82 XS650 Starts then dies

Okay so update on the XS I was looking at the regulator today and looking at the repair book and my regulator and the book says 8 pin but my regulator is 6 pin with a 7th individual pin that is just wrapped. So I am assuming it is aftermarket. Anyway using my voltmeter I was measuring the resistance between the red and white pins and there was no reading (meaning that there was not connection between the red and the white pins) there should have been some according to the book. I am now assuming that I need a new rectifier which I can find a lot on ebay and everywhere else but they are all 8 pin (well 7 pin with an empty slot). I am sure I can modify the wires to work for me. Also I am going to attach the picture of the dent in the rotor which I will end up replacing as well.
 

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Did you also reverse the voltmeter probes and again check that there was no connection between the red wire and the white wires?
 
So that's not a regulator OR a rectifier plug that's your stator plug and it's completely correct. and a god awful looking slip ring on your rotor.
 
Okay now that I found the rectifier regulator I have measured the resistance between red and white and get 500 ohms. Black to white and i get no readings. It is supposed to be more than 10 times the amount of red and white. And I set my voltmeter to read the highest. Now it seems the regulator rectifier is bad.
 
Hey guys I know its been a long time but what can I say I suck.... anyway the new regulator is in and the bike is charging so that is a plus. It ran nicely until it ran out of fuel. But now I am having an issue with the clutch and I am hoping for a little bit of guidance from the knowledge here. (check out the attached picture and if it correct let me know and you don't have to read the rest)

I took the left side cover off to get at the stator and do some tests when that was off the outer transmission pushrod fell out and I leaked a tiny bit of oil (nothing bad) upon consulting the repair manual it shows the push rod going in with the ball inside of the bike and not in the worm gear. I have a ball inside the worm gear itself and I cannot see another inside the bike... so long question longer... what is the proper setup for the worm gear and pushrods on my bike (my repair manual shows one thing internet searches show something else) and am I missing a ball bearing somewhere in my setup now? I have one pushrod and a ball inside the worm gear but is there supposed to be another on the inside of the pushrod as well?

Also I attempted to reassemble without a ball at the inside of the pushrod and my clutch does not engage properly. Pull the clutch put it into first and the bike lurches forward and dies so the clutch is not engaging. Again still learning a lot about the bike and it is almost ready just finishing up these parts then to the road. Thanks for all the help so far and lets keep going.
 

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With a 2 piece push rod there are a total of three ball bearings; the one in the worm (that's supposed to be staked in but often falls out), one between the two sections of the push rod and one at the clutch end. Standard 5/16" ball bearings work fine for all of these.
 
Hi Cal: long-time no speak!

The diagram you posted above is for an earlier pushrod assembly that used TWO separate pushrods and THREE ball bearings (one ball inside the clutch worm actuator, one at the far end deep inside the clutch basket AND one that was installed between the two pushrods).

Your bike is an '82 so it has the single long push rod (which debutted in...I think, 1977). That one single pushrod replaced the two shorter rods and the middle ball bearing. So, there are only TWO ball bearings in your late model clutch assembly:
  • one in clutch worm mechanism inside the LH engine case cover (that's the one you have found already);
  • another one at the far end of the long push rod - deep inside the clutch basket assembly waaaayyy over on the RH side of the bike).
Normally, you cannot see the RH ball - it is way inside at the far end of the pushrod and from what I can tell, it is not easy to fish that ball out of there so it is unlikely that it has fallen out. Frm what I know, if the clutch works - then the RH and LH balls are both in place.

Given that your clutch does not work properly, I wonder if your clutch worm is not set into the female threaded part in the correct orientation. I am at work and don't have all of the details right here but I think you start with the actuator arm at the 3:00 o'clock position and then thread the worm into place. When the actuator arm assembly is fully wound down into the female socket, the actuator arm should be at around 8:00 o'clock <I think> and that places it in the correct spot to pick up the clutch cable end.

Pete
 
There should be a ball bearing in the worm mechanism. It is accessed from the outer most side of the left cover by removing the adjuster bolt and nut. The rest of the push rod is as you have shown in your image.

The ball bearing in the worm drive may not be obvious to you due to the grease if you look into the worm mechanism from the push rod side. But if you look carefully you will see it there and it is prevented from falling out by a couple of notches that are pressed in, otherwise it would fall out and get lost each time you take the side cover off.

Edit: My US Model 81' Special had the same two part push rod as shown in your photo.
 
