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Gs82Seca650
 Moderator
1849 Posts
[Mentor]
Southern, PA
USA
Yamaha
1982 XJ 650 R Seca
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 Posted - 11/05/2009 : 10:13 AM
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quote:
Originally posted by SecaRob
Multi-Bike, head over to XJBikes.com
It's a website dedicated to the Yamaha XJ series of bikes and without a doubt the best source of information out there.
Hi Rob,
Just wanted to add a welcome to you as I see this is your first post here. Welcome aboard! I did not know about XJBikes.com, but I will definitely check it out! I do like my Seca, but I'm thinking about moving it along in favor of something newer that is fuel injected.
It's just too finicky in the cold. In the summer, I can choke it and it will fire right up and I ride to work no problem. After work when temps are in the 70s, I just crack the throttle slightly and crank it and it will fire and if I hold it manually at about 2K after it's warmed up some, it's fine.
However, this time of year, with highs in the 50's, if I do that after work to ride home the bike WILL NOT FIRE. If I try to choke it at all, it just floods out.
Twice this past month I was nearly stranded at work due to the bike's cold weather fussiness.
I do like the styling though...but this is getting very frustrating to say the least!
Ride Safe,
Greg 
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Niebor
Advanced Member
2793 Posts
[Mentor]
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
USA
Harley-Davidson
03' Superglide
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Posted - 11/05/2009 : 4:11 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Gs82Seca650
However, this time of year, with highs in the 50's, if I do that after work to ride home the bike WILL NOT FIRE. If I try to choke it at all, it just floods out.
Ride Safe,
Greg
Try to capture the cold cranking voltage. It could be the ignition module simply won't play ball below about 8V. If you have separate frame and starter B+, replacing the wire between the battery with a larger wire can cause problems. I understand the "normal" voltage drop across that length of wire is by design what keeps the frame voltage above 8VDC. Barring any of the above, it could be it's simply time for a new battery. 
Indeed, electronic ignition and fuel injection are both notorious for dropping out well before the starter gets to the clickin' stage.
Plugs and wires are also suspect in my mind. If it starts in all conditions except cold, then floods, it just seems likely it's not a fuel issue. |
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Gs82Seca650
Moderator
1849 Posts
[Mentor]
Southern, PA
USA
Yamaha
1982 XJ 650 R Seca
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Posted - 11/06/2009 : 8:10 AM
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Hi Neibor,
In fact I did replace the batter positive with a larger cable a few years back. Something tells me this issue is carburator related though.
I say that because during summer months, I can choke it cold, (first start of the morning), then ride to work. After work, I CANNOT choke it, if I do, it will just flood and never fire. I have to just crack the throttle a hair and then crank and it will fire. I then just hold her around 2K or so for a few minutes and then it will idle well enough that I can head home.
That being said, even this time of year, the engine is spinning fast enough that it's not a CRANKING problem, it just won't fire for me. Cold, first time starting in the morning, even with temperatures in the 30's it will fire and I can ride to work, but NOMATTER what I do when I leave to ride home it is VERY VERY finicky and has nearly left me stranded twice now. Those two times I spend A LOT OF time playing with the choke and throttle and eventually it sputtered enough that it idled for me and I was able to get home.
With temps in the 40's or 50's.....if I crack the throttle, choke it, etc, it will not fire and floods.
With the bike nearly 28yrs old it could be a number of issues, I am aware of that. The boots fore and aft of the carbs have cracks in them, could that be a cause? Possibly.
Could the carbs just need a general overhaul, cleaning, rebuilding, new needles and seats, ETC? Again, possibly.
I suppose this could somehow be electrical in nature, but I just don't see how, considering that when I crank the bike to leave after work it spins fairly quickly, with no real difference from when I leave first thing in the morning (and it's colder at that time too).
If I keep this bike, I suppose I should pull the carbs off and have them rebuilt (there is a GOOD bike shop up in Reading that I have had do rebuilds for me before and they do great work.) and replace the boots and clamps fore and aft of the carbs and then see where I'm at.
We'll see......any other suggestions? Has anyone come across this issue before?
-Greg |
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Indiana Randy
Moderator
1758 Posts
[Mentor]
Fort Wayne, Indiana
USA
Honda
2000 Magna V4 750
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Posted - 11/06/2009 : 10:53 AM
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Greg,
You can check the carb boots by spraying some carb cleaner around them to see if the idle changes.  If there is no change in idle, they are not leaking. |
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Niebor
Advanced Member
2793 Posts
[Mentor]
Highlands Ranch, Colorado
USA
Harley-Davidson
03' Superglide
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Posted - 11/06/2009 : 11:54 AM
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The reason I was driven toward electrical IS the flooding issue. By virtue of it flooding, we know it's getting gas. Whats left? Air and spark. It seems a safe enough bet it's getting air.
If you can find an old neon pilot lamp, wrap one of the leads around a spark plug wire. Make sure it blinks when the bike is running. Tell me if it blinks when it will not start.
Keep in mind, 7-8 volts will turn the engine over at a decent rate. Weather or not the ignition module is responsive is an entirely different matter. |
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Issues with my Xj650 Seca