Another long day...

Trying to keep up with the XJ list is difficult what with all the messages, but the most fun I have had in some time. I received a rather indepth email from Hap about the bike, and learned some distressing news. My carb covers are after-market!! Looks like I'm going to be doing some shopping soon, or at the very least, get to work polishing the ones I have. Part of it is the fear that I will screw something up royally, especially when it comes to the carbs. I'll see what the list and Hap have to say about it.

All I know is, I am going to need another job just to maintain my fix on getting this bike to look purty again.

But, like all things worth doing, if it was easy, what would be the point? I kind of like the challenge this bike is presenting me. The carbtune stuff alone is going to be pricey, but how important is getting the bike running to near perfect? Pretty damn...

Rode the bike to work tonight, but was able to make it home before the rain started coming down. Of course, it's supposed to rain tomorrow as well, but that will give me some time to get things done on the bike. Namely, a fuel filter and some seafoam. Gotta get those carbs cleaned. I really think that is a large part of the problem. I'm also going to adjust the idle (now that I know where the adjustment screw is) thanks to the knowhow of Hap. So much for listening to friends about the throttle cable. While it did adjust the throttle, I think that was because it pulled mightily on the throttle cable, thereby increasing the revs. 1100rpms is what I was instructed to set the engine at. I'll post the results tomorrow.

Something I did notice: My rpm's used to run at about 4500 in 5th gear, now, they run at about 4000 after the throttle cable adjust. I don't know if this is an improvement or a step backwards. It's probably all moot because until I get the carbs in pristine working condition, none of it matters. I'll have to ask what rpm's I should be running at while moving at 70mph.

Bit by bit I am picking up information heretofore I thought uninteresting or boring. While I doubt I'll ever know everything there is to know about the bike, a lot of the info is coming together now, and I feel more comfortable than I did the day before.