Decided to Junk my XJ1100

[va_blue_stang]

As the title states I have giving up on my 82 XJ1100J. I have owned it since August of Last year and successfully rode it for about 200 miles. Have never been able to get the rear brakes working properly so it has been a scary 200 miles of no brakes except one caliper in the front.
I have ordered enough parts to build 3 sets of rear brakes with no luck. New brake yesterday that were not correct. Tried bleeding them yesterday with the old pads to find out I can't get any pressure what so ever. Everything has been cleaned and new rebuild kits in everything, just to find out the last diaphragm I got and put on the master cylinder is leaking and tearing at the edge.
Thanks for letting me vent on here and now I guess another old Yamaha is going to be stripped as a parts bike, which is a shame since it has all new connectors and the engine is strong as hell.

Thanks for all the help, Mitch

[trbig]

Seems a shame to completely junk a bike simply because you can't figure a brake out. Cap off the front left caliper and throw an XS M/C on there.

[natemoen]

I agree with Tod. It is a waste to junk a bike for parts just because you can't figure out why the brakes won't work. Sell the thing as a whole to someone who want to figure it out.

Did you ever look at the lines to see if they are clogged/rusted shut. My rear line was rusted shut.

Proportioning valve?

Split the brake system so that the front and rear are separate, at least then the front will work till you figure out the back.

[va_blue_stang]

Seems a shame to completely junk a bike simply because you can't figure a brake out. Cap off the front left caliper and throw an XS M/C on there.

I have 2 xs masters now, one that came on it and another that I ordered for it because the diaphragm on the first was busted. Now the one on the second is cracking so unless there's a home solution for it I'm going to have to track another one down. I'm just tired of throwing money out in the dark experimenting on what the solution could be..

I've owned other Late 70's Yamaha triples and have never had this knid of trouble getting to ride them.

[va_blue_stang]

I agree with Tod. It is a waste to junk a bike for parts just because you can't figure out why the brakes won't work. Sell the thing as a whole to someone who want to figure it out.

Did you ever look at the lines to see if they are clogged/rusted shut. My rear line was rusted shut.

Proportioning valve?

Split the brake system so that the front and rear are separate, at least then the front will work till you figure out the back.

I've been riding with only one front brake since I bought it in August. Yesterday I had to slow suddenly and figured out that it is a death trap like that.

I would to find a picture of the plunger assembly to make sure I have it rebuilt correctly because the picture in the manual sucks for detail.

[jjz28]

I couldnt get no pressure on mine in the back so i put brake fluid up through backwards with a syringe and pumped it out and then did it again and finally got pressure.

[va_blue_stang]

I couldnt get no pressure on mine in the back so i put brake fluid up through backwards with a syringe and pumped it out and then did it again and finally got pressure.

A regular medical syringe and a hose hooked to the bleeder screw while it's open, correct?

[va_blue_stang]

I found that I have a problem in the plunger setup itself. I tried pumping fluid backward through the system and it goes good till it gets to the plunger and it refuses to let fluid back into the m/c. I can remove it and cover the bottom hole for the plunger with my finger and it squirts fluid back through the relief hole.

[fredintoon]

As the title states I have giving up on my 82 XJ1100J. I have owned it since August of Last year and successfully rode it for about 200 miles. Have never been able to get the rear brakes working properly so it has been a scary 200 miles of no brakes except one caliper in the front.

Hi Mitch,
runs good, got papers, all it needs is the brakes fixed? There's members here who'd kill to be that far ahead and you want to break it?
For shame.
Get in touch with Andreas.
Buy the master cylinders off an XS11 Standard to transition your bike to separate brake operation.
Back on the road in half a day after the package arrives.

[va_blue_stang]

Hi Mitch,
runs good, got papers, all it needs is the brakes fixed? There's members here who'd kill to be that far ahead and you want to break it?
For shame.
Get in touch with Andreas.
Buy the master cylinders off an XS11 Standard to transition your bike to separate brake operation.
Back on the road in half a day after the package arrives.

I have 2 xs m/c now that I'm working with. The bike didn't come with the xj m/c. I have 3 plungers I've rebuilt with no luck and just don't have the resources to keep buying parts to experiment with. As a whole bike I can't get back half of what I've sunk into it that's why I want to part it out.

[natemoen]

Can you build pressure in the MC with it off the bike, by just pumping it by hand?

The rear us a pain to bleed because it has to pump up before it goes down. It very often holds a bubble there and then you can't get the pressure to build in the lines.

[va_blue_stang]

Can you build pressure in the MC with it off the bike, by just pumping it by hand?

The rear us a pain to bleed because it has to pump up before it goes down. It very often holds a bubble there and then you can't get the pressure to build in the lines.

Builds some pressure but the plunger will not move freely to push itself back out I have to pull it back down. I've cleaned and cleaned on this thing. I've tried 3 plungers in 2 different m/c with no luck what so ever.

[natemoen]

If it won't come back out on its own then something isn't right inside.

[va_blue_stang]

If it won't come back out on its own then something isn't right inside.

I can leave the top gasket off of the plunger and it still will not push it out. It acts like it's binding but I can't find a reason why.

[crazy steve]

I can leave the top gasket off of the plunger and it still will not push it out. It acts like it's binding but I can't find a reason why.

You need to lightly hone the bore. I always check for free movement before doing final reassembly on any master cylinder because I've ran into this more times than not. Honing isn't a big deal; pick up some fine sandpaper (600-800 grit), roll it tightly to form it, then tape it to a wood pencil at one end so it can 'flap'. Chuck the pencil in a drill, and with a bit of brake fluid for 'cutting oil', spin this in the bore. Take the seals off the plunger, and when that will go in and out with no issues, clean it up and reassemble.

The slightest bit of corrosion in the bore is all it takes; many times you can't see it.