Today’s ramblings.........

I started out with assembling the rockers, I used Permatex assembly lube on all of the parts and all of the machined passageways for the rocker shafts. I lubed all of those parts really well before assembling.
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When I pulled everything apart, a couple of the rocker shafts came out real easy and a couple had to be pulled out with extractors. I cleaned and polished the passageways and the shafts REALLY well and expected no difficulty in re assembling them. However two went in really easy and two required some tapping with a small hammer and a wooden dowel. There must be some slight warpage to the rocker cover I’m guessing. All the rockers operated smoothly and easily after installation.

I then installed new o-rings on the rocker shaft caps and tightened them up.
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Then I installed my new Virago tappet screws with the Allen heads. They are a little bit shorter, but there is full thread contact with the rockers when adjusted. For now they are fully backed off until after the engine is built.
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After that, I stripped the clear coat off of my clutch side cover and wet sanded all these pieces in preparation for buffing.
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I also painted the cam chain adjuster, it’s all aluminum and could’ve been buffed, but it was painted originally, so it’s painted again.
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And lastly, remember the parts that I turned the garage upside down for and couldn’t find? And then ordered replacements? Yeah......found them in a bag with these guys. Ah well......Mr. Meticulous had a brain fart.
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Not sure how much time I’ll get to work on things for the next few days. Got some family stuff, but I always try to sneak out and get my hands dirty! :cool:

Later, Bob
Chicago blues legend Charlie Musselwhite with Ben Harper
I’m in, I’m out, I’m gone
 
...When I pulled everything apart, a couple of the rocker shafts came out real easy and a couple had to be pulled out with extractors. I cleaned and polished the passageways and the shafts REALLY well and expected no difficulty in re assembling them. However two went in really easy and two required some tapping with a small hammer and a wooden dowel. There must be some slight warpage to the rocker cover I’m guessing...

Hey, Bob, here's my take on that:

Post #849
http://www.xs650.com/threads/mailman’s-xs2-a-sympathetic-restoration.51520/page-43#post-554516
 

Ha! Yes, sometimes I forget what’s in my own thread. We cover a lot of territory in these threads.
I remember thinking as I was working on this part, that I was sure when they were new, everything probably assembled very easily. I’m sure the workers just slid these things together by hand. Two of them did go together by just pushing on them with my finger. Two needed tapping in.

By the way, love the new avatar, you movie star you!
 
POLISHING FOOL..........

Today was a polishing day. In the early morning before the heat made it impossible, I set up my professional ( hahahaha! ) polishing station under the shade tree in my yard. I like to move outside when I do polishing because it is so darn messy!
Progression was,
1.Paint stripper
2. 400 wet sand
3. 800 wet sand
4. 1500 wet sand
5. Black compound on a stitched wheel
6. White compound on a cotton flap wheel
7. Blue magic followed by a clean buffer
Note: Clutch cover had extremely rough finish on bottom and some corrosion, it required aggressive sanding with a Dremel to get it down to clean aluminum.
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One down, six to go!
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Buffing is done! Ready for the Blue Magic treatment.
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I’m always amazed at how much stuff Blue Magic removes from what looks like clean , shiny aluminum!
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And the final results. I’m especially happy with how the bottom of the clutch cover came out. It has a LOT of contours and the original finish was extremely rough.
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Get you some of that!
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You and JimD are my heroes. I simply cannot fathom having the energy and determination necessary to obtain that sort of finish.

If it weren't for drive-thru car washes, my car and truck would look like they just finished the Baja 1000. (In fact, the interiors do...) I guess I'm just a born slob. And I'm okay with that...
 
Beautiful work, Bob !
I imagine you will take great joy in eventually bolting them all onto the engine.

...and I like your card table, too.:)

When I see a nice, old 1960's sturdy Samsonite card table (like yours) at a flea market, I will snatch it up as quick as Robin grabs a cam bearing on EBay !

And then there is the Leg-O-Matic I found a few weeks ago:

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Just pull on one of the legs, and they all follow along, automatically !

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Nice hardware:

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...and wood work:

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Ok Bob, send me your address so I can send you some more rewardng work!!!! Look fantastic. This baby’s gonna be a show stopper.

Thanks Willis! But surely you included a polishing station in that spiffy new shop of yours!

Beautiful work, Bob !
I imagine you will take great joy in eventually bolting them all onto the engine.

...and I like your card table, too.:)

When I see a nice, old 1960's sturdy Samsonite card table (like yours) at a flea market, I will snatch it up as quick as Robin grabs a cam bearing on EBay !

