A couple little things i need fixed on my 1980 XS650

Highwaystar

Highwaystar

Kid with a bike
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First off my fuel petcock is stuck ( thankfully with the fuel on ) anyone know any solutions?
Second my choke knob is broken could i still buy one from yamaha? even if its 37 years old haha
Third, Oil filters, do i need to buy new ones is it just a clean then done a bit confused on that? am aware there are 2 of em tho
 
Hi Highwaystar and welcome.
siphon your tank empty (or remove it and pour the gas out) into an appropriate fuel container.
Then undo the two screws that hold the petcock onto the tank, remove the petcock and fix it.
Or replace it with a manually operated petcock.
If it's just the choke knob that's broken, anything that'll thread onto the shaft will do.
If the choke shaft is too damaged to fix you'll have to look around a bit to find a replacement.
The XS650 don't have any oil filters, they are strainers best suited to taking the chunks out of French fry oil.
But unless you get aftermarket upgrades they are what we have.
Stock filters, remove, wash in solvent and inspect. Most likely the side filter will be OK to re-use but most likely the
bottom filter will be torn and should de repaired or replaced.
 
fredintoon said:
Hi Highwaystar and welcome.
siphon your tank empty (or remove it and pour the gas out) into an appropriate fuel container.
Then undo the two screws that hold the petcock onto the tank, remove the petcock and fix it.
Or replace it with a manually operated petcock.
If it's just the choke knob that's broken, anything that'll thread onto the shaft will do.
If the choke shaft is too damaged to fix you'll have to look around a bit to find a replacement.
The XS650 don't have any oil filters, they are strainers best suited to taking the chunks out of French fry oil.
But unless you get aftermarket upgrades they are what we have.
Stock filters, remove, wash in solvent and inspect. Most likely the side filter will be OK to re-use but most likely the
bottom filter will be torn and should de repaired or replaced.
Click to expand...
First off thanks for all the help so far but could you go more in depth on repairing the oil strainer?
 
Search for sump filter and jb weld LOL The choke rod isn't threaded but since you will have jb weld anyways just grab a cabinet knob from the building supply and epoxy it on. You WILL be overhauling the BS34 carbs, there are 2 tiny ball bearings and springs that hold the choke rod positions, when you lose them (trust me here) you can drill out the end of a zerk fitting for a set of replacements.
 
gggGary said:
Search for sump filter and jb weld LOL The choke rod isn't threaded but since you will have jb weld anyways just grab a cabinet knob from the building supply and epoxy it on. You WILL be overhauling the BS34 carbs, there are 2 tiny ball bearings and springs that hold the choke rod positions, when you lose them (trust me here) you can drill out the end of a zerk fitting for a set of replacements.
Click to expand...
My bike only has 4000 miles on it right now so any idea at what miles those bearings go out at? anything i can do to prolong their life?
 
Those little balls don't wear out they disappear when you remove the choke rod. Hit that rod with a bit of lube, a sticky choke action is probably why the knob is MIA
 
Highwaystar said:
My bike only has 4000 miles on it right now so any idea at what miles those bearings go out at? anything i can do to prolong their life?
Click to expand...
Hi 'star,
like Gary sez, those little bastards don't wear out, they get lost when you take the carbs apart.
And while drilling out a zirk fitting to salvage it's little ball may work (until it too falls on the floor and disappears)
what I do to not lose small carb parts in the first place is dismantle and reassemble carbs inside of a big cafeteria tray
so that the tray's raised edge keeps the carb parts from escaping.
 
gggGary said:
- - - The choke rod isn't threaded but since you will have jb weld anyways just grab a cabinet knob from the building supply and epoxy it on. - - -
Click to expand...
Hi Gary (and apologies to 'star)
there I go making another unwarranted assumption.
While my '84 Heritage came with a choke operated from the handlebars with a cable and a small lever
my '80 XS11 (same carbs except 4 of them) has a threaded knob on it's choke rod so yeah, I reckoned the '80 XS650 would be that way too.
Musta saved Yamaha at least 50 cents a unit to glue that knob on instead of thread it.
 
Here's the little spring and ball we're talking about, parts 47 and 48 .....

ChokeBall-Spring.jpg


..... and here's the little hole in the carb body they go into and come out of .....

ChokeRodBoss.jpg


Install can be a bit of a chore. The parts need to be pressed into the back wall of the hole for the choke rod and held there as you slide the rod in past them.
 
fredintoon said:
inside of a big cafeteria tray
so that the tray's raised edge keeps the carb parts from escaping.
Click to expand...
That's a good idea. If you're working on something that's guaranteed to fly apart you can do it with the part inside a plastic bag, too.
 
I haven't had to dismantle the carbs on my '80 yet, as its running fine, but its great to know all this in anticipation of needing to, at some point.
:)
I think I'll do the choke arm removal in a plastic bag. Great idea.
 
Here's another good idea. when I'm drilling something I put a strong magnet inside a baggie next to the bit. catches 99% of the filings and when you're done, turn the baggie inside out and throw away.magnettrick.JPG
 
Wingedwheel said:
Here's another good idea. when I'm drilling something I put a strong magnet inside a baggie next to the bit. catches 99% of the filings and when you're done, turn the baggie inside out and throw away.View attachment 97026
Click to expand...

Seemed like a good idea so I tried it when drilling out the idle screw plugs. Didn't work for me. :devilish: :geek:
The little ball bearings on the choke shaft are 1/8" Your local bicycle shop will give you one or two. They are so easy to lose because they are usually stuck then when they come loose as you shake the carb BOING! off they go.
The bore size for the brass idle screw plug is 1/4", the idle screw head is about .2" below the face of the carb body, drill carefully! There is a centered hole in the plug drill, check the hole repeat OFTEN, when the hole starts to get bigger, you are nearly through. I might suggest starting small and working your way up, it would suck to drill a bit off center and fuggle the carb body.
 
I use a small flat head screwdriver for removal and install.
As I pull out the rod, slowly, I follow with the screwdriver to cover the ball before it pops out.
To install, I do the same, but push down on the ball and push the rod in.

IMG_1612.JPG
 
Use the head of a small finish nail in the side hole to hold spring and ball down, start rod in til it holds the ball, remove nail. Next, remove the rod, put the choke brackets on, repeat above. :confused:
stock parts, some parts from a zerk, a new 1/8" ball, the idle screw assembly. put a tiny bend on the end of a paperclip or fine wire to fish the washer and o-ring out of the idle screw hole.
 

Attachments

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It seems like you could just cover the hole with duct tape it could boing all it wanted and not get lost. Lube it with WD40, cover it with duct tape, and pull it out with the vice grips...
 

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