EPP

Finally got round to copying the diagram from the manual: After having the manifold welded up, I removed the can and had them shot blasted clean. They aren't in bad condition onder the surface rust. Sprayed them with vht paint (not the nicest finish, but functional) and reinstalled them together with the new manfold. Has worked pretty well. Cheers for all the advice - always helps me decide what to do next!

Cheers for info about MOT. Should be no problem with the part I've had made. The original end cans are welded to the manifold (all mild steel), and brackets are used to attach the manifold to the down pipes. I had to cut the down pipes as they enter the manifold (as they are tapered and I needed to get rid of the tapered section so I could mate them to the replacement part I've made) and then cut the manifold from the end cans (about an eight inch section in total, full of holes). I wish it were as simple as separate end cans, link pipes and down pipes! I guess I would need link pipes for the part on ebay, but I've no idea what would fit. I would possibly be able to cut the end cans off at the right point to allow me to clamp them to the link pipes though. I'll probably just stick to repairing what I've got, now that I've had the part made. It's an old bike, and no show winner, so I don't want to get carried away with costs! If I get round to it I'll post a picture or the exploded view of the exhaust from the manual. You'll see what I mean then about how it all fits together. Cheers, Ewan

I've been looking at those down pipes, and I've got a feeling they're for a Diversion even though the advert said they weren't. A friend of mine mentioned that fact that any exhaust i have needs to be road legal - is the repair I'm doing with a replacement section in the middle of the exhaust likely to affect the MOT? Ewan

I am in the middle of repairing the original exhaust for my 1990 xj600. I've successfully cut out the rotten middle section and fabricated a replacement in stainless steel. I'm having it welded up as we speak. Then I came across this listing in ebay: xj600 downpipes Now for the newbie question... Assuming these are indeed the correct parts for a pre-Diversion xj600, can anyone tell me what the deal is with buying silencers to fit? Are all silencers specific to bike make and model or should I be able to source generic ones with some kind of 'universal' bracket (where 'universal' generally means 'useless')? I couldn't find any genuine yamaha xj600 silencers, just the usual after market complete motad offering. I know that whatever I use it will have to fit around the footpeg brackets, which the original silencers fit quite snugly under. Cheers! Ewan

Just an update to this thread. I replaced the pads and discs (discs were used, but not very worn at all) ensuring the calipers were nice and clean and the pistons retracted slightly after a gentle squeeze of the lever. Used copper grease in all the appropriate places and, once everything was installed, there was certainly less drag than before. I get about half a turn of the wheel with a good shove. I can't bed everything in yet as I still have to fix the ignition and the exhaust, but I'm hoping the drag will reduce and the lever will firm up after a few miles. I'll post an update. Thanks to everyone for their advice - always helpful! Ewan

Here's the exploded view from the manual. I'm going to check out the slurge hole too - sounds like a good suggestion as the cylinders don't seem to be seized. I guess the seals could be old and have lost their elasticity. I'd hate to have to take everything apart again to replace those though!

My calipers are fixed rather than sliding/floating, with a piston either side of the disc. The pads sit in front of the pistons and are compressed onto the discs. Sorry if I'm stating the obvious, but it sounds like you might be talking about sliding calipers. There does not appear to be a mechanism to pull the pads apart on mine, just an anti-rattle spring that holds them down against the pins, rather than pushing against the pistons (which would be required to pull them apart). This actually reduces the free movement of the pads! I don't think I can assess anything properly until the discs and pads are replaced, so I'll post back then if there's still an issue. Thoughts from anyone are appreciated in the meantime though! Ewan

I haven't been able to have the bike checked professionally as it is still laid up in the cellar. My plan was to get it running and gingerly take it round to the nearest motorcycle specialist (who are not far away). Nothing looks to be out of alignment, but I know these things can be hard to spot. I've managed to find a bit of info on this question and the consensus seems to be that there will always be a small amount of drag, perhaps enough to limit the wheel to around 1 full turn when you spin by hand. You say the pads are affixed to each half, but this is not the case in my system - the pads are held into the caliper by the retaining pins, but not attached to the pistons. I think this is the typical set up from what I've read. My wheel does not continue spinning at all, but as the discs and pads need to be replaced I'm going to do that first and see how things are once everything is bedded in. Cheers! Ewan

