It's a ping! Or is it a knock?

[Mark Olson]

what is the mileage of your engine?

If you don't wind it up to the 6k range you will not get it on the mains .

you are already talking rebuild so why not?

there are many members in SoCal , you should reach out for a hand or at least an opinion with new eyes on fj.

[simi_ed]

Just seems like everything points to bad rings and/or rusted cylinders. The cams are spotless so i'm thinking it's just the rubbers.

"The Leopard" or Spots (as I prefer),
WTF are you talking about?  Bad Rings or rusted Cylinders?  And you're going to fix it with "New Rubbers"?  
Time for some Education for you:  
Piston and Rings


Piston Rings, not "Rubbers"


Did your bike sit for some period of years?  If not, the cylinders ARE NOT rusted!  Piston rings are thin metal rings, Not "Rubbers".  This job is not like changing rubbers, or putting a new rubber band on a newspaper.  You are talking about MAJOR Motorcycle Surgery.  Are you prepared for that?  Are you prepared to fail half way through?  Or see it through, no matter the cost?

Look, you are in over your head.  You can learn, you need to learn!  You've been offered sound advice from numerous sources here, yet you ignore good advice and follow your half-baked ideas. Do you really think we're all PURPOSLEY STEERING YOU WRONG?  We are trying to tell you that you are making a LOT of work and forcing considerable expense for probably no good reason.  

Now, if you want to get some engine rebuilding experience, this is a good exercise.  But if you're a "Starving Student" as you have claimed, this is a STUPID EXERCISE!  We don't encourage or generally tolerate "STUPID" here.  So, are you going to be smart and listen?  Or continue to act stupid???

[Mark Olson]

Oh Leopard,  Now you've done it , Ed's lack of SoCal manners is showing up.

You are making us crazy with your unwillingness to follow advice. 

if the bike is running now , and is not burning oil or leaking gas anymore then just go ride it till something breaks.

good luck.

[jscgdunn]

I think this is all a spoof...someone is having a great deal of fun.  Maybe this is the same guy who bought NOS at 7-11 and wonders where all the increased power is?

Jeff

[Joe Sull]

I think this is all a spoof...someone is having a great deal of fun.  Maybe this is the same guy who bought NOS at 7-11 and wonders where all the increased power is?

Jeff

Ya, Maybe he should be put in "time out"

[theLeopard]

I don't understand, I haven't even bought parts yet I'm still trying to sift through all this new information.
I'm not ignoring anyone, I've been listening.

The bike is running, and it hasn't been leaking fuel. I'll push it to 6k for a few miles to see if it leaks at high RPM before I tear into it.
I'm not running an 1100 so from the sounds of it I shouldn't need to worry about removing parts to run a compression check. I'll test those again (today, shortly) when the plugs aren't 200degrees.

I thought O-rings were rubber cause I wasn't thinking.
See, I just got told and then I thought about it and anything rubber would die instantly in the engine so that's kinda stupid.
And yes, I have a measurable amount of concern popping open the engine considering my level of expertise; especially if it's unnecessary.

The odometer reads 30k. I don't know if it's rolled over once already. Probably not.
I thought it had when it was smoking real bad but that seems to have cleared up. Might've been the additives I put in the fuel finally clearing the tank entirely after multiple fills of fresh Mobil.

All these posts are extremely informative and I'm reading them, I suppose I'm just not the best at demonstrating my comprehension.
Sorry for any confusion, and thanks for the honest rebuffs. I learn best the way you guys teach.

I've got ~$500 I can spend right now, if I sell the jag maybe an extra grand.
My manifolds are showing signs of cracks, and while I was chopping it up with Joe he said I should test those by spraying the cracks with carb cleaner and seeing if the idle increases.
So I need to do that, I'll do that after I run a second compression check and report back.

You guys are the best  thank you for your time&patience, I can be aggravating I know but I mean well.

[ribbert]

I think this is all a spoof...someone is having a great deal of fun.  Maybe this is the same guy who bought NOS at 7-11 and wonders where all the increased power is?

Jeff

Maybe Irishluck has changed his spots.

Noel

[simi_ed]

Dammit, I KNEW I'd read this same shit before!  How did I miss it?   

[andyb]

I don't understand, I haven't even bought parts yet I'm still trying to sift through all this new information.
I'm not ignoring anyone, I've been listening.

But not following.  Hence the attitude.

The bike is running, and it hasn't been leaking fuel. I'll push it to 6k for a few miles to see if it leaks at high RPM before I tear into it.
I'm not running an 1100 so from the sounds of it I shouldn't need to worry about removing parts to run a compression check. I'll test those again (today, shortly) when the plugs aren't 200degrees.

"To 6k" doesn't get you on the mains.  The party doesn't start until 6k.  If your mains are too big, it'll splutter a bit on the transition off the needle.  If they're too small, it'll run cleanly through the 6k range, and fall on its face later on.

I thought O-rings were rubber cause I wasn't thinking.
See, I just got told and then I thought about it and anything rubber would die instantly in the engine so that's kinda stupid.
And yes, I have a measurable amount of concern popping open the engine considering my level of expertise; especially if it's unnecessary.

Valvestem seals are rubber (viton, etc), and live pretty well whilst less than two inches from the combustion itself.

The odometer reads 30k. I don't know if it's rolled over once already. Probably not.
I thought it had when it was smoking real bad but that seems to have cleared up. Might've been the additives I put in the fuel finally clearing the tank entirely after multiple fills of fresh Mobil.

