1982 Seca XJ750, ZRX1200 has company now.

[DiverRay]

There WAS a post about making one a few years ago. It may have made it over if you search. As I recall, it's fairly easy to build with parts from any good hardware store.

[Bonz]

Thanks, I did the same research. I'm assuming that $37 tool Chacal the main moderator sells (post is from Jan 3, 2008) is probably not available at that price or any more.

One of the reasons I am not hopeful is I've already attempted to create an account at XJ bikes to pursue said tool, however I seem to be caught in a loop that redirects back to creating the account with no end game so to speak. I have sent them a message and haven't heard back yet in reference to creating a log in account.

I had seen the Japan options, look like they could arrive by the end of the month. With the current international shipping situation and tariff uncertainty, I don't know that I want to take a chance on one right now as more International shippers are not shipping because of their own uncertainty.

Anybody have one they would be willing to loan out, be happy to cover shipping both ways.

[bikerphil]

I've synced XJ11s without the tool, you can get it closer but you will notice the gauges barely respond. For best results, use the tool.

[cajun31]

Howard, I have no real world experience with YICS. Never owned a bike with it. I read an old thread that stated XJbikes.com sales a YICS blocking tool. What is a YICS tool? | XJBikes - Yamaha XJ Motorcycle Forum. There is a response from Chacal that states they sold their tool for $37.00. Been a while since the thread was done so the price might be a bit more. If it were my bike I would invest in a YICS tool. Would be worth it in the long run if you plan to keep the bike. As good as it looks I am assuming that is the case. There are also several YICS tools out on Ebay. Most are from Japan and cost in the neighborhood of $90.00 plus shipping. The reason I did more research and found the XJbikes option.

[Bonz]

Maybe someday I'll pick up one of the old turbo bikes, I think they would be a ton of fun.

Got the '82 XJ750R Seca running today. Idles acceptably well, revs and drops back to idle pretty much like it should. Next step is a sync and get the front brakes back on the bike.

What say the collective on sync-ing without a YICS tool? My thought is it would still be better than a bench sync/no sync. What are thoughts as I don't have a YICS tool and have heard it works ok without and others say the tool is necessary.

[Bonz]

Thanks for that, DiverRay. Turbo bikes would make sense today, IMO, with the changes and advances since the early 80's. Turbos have always made more sense to my mind as it's free power from exhaust gas vs. parasitic drag on a bike such as the Kawasaki H2.

[DiverRay]

IIRC, boost was 6psi stock, and 12psi with the kit. The problem was there was no pop-off valve, so you could over-pressure if you chopped the throttle too quickly. I didn't have mine long enough to find out. Some idiot entered the freeway too fast on wet roads and took out two cars and my bike.
The Honda turbo would walk away from the Yamaha! That I DO know from experience.

[Bonz]

I've always felt they could have fuel injected the 650 Seca Turbo like all the rest of the big 4. What did the "Boost Kit" do in terms of turbo psi vs stock?

Blow through carbs are are real crap-shoot and so much more to go "wrong", IMO, but they made it work on the Seca 650. I'd like a Honda CX650 turbo, period tests had it stronger than a GPZ 1100 in roll-on. I like mid-range, one of the reasons my ZRX 1200 has ZZR1200 cams, ZZR1200 carbs adapted on to it (Vincent Hill and I created as a mod that many used on the ZRX forum)), JE 12.5:1 pistons. It is strong. Beats an FJR 1300 in 3rd gear roll-on to the ton and stays close to a flashed Concours 14 to the ton when aero takes over.

Getting the Seca 750 up and running is a labor of love, the Uncle who gifted it to me has early Parkinson's and it'll be great to get him on it next summer when he visits Colorado again. His garage has a Gen 2 V-Max (most insane acceleration I have ever felt. Period.), 2015 Honda CB1100, 2015 Road Glide and 1977 Pontiac Trans Am he also took down to the frame and put a built motor in that makes almost 600 lbs/ft and 540 hp. He's a first-class gear head and getting this 750 Seca back to original running order will mean a lot to me and a whole lot more to him.