Hi all, After some deliberation I have decided to fix up the 1990 xj600 that was stolen and recovered at the end of last year (some of you may remember the thread I started prior to the bike being stolen). I have managed to get all the parts I need and I'm making steady progress, though it's not ready to ride just yet... My question is whether there should be any brake drag on the front wheel when the brake is not being applied? I can turn the wheel, but it's quite stiff. I have had the RH caliper off (drained the hose) to look at the pistons and they seemed okay. Cleaned up the LH caliper without removing the hose, as the pistons again seemed okay. I probably didn't need to remove the hose from the RH caliper, but that was down to inexperience. I replaced the pads using copper grease in the right places and reinstalled the calipers. I've filled and bled the system, though it might till be a bit spongy. Again, I don't have enough experience to be sure when it's done right! I've tied the lever back and will leave it for 24 hours to see if any more air escapes from the system. It might also just be that the pads need to be bedded in a bit after being removed (both the pads and discs will need to be replaced before long, but that's another story). When the calipers were removed, I tried pulling the brake lever a bit: the pistons moved out freely, and returned a small amount, which I think is what they should do. However, I needed to use a G clamp to push the pistons back enough to get the pads over the discs when reinstalling (it says in the workshop manual this might be required). Am I right in thinking that because the pads are not attached to the pistons, they are not actively pulled back off the disc? If so, is the idea with a disk brake that the pad will back off a fraction just through riding? Obviously there is no return spring, and the anti-rattle spring that sits over the pads seems to actually prevent them from moving freely away from the disc! How much drag is normal after applying the brake to a stationary bike and then trying to spin the wheel by hand? Cheers everyone! Ewan

Went out to see the bike today. Managed to get her started eventually. Put fresh fuel in, took ages for engine to catch, either there was no fuel in the pipes or engine was flooded and took a while to clear. Idles slowly (about 700 revs), but didn't get her fully warmed up due to noise from broken exhaust! I think there may be some rubbish in the fuel tank that'll need clearing - could be obstructing fuel flow. But it will ultimately need a new tank and there is a large dent in this one! At least the electrics seem to be working. The exhaust is broken where down pipe two meets down pipe one on left of bike just under the gear shifter. The two halves of the break are offset by around 2cm and it was not possible to manipulate them back into alignment in the short time I messed with it. I thought that some repair tape might have at least allowed me to ride home, but this will only work if I can regain alignment. Removal of the exhaust would probably be necessary for a repair but, to be honest, it might not be worth it as looks a bit soft in other places. I don't really know how bad an exhaust can get before repair becomes impossible. I wasn't able to get a decent photo of the break. How would you go about repairing the exhaust? You're offer to come to Manchester is very generous, but I think I've got a pretty good idea of the extent of the damage (now I know the engine will actually run) and I reckon I'd be able to sort most of it out with a bit of time. The decision is whether to put money into repairing it, or cut my losses (time and money!) on this bike and sell it. Ewan

Hi Jim, I am considering getting her up and running again, but I think my enthusiasm for the whole thing is a little low at the moment! The first step will be to get her started and try to ride back home. Once under cover I can assess the amount of work more carefully. But, off the top of my head after picking the bike up today, the damage is as follows: Broken Front L indicator Missing ignition and damage to surrounding plastics (cables cut, obviously). Snapped brake lever Missing L side body panel Missing frame plug (covers swingarm bolt?) Damage to fuse box (might just be missing cover) Possibly some damage to the tail section bodywork and frame (out of alignment...?) Down pipe cracked just as it goes under the engine (will attach picture if i get the chance) Fuel tank scratched, dented and scorched Front faring scratched on right hand side Possible damage to L footrest/exhaust bracket (it's hanging off, not sure if just unbolted) Gearbox feels different, seems to work though. Might be fine... Clutch lever much stiffer, might be nothing though There might be more on closer inspection. It's all relatively superficial, but having a quick look on ebay for spares suggests it could all add up, and it all takes time! If you lived a bit closer (i'm in Manchester) I might consider your offer to repair. If I decide to just sell it, you'll be the first to know. Cheers, Ewan

Doesn't look like it, as the bike has been released to me. I've been told to ring the officer in charge of the investigation on Monday to find out what they have done/are doing to identify the thieves, but I doubt it will be much.

