shortTRIP
XS650 Enthusiast
Changed my oil and removed the front wheel to lace a (much needed) drum brake on there.
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What have you done to your XS today?
- Thread starter I am Carbon
- Start date
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- maintenance
Doug79
XS650 Addict
I got my front fender from airtech on friday. I will have to make a couple of brackets to get it mounted. that will be next weeks project. Once those are done, I will be able to turn in all the body work for paint. That is always a big milestone, for me, in any build project. I really don't plan on doing too much more this summer other than getting all of my engine castings coated.
SlowMaintenance
'76 XS650 Chopper
Painted it and put it back together. Remaking the wiring harness with some matching blue cloth wire is up next.
pat_in_the_hat
In the learning stage
i like man! i wanna see it with a front drum on. how will you do it with the legs shaved?
Today I did the final welding to the rear seat mount and tabs for the lifting spools on the swing arm and cleaned up all of Yamaha`s "High School Shop Class" Goober Welds and slag bumps and did the final sandblast to the swing arm and frame. It goes to the powder coater tomorrow morning. The Chrome is already at the plater so I`ll be able to start the re assembly in about a week. This will give me time to clean and paint all the small parts and detail the motor.
Doug79
XS650 Addict
Great job!......Halfmile
Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
today...I just started the bike and warmed it up just because it hasn't ran in a week....
....
Bob........
....
Bob........
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
Hey, I've been side tracked until today on the 78e resto project -
Good & Bad to post so lets start with the good ! This bike has been in resto/fixin for 2 years. Finally had it rolling in town on the new Dunlop tt100's that have been on for way too long waiting. Finally felt the double disc conversion with the stock rebuilt mc, Wow ! Very nice, much better feel than my last stock 78e . I fully back all those who have stated the stock master cylinder works best with double disc ! Proven to me -
Next is that my completely stock cleaned BS38's and airbox and pipes just sound Wonderful ! Crisp throttle & smooth !
Now, the still existing bummer . This bike can't yet leave town cuz it Blows the fuse ! 20a fuses last just a couple miles. Charging system is barely alive and thats all I could determine due to time and a quick voltage check. I did thoroughly clean and test the rotor, stator, wires. (2yrs ago) I've mounted up my best of 3 voltage regs. Repaired a corroded red connector and the others on my "proven"? rectifier with nice individual honda bullet connectors. This bike is so clean,stock and low mileage that I haven't upgraded anything-
So, not done yet ! Ok, cuz I believe I've wired it improperly in the headlight bucket which is next to come back off. I picked up a beauty Chrome headlight at a swap meet last Sat. As well as a better "feeling" left handlebar switch. So next Im going to unplug everything in the bucket, bling it with a chrome one, hopefully find my mistake ? Plug in the left switch. Hoping my ol' eyes just crossed some dark colors somewhere ? But this 78e is close to Great and will be. Any thoughts on blowing the fuse ? Thx, -RT
Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
WOW your bike looks better than off the show-room floor TM !!!!!! Way to go RANDY !!!!!!
Wish I could sujest something but the truth is I'm drawing a blank ! LOL
good luck
Bob.........
Wish I could sujest something but the truth is I'm drawing a blank ! LOL
good luck
Bob.........
Standard south Texas method:
Replace fuse with a bolt.
Fire everything up.
Watch for and trace the leaking smoke.
Tape up the leak.
Replace the smoke.
Replace fuse.
Git smashed...
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
2mny thx,.. but who carries tape ? I just find the burnt hot wire, protect the surrounding wires with a splash of beer, hit the burnt wire with a cig melting the rubber a little, then go find more beer ! 
... actually i'm looking in the headlight and left switch next and I'll prob have more symptoms to help diagnose soon.. thx, -RT
... actually i'm looking in the headlight and left switch next and I'll prob have more symptoms to help diagnose soon.. thx, -RT
Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
LOL TM I never hurd that one before ! you guys are nuts ! LOL
I've alwayse hurd that if the "Magic blue smoke" excapes it was no good any more !
.....
Hopefully Timemachine, it'll be in the headlight..... look for a wire that looks slightly fatter than the rest... that's a sign of getting hot
and as you've popped the 20 amp fuze several times it's probably got fairly warm....
the problem is it sounds like an intermitant short, and those are bears to find.... take the tank, seat and Side covers off and get real good light and your magnifing glass and go over every wire..... ( the hot wire going to the tail-light is a good one as it's under the seat and sometimes crushed into the fender) .... the ones going to the coil too.....stuff under the tank can get ripped loose or pinched fairly easily.
