'80 Special Refit

[Solomoriah]

So today I rode my XS 12 miles over to the county seat to do some work. I was gratified upon my return to the bike to note that there was no puddle of oil underneath it... apparently, I managed to keep it oil-tight, or so I thought.

I made a 24 mile loop home, hitting one of my favorite ridge roads. The XS vibrates, no doubt about that, but it's a fun bike to ride on the curvy roads. Be even better when I get that squishy front brake fixed.

When I got home, I noticed a smell of hot oil, and thought, oh crap, what did I screw up? But the oil is seeping out around the front valve covers, apparently. Something I haven't touched as yet. Time for some more research.

As to the cam chain guide question, I have to say that I'm at a disadvantage. The engine doesn't sound bad to me, but it does make a variety of interesting noises and I've no idea if they are good or bad noises. The first time I rode my Honda CB650 at highway speeds with the wind at my back, I was sure something was wrong with the engine, it did so much tickety tickety tickety but apparently that is just how that four cylinder SOHC valvetrain sounds. It's like that with the XS650... not knowing what engine noises are okay is kind of troubling.

Yeah, I've watched videos and listened to the recorded engine noises of other XS650's, but a recording is never the same as the real thing.

 

[Jim]

But the oil is seeping out around the front valve covers,

PM @gggGary . He sells a killer set of valve cover seals.... cheap too.

 

[5twins]

The 2.8mm diameter of the original valve cover o-rings is a rather oddball size but 3mm diameter ones fit and work just fine. Silicone ones work well and you can get a 10 pack off eBay for little more than Mike's charges for just one o-ring .....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pcs-Fle...449515&hash=item4ac0d381a2:g:wlIAAOSwIUFbYeSs

 

[robinc]

PM @gggGary . He sells a killer set of valve cover seals.... cheap too.

And.....after Maxpete graciously donated a set of gggGary's valve cover seals for me to use on my rebuild, my valve cover leaks are a thing of the past....

 

[Solomoriah]

The 2.8mm diameter of the original valve cover o-rings is a rather oddball size but 3mm diameter ones fit and work just fine. Silicone ones work well and you can get a 10 pack off eBay for little more than Mike's charges for just one o-ring .....

https://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Pcs-Fle...449515&hash=item4ac0d381a2:g:wlIAAOSwIUFbYeSs

I am absolutely certain gggGary's seals are excellent, but I can't beat the ease of just hitting this link and doing Buy It Now. So I have done so.

Curious that only the front covers are weeping.

 

[5twins]

There's not much you can do about the 4 bolt cover, it only fits one way, but the other 3 bolt covers can be rotated 120° and often they'll seal in the new position.

 

[Solomoriah]

Well, as I noted a few pages back, I ordered a couple of items to fix up the front brake:

Brake line: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B073Z8GZSC/
Banjo bolt with bleeder: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B07DSH5N9F/

The brake line arrived Friday, only a day later than the earliest day they said I could expect it. So that was good, anyway. I was sick for a couple of days, but I'm doing better this morning and I had a half an hour to spare so I started on the job.

Here's how it looks installed:

I tried to save the original dust boot, thinking I could just put a hole in the back side for the bleeder to stick out, but the rubber was too rotten. Not sure if I should make an effort to cover this piece of plumbing sculpture or not.

I didn't have time to get brake fluid in there and bleed it; hopefully tonight, if I'm not too worn out. Summer colds suck.

 

[Solomoriah]

Well, I finally got the front brake flushed out, filled, and bled. Works a lot better now. It's not as positive as my Honda CB650, but the CB650 has the 14mm master cylinder. But it's not squishy anymore, and I didn't even have to bleed the upper fitting to get it solid.

Also hollowed out the ends of the bars for bar end weights, but the throttle tube sticks out far enough that I'm going to need a longer screw and a spacer to put a bar end weight there. Probably have to go to Fastenal.

 

[Solomoriah]

Rode the XS for work today; went somewhere over a hundred miles total. Don't know for sure, because the speedo went nuts, bouncing like crazy, then broke off the needle. The trip odometer also started malfunctioning; the 100's place would advance randomly, so that the last leg of my trip appears to have covered 560+ miles (couldn't be much over 60, in reality).

Guess I need a replacement. Gah.

 

[Solomoriah]

An update, at long last!

