What did you do to your FJR today?

[odot]

Moved my skoot out of the way so I could move out my kitchen cabinets and counter tops out of the garage while my kitchen is being torn apart. Licked some sak at the same time.....seems that's what it tasted like....damn asbestos...

 

[Fred W]

Put the bike up for the winter, got plans and parts for some maintenance- steering bearings, lubes, etc. No biggie.

Wow. No way I would put my bike up if I lived in the Carolinas. Heck I'm not really putting it up again this year (up here in New Hampshire) in hopes we have another warm winter like last year. But the cooler months do give us a good opportunity to get after some of those bigger maintenance items that are due.

In preparation for my 75k valve check I went through a full seafoam decarbonizing today. The idea here is to make sure that you are measuring the actual valve clearance, and that the exhaust valves are fully seating metal to metal, otherwise you could get artificially large clearance measurement, or even worse... normal measurements from valves that should really have been reshimmed.

I wanted to use the spray stuff in the intake, but that is a no-go with the way the intake runners go upwards. So instead, I dumped a full can of seafoam into a nearly empty gas tank, and then started and ran the engine to get it warm. Lifted the tank and pulled off all 4 vacuum lines and started it again. It will run at a fast idle with the 4 vacuum leaks. Used the straw to spray goodly doses of the Seafoam right into each of the 4 vacuum ports. After I'd got a good amount in there shut the engine down and let it soak for 5-10 minutes. Repeated a couple of times.

Managed to generate a few sizable black clouds, so the fact that it was cold and windy today was a plus (no neighbors out in their yards, and the wind blew the sooty clouds away pretty quickly. Each reiteration the black cloud got smaller, which I take to mean there is less and less carbon being exhausted. The final step, after re-sealing all of the vacuum caps, was to run the engine rpm up to ~4000 and hold it there, still pumping the seafoam heavy fuel through the injectors and combustion chambers. More black clouds. Repeated x3 and the final time the exhaust looked almost normal. Dilute the seafoam in the tank with a fill-up and she should be good to go for the valve check.

 

[SkooterG]

Put the bike up for the winter, got plans and parts for some maintenance- steering bearings, lubes, etc. No biggie.

Wow. No way I would put my bike up if I lived in the Carolinas. Heck I'm not really putting it up again this year (up here in New Hampshire) in hopes we have another warm winter like last year. But the cooler months do give us a good opportunity to get after some of those bigger maintenance items that are due.

In preparation for my 75k valve check I went through a full seafoam decarbonizing today. The idea here is to make sure that you are measuring the actual valve clearance, and that the exhaust valves are fully seating metal to metal, otherwise you could get artificially large clearance measurement, or even worse... normal measurements from valves that should really have been reshimmed.

I wanted to use the spray stuff in the intake, but that is a no-go with the way the intake runners go upwards. So instead, I dumped a full can of seafoam into a nearly empty gas tank, and then started and ran the engine to get it warm. Lifted the tank and pulled off all 4 vacuum lines and started it again. It will run at a fast idle with the 4 vacuum leaks. Used the straw to spray goodly doses of the Seafoam right into each of the 4 vacuum ports. After I'd got a good amount in there shut the engine down and let it soak for 5-10 minutes. Repeated a couple of times.

Managed to generate a few sizable black clouds, so the fact that it was cold and windy today was a plus (no neighbors out in their yards, and the wind blew the sooty clouds away pretty quickly. Each reiteration the black cloud got smaller, which I take to mean there is less and less carbon being exhausted. The final step, after re-sealing all of the vacuum caps, was to run the engine rpm up to ~4000 and hold it there, still pumping the seafoam heavy fuel through the injectors and combustion chambers. More black clouds. Repeated x3 and the final time the exhaust looked almost normal. Dilute the seafoam in the tank with a fill-up and she should be good to go for the valve check.

I've never bought into this Seafoam procedure, but you got me thinking..........

 

[ionbeam]

I've been feeding my FJR a stiff dose of Techron for the last few fills the same reason that Fred is dosing his FJR. I'm not in a rush so I've taken the slow 'n steady approach. I believe that Fred's method is much better if you have the fiddle time. It is important with either method to give the chemicals time to soak in a hot engine. Fred is going for a fast knockout, I'm in a war of attrition.