..... but check the headlight first sense that is where you suspect...... also rotate your handle bars if needed and check where the wires come out of the bars, that a good place for shorts ! ( if your bike has the wires Inside the handle bars)
I had a turnsignal short out one time, and blew a fuse every time I tried to use it..... it ruened out to be a fraied wire inside the stem of the turnsignal on the headlight... it was a bitch to find because after I replaced the fuze it the 3 or 4th time it started doing it intermittantly
it wouldn't do it every time..... some times it would work , and some times it would blow the fuze....
....... anyway see if you can get the fuse to blow on demand like hitting the brakes, shifting into neutral or out of neutral, turn signals,
high / low beam try every switch on the machine several times.... if you blow the fuze you found it ! it's on that circuit somewhere and that will help narrow it down allot !
Good Luck
Bob.........
I've alwayse hurd that if the "Magic blue smoke" excapes it was no good any more !
.....
Hopefully Timemachine, it'll be in the headlight..... look for a wire that looks slightly fatter than the rest... that's a sign of getting hot
and as you've popped the 20 amp fuze several times it's probably got fairly warm....
the problem is it sounds like an intermitant short, and those are bears to find.... take the tank, seat and Side covers off and get real good light and your magnifing glass and go over every wire..... ( the hot wire going to the tail-light is a good one as it's under the seat and sometimes crushed into the fender) .... the ones going to the coil too.....stuff under the tank can get ripped loose or pinched fairly easily.
..... but check the headlight first sense that is where you suspect...... also rotate your handle bars if needed and check where the wires come out of the bars, that a good place for shorts ! ( if your bike has the wires Inside the handle bars)
I had a turnsignal short out one time, and blew a fuse every time I tried to use it..... it ruened out to be a fraied wire inside the stem of the turnsignal on the headlight... it was a bitch to find because after I replaced the fuze it the 3 or 4th time it started doing it intermittantly
it wouldn't do it every time..... some times it would work , and some times it would blow the fuze....
....... anyway see if you can get the fuse to blow on demand like hitting the brakes, shifting into neutral or out of neutral, turn signals,
high / low beam try every switch on the machine several times.... if you blow the fuze you found it ! it's on that circuit somewhere and that will help narrow it down allot !
Good Luck
Bob.........
Bob Kelly III
Ranch Kid from way back,.... that got Old !
Humm.... sense it's blowing the 20 amp fuze only all the other curcuits can be illiminated so that narrows down the hunt conciderably
.... key switch, headlight,and assoiated heavy power loads....
f.w.i.w.
Bob.......
.... key switch, headlight,and assoiated heavy power loads....
f.w.i.w.
Bob.......
Hey TM, I remember years ago being stranded after blowing all the spare fuses I had with me, had to trailer bike home. Went out into Papas shop when it was dark, put in another fuse, turned key on and saw the spark. Insulation had worn off a wire causing a dead short. Got lucky finding that one, and can't imagine how that would happen, it's not like these bikes vibrate all that much. 
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
Thanks all, at this point I'm still thinking its most likely I connected something incorrectly. Tho my left switch is pretty bad inside noticed today. Did this a couple years back so now its time to search it out. Electricity is my kryptonite but also have learned from XS650.c threads and improved . Excuses are , time, lighting in shed.. lazy.. lol. Still optimistic and very happy with the rest of this bike.. need riding ! 
Hey TM, poor lighting in the shed is good for finding Sparks.......lol.
Don't need no magnifying glasses, the technological age is upon us, do it properly......................Continuity Test every thing...................Doubles as a check all bullet and muti connectors for wire damage or corrosion, more chance you will find what the problem is visually before the meter goes on that part
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Changed my oil last night and found small aluminum shavings. Some about 3mm x 2mm. I'm thinking it's the timing chain, although I never saw any black chunks from the rubber on the chain guides, but 1000 miles ago I pulled the bottom filter and found the same shavings. It sucks, just when the weather is getting good. I'll pull the side and bottom out first. Well, the compression is low, ~125#'s for both. But it still starts 1st kick and runs great. At ~60K miles, I think its due for a top end rebuild. Any suggestions? And where can I get the best bearings?
