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From: Robert Roland on 6 Aug 2006 15:09
On Sat, 05 Aug 2006 22:14:15 GMT, kylentz(a)excite.com wrote:

>I have a 1982 Yamaha XJ650 Maxim with about 11K miles on it.
>
>The problem is that it is very hard to start or won't start - unless I put a
>very small amount of starter fluid in the air box opening.

You have an electrical problem. I know it sounds stupid, but I am not
kidding. Most likely, your battery is getting weak.

>Obviously it is not getting enough fuel to start, but I am baffled why such
>a small amount of starter fluid seems to completely fix the problem.

The old XJ series are known for their weak ignition system and their
very strong starters. When the battery is getting old, the starter
will draw so much current that the battery is not able to sustain
enough voltage to drive the ignition system.

The starter fluid will ignite with a very weak spark, perhaps
completely without spark at all. Once the engine fires a few times,
the starter unloads, the voltage rises and the ignition system start
working.

If you have a voltmeter, try measuring the voltage at the ignition
coils while cranking the starter. My guess is you'll read around 7
volts.

Get a new battery and be amazed.

--
RoRo

From: FB on 6 Aug 2006 19:07
Robert Roland wrote:

> The old XJ series are known for their weak ignition system and their
> very strong starters. When the battery is getting old, the starter
> will draw so much current that the battery is not able to sustain
> enough voltage to drive the ignition system.

You have an interesting point. Motorcycle ignition systems often
produce rather low voltage due to the need for a quick voltage rise
when the points open or the transistor
is triggered.

The low voltage compromise is overcome by making the idle mixture
richer than is needed for best economy.

The EPA, however, demanded that the idle mixture be made a lot leaner
in order
meet air pollution requirements.

I suspect that the original poster's idle mixture circuits are actually
quite dirty, and I recommend that he put 4 ounces of Berryman's B-12
Chemtool Choke and Carburetor
Cleaner in a full tank of gasoline and go for a slow ride in order to
clean the carbs out.

B-12 can be bought at any auto parts store or Wal*Mart and comes in
15-ounce liquid or 15-oz aerosol cans for about $3.00.

Trying the B-12 will be a lot cheaper than buying a new battery for
about $40.00.
>
> The starter fluid will ignite with a very weak spark, perhaps
> completely without spark at all. Once the engine fires a few times,
> the starter unloads, the voltage rises and the ignition system start
> working.
>
> If you have a voltmeter, try measuring the voltage at the ignition
> coils while cranking the starter. My guess is you'll read around 7
> volts.
>
> Get a new battery and be amazed.
>
> --
> RoRo

From: FB on 6 Aug 2006 19:23

The Older Gentleman wrote:
> FB <flying_booger(a)yahoo.com> wrote:

> > Description of the group is "motorcycle technical discussion".
> >
> > The implication is that the discussion is *useful* discussion.
>
> Is it? Very abstruse and hypothetical discussion is interesting but has
> little or no utility. You are making a very dangerous assumption. And
> even if that were true, how do you get from that to your alleged
> "purpose" above?

OK, so you don't like technical discussion and you don't like helpful
tips to newbies, unless you deign to dispense some of your craftily
hoarded knowledge. So what is your function in this NG?
>
> >
> > The purpose of a conversation is to exchange useful information or to
> > establish social dominance.
>
> Not necessarily.

Get off it. You want to big a big frog in a small pond, but you don't
want to put much effort into actually *helping* anybody.
>
> >
> > If you know everything that I know, and I know everything you know,
> > what is the function of the conversation?
>
> Entertainment. Social interaction. Saying "I'm here and fine; how are
> you?"

I'm am well aware that you are "here". You've posted thousands of
rebukes to innocent posters who are trying to get their motorbike
running.
>
> >
> > You can often tell who is trying to establish social dominance by
> > counting the number of useless posts to a newsgroup.
>
>
> Really? Does your source tell you how many times one needs to mention
> Berryman's carb cleaner to achieve the same effect?

It's necessary to mention B-12 to every poster who has dirty
carburetors.

I suspect that the original poster's idle mixture circuits are actually
quite dirty, and I recommend that he put 4 ounces of Berryman's B-12
Chemtool Choke and Carburetor
Cleaner in a full tank of gasoline and go for a slow ride in order to
clean the carbs out.

And, I believe that there are avaricious mechanic$ working in
$tealer$hip$ who make their living off of prescribing needless
carburetor synchronization to newbies who could benefit from putting 4
ounces of Berryman's B-12 Chemtool Choke and Carburetor Cleaner in a
full tank of gasoline and going for a slow ride in order to clean the
carbs out instead of buying batteries and spark plugs and wasting their
money with independant mechanic$ running a junkyard shop.

Say, have I mentioned Berryman's B-12 Chemtool Choke and Carburetor
Cleaner recently? I will be sure to include it in every post from now
on. ;-)

From: pete on 6 Aug 2006 20:49

>
> Say, have I mentioned Berryman's B-12 Chemtool Choke and Carburetor
> Cleaner recently? I will be sure to include it in every post from now
> on. ;-)
>

:)

http://www.berrymanproducts.com/Default.aspx?tabid=140


From: FB on 6 Aug 2006 23:36

John Johnson wrote:

> FB wrote:

> > I don't respond to newbie's posts to entertain you, John. If you read
> > the original post, I believe the OP may have mentioned something about
> > the needless ritual of carburetor synchronization.
>
> Yes, and you commented on it in your initial reply of 5 Aug, and twice
> today. (snip)


Say, have I mentioned Berryman's B-12 Chemtool Choke and Carburetor
Cleaner recently? I will be sure to include it in every post from now
on. ;-)

http://www.berrymanproducts.com/Default.aspx?tabid=140

The stuff works great, and it will keep the newbie owners out of the
clutche$ of avariciou$ $tealer$hip mechanic$ who pre$cribe unnece$$ary
carburetor $ynchronizing to enhance their own income.

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