And then there is the Leg-O-Matic I found a few weeks ago:

View attachment 124147

View attachment 124149

Just pull on one of the legs, and they all follow along, automatically !

View attachment 124150

Nice hardware:

View attachment 124151

...and wood work:

View attachment 124152

Thanks Dude!
Oh man! Now that’s a nice table! They sure don’t have craftsmanship like that anymore! A very clever design and nice looking too.

Inspirational work , MM. It's gonna have "Show Bike" written all over it, even if it ain't a 'trailer queen'! You rock!!! :rock:

Thanks Tebo! Yup it’s gonna be a rider. My good friend and classmate had one when they were new, I was riding a little RD350 at the time and I always admired his bike, but just couldn’t swing one at the time. 46 years later, I’ll have My new one!
 
You and JimD are my heroes. I simply cannot fathom having the energy and determination necessary to obtain that sort of finish.

If it weren't for drive-thru car washes, my car and truck would look like they just finished the Baja 1000. (In fact, the interiors do...) I guess I'm just a born slob. And I'm okay with that...

Amen my Lobsterland brother!!

For that, you get an official.....
Yeah Baby!.JPG
 
PROGRESS......REAL , FOWARD , PROGRESS

Once more I unwrapped my sleeping engine, today is different , I can feel it. Today the momentum shifted , until today everything has been preparation. Tearing down, cleaning , inspecting, ordering, but today assembly started.

I broke out my Tupperware box that contained the cleaned and prepped clutch assembly I bought from Daniel Black. I’m ditching my old style clutch assembly for the newer and improved later model. The one I bought from Daniel is from a 1975 model. I have thoroughly cleaned and inspected all the parts, the steel plates had rust on them so they were sanded clean with oil and wet / dry sand paper on a glass plate. And hit with a wire wheel to take the sharp edges off. I began assembly.
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Once I got all the various washers and spacers layered in, I put the lock washer and nut on and I torqued it down.
Then I started layering in the friction and steel plates. The friction plates are replacements from EBC and have been soaking in oil for a week.
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I will also be replacing the springs with a new set from EBC, and new spring keepers and Allen head screws from Mikes XS.
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There, all ready to torque down, but wait......maybe I should’ve put these in. :doh:
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So , out come the screws, and I remove the pressure plate.
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There, all torqued down, the clutch is done!
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And I’ve got my FIRST EMPTY CONTAINER !!! Woohoo!
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I’ve still got a few to go!

So, next I oiled up a new gasket, and installed the clutch cover with new stainless steel Allen head screws and copper washers. I also installed a new oil filter and filter gaskets.
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Continued in next post........
 
PROGRESS CONTINUED......

After closing up the clutch cover, I reinstalled the electric starter. Ain’t she a beauty! Haha!
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I then took my new starter case seal, smeared a little Yamabond around the outer edge and pushed it in place from the inside of the case, and did a little final tapping it home with a wooden dowel and a small hammer. So now both starter seals have been replaced, the shaft and th case opening. That leaves only the cam seals, and all seals will have been replaced.
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Next I installed all of the idler gears and associated parts.
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A new gasket and the cover goes back on.
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And another Tupperware container has been emptied.
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So I feel I’ve accomplished a fair amount here now. Under the clutch cover, new parts and work done.
1. New starter gear assembly
2. Refurbished late model clutch assembly
3. New friction plates
4. New clutch springs
5. Allen head clutch screws and spring keepers
6. Cleaned and polished oil pump
7. Disassembled tachometer drive and installed new seal and o-ring
8. New side case oil filter, all gaskets
9. New stainless steel screws and copper washers

The starter has been disassembled, cleaned, brushes checked, all tests done with a multimeter, and both seals replaced. Oddly enough I just realized, I never did a bench test on the starter, but it was turning the engine over when I bought the bike, so I’m going to assume it works. Haha!

So late this afternoon, I’m all done and I wrapped the engine back up. Back to sleep under the watchful gaze of Johnny Cash.
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To sleep, perchance to dream, for in this sleep what dreams may come.
Till next time,
Bob
 
Lookin' good!!
How'd the paint cure up?

Thanks Jim, actually the paint came out really well for rattle can work. My garage is pretty much a perfect environment for curing paint. Hot and dry! Haha! The paint has a very nice feel to it, slick and well cured.

Haha, Nice work Doc!
As always!


I've never done that.......:rolleyes:

Lookin' good Bob.Maybe you're next in line to push dat button. (Or pull that lever as the case may be)

Thanks Robin, it’s a pretty long road to go yet, but at least I’m moving in the right direction.
I’m dangerously close to doing some real engine work.
 
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