YICS eliminator question

[Smash]

Read the directions, followed the directions on inserting the YICS eliminator tool.

Started the bike, couldn't keep it running no matter what. Some white smoke out the exhaust. Shut the bike off, pulled the YICS eliminator and it looked like this.

Bike runs pretty well without it although I only been able to run the RPM range in neutral. Working on the brakes... Backfires a bit at and above 7k, but no backfiring otherwise.

Here's what the YICS eliminator looked like when I pulled it out. I have no idea what this means, as I struggle to have more than a very basic grasp of what the YICS system does in the first place. This is the far side of the eliminator, the right side of the engine. The close half of it looked pretty clean.






So what does this mean? Should I just run the bike as is? I'm tempted to finish up the brakes and give it a good ride, see if it feels like it really needs a carb sync or not. Thoughts, opinions, all appreciated. Thanks!!!

[DGXSER]

First off, is that gas or oil??

The YIC system, as I understand it, is simply a small passage linking small ports in the intake of each cylinder to the other ports. Sort of a way to even out the vacuum of all the cylinders. Which is why it needs to be plugged to properly synch the carbs. With it in operation, all your vacuums will look mostly the same no matter what.

So whatever is on the YICS tool, is in your intake ports.

[Smash]

Its definitely oil. I will do some research, figure out why there would be oil in the intake ports. Thank you!

[DGXSER]

IIRC, those ports are in the head and the YICS passage that connects them, where you insert the eliminator tool is part of the cylinders. So, I have to wonder if you have a head gasket leak that may be letting oil into that passage. Might be way off, but it seems plausible.

[Smash]

That was the first thing that came to my mind as well

Really not what I wanted to hear.

This was supposed to be a bike to fix up and get on the road for one year, then sell. She's my girlfriend's first street bike (coming from dirt).

A new headgasket is beyond my abilities. Might be a total deal killer, and we aren't in a position to invest in another bike. She just got clearance from work for a trip in July. Ugh.

[DGXSER]

FIrst thing I would do is check compression. Then possibly a leak down test if you can. See what a few other of the members think, I am not the most knowledgable of YICS for sure.

As to pulling the head, it is really not that tough on these bikes. If you have pulled the exhaust and the carbs, you are 60-70% there already. Get the manual and read through the procedure a few times first, look over the bike while you read it, get it in your head. Also take alot of pictures and or video of the parts as you remove them so you know what was where when you put it all back together.

If you pull the head, go ahead and replace the valve guides, and lap the valves.

It sounds more meanacing and difficult than it is. Just read the manual and go step by step, of course come here and ask questions if you get stuck or nervous about something.

[SFerinTEXAS]

Do you have the OE airbox or pods.Anyone want to guess where I'm going with this?

[Smash]

I unfortunately don't have any idea how to do any of what you described. This is her project, and we have just over 10 weeks until we are supposed to leave for NC from Denver. She still needs to build some pavement experience, learn what translates from dirt and what doesn't.

I really appreciate all this advice. I am not sure how we will proceed.

Can anyone else confirm likely head gasket?


OEM airbox. Nice and clean. Just built a brand new K&N airfilter with the stock air filter frame.

[SFerinTEXAS]

the crankcase vents into OE air box . I think your seeing oil pulled thru the carbs. The way the XJ box is designed it will be a little difficult to see if its a little gooey inside. This happens past the filter so that would not show any signs on it. Pull the filter and try to reach up in there to see if its a little gooey. Probably not any big deal if it is.

If it has ever happened to me I wouldn't know because I always clean the YICS passage good with bore brushes and carb cleaner before I insert a blocking tool in there.

Unless you did clean it and that happened afterwards.

[Smash]

I did not scrub the heck out of the passage, didn't have a long enough tool! Poor planning on my part.

Will check the airbox tomorrow thank you.

So, if I understand correctly, if the airbox is a bit gunky with oil then this isn't much to worry about?

[SFerinTEXAS]

That's pretty normal especially with 45k miles. There is such a thing as too much blowby but lets not go there

[Smash]

Karla says she remembers cleaning an oily gross residue out of the airbox when we pulled the carbs the first time to rebuild them. So, I'm going to assume this is why the tool had oil on it. Won't bring up excessive blowby, yessir!

Still begs the question: is the bike supposed to barely run while spewing a small to moderate amount of white smoke with the eliminator installed?

[SFerinTEXAS]

Did you use a YICS tool when you synced the carbs last time? Either way they will need to be synced after that is installed. After that I would see what its doing.

[Smash]

We haven't synced the carbs, its a pretty knew-to-us bike. Just plodding through maintenance as Karla (and I) learn.

I turned the bike off and pulled the tool after less than a minute of trying to get it to run ok.

[SFerinTEXAS]

I'm generally a man of few words and am all out except to say

We haven't synced the carbs

That's not good. Its not really an optional thing. Good Luck