1984 Yamaha FJ 600- Rise of "The Mighty Jig"

Kickeroo

Been Around the Block
What a day....retained a divorce lawyer, and brought home all of my extraneous junk.

Brought her home Wednesday, July 27th, my 25th Birthday present, the 1984 Yamaha FJ600, the one that started it all for me. The ebay watch list of stuff it will need is growing exponentially, as are the bikebandit list, the dennis kirk lise, etc, etc:

TO DO LIST AS OF 09/25/2013;
From here, and I guess it's as good a time as any to start a to-do list:
1. Clean up and install donor carbs with pod filters (they didn't fit, so I sold them!
2. Finish electrics with coils, new relays, and new fuses where appliciable
3. Figure out what to do about clutch.
4. Media blast exhaust parts, paint with hi-temp black paint, reinstall
5. Re-install cleaned tank. Put some fresh gas in
6. What the hell, see if she'll start Nope.
7. Change oil in forks, change seals.
8. remove old front tire, clean rim as best as can be, replace bearings, replace tire.
9. replace front brake pads, REPLACE all tubes in system. Replace fluid and bleed (need help)
10. Replace stearing bearings while we're here.
11. Do something about the seat. Re-cover ($) or replace ($$)
12. Remove rear wheel, remove old tire, clean rim as best as can be replace bearings. Inspect/replace rear sprocket :eek: replace tire
13. Replace chain.
14. Inspect/replace front sprocket.
15. inspect entire swing-arm assembly. clean, inspect/replace necessary bits.
16. Do something about the yellow patina on aluminum parts (new 2/2/12)
17. Now that it's running (and it is as of 9/20/13), synch carbs, find source of vacuum leack
18. Align rear wheel like an actual bike builder
19. Strengthen new-to-me fairing so that it doesn't break
20. Find source of auxiliary lighting failures (turn signals, horn, neutral light)
20a. pray it isn't the flasher relay
21. Find aftermarket mirrors
22. Go to bike junkyard and find nuts and bolts needed for exhaust manifold, battery box, turn signals
22. Ride past ex's house, middle finger extended.

More as I think of it.


What it would have looked at when it was new:
Yamaha%20FJ600%2084%20%202.jpg

Stuff that's impossible to find (to be added to):
The chin fairing
Side covers that haven't been roached
Almost impossibe:
Good tires
Minor Inconveinience:
PA Title long since missing, but only $35 away
First....yes, I'm guilty of negligence
thefj001.jpg

Umbrella removed:
thefj002.jpg

And only 30,992 miles!
thefj003.jpg

It really only gets worse from here:
thefj004.jpg

Windsheild is a goner...knew that
thefj005.jpg

Sidecovers are pretty ratted out
thefj006.jpg

New flo-thru vision!
thefj007.jpg

fork seals are.....good??? really?
thefj008.jpg

Last shot in the old 'hood
thefj009.jpg

Parked in 96..
thefj010.jpg

It was June....i was broke
thefj011.jpg

Again, look at the clean section
thefj012.jpg

All tied down on the trailer that brought it here 11 years ago
thefj013.jpg

I know for a fact that chain is kinked
thefj014.jpg

Look closely, and you can see where mice were living in the tail section
thefj015.jpg

Pod filters gave up the ghost a while ago
thefj016.jpg

Thought bubble from the Guzzi, "No, no, no...dona bring dat in here"
thefj017.jpg

Do i own ANYTHING that doesn't have a patina to it?? really?
thefj018.jpg

Hey, look! a stoppie!
thefj019.jpg

Summary
No illusions of grandeur here. The old girl deserves better than what I can do, but she's one loyal tough old broad
 
Man, have you got your work cut out for you!! These are cool bikes.I bought one shortly after watching these bikes kick butt at the 24 hours of Nelson Ledges in '84.When I bought mine it had a mouse living by the airbox,must be an FJ thing.Funny part is,he didn't come out until after the high speed test ride!Had mine for a couple years and haven't seen a nice one since.I'll have to send you a couple of pics. Enjoy it!
 
I HAVE enjoyed it...since March of 1992! That's why it's in this sorry state. But I do welcome any and all stories, advice, and free parts ;)
Took off the seat, and realized I was not alone. Well, I thought I wasn't alone. A couple of well-gloved handfuls of old foam rubber (from what, I have no idea), 60 seconds of shop-vac, some Simple Green, and a disinfectant wipe later, the space is now empty, and I guess, open for new occupants...uh, NOT!
thefj027.jpg
 
The Pod filters might have given up the ghost, but the FJ still has life in her. Don't junkyard that bike, please. I am sure that she will roar to life again soon.

If you are going to junk it, let me know first.

Good luck man, she could be one hell of a scoot again.
 
Since I'm a few hours away from scoring a big-ticket fix-me-up part, I don't think it'd be in my best interest to junk her. I can't say with a straight face that the project will be done in 8 weeks, but as time, energy, and money become available, I'll get her back in action. No worries.
 
