Ruined1
82 Maxim xs400 Owner
My xs400... Running, AND FINALLY ROAD WORTHY!
So I bought an '82 Yamaha Maxim from some guy locally. It looked like Barney.
I got it and it ran pretty smooth, freshly cleaned carb (looks ultrasonic clean when I opened it up ) and re-jetted. The only problems were a worn back tire and bad teeth on the sprockets so I pulled the tire back some and was cruising.
Not a month later... The trouble started.
The back tire blew out one morning, luckily not 50 feet out of the driveway. It sat for two days. I finally got the time and took off the back tire and got it up to the shop. While it was at the shop I took it upon myself to do a little spray painting... Yes this immaculate job was out of spraycans...
So I put the tire back on and the axle bolt wont go all the way through (just a 1/4 inch wouldn't slide in
I decided it was tightened down well and that I would ride it up to the shop the following day. I wanted to start it though and take it down the street just to test the tire...
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-a-VROOM" Ran then died...
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-a-VROOM" left it almost open throttle... still died.
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
Damn! Go to get off the bike and diagnose the problem... Unfortunately I didn't see the huge oil puddle under my foot... "OH SHIT *SMASH" and to the ground she went
To top it off, the gas tank leaked while it was on it's side and ruined the freshly painted gas tank for a paint job that took me hours
Turns out the clutch push rod seal went bad...
So today I picked up the oil seal, an oil filter, and oil as it appeared there might be a small trace of gas in the oil... Not much just a whif... but enough to alarm me. I also put on order for my drive sprockets, the rear axle bolt and locknut, and a fancy new oil cap since mine is missing one of the two grab points to open it...
On top of it the left (main) cylinder won't hit right at low rpms... like not at all... only semi-open throttle and up... The plug has been replaced twice due to fouling and I adjusted the float for the carb to that cylinder as it was at a totally different setting from the other float... aka retarded mechanic syndrome to whoever the previous owner took the bike to for a carb clean/rebuild...
So tomorrow I am replacing the oil seal and changing the oil/filter/cleaning sump screen.
List of things to do before bike is returned to "Badass Classic" status:
1) Fix oil leak
2) Change oil/filter and clean screen
3) Replace sprockets and oil cap
4) Replace rear axle bolt/nut
5) Figure out why the left cylinder isn't hitting and i'm getting 20 mpg...
5b) Referencing this link Carb Tuning to hopefully solve that issue.
So now I have a semi-intro about my bike... Here's "About Me":
I'm 20 years young and have years of experience riding... My cars have never been in the shop for anything unless I couldn't do it because of machinery (Tires, Wheel-Align, etc.) but I'm new to the bike scene. I love my xs400 and will have it for a long time if I can get/keep it running.
Now that both intro's are done, if Anyone has any information regarding the "Mysterious Missing Cylinder" or any other issue I'm having I am ALL ears
So glad to be a part of this community
So I bought an '82 Yamaha Maxim from some guy locally. It looked like Barney.
I got it and it ran pretty smooth, freshly cleaned carb (looks ultrasonic clean when I opened it up ) and re-jetted. The only problems were a worn back tire and bad teeth on the sprockets so I pulled the tire back some and was cruising.
Not a month later... The trouble started.
The back tire blew out one morning, luckily not 50 feet out of the driveway. It sat for two days. I finally got the time and took off the back tire and got it up to the shop. While it was at the shop I took it upon myself to do a little spray painting... Yes this immaculate job was out of spraycans...
So I put the tire back on and the axle bolt wont go all the way through (just a 1/4 inch wouldn't slide in
I decided it was tightened down well and that I would ride it up to the shop the following day. I wanted to start it though and take it down the street just to test the tire...
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-a-VROOM" Ran then died...
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-a-VROOM" left it almost open throttle... still died.
"CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-CHUG-ah-whirrrr...."
Damn! Go to get off the bike and diagnose the problem... Unfortunately I didn't see the huge oil puddle under my foot... "OH SHIT *SMASH" and to the ground she went
To top it off, the gas tank leaked while it was on it's side and ruined the freshly painted gas tank for a paint job that took me hours
Turns out the clutch push rod seal went bad...
So today I picked up the oil seal, an oil filter, and oil as it appeared there might be a small trace of gas in the oil... Not much just a whif... but enough to alarm me. I also put on order for my drive sprockets, the rear axle bolt and locknut, and a fancy new oil cap since mine is missing one of the two grab points to open it...
On top of it the left (main) cylinder won't hit right at low rpms... like not at all... only semi-open throttle and up... The plug has been replaced twice due to fouling and I adjusted the float for the carb to that cylinder as it was at a totally different setting from the other float... aka retarded mechanic syndrome to whoever the previous owner took the bike to for a carb clean/rebuild...
So tomorrow I am replacing the oil seal and changing the oil/filter/cleaning sump screen.
List of things to do before bike is returned to "Badass Classic" status:
1) Fix oil leak
2) Change oil/filter and clean screen
3) Replace sprockets and oil cap
4) Replace rear axle bolt/nut
5) Figure out why the left cylinder isn't hitting and i'm getting 20 mpg...
5b) Referencing this link Carb Tuning to hopefully solve that issue.
So now I have a semi-intro about my bike... Here's "About Me":
I'm 20 years young and have years of experience riding... My cars have never been in the shop for anything unless I couldn't do it because of machinery (Tires, Wheel-Align, etc.) but I'm new to the bike scene. I love my xs400 and will have it for a long time if I can get/keep it running.
Now that both intro's are done, if Anyone has any information regarding the "Mysterious Missing Cylinder" or any other issue I'm having I am ALL ears
So glad to be a part of this community
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