[DiverRay]

I had a Seca 650 Turbo in '83. The dealer put in the "boost kit", as I had it broken in within a week. Turbo lag was FUN! 55mph in third, full throttle, and 1.5 seconds later the front end was in the air and you were at 90mph.
Yamaha DID experiment with the production bikes in the '80's. They tried a lot of "unusual" solutions to problems nobody had.

[Bonz]

A trick my friend Vincent Hill who used to race Superbike back in the 80s as a privateer shared with me is that brake cleaner works real well on all brake parts. He said think about it, it's meant to be used on brakes with rubber components. Also works good for shooting through carburetors to clean out pilot jets, not harmful to the O-rings on the pilot screws, needle seats, etc. Carburetor cleaner, specifically the spray kind or the soak kind is no bueno in most of my experience and probably others as well especially if left to sit on rubber parts for any length of time.

Using a brass bristle brush (on a Dremel) of different sizes/shapes to remove the corrosion/smeg in the calipers and master cylinder. The rings for seals/circlip are clean as the day they were new and the bores shiny,

[bikerphil]

Well I'm glad you got it free and it's useable. I understand wanting to keep it all original.

Just a reminder, some solvents will swell the rubber and make it unusable. Brake fluid is 100% safe and works well as a cleaner.

[Bonz]

I ran it through the ultrasonic cleaner this morning along with another soak with penetrating oil. I was able to get it to move a little bit. Soaking it again now that it's moved a bit and going to put it in ultrasonic cleaner again.The goal is to keep the bike as original as possible. It's in pristine shape. I bet there aren't five in the country that are in this good of shape having been rebuilt with all NOS parts.

If this master cylinder is not viable once I get it loosened up, then a bar mount is potentially in the cards. It's possible internal parts on the master cylinder match other bikes. In the grand scheme it's a funky arrangement that a specific kit is not listed for this bike. A bar mounted master cylinder would necessitate different bars, master cylinder with lever, custom lines etc.

Yamaha has a funky bar on this bike in order to mount the plastic shrouds around the bars that give it a sleek look. Switchgear may be challenging to find when swapping the bar, I've been reading up on it and seeing what the options are.

Edit: After another soak in penetrant and ultrasonic cleaning, along with a couple shots of high psi from the compressor, I tapped down on the plunger with a small socket on an extension and everything freed up and popped out. Bore is good, rubber cup/seal is good, spring looks brand new and the piston is in good shape. Everything is apart that needs to be apart now with the brakes and carbs, waiting on the caliper seal kits to arrive and getting the carbs reassembled hopefully today yet. Next weekend is hopefully getting things back on the bike.

[bikerphil]

The Piston is stuck solid as can be in the master cylinder. What are tricks y'all have used to loosen them up?

Probably soak with penetrating oil and tap/pry if necessary and hope for the best.

the master cylinder on this bike is unique and quite honestly Yamaha's stupidest engineering move ever.

Why not just go with a handlebar mounted unit?

[Bonz]

Yamaha had the Seca 650 turbo. The only one that was carbureted as a bit of trivia. Honda and Suzuki had 650 turbos as well, Kawasaki was a 750. Honda, Suzuki, Kawasaki all used fuel injection.

As another aside, the master cylinder on this bike is unique and quite honestly Yamaha's stupidest engineering move ever. MC mounts under the headlight. A short cable goes from the lever to the master cylinder and then the hydraulics go to the calipers. The Piston is stuck solid as can be in the master cylinder. What are tricks y'all have used to loosen them up? I need to try and Salvage as many parts as possible.

Finding an MC is even scarcer than hens teeth, and no rebuild kits that I can find.

[oldyam80sg]

Bonz-Didn't they make a Seca turbo 750?