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No Pete, the long one piece rod came on the early models, up to around '73. The two piece rod was then implemented and used on all the later models.

Stick the short pushrod back into the motor as far as it will go and measure how much sticks out. If the ball is still in there, the rod should be sticking out about 48 or 49mm. If the ball is missing, it would be about 8mm less. Sometimes when you pull the cover off, a worm adjustment is required afterwards. I don't know why, it just seems to happen sometimes.

Also, that short pushrod has one full size end and one that is stepped down. The stepped down end fits into the worm gear and must face out .....

owAfNsK.jpg
 
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Pete I have the two part pushrod in mine I looked up the differences and the long is much too long to be what I have. What 5 twins shows is what I have. I am now at the assumption that the inner ball bearing is MIA and I need a new one. I will look into it and get what I need. But I will also see how far everything steps out.

Also Pete I am fairly sure I have the worm set right. I will double check that as well though.

5twins are you saying that my clutch not engaging properly be that the worm just needs to be adjusted a bit due to taking the cover off?

Edit to the story: Last year I had the bike running and shifting fine until the pushrod fell out while I was tracing electrical problems, so it was all set before that (Another reason I think I am missing the ball). I am hoping a ball and the adjustment will be all I need to fix my clutch issue. Everything else is working well.
 
That inner ball between the two rods rarely falls out. It doesn't fit through the seal very easily. I couldn't even pull one through using a magnet. Measure the rod like I said. That will tell you without a doubt whether the ball is still in there.

Yes, I'm saying you may just need a re-adjustment, a re-setting of the worm adjuster, because you had things apart.

I just measured the one I'm currently working on. I'm pretty sure it has all the parts in there. The rod sticks out 49mm.
 
Dang - so sorry I got that bass-ackwards.

I boobed - sincere apologies.

Pete

Oh Pete we all make mistakes! You have been super helpful. The bike would not even be this close or I may have burned it to the ground without the help on this forum. Now if that is my last problem (for now) with the bike and it is road ready the only question is what color do I paint it?
 
I have double checked the length of rod sticking out and it is 48.4mm sticking out of the bike. So I guess everything is there. I am now stuck with the clutch not engaging. I check to see where the actuator sits and it sits where pete says around the 8 oclock position. Okay so lets reassemble and then try to adjust the clutch to where it is supposed to be. Okay followed a guys youtube who has done it before just so I dont mess anything up. Awesome. Go to fire up the bike to check everything. Cant seem to get it to fire up. Okay check spark awesome fuel. Yeah looks like there is fuel in the carbs slowly coming out. Weak compression okay lets check it 0psi.... okay... what did I do? check both sides 0psi Okay really what did I do? start taking things apart check yup the engine and the cam shaft are turning over looks like together. Yup cam chain tensioner is set in the right place. Did the cam jump a tooth? Is the timing way off? Take the valve cover on the intake of cylinder 1 off.... nope that looks right (quick check) double check the PSI and make sure my compression tester is working, Yup 0psi and the compression tester reads just fine on my car (thats how far I went to double check it was working) so whats the problem? take exhaust valve cover off on cylinder 1... well that doesn't look right where is my flash light? OH FUCK the valve spring is snapped, cylinder 2 same thing.... so yeah.... someone tell me where I can get some springs.... fml...
 
Okay back to it.... I have looked up many different options for valve springs from Mikexs to ebay to searching local dealers. It appears the most cost effective way to fix this part of the bike is to go to my local dealer and buy OEM springs. Because I am unsure of future problems that might arise I think cost effective is the way to go until I have a running motorcycle.

The bad part is that I have to pull the motor again and cut the cam chain again.

Good news is I am bringing the bike to my apartment garage and going to be able to work on it much more. I am going to document the whole process of everything this point forward on probably Youtube.
 
Many times, you don't have to split the cam chain. You can slip the bearings off the end of the cam, drop it down, and slip it out from under the chain.

Can't say I've ever heard of this happening, especially 2 springs. I suppose it does but it isn't very common.
 
Many times, you don't have to split the cam chain. You can slip the bearings off the end of the cam, drop it down, and slip it out from under the chain.

Can't say I've ever heard of this happening, especially 2 springs. I suppose it does but it isn't very common.

I will have to try to slip the bearings off that would save a bit of frustration for me. Yeah I was shocked when I found the one then went to the other side and the other was shot too. I need to call my local dealer and see if they actually can get me the part their online says they can. If so I'll be replacing all 4 sets of springs just to make myself feel better about it.
 
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