 

[RossKean]

In preparation for my 75k valve check I went through a full seafoam decarbonizing today. The idea here is to make sure that you are measuring the actual valve clearance, and that the exhaust valves are fully seating metal to metal, otherwise you could get artificially large clearance measurement, or even worse... normal measurements from valves that should really have been reshimmed.

"Sounds" like a good idea but I would be afraid of doing some damage! Maybe its OK??? I guess you are not reporting any explosions etc.

I need to do a valve check this winter (35,000 miles since the last one) and might give this a try. I think Jeff Ashe does something similar with the Seafoam and I haven't heard about any problems. Like you, I am hoping for another benign winter where I can get out at least a couple of times in Dec., Jan, Feb. I would like to have a year where I managed a ride in every month. A little less chance here in the (more) frozen north but ... This was my best riding season ever with just shy of 28,000 miles (45,000 km).

Are you using the "Deep Creep" stuff in the spray bomb for the vacuum hoses?

Note: I would suggest an oil change after doing this. I'm betting it will be pretty cruddy!

I managed a round trip from Fredericton to Halifax on Thursday and Friday (business meeting). 600 miles total in spectacular late fall (early winter?) weather. Hit 57 °F for much of the afternoon! Didn't even need to run the heated jacket liner.

 

[SkooterG]

I've been feeding my FJR a stiff dose of Techron for the last few fills the same reason that Fred is dosing his FJR. I'm not in a rush so I've taken the slow 'n steady approach. I believe that Fred's method is much better if you have the fiddle time. It is important with either method to give the chemicals time to soak in a hot engine. Fred is going for a fast knockout, I'm in a war of attrition.

I put Yamaha's Ring Free in every tank at the low level that is specified. I hope that is taking care of it for me.

 

[johnny80s]

I rode my FJR today.

 

[odot]

I looked at the dust on my feej today. Then I looked at the grand canyon that runs through my kitchen and into my living room. Then I shook my head in a sad manner.

 

[FJRoger]

Put on a new set of PR2's and lubed the spline.

Changed oil and filter. And new Pumkin juice

 

[Fred W]

I've been experiencing a small (not alarming) oil loss over the last 2 or 3 oil changes. I haven't done a compression check previously (even though I have the gauge and know I should have for comparative purposes) but probably will this time since my engine is getting to be "mature." I've also used techron off and on with no discernible results over the life of this engine in the normal (to somewhat high) dosing rates, but I ass-u-me (and you all know what that means) that this only helps the injectors, not the combustion chambers.

I'll admit a great deal of trepidation in dosing my favorite bike's engine with so much of the SF, but it sure has seemed to have weathered the storm, and more results and impressions will surely be forthcoming.

If I was a Joe in the back row, I would not jump on this as the end-all-be-all just yet. It has a history of working with cast iron V8 lumps, but that doesn't mean it will translate to our FJR engines. I'll report more stuff ASAP.

btw - I am far from "rich" and would also loathe the thought of actually harming my engine. And since this is the early part of my 75k maintenance I will be changing the oil, and the plugs.

edit - I have also considered Yamaha Ring Free (very seriously), but have come to the conclusion that anything that much more incrementally expensive (and for no disclosed reason) is far more likely to be "snake oil" than real goodness. IOW, the Seafoam and Techron are probably just as effective.

YMMV

 

[congo2]

Did a 450+ mile ride thru Little Switzerland, Boone and then up to Roanoke...jumping on & off the Blue Ridge Parkway at various times. I did about 150 miles on the Parkway in Va with minimal traffic and not a park ranger to be found. First time ever I was able to ride the parkway at a good clip. On the way home tonight I saw the air temp gauge get down to 32!!

 

[LAF]

I've been feeding my FJR a stiff dose of Techron for the last few fills the same reason that Fred is dosing his FJR. I'm not in a rush so I've taken the slow 'n steady approach. I believe that Fred's method is much better if you have the fiddle time. It is important with either method to give the chemicals time to soak in a hot engine. Fred is going for a fast knockout, I'm in a war of attrition.

I put Yamaha's Ring Free in every tank at the low level that is specified. I hope that is taking care of it for me.

