DutchFJ1200

I do not know what the rock hard blob is but it must be hiding the ignition pick up in there somewhere that obviously overheats or expands beyond ignition parameters/settings when the engine reaches operating temperature. The rotor indeed shows some damage but all the tabs are there. There is some same goop at the bottom of the aluminium casing as well like that broke away too and has been repaired. Rotor from ebay <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="" title="Rotor"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54563482416_e3ff83d874.jpg" width="478" height="337" alt="Rotor"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Right then gents, I guess you've all been waiting to see if you were going to hear from your resident Cloggy again. New tyres went on 3 weeks ago and new fork seals at my regular guy. Still unhappily spluttering my way through Cornwall. But the saga continues : Told him not to waste time on compression test because I found a friendly Kawa garage with big showroom and 3 or 4 mechanics that were willing to take it in and do the valve clearance and have a look what else they could see what was going on. By all accounts a pretty professional looking set-up. She was booked in for 13th May, and was going to take about 3 hours @ 75 quid/hr. One of the boys had, i was assured, experience with working on these (Yam) bikes. So booked in 2 weeks in advance and brought over close of play on 12th. The 13th came and went because they needed a special tool. The special tool came but was the wrong special tool. So they ordered a new special tool. All in all this took till last Thursday when I picked it up. I was assured it would be soooooo much better............................... it wasn't. I thought it was slightly worse. So thanks for the 315 Quid but no thanks. So where are we now : Coils, caps & plugs : £550, Carbs rebuild £275, valve clearance £315. I feel that I have only gone backwards and NO so-called bike mechanic has got a fookin clue what he is looking at. I called the garage on Monday and had a chat with the mechanic that worked on it. He only test drove it for minutes rather than the 20 mins it needs to reveal the real issues, so they simply do not listen when you describe your issues. Then a little light bulb moment : He said he took off the ignition pick up cover at the left hand side to set top-dead-center and saw there was some araldite glue or something holding something together but didn't give it any thought because he was focussed on the valves. Hmmmm a bit of glue on something ...................... really !!!!! This is a previous owners garage' bodge for sure. Some people need shooting. <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="" title="Yam pickup"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54563504044_0d83a74156_b.jpg" width="768" height="1024" alt="Yam pickup"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script> New second hand one : <a data-flickr-embed="true" href="" title="Yam pickup2"><img src="https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/54563503879_f37ca78451_z.jpg" width="576" height="428" alt="Yam pickup2"/></a><script async src="//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js" charset="utf-8"></script> I think I have found my smoking gun.

My guy already agreed to take the bike in and swap tyres, that I bought and are in his tyre rack, and then do a pressure test. Then I'm sure I can talk him into valve clearances if that needs doing. I just have to be patient. Weather was lovely last few days. Drove it to work, morning is fine, afternoon filtering through traffic on the way back and timing the traffic lights, so I can keep going, things are not too bad. Never knew there was a thing like traffic light idling anxiety 😉

F*ck no, it gets worse. So my one-man-band guy in his garage is pretty swamped at the moment so he said try this other shop, a bit further away, and tell them I sent you. They have a bigger shop, more staff, and they are pretty good. Soooooo, I contact them, told them the bike's life story up until now and what we replaced and tried to achieve. Guy says ..... I'm not going to fix someone else's problems only for you not to return ...... so you can F8ck off. (not in those same words but you get the gist 😱) I am seldom lost for words but .......... back to my guy I guess but it won't be quick.

Right then, I now know why a bike shop doesn't want to put a 4-barra carb back on a bike. I literally had to stop a few times and walk away to prevent things flying through the garage or breaking something on the carb or bike. I wish I could light a fag or something but gave that up 5 years ago. Enough frustration to start again tho. Putting the throttle cables back on for a start, keeping various vacuum hoses connected and where they are supposed to go, and then the 'piece de resistence' lifting the rear subframe back in place while trying to fit the air box boots on the back of the carbs. My paws are way to big to fit in all those nooks and crannies to make everything go back to where it is supposed to be. BUT, I got there in the end, didn't break anything and haven't got any bolts or nuts left. BUT you wanna know the punch line from this saga ........ took it for a test drive. I does run like a sewing machine and smoother than it did before ...... came back and parked it in the garage and left It running on idle ....... SPLUTTER, PFFFT, SPLUTTER PPPPPFT, SPLUTTER, BANG, PFFFT ... 🤮 Still got the bloody missfire on 2 Valve clearances next I guess. 😪

First bike .............. tsk, tsk, tsk 🤣 you were still in diapers when I ....... nevermind. 😂

update Dr. carburetor said it needed diaphragms, float valves, gaskets, miscellaneous parts & labour. Sooooo it's safe to assume they were pretty fucked. Now all done and ready to collect £270 quid.😱 This is becoming an expensive hobby.

Hmmm, with the bike's subframe now disconnected its easy to put the carbs and the box back in. Would need a few new inlet boots though. F*ck these things are expensive https://www.cmsnl.com/products/jointair-cleaner-2_36y1446300/ Anyhoo, lets get the carbs to the doctor first and see what he says. Oh the joys of owning a 32 y/o machine.🙄

Snakey, Please explain 'oil' air filters. I can do a bit of spannering but I'm not a mechanic. afaik air filters only keep dust out of the carbs no?