Forum member bwthor kindly provided me with a replacement speedo, as well as a tach and idiot light cover. I don't have a "before" pic showing the entire panel; here's the best I have, from when I brought it home originally:

And here's where I started out today, with bwthor's much nicer instruments:

The original picture above does not show how much sun damage the tach had. I'm about 100% certain the instruments on the bike when I got it weren't all original, leading me to wonder just exactly how many miles the bike actually has on it. Things look much better now. Thanks bwthor!

Here's the whole bike from this morning:

 

[Solomoriah]

... and now, another problem. I was about 20 miles out on my 160 mile ride today when I noticed the headlamp indicator is illuminated. I may have loosened a wire while installing those replacement instruments, but then again, it may be the sealed beam. I didn't have time to look into it today; will probably check tomorrow.

HOWEVER: Assuming it is the sealed beam, I'd like to try a conversion kit. Is this Hella part the right thing?

http://www.myhellalights.com/index....eadlamps/vision-plus-7in-conversion-headlamp/

(Wow that's a long URL.) If it is, they seem to have a good deal on it on Amazon.com:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000BLMJMU

If I do need a new bulb, I'm definitely not putting another sealed beam in, that's for sure.

 

[Solomoriah]

BTW: Regarding the oil discussion on the previous page... I did, in fact, find 20W50 Valvoline conventional oil at Wal-Mart over the winter, and bought some for the XS' next oil change.

Tried Paul Sutton's method for straightening the front end... loosened the lower clamp bolts, put the wheel up against a post, twisted the front wheel straight, and torqued down the lower bolts. Everything looked good and felt right for the first, oh, 60 miles or so, and then I noticed it was working its way back to twisted again. Next time around I'll loosen and retorque the upper clamp, then repeat Paul's method again. I think each time it goes out, it goes out less, so I'm hoping persistence will get through to it in the end.

 

[Mailman]

Your bike is looking good, the new gauges are a definite improvement. I also really like your traveling saddlebags! You look ready for a road trip!

 

[Solomoriah]

Hah, thanks! Cheapos from Chaparral... I had $50.00 in gift cards. I'm liking them so far; much nicer straps than the ones that came with the bags on my Honda, and those bags failed me (the bags, not the straps). Not road tripping though... just rode to work, to see a client out in the country.

 

[5twins]

That Hella H-4 is the right size (7") but it's not a motorcycle light, it's for a car. The lens is different because it's not made to work alone but rather in pairs. But, looking closer at the info in that link, it does say it can be used in motorcycles. That one Sylvania you linked to on Amazon is also a car light, and a sealed beam too. You definitely don't want that one. I think this is the one you want .....

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-002395301-Halogen-Conversion-Headlamp/dp/B001G76Q2W?th=1

 

[gggGary]

Go LED http://www.xs650.com/threads/led-headlight-conversions-ideas-good-and-bad.50174/#post-517974

Not the best fix but your forks are bent, rotating the upper fork legs so the bends face forward will reduce the twist.
Thaddeus’s ‘77 Survivor

 

[Solomoriah]

That Hella H-4 is the right size (7") but it's not a motorcycle light, it's for a car. The lens is different because it's not made to work alone but rather in pairs. But, looking closer at the info in that link, it does say it can be used in motorcycles. That one Sylvania you linked to on Amazon is also a car light, and a sealed beam too. You definitely don't want that one. I think this is the one you want .....

https://www.amazon.com/HELLA-002395301-Halogen-Conversion-Headlamp/dp/B001G76Q2W?th=1

Oops. Had too many Amazon windows open, copied the wrong URL. Thanks!

I understand the pattern for a car light is different, but I also know that, in Missouri at least, I can get away with it; the light will work well enough for me.

Go LED http://www.xs650.com/threads/led-headlight-conversions-ideas-good-and-bad.50174/#post-517974

http://www.xs650.com/threads/led-headlight-conversions-ideas-good-and-bad.50174/#post-517974
I've been considering that.

Not the best fix but your forks are bent, rotating the upper fork legs so the bends face forward will reduce the twist.
Thaddeus’s ‘77 Survivor

I tried that already. It helped some, but not enough... not sure why it didn't come out straight after I did that.

 

[gggGary]

Typically tubes and lower triple are all bent. Triple is not hard to straighten.
an example
1976 XS650 Front End

 

[Solomoriah]

Okay, I'll bite... how do you straighten the lower triple clamp? (I clicked the link but could not find an explanation or example. Possibly I'm stupid.)

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

If it's just a little tweaked, leave the lower clamps tight, loosen the uppers. Do your "straighten" thing, but go a little past. Then wiggle it and see if it wants to settle in a straightforward position. If not, go even more past, and see again...