+1

Been using it since new. Mix it in a 32 oz Stabil Marine bottle, 16 oz, 16 oz. Use it every fill up.

 

[ionbeam]

...I've also used techron off and on with no discernible results...

Since my engine was revivified it has been prone to knocking under heavy load if there is even a trace of carbon present. My engine has slightly higher compression than a stocker which makes it vulnerable. I usually have to run 2-3 tanks dosed with Techron before the knocking stops and then it will be fine for months.

 

[RossKean]

...I've also used techron off and on with no discernible results...

Since my engine was revivified it has been prone to knocking under heavy load if there is even a trace of carbon present. My engine has slightly higher compression than a stocker which makes it vulnerable. I usually have to run 2-3 tanks dosed with Techron before the knocking stops and then it will be fine for months.

What dosing level of Techron?

 

[Hertz]

Pulled the battery. Now filling out the app for the RDL group buy come Monday.

 

[LAF]

...I've also used techron off and on with no discernible results...

Since my engine was revivified it has been prone to knocking under heavy load if there is even a trace of carbon present. My engine has slightly higher compression than a stocker which makes it vulnerable. I usually have to run 2-3 tanks dosed with Techron before the knocking stops and then it will be fine for months.

From all I have been told the Ring Free is nothing more then Techron but in a undiluted form. I bought a case of 32 OZ bottles.

You can not beat SeaFoam as a de carbon maintenance when used as a fogger.

In my Road Glide I had twin 52 MM carbs and I created black clouds like a tire fire. You spray directly into the carbs when running. You also pull plugs, spray the tops of the pistons, let sit for 20 minuets and fire it up. I have never seen anything clean pistons so clean in my life.

I would like to think as a maintenance dose Ring Free in gas will accomplish the same thing. It will clean tracts and injectors but I would also believe it will de carbon pistons and valves, and valve seats as the gas is sprayed, vaporized into the combustion chamber.

I am not saying it is the best but I like it is not diluted and I guess in a few thousand miles I will see on my first valve check.

 

[mcatrophy]

(Actually yesterday).

Sat and thought about it in a car showroom while we ordered a new car for SWMBO. Means I'm stuck with my Gen II.

So, no '13 for quite a while.

Oh, well, maybe a '14?

 

[TwoWhldTerror]

Put on my Corbin Smuggler earlier in the week and washed it. Then I rode 300 miles on Friday to Cheaha State Park and back. Damn I love this bike, and the Smuggler rocks! What a convenient/easy storage space. Why the heck does not Yamaha make one?

 

[Fred W]

I am not saying it is the best but I like it is not diluted and I guess in a few thousand miles I will see on my first valve check.

It is highly diluted once you pour it into the gas tank. I have also heard that those three products are essentially he same thing at differing concentrations. So ,one could just use twice more of the Techron or Seafoam and still be ahead monetarily.

Yamaha does like to charge very high prices for their mystery fluids (Ring Free and FJR whale **** come to mind). I believe that it is a marketing ploy. Many folks will (wishfully?) believe that because it is made of top secret ingredients and the price is much higher, it also must be much better. Maybe it is, maybe it isn't. It is far too gray an area of maintenance to say for sure.

 

[ionbeam]

...What dosing level of Techron?

Man's rule: The more the better. I usually use not less than double the recommended amount. I don't think you can really go wrong up until the engine won't run or you strip the insulation off of the fuel pump motor windings and melt the fuel sender

...From all I have been told the Ring Free is nothing more then Techron but in a undiluted form

Ring Free

1,2,4-trimethylbenzene

Pertoleum Distillate

Proprietary Additive

Xylene

Techron

Distillates, hydrotreated light

Stoddard solvent (ionbeam says this is white spirits; Mineral spirits type I; Petroleum distillate)

Solvent Naphtha (petroleum), light aromatic

Benzene, 1,2,4-trimethyl

SeaFoam

Pale Oil (a broad family of highly refined oils, often very hydrogenated; in this use more likely to be at the lubricating end of the spectrum and not in the Naptha range as Naptha is an ingredient)

Naptha

IPA (tricky top dollar way to say rubbing alcohol a.k.a isopropanol, propan-2-ol, 2-propanol; Isopropyl alcohol)

(This is RossKean country)