Got a call form the police last night - they'd recovered the bike, found on a street a couple of miles from where it was stolen. Said it was on fire... Went to see it at the depot today and it looks like they'd tried to set fire to the fuel in the tank, resulting in only a little charring round the cap. There are a few other damaged/missing parts, including the exhaust (snapped down pipe), so although I've got it back I'm not at all convinced it's worth repairing (exhaust alone would cost about 400 quid). Battery was drained and it can't be jumped - the oil light just illuminates when the starter button is pressed. The relay doesn't appear to operate. Luckily my mate lives near the depot so I wheeled it round there for now and will have to either get it running there or have it picked up and delivered home. I'll possibly just break it for parts. Ewan

Thanks for your support everyone If I can get something really cheap i will. Then bolt it down... Worse things happen at sea. Now, to eBay. Ewan

Well, we will never know now... Just been out for a test ride, stopped off at my mate's house, went in for half an hour and when I went back out the bike was gone. I would have heard it being started up, and the steering lock was on, so I guess it's been thrown in the back of a van and is on it's way to being broken for parts! Reported to the police, but I'd be very surprised if it ever sees the light of day in one piece again. Sometimes it's best just to know when you're beaten A real shame too as it was a nice bike. That could be the end of my biking days before they even began - I can't justify the expense of a replacement when insurance excess and premium increase is taken into account. Cheers for all the help though, Ewan

PROBLEM SOLVED! Hi Jim, I tested the genny output before, and it was within typical range (comfortable over 50v at 5000rpm, see earlier post). Since my last post I bought an Acumen Platinum smart charger and gave the battery a proper charge. I realise now that the charger I had been using was faulty and not charging the battery effectively. I was just jumping from a car battery to get the engine going to do the diagnostic tests, knowing that the bike battery level wouldn't affect the genny output test and tests done with the engine dead (i.e. stator resistance and diode tests). When I'd been doing the diagnostics on the replacement rectifier (when it seemed to get too hot and only give out 10.5vdc), the battery was not properly charged. I know all diagnostics should be carried out with a charged battery, but I didn't realise it would affect the output of the rectifier so much - I assumed the output would be the same whatever the battery level. Now, with a well charged battery, the bike started a treat and I'm getting 14.2vdc across the battery terminals, as it should be. Rectifier still gets hot, but I figure this must be normal if everything else works as it should. Massive thanks for all the patient help and advice - I've learnt masses already and know what to look for next time! So, the moral of the story is get a good charger and make sure the battery is topped up for the rectifier output test! Cheers, Ewan

Hi Jim, Frame number:51j - 071175 Engine: x51j - 071175 I assume this means it is the original engine? On the frame plate it also lists the bike as an xj600 rather than an fj600 so that suggests it isn't an import. Could it be that the last of the pre-diversion models moved over to electrics similar to the fzr after it superceeded the fz? It was probably more cost effective to move production over to the newer system. Perhaps the liberal use of electrical tape on my system is due to an earlier fault finding mission - the bike is 18 years old after all! I picked up a used 47x rectifier this morning, tested it (all reading correct) and popped it on the bike. Started it up and still only got about 10.5vdc from it. It also became too hot to touch within about 2 minutes, which I didn't think was right. I know they'll produce some heat but that seemed excessive. It came from an fzr250, which appears to use the same part as the fzr600 (and presumably the xj600...). I might try buying a new one! Cheers, Ewan

It might well have been imported at some stage but I couldn't say for sure. There is a light switch and the body panels (which could have been swapped) are branded xj rather than fj. There has been liberal use of electrical tape on the loom, which I'm guessing won't have been how it left the factory. It has heated grips fitted, which will have required some messing with the wiring, but to what extent I have no idea! I got 10.5vdc between the red and earth. From the whites I was getting approx 60v at 5000rpm for each pairing, measured whilst disconnected from the reg/rec (i.e. from the connector leading from the stator). I've tried to attach a photo of the reg/rec (i've checked that the link also works if you just cut and paste it into a browser). It shows some of the loom, and the white/red/black wires connected to reg/rec. As far as i can tell, three white wires plus two others (one white with a black line on it and one white with a red line) lead from the stator coil to under the fuel tank. The white wires connect to the loom via a three pin connector and lead to the reg/rec. The other two wires connect to the loom via a two pin connector and appear to resurface around the battery area where they connect to the ignitor, which mounts on the plastic bracket that holds the battery in its bay. (I'm just assuming they are the same wires as they have the same colour code). I'm not sure i understand the purpose of the green and brown wires you mention, and whether they relate to VR. Ewan