Other question : I have now experienced that the carb/airbox setup is a bit pants on the FJ1200 and many people across many forums think the same. Many have ditched the airbox in favour of K&N style separate cones as air intakes. This any good : https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/350629336722?fits=UKM_Make%3AYamaha&_skw=yamaha+fj1200+air+filter&epid=8007973252&itmmeta=01JKJYEDJ288QVKKZA45PZ7R1W&hash=item51a3231692:g:RfcAAOSwrXhfv4Ys&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKlk%2FoqzRo2TwJN9piCP1lzFwm3QeuY81LCW0XrLai%2F4dXyeJ3RjtPcVyIvL3XHu7%2FlrMTAcZxZhwmpi8b22%2FGzQwIEaM9dgA2jWq%2F6TJPdhFiJij%2BXI7%2FZUjFu5lfKKzePw4WogcEsGmiOUdvCfnEmeJkFYYfGmzXTXkiN9WK3PUfPEDUJ1MfCkyODuJs5L1FbxVoGJ6jEcCORlMewWKpPEa5Ja6QrHJUyF3Bb3eejHkFSn4uYWG37aFsXPiEOD8VaehIreiN%2FhyDQwC4ArRQzjU9bE3dQ%2F7%2BJydcgNfkBgyA%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMmNm53pxl or https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/116435735953?fits=UKM_Make%3AYamaha&_skw=yamaha+fj1200+air+filter&itmmeta=01JKJYEDJ2D85VV5AT7G93Z2MD&hash=item1b1c1c5591:g:xeMAAOSwRb9nd5D3&itmprp=enc%3AAQAJAAAA8HoV3kP08IDx%2BKZ9MfhVJKlsJbyw8rHXQb4tsX2RTIJf%2BdFdi6yupUfsM2DpN2JgxuWGHbPigk2QM5hfoqtLSYPMAkxmiUoFI5O5nKRQdh8zehuzcrFkcKhpMJj02C9GXx%2FhlhzyV5tQI1AfC%2Bmf0Z7XgYNFnixGSMZDHKgnLr%2FjDSF%2FLKdM2H9ajyUa6OsXYFn2sSHYAD%2BNmkim3rAlHNMvGhoVAVdGr%2FU6D1k3cW1hRw0iad%2FuvwHVi3pXuiNz78wTdRCEkrlMnnRzT%2FKEI99Lbgo1cX%2FZP3Qp9Zc5jmsKMYaxxNdKByhAqFORcLxQ4A%3D%3D|tkp%3ABFBMmtm53pxl Any views on that?

Thanks for the pointers chaps. First port of call now is carburetor. Bike shop chappie pointed me to https://www.bentleymotorcycles.com/contact Martin only does carbs and don't spanner on bikes so its carbs out. I now also know why bike shop chappie does not want to take the carb out .... lol. its not rocket science by you nearly have to take half the bike apart, i.e split the rear frame to create enough room between the airbox and the carbs & rubber boots. Then he has a bike in bits clogging up his small shop. I'm not giving up on this thing yet..... what else am I going to do with it.😐 Snakey, yep valve clearances is next and if that don't work, Neo .... FJclub after that.

I don't think they had invented codes yet in 1992 😅

Merry Xmas all, Sorry for the late update. I was locked out of my account and getting back in is like trying to get into Fort Knox. The saga continues. Anyhoo, the el cheapo coils did not fit my bike so fortunately I could send those back. Enter 2 OEM coils @ 150 quid a pop + installation. Did it change anything ? ..... Nope. Commuting home and sitting in traffic, filtering at slow speed and stopping for a red light from time to time and after a while it starts hunting, then spluttering so I have to keep the revs up so it doesn't die. What I did discover with an infra red thermometer is that - if cylinders are numbered from left to right - when it was running but misfiring : 1 was at 220 degrees, 2 was at 150 degrees, 3&4 were at 290/300 at idle. So cylinder 2 is not behaving. WHY ?? Next move was to put new plugs in 1 & 2 because they might have been affected by the old misfiring/overheating coils. The coils fire 1 & 3 and 2 & 4 so I have been told. The coils can be ruled out because number 4 is okay so the thinking is mechanical. Valve clearances, carburation or whatever else can go on down there. I did tell the mechanic chappy that experimenting at my expense is no longer an option, but he agreed that if he could have to bike for a bit he would try to get to the bottom of this issue foc. He is baffled by the whole thing as well. I'm still riding the bike to work but I now have misfiring anxiety on the way home lol 😅 If the traffic lights align and traffic is light and I can make it home in one hit without stopping I'm fine. **if we get to the bottom of this it may not have been my coils at all ....... now that will be an interesting conversation with the guy**

You Sir get the Platinum medal today 🙂 lol Shoot.... thanks for the link. I normally get my gear from Wemoto ...... they are double that price https://www.wemoto.com/bike/yamaha/fj/1200/1992/28776/ignition-coil

Hehehe, yeah I know about the one hit wonders. I can assure you I'm not but so far I've done 17K problem free miles on this tank with nothing to report. Thanks anyway