal on the oil drain plug at the last change?
If its old it might have gone bad and not seal proparly when torqued.

The fuses is located under the seat by the battery.  
Electrical issues are a pain in the but, often easy to fix but time consuming locating the error...

Ken

[Pat Conlon]

Did you reuse your copper seal on the oil drain plug at the last change?
If its old it might have gone bad and not seal proparly when torqued.

The fuses is located under the seat by the battery.  
Electrical issues are a pain in the but, often easy to fix but time consuming locating the error...

Ken

Ken, you're batting .500 
Good point on the oil drain washer....but on the '84 the fuses are located on the left side of the fairing inner panel. There should be a cover with the letters FUSE on it...
Down load a owners handbook, it free and you need one.... See my sig.line      Pat

[keand3]

Obs... my bad  

I have some spare washers for the drain bolt somewhere Lars,  i could ship one to you if you need one. I even have a spare magnetic drainbolt if you where to need one.
You would save some time on shipping since your not that far away 

Ken

[red]

Hi fellas
1984 FJ1100 However, i had a small oil drip (a drop now and then) before, and i managed to change oil and filter to fully syntethic oil on my old machine.  The drip has increased somewhat, and it seems to me that the gear shifts are "harder", it tends to gear from 1`st to neutral instead of up to second. I am considering that this might be the result of the syntetic oil.. Theese old bikes are probably best used on mineral based oil.

lars_helgek,

Synthetic oil can leak, where the old oils would oxidize and "plug" a small leak.  Without looking, the oil drain plug may be the problem.  Use a new copper "crush" washer with the plug, to eliminate that possibility.  Certainly, use a magnetic drain plug, if it is available.  If the magnetic drain plug comes out clean at every oil change, then all of the oiled steel parts are good.  To locate any leak, get the engine clean, and give it a dusting of spray-on body powder, which will show a leak very well.

The hard shifting can be caused by a clutch that does not release fully.  If you need to pull the clutch lever almost to the hand-grip, to release the clutch, you should work to bleed all the air from the clutch hydraulic system.  Remove all of the old hydraulic fluid from the clutch master cylinder using rags or paper towels to start, and use new, clean hydraulic fluid for this work.  Also, the shift lever system has large and small pivots that may get dirty, gummy, and stiff.  You should clean and lubricate these pivots (all are external and accessible) on a regular basis.

Let us know, if you have some success.

Cheers,
Red

[lars_helgek]

Thanx again for replies so far guys

Ive been communicating a bit with keand3, and he has been helping me a lot Truly awesome that he involves that much to help a newbie

Here are some pictures i took today, we still suspect the sealing below the oil drain plug.

Here are some pics of where the oil comes out, taken from blow the FJ just where the front exhaust meets

[aviationfred]

Looking at the photos of the collector. I can guess the photos are the bottom of the collector. With the amount of oil gathered below the #3 head pipe. I am going to offer up that the oil cooler line is leaking at the right hand oil pan fitting just above the #3 head pipe. The line has an 'O' ring and the 2 bolts are very easy to strip the threads. (don't ask how I know). The torque is only 7 ftlbs.


Fred

[keand3]

Your welcome Lars 

Looking at the photos of the collector. I can guess the photos are the bottom of the collector. With the amount of oil gathered below the #3 head pipe. I am going to offer up that the oil cooler line is leaking at the right hand oil pan fitting just above the #3 head pipe. The line has an 'O' ring and the 2 bolts are very easy to strip the threads. (don't ask how I know). The torque is only 7 ftlbs.

Fred

A good suggestion Fred 
The way I see it the leak is likely to be at one of two places. The drainbolt or the oilpan fitting.. There aren't much else down there to cause a spill like that.

Cheers
Ken

[Joe Sull]

When I first got my bike the lights went out on me and it was the hi/ low switch needed to be taken apart and cleaned. Not sure if the parking lights went out though. Flip the switch back and forth to see if they come on.

[keand3]

When I first got my bike the lights went out on me and it was the hi/ low switch needed to be taken apart and cleaned. Not sure if the parking lights went out though. Flip the switch back and forth to see if they come on.

Joe! Your the only one I know who does not need any headlights. Your red bike would be visible for others on several miles, it's impossible to miss or overlook... 

Lars, did you manage to look over the wiring from the light "on-park-off" switch yet? My bet is that if the fuse blows every time you switch them on, the error is beetween that switch and fuse probably.

Any one else with any thought on this?

Cheers

[lars_helgek]

When I first got my bike the lights went out on me and it was the hi/ low switch needed to be taken apart and cleaned. Not sure if the parking lights went out though. Flip the switch back and forth to see if they come on.

Joe! Your the only one I know who does not need any headlights. Your red bike would be visible for others on several miles, it's impossible to miss or overlook... 

Lars, did you manage to look over the wiring from the light "on-park-off" switch yet? My bet is that if the fuse blows every time you switch them on, the error is beetween that switch and fuse probably.

Any one else with any thought on this?

Cheers

Thanx again for replies Will have a look and some tries this evening and get back to you with my findings

(3 children, and 4`th coming shortly) so need to do this this evening, as they daytime is occupied

Update you this evening Thanx again