I've just finished testing the rectifier, which appears to be faulty. My multimeter has a diode test function, which made it pretty easy once I knew what I was doing. I also simply checked the output voltage of the rectifier with the engine running, and this was only 10.5v. Hopefully a replacement will sort everything out! Whilst I was combing the internet for info, I found a great PDF flowchart that takes you through each step of testing the charging system. I've put the link below as others may find it helpful. I think it pretty much lays out all the steps Jim suggests and allows quick isolation of a fault. [url="http://www.electrosport.com/technical-resources/library/diagnosis/fault-finding-guide.php"] Jim, you mention that the reg/rec is a finned box, and this is also what turns up on spare parts websites when searching for xj600 replacements (and is what is pictured in the workshop manual). However, my reg/rec doesn't have fins and only has 4 terminals (for the the three white wires/one red wire). It's bolted to an aluminium plate for heat dissipation. There are no green and brown wires. Does this mean the regulator is a separate component? Ewan

Good point! Touching the leads together gives 0.7ohms. The reading from the stator is 1-1.1 ohms, therefore the difference is between .3 and .4 ohms, which is within the required range. So, the stator appears to be fine. Is it most likely to be a wiring problem preventing full charging voltage across the battery terminals? I don't want to have to hunt down a fault like that! Cheers.

Removed the starter, tested it and checked the brushes. Everything fine so replaced back on the engine. The battery just won't turn over the engine so, knowing the starter motor was okay, I decided to jump it from a car battery. Engine started no problem. You mentioned there should be 13.8v across the battery terminals with the engine running above >2000 revs (the workshop manual suggests it should be 14-15v at 5000 revs), but when I checked this the voltage didn't differ from when the engine wasn't running (it was about 10.5v, lower than the 12v it had been a few days before). I therefore went to the genny (the 1990 xj600 doesn't have brushes as it turns out) and checked the resistance of the stator coil. It read 1.1 ohms across all terminals, whereas the manual says it should be between 0.31 and 0.37 ohms. So, it looks like the stator might be defective. This would explain why the battery isn't being topped up properly when the engine is running, but I'm not sure if it explains battery drain whilst the bike is standing... I'm off to check the wiring.

Cheers Jim, the starter is where i'm going next. Just need to find the time. I didn't realise that worn brushes could result in a problem like this. Ewan

Just an update really. Charged the battery - no help at all. As before, the starter motor turns the engine over sluggishly once or twice then emits a rapid clicking noise (at least it sounds like it's coming from the starter). The rev counter rises whilst this happens. I read an old post about an xj600 with starting issues that mentioned the starter clutch drive chain. Might this be slipping? Cheers, Ewan

Cheers Jim, that's loads to keep me thinking. As I said, I'll obviously just charge the battery first, but I'll be following your diagnostic suggestions after that. Will post a reply once I've found out more. Ewan

Hi all, Just got a 1990 xj600. Rode it home yesterday, about 100 miles, lots of stops, and it started absolutely fine every time. It sat overnight and started fine this morning. Went for a short ride with a couple of stops and again it started no problem... then when I got home and killed the engine, it wouldn't re-start afterwards. The starter motor turned the engine over, but it was sluggish. There was still over 12v at the battery though. I'd been riding with the lights on and the chap I bought it from said that if you stop and start the bike a lot with lights on it kills the battery, but he didn't know why. I didn't have the light on when the engine wasn't running. My first step is obviously to charge the battery and see if this sorts it out, but I wondered if anyone had any suggestion as to why this is happening? I'm not very experienced with motorcycles, but i'd have thought having the lights on when the engine was running wouldn't be a problem. Cheers!