Look at the non-motor bits.  At 130k, you'll see wear on places like the footpeg rubbers (if they're original, and haven't been replaced with those horrible aftermarket pegs).

[theLeopard]

The footpegs look ok, but the interior-foam of the sidepanels is pretty toasty, half of it is gone.
Soot on the front forks looks like an old diesel work-truck, and the rest of the bike is pretty filthy as well.
The right fork is leaking a bit, pools up on the plastic dust-guard.
Got a leak on my #1 cylinder, not sure if it's oil from the valvenut or gas from the petcock. Should probably just replace both.
Greased up the chain, it's in good shape but it's dirty too.
The thing needs a wash, lookin like a damn ratbike lol.

I ran compression#'s again and they were higher than yesterday and seem to meet minimums so i'll retest them again sunday.
Put some seafoam on my #4 exhaust manifold, appears the cracks haven't penetrated the entire rubber yet so i'll need to replace that sometime soon.

The bike just doesn't sound 100%, and I don't want to dick around on it when it's not 100% and break something major cause I my riding exceeded the bikes health, ya know?.
I use it to get to school, otherwise my commute is 3am-8pm riding the bus.

If anyone wants to take a ride in north SD this weekend maybe we could have an impromptu minirally and hit the cigar bar after?
yall can listen to it and tell me if it's in trouble or if I'm just hearing things.

[theLeopard]

"To 6k" doesn't get you on the mains.  The party doesn't start until 6k.  If your mains are too big, it'll splutter a bit on the transition off the needle.  If they're too small, it'll run cleanly through the 6k range, and fall on its face later on.

I've rev'd it in neutral to almost 9k and it's smooth, but that's in neutral.
I didn't notice anything when I jetted around the freeway last week but i'll give it another go.
I'm still uncomfortable pushing her hard but there's only one way to diagnose and that's to test first.

You live in SoCal? I'll buy you a beer if you attend the minirally 

[simi_ed]

yall can listen to it and tell me if it's in trouble or if I'm just hearing things.

OK, now you're using your head!  I can't do it, you're too far out for me.  Forks dirty?  Wash 'em.  1 ride on a damp morning & they'll look like crap.  #1 cylinder leaking?  It's not the petcock.  Where is it leaking?  Exhaust leak?  Valve cover?  Carb?  We need details!

"Put some seafoam on my #4 exhaust manifold, appears the cracks haven't penetrated the entire rubber yet so i'll need to replace that sometime soon."
OK, contradictions here:  Rubber means intake side, exhaust is the HOT side!  You need to lift hte tank, then spray th intake manifolds (1 at a time!) with WD-40 to see if the rpm rises.  This will indicate an intake leak.  Then we (you) will need to dig deeper.  
Lesson here:   Intelligent answers will come with intelligent questions.  We're trying to help!

Ed

[theLeopard]

you're right, it's the intake manifolds near the airbox.
front->back means they're exhaust right? my brain at work 

the leak is on top of the valve cover, only @ the #1 cylinder. I cleaned it when I removed all the cowling and it's slick again so it's still got a leak somewhere.
I recalled the petcock had a drip a month ago but it was a slow drip. Only other place it would be from is the rear nut on the #1 side, nearest the cowling but the rubber gasket isn't perforated.

[simi_ed]

I've rev'd it in neutral to almost 9k and it's smooth, but that's in neutral. 
I didn't notice anything when I jetted around the freeway last week but i'll give it another go.
I'm still uncomfortable pushing her hard but there's only one way to diagnose and that's to test first.

You live in SoCal? I'll buy you a beer if you attend the minirally 

OK Brain, next thing. 9K in Neutral?  BAD IDEA!  9K under load, no problem. The idea is to make sure the rings are free, not stuck or gummed up.  So. the plan should be to drive with some Gusto, using the upper portion of the rev band.  IOW, maybe between 5 & 8K rpm.  Now, obviously you don't want to get ticket doing this, but you'll probably exceed the posted speed limit (a bit).  So do this judiciously, but you need to exercise the engine to get it ...limbered up.  Do this for a bit, not necessarily all at once, but may 10-20 times over the span of 25-50 miles, THEN do your compression testing.  Remove all 4 plugs from the engine, do you tests at WOT.  See what you get for results.  If they're below spec, then add maybe a teaspoon of oil to each cylinder, crank over a bit (5 +/- seconds on the starter) then repeat.  If the numbers climb a lot (tell us how much!) THEN we should talk about rings!


Leak on #1:  Is it gasoline or oil?  Oil the rubber donuts on the hold down bolts.  Gasoline is another story, now were back to the Molotov Cocktail issue from a few weeks ago.  Randy has the donuts (I think they're called Valve cover grommets), they're not too expensive.  IDK how much, but cheaper than a set of piston rings! 


Report back, we'll regroup!
Ed

[Mark Olson]

 

do not rev to 9k in neutral ... with no load on engine it will break something.

YOU MUST : ride your fj like it is a high performance sports car .  Meaning if you baby it and don't rev it up and floor it (pin it ) it will LOAD UP and run like shit.

it sounds like your compression is improving with more use. This is normal for a fj that has been unused for a bit .

the rings will seal up and power will improve the more you ride it .

YOU MUST : do full throttle bursts past 8k rpm and then let it engine decelerate from 8k , this will reseal your rings .

Warning disclaimer:  the fj pulls hard above 6k rpm so hold on and find a straight piece of road for a few miles. USE 3rd gear .

Is this your first motorcycle?