1976 xs650 by summertime?

[5twins]

Your '76 carb set should have vacuum ports on the sides of the carbs capped off by large flat head screws. You can install nipples for the gauge hoses temporarily to do a sync. The thread size is a standard M6 x 1 .....

Many "gut" some M6 grease zirks (drill end until ball and spring pop out) and use those.

 

[VVLynden]

I think I attached this image correctly, using a new phone.. Am I missing a spacer of some kind between the end of the fork and the cap of the fork beneath the axle? There's a gap on each side. All the schematics I've looked at don't show anything missing though.

 

[angus67]

Its fine. Im in tacoma alot, and have awakened 2 bikes from 20+ years barn sleeps. Ide love to see your bike and help you. What area are you in? I grew up in the north end and know tacoma very well.

 

[VVLynden]

I grew up near the bottom of Proctor Street Bridge. Right now we're between 6th Ave and Cheney Stadium. I wouldn't mind a 2nd pair of eyes or hands to help get this thing off the ground lol. I got the forks off today to put new seals on as they were leaking so bad I had a little puddle after every test ride around the block.

5twins your help is always appreciated but my carbs are mutants. The bike itself is a 72 and the carbs I think we had trouble identifying. I'll attach a pic of each side. I bought those rubber carb holders with the nipple to attach but it butts right up against a bolt for the engine covers, so much so that it bends the holder away from the engine creating a small gap if I try to tighten it down.

 

[VVLynden]

Other side.

 

[angus67]

Stevens or Orchard street....a few years ago there was a 58 oval bug that had been turned into a baja that sat under a tree for years. Makes me wonder if it was a father/son project, and some one died. I work until 11 on Saturday, i can stop by on the way home. Pm me your addres, and I'll stop by.

 

[angus67]

Uh.......hello?

 

[VVLynden]

Hey Angus sorry to go MIA like I did. We are actually getting ready to move across the bridge to Port Orchard. House stuff got pushed over bike stuff in terms of priority.

I have a question about ignition timing. (Surprise surprise). Is it necessary to clamp the advance mechanism in place during this process?

The only place I've seen it referenced is my Clymer manual. No one online says to do it, and I haven't seen any videos where it takes place. If it IS necessary is there a special tool or could I use whatever I can forage up to make it work?

 

[650Skull]

if your talking about the weight's only. then it won't mater if they are off when timing at idle. If you want to do a proper timing and know when the advance is coming in at the right time then the weights are needed.....................So yea

 

[VVLynden]

I'll give it another shot and see what happens. The ride went from fine to not even starting after I got to fooling with it. That's what I get for tryin to fix what ain't broke.

 

[angus67]

Im in Shelton, and often use the bridge when south 5 thru jblm is screwd. Let me know if you need a hand

 

[VVLynden]

Got that timing down and was able to ride around for a bit. I did notice when I let go of the throttle the rpms kinda hover for a second and go back down slowly.
All in all I just need to order a new seat, the old one was THRASHED on the inside, and a few cuts on the vinyl. The seat pan had so much rust it actually had holes poking all the way through in spots. I thought maybe I could clean it up, but it looked too nasty so I'm gonna buy a reproduction seat.

Anyone have experience with this site or their seats? http://www.texavina.com/1970-1972-yamaha-xs1-xs1b-xs2-xs650-classic-style-seat-sku-z1077/

 

[angus67]

Hovering rpm.... After you run it, and its all hot, tightn the carb clamps. You might get lucky. I did.

 

[650Skull]

All in all I just need to order a new seat, the old one was THRASHED on the inside, and a few cuts on the vinyl. The seat pan had so much rust it actually had holes poking all the way through in spots. I thought maybe I could clean it up, but it looked too nasty so I'm gonna buy a reproduction seat.
Anyone have experience with this site or their seats? http://www.texavina.com/1970-1972-yamaha-xs1-xs1b-xs2-xs650-classic-style-seat-sku-z1077/

Steel powder-coated pans. Those seats look good, right price as well. Haven't tried but bookmarked, thanks

 

[angus67]

I wish they show a pic of the undeside of that seat. The 71 and earlier have a smaller "dent" for the smaller battery. The 72+ had a bigger 'dent'for the larger battery for the starter..

 

[gggGary]

there used to be an ebay vietnam seat vender that had seat pans that looked like they were beat from a garbage can lid with a sledge hammer.

bottom of one of their 73 (LOL) 77 seats

Look close, they are still pretty crude.

 

[VVLynden]

Can I do the dead cylinder method on linked carbs? I have a nice 1200 idle, no popping on deceleration, but I'm blasting white smoke every time I hit the throttle.

 

[VVLynden]

So when it's leaking up top and down below it's basically time for a rebuild yes?

 

[5twins]

Well, sometimes a head re-torque will help with that but not always. Sometimes the gaskets are just shot and replacement is the only option. So yes, that means a top end rebuild. But that's not a bad thing. Pretty much every one of these needs one and can benefit from it - if you do the right things while in there.

 

[VVLynden]

Should I loosen and retorque or simply tighten to spec from their current resting place? So I didn't have any oil leaking like this prior to messing with my carbs and trying to get the mixture right. Is it possible I damaged the engine? There were a few time where it revved REALLY high and I got worried so unscrewed this idle screw to tone it down. This happened a few times but no longer than a few seconds each time.