My Radian took so many parts from that model. You may want to look into Phazer, and Radian parts as most of these parts will fit your bike. The FJ, FZ, YX (Radian), and Phazer are almost he same bike plus minus fairings.. Hope this helps.
 
first...like I said...no more meeses
tankandframe003.jpg

draining the last of the root-beer-brown 16 year old gas
tankandframe001.jpg

State of the frame. Looks good
tankandframe002.jpg

The FJ's dirty little BITD ignition secret....
tankandframe004.jpg

Just then, an old pod filter made a break for it:
tankandframe005.jpg
 
5PM, EST, 7/30/11....derusting the tank using electolosys has begun. No pictures to report, unless it works like gangbusters.

oh, what the heck:
My science project:
First, what it looks like inside the gas tank:
Tankde-rusting002.jpg

In order to insure continuity of an electric charge, I had to scrape away a little paint:
Tankde-rusting004.jpg

This, as a weak solution, forms a nice electolyte, since it's mostly sodium carbonate
Tankde-rusting007.jpg

The nuts and washers form a donor of electrons to the rust spots on the tank walls, turning the rust into ferrous ferric (black) oxide. really
Tankde-rusting006.jpg

Positive lead goes to the bolt. Negative lead to the scraped-away section of the tank. Plug it in, and walk away. To be fair, this is the first go-around. I hadn't fully sealed the outlets to the petcock (removed for disassembly and cleaning) and the whole thinng promptly leaked. I re-installed the petcock, and moved the the she-bang into the garage. As of this writing 12:00 EST 7-31-11, it's still chugging away at it.
Tankde-rusting008.jpg

If it doesn't work, I have the other methods at the ready, including "the Works" toilet cleaner and the ability to shake the tank with some gas and a few loose nuts and bolts in it.
Stay tuned
 
still working on it:
rustpart2work001.jpg

Occasionally, I change out the cluster of sacrificial nuts and washers:
rustpart2work003.jpg
 
Shopping for basics in two days: battery, filter, oil, etc. A local friend is GIVING me a set of clean '87 FZ600 carbs to swap out, if only so I can get her running sooner than later. I seem to remember the FJ's having a Barnett kit installed in them, so I'm not getting rid of them. We'l see. Obviousy, with a swap out, some adjustments will need to be made. Duh. I'm just updating what I know.
 
Ok, I'm poking at the FJ as much as I can, with funds, time and energy being my nemesis.

First the good news: Changed out the oil and filter:
FJoilchange001.jpg

Bad news...had to take my way-trick-back-in-the-day Vance and Hines exhaust off:
FJoilchange002.jpg

The metal is intact, just shitty looking with all of the rust. I'll have to table that idea for a bit:
FJoilchange003.jpg

Donor FZ600 carbs GIVEN to me, that were clean as of a year ago:
FJoilchange004.jpg

Versus my original ones that may or may not have a jet kit in them:
FJoilchange005.jpg

Question: what's the best way to remove bar-ends without unsightly vice-grip tool marks?
FJoilchange006.jpg

Not that I'm crazy about the bar set-up to begin with.
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The surface corrosion beneath the throttle is part of the reason I'd like to get the bar-ends off
FJoilchange008.jpg

And in the cart-before-the-horse department: a new battery. Charged it up, put it in, and just to see if the wiring was as intact as I remember, I turned the key.......and nothing. The wiring diagram doesn't appear to have a break in the whole of the system if the headlight or gas tank are removed, but then again, I haven't had a chance to go all OCD on the subject yet. Any ideas anyone?
FJoilchange009.jpg


Thanks for looking!
 
From an electrical standpoint, I've determined that the starter relay and the sidestand relay are "out of spec" and new ones have been independantly ordered. Thankfully, the really expensive one, the flasher relay, is still good. I have yet to even attempt to see if she'll fire up, since I haven't swapped out the carbs yet. I'm merely cleaning everything as I go along, just so I can have it running as I remember it by a very symbolic Decemeber 14th. I did receive a replacement fairing that I bought online. Now, nothing is perfect, and it's far and away in better condition that the one I had. However, it's not without its issues, and some of the ABS needs to be reinforced at the fairing-stay connections, and at one of the two headlight trim retainer fittings. I'm told Duramix has a number of products that will help this....so I'll be ordering a few things later next week. That's the update for now.
 
As promised. The now-separated V&H exhaust.....and the bonus was shaking out the remnants of whatever was living in there
parts001.jpg

Next up is cleaning up this area. Dig the custom aluminum bracket that, I'm guessing the P.O. (pre-1992) had made, or made him/herself.
parts002.jpg

...and I'm cleaning up all of the coil stuff, mainly because I can rationalize parting with another $150 just to replace them.
parts003.jpg

All of the brackets have spent the night in a environmentally friendly solution of lemon-juice and baking soda. Not a fabulous result, but perhaps a rattle can job to make them look as though I give a crap. More to that later.

do to list moved to page 1
 
After shots of the V&H exhaust when a buddy sandblasted them:
yes, I suck at metal polishing
sandblast005.jpg

The header.
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In other news:
Coils all cleaned, and the relays have been installed. The entire electrical system is now functional, including brake lights, horn, turn signals and the biggie: the starter.
I replaced the decrepit NGK's for E3 3.36, and for giggles, I pushed the starter button, if only to circulate some oil. SHE CRANKS!!!!
Because I'm an idiot, I'll have to drain the Fully Synthetic 10W30 soon, because I have new cluitch plates to install. I know this, well, because you can pull the clutch lever, and yes, I checked, the cable is fine.
My rattle-can paint job on the exhaust is next. It won't be pretty, but it'll look better than what I had.
 
Clutch plates are in, and a new cable is on order, because it just makes good sense. This'll give me something to do while Hurrican Irene hits Central Virginia.
 
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