-
Enjoy XS650.com? Consider making a donation to help support the site.
XS650.com receives a small share of sales from some links on this page, but direct donations have a much greater impact on keeping this site going.
What have you done to your XS today?
- Thread starter I am Carbon
- Start date
-
- Tags
- maintenance
Mickster
XS650 Enthusiast
The PO made it a left side petcock set up retaining the original vacuum petcock. He made a pretty nice flat metal piece to plug up the right side and it held up for a couple years. Because the vacuum petcock on the left started leaking I replaced it with a new no vacuum from MIkes. Works good so stowed the original leaky one because I never throw old motorcycle parts away.
Recently I noticed fuel leaking from the right side, the plugged side.
Took it apart, made a gasket, put sealer on both sides and buttoned the thing back up. And no luck. Still leaks. The metal on the tank where the plug went was corroded and rusty that fuel found it's sneaky way out of the tank.
So I ask myself, Why not use the old petcock to plug up the leaking right side?
A couple hours and some grinding on the tank, hack sawing, filing, sanding and JB welding on the petcock, I had a plug that would also use the rubber O ring as a seal.
So far it is still holding up, no leaks. Hoping this will be the end of that problem. Maybe there is still a use for those old leaking vacuum petcocks that get scrapped.
Recently I noticed fuel leaking from the right side, the plugged side.
Took it apart, made a gasket, put sealer on both sides and buttoned the thing back up. And no luck. Still leaks. The metal on the tank where the plug went was corroded and rusty that fuel found it's sneaky way out of the tank.
So I ask myself, Why not use the old petcock to plug up the leaking right side?
A couple hours and some grinding on the tank, hack sawing, filing, sanding and JB welding on the petcock, I had a plug that would also use the rubber O ring as a seal.
So far it is still holding up, no leaks. Hoping this will be the end of that problem. Maybe there is still a use for those old leaking vacuum petcocks that get scrapped.
Eschats
Get busy living or get out of my way
Since Saturday morning Up to that boring Super Brady Sunday game I have been bringing the 79 back to life.Doing what I got money for.Cleaning and detailing is a great way to identify future and needed repairs.A clean bike is well maintained in my experience.I played hooky from work today.... don't tell my boss lol.. and polished the carb body's bowl , and linkage, with never dull.Mighty shiny, probably didn't look that good the day I got outta high school.And well I tell ya, they're looking better than me.
Busy in the Basement
And the smell of volatile organic compounds wafting up the stairs.
Happy times!
Used my SG for what it was designed for. Added 81 miles to the odometer. Lunched in Sahuarita Carl's Jr. Long way to and from of course. I've posted pics of this very ride before so I won't bore you with repeat pics. It was a great day for a ride.
How did you keep it together when back? Is that solder?
Chet Ironhorse
XS650 Enthusiast
Tack welded it.
richreed701
XS650 Member
Just finished up with the XS650E, tightening the last bolt (fuel tank bolt) and connecting the fuel lines. All I need to do is top off the oil It snowed last night so I doubt it will leave the barn today, but will as soon as it can. I picked this bike up last summer and have been tinkering here and there since.
Thus far: new permanent magnet alternator, starter gear rebuild kit installed, valve adjust, cam chain adjust, replaced oil strainers (as usual, the sump strainer was all caved in), new gaskets and seals where appropriate, replaced the starter motor with a working used one, cleaned up as much grime as I could, new chain and sprockets, new fuel tank filler cap, threw the wonky after-market passenger grab rail in the trash and relocated the stock rear turn signals to their original location, contributed mightily to MikesXS bottom line as well as kept some e-Bay people busy, new mufflers, new sidestand, etc yadda yadda.
Certainly not a concours resto, it's what I call a "10," meaning anything more than 10 feet away it looks okay.
Thus far: new permanent magnet alternator, starter gear rebuild kit installed, valve adjust, cam chain adjust, replaced oil strainers (as usual, the sump strainer was all caved in), new gaskets and seals where appropriate, replaced the starter motor with a working used one, cleaned up as much grime as I could, new chain and sprockets, new fuel tank filler cap, threw the wonky after-market passenger grab rail in the trash and relocated the stock rear turn signals to their original location, contributed mightily to MikesXS bottom line as well as kept some e-Bay people busy, new mufflers, new sidestand, etc yadda yadda.
Certainly not a concours resto, it's what I call a "10," meaning anything more than 10 feet away it looks okay.
12 02 2021
Numbers Can Be Palindromes Too!
Last of the BS38's almost done. Good date to buy a lottery ticket.
richreed701
XS650 Member
Photos man! Photos or it didn’t happen!Maybe one of your Triumph too?
Winter hit the Seattle area last evening, so no pictures until I can get them outside. Yeah, I know, it's almost spring. Our four seasons consist of:
Rainy Season
Winter (6 to 8 days, usually in January but sometimes February)
The Other Rainy Season
Summer (July 5th to Sept 12).
In the meantime, the XS is shown in my thumbnail/icon/avatar/wtfidk thingie (over to the left).
Whoo, thought it was just me..
Actually, been a lazy toid. But sitting in front of my clutch plates and Assembly and putting it together...7 new Kevlar plates. Refrained from buying a bike (that runs) on BAT today.
Just a dry run...all the plates go in..need to find my needle bearing washer etc. , soak the 7 Kev plates, mount up the base with a new nut AFTER I fiddle with the kick start mechanism, re-clock it using the pedal attached (see how long that takes...and to find the link to that R&R).
Just a dry run...all the plates go in..need to find my needle bearing washer etc. , soak the 7 Kev plates, mount up the base with a new nut AFTER I fiddle with the kick start mechanism, re-clock it using the pedal attached (see how long that takes...and to find the link to that R&R).
Last edited:
Two things...Just got out of my car, opened the plastic takie-outie plate that the seven Kevlar clutch rings slept in and they drank up all, I mean all of allot of oil that totally covered them. Humm, thirsty. Stood them all up strait for over tonight and see if they give any of it back or just waiting for me to approach the engine. :0
2) Just got back from the Yamaha store where I had a good long look at a 2021 XSR 700.
2) Just got back from the Yamaha store where I had a good long look at a 2021 XSR 700.
Chet Ironhorse
XS650 Enthusiast
Made a timing pointer, also had a friend make an adapter so I can mount a degree wheel on the advance rod
Chet Ironhorse
XS650 Enthusiast
Works! 14 degrees of mechanical advance... going to dial this back a bit to 10 deg.
Last edited:
14° at the cam is 28° total advance.
