Another thing I forgot to mention, the engine was locked solid, probley from sitting out side and water getting in. That was the reason I didn't go for it at the time. Make sure he did check out the bottom end, now is the time to find out, not after it's all buttoned up. Good luck.
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Barn Yard find - 73 TX650
- Thread starter Oddjob
- Start date
Oddjob
adsgads
Kiwi, thanks for the heads up... that explains the pile of what looks like to be bottom end bearings... I didn't know what to make of it at first because there were a few parts that didn't belong on the bike (or so I thought) in the parts bins... The engine is definitely free as it sits now...
Oddjob
adsgads
So, I’ve decided to revive this thread… Mostly as a form of self-motivation, but also as a venue to post questions specific to the bikes re-awakening…
The next few posts are mostly just updates on what I’ve done since the spring of this year. Even though I’ve had the bike since July 2016, for a variety of reasons it essentially sat until this spring.
Even though the ultimate goal was to revive the bike, I thought that I would ease into this by trying to make the bike a little more presentable… the de-laminated chrome on the engine covers and rear hub was borderline hideous…
I had attempted to source alternate covers, but the stuff that came up was either too pricey, or required as much work as what I already had… so I settled on having the original covers de-chromed and polished. In the end, money wise, it was probably a wash but at least I got to save the original covers and hub.
Some before and after pics of the covers.
Some before and after pics of the rear hub
The next few posts are mostly just updates on what I’ve done since the spring of this year. Even though I’ve had the bike since July 2016, for a variety of reasons it essentially sat until this spring.
Even though the ultimate goal was to revive the bike, I thought that I would ease into this by trying to make the bike a little more presentable… the de-laminated chrome on the engine covers and rear hub was borderline hideous…
I had attempted to source alternate covers, but the stuff that came up was either too pricey, or required as much work as what I already had… so I settled on having the original covers de-chromed and polished. In the end, money wise, it was probably a wash but at least I got to save the original covers and hub.
Some before and after pics of the covers.
Some before and after pics of the rear hub
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Oddjob
adsgads
Next up was the tank…. What a nightmare…
One of the PO’s had used what I believe to be Kreem, which was starting to de-laminate…
I used Acetone to dissolve the Kreem with some degree of success… this uncovered the mess that had been previously covered up by the Kreem… basically no attempt was made to remove any rust prior to coating the tank, or moisture somehow migrated underneath the kreem… FWIW I don’t think the tank ever saw any gas after being coated with kreem…
Next, I used EvapoRust agitated with drywall screws with again some degree of success… and eventually, electrolysis with yet some more success…
At different points in the above process the Kreem and rust was literally coming off in chunks!
Eventually I got to the point where the tank was rust free-ish, but I let it sit for a week without coating it… the result was… more flash rust…
After another round of electrolysis to remove the flash rust, I decided to coat it with POR15. I’ve used POR15 on few other projects and it appears to be holding up well on those. Ultimately, I was uncomfortable with not coating it based on the sheer amount of rust chunks/flakes that came out of the tank…
One of the PO’s had used what I believe to be Kreem, which was starting to de-laminate…
I used Acetone to dissolve the Kreem with some degree of success… this uncovered the mess that had been previously covered up by the Kreem… basically no attempt was made to remove any rust prior to coating the tank, or moisture somehow migrated underneath the kreem… FWIW I don’t think the tank ever saw any gas after being coated with kreem…
Next, I used EvapoRust agitated with drywall screws with again some degree of success… and eventually, electrolysis with yet some more success…
At different points in the above process the Kreem and rust was literally coming off in chunks!
Eventually I got to the point where the tank was rust free-ish, but I let it sit for a week without coating it… the result was… more flash rust…
After another round of electrolysis to remove the flash rust, I decided to coat it with POR15. I’ve used POR15 on few other projects and it appears to be holding up well on those. Ultimately, I was uncomfortable with not coating it based on the sheer amount of rust chunks/flakes that came out of the tank…
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Oddjob
adsgads
Next came the carbs…
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the bike came with 78/79 linked carbs. This was good because I have the same set on my bobber, so this will allow me to use some of the jets that I had left over from that build.
Of course, no carb rebuild is complete without some butterfly screw removal and bent shaft drama.
To remove the screw, I ended up TIG welding a long M3 SHCS to the Philips screw. The heat from the weld helped break the rust bond, but not before I had bent the shafts while trying in vain to remove the screws using a traditional screw driver. I straightened the shaft by gently bending the shaft in the opposite direction of the bend and test fitting to the carb body until the shaft turned freely.
Cleaning wise the carbs turned out ok after 4-5 hours of ultrasonic cleaning using a 50/50 mix of Simple Green Pro HD and water.
I set up the carbs with the following; 140 MJ, 30 PJ, Needle jet #2 position from the top. This is a guess since I intend to run UNI-Pod filters and a quiet set of mufflers.
The carbs did not come with any holders, so I ended up having to buy the 48-7479 holders from Mikes/XS650 direct. Heard lots of comments on this site regarding the rubber materials they use, so let’s hope these hold up. There didn’t seem to be many alternatives for the holders. The fitment was OK-ish although I had to shorten the barb on the RH side to clear the valve cover nut. I also had to clearance the band clamp lip to clear the SHCS I was using to mount the holders with. Even with the clamps fully tightened, I felt that there was still some carb play in comparison to the OEM holders on my bobber. Time will tell I guess…
I was pleasantly surprised to see that the bike came with 78/79 linked carbs. This was good because I have the same set on my bobber, so this will allow me to use some of the jets that I had left over from that build.
Of course, no carb rebuild is complete without some butterfly screw removal and bent shaft drama.
To remove the screw, I ended up TIG welding a long M3 SHCS to the Philips screw. The heat from the weld helped break the rust bond, but not before I had bent the shafts while trying in vain to remove the screws using a traditional screw driver. I straightened the shaft by gently bending the shaft in the opposite direction of the bend and test fitting to the carb body until the shaft turned freely.
Cleaning wise the carbs turned out ok after 4-5 hours of ultrasonic cleaning using a 50/50 mix of Simple Green Pro HD and water.
I set up the carbs with the following; 140 MJ, 30 PJ, Needle jet #2 position from the top. This is a guess since I intend to run UNI-Pod filters and a quiet set of mufflers.
The carbs did not come with any holders, so I ended up having to buy the 48-7479 holders from Mikes/XS650 direct. Heard lots of comments on this site regarding the rubber materials they use, so let’s hope these hold up. There didn’t seem to be many alternatives for the holders. The fitment was OK-ish although I had to shorten the barb on the RH side to clear the valve cover nut. I also had to clearance the band clamp lip to clear the SHCS I was using to mount the holders with. Even with the clamps fully tightened, I felt that there was still some carb play in comparison to the OEM holders on my bobber. Time will tell I guess…
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Oddjob
adsgads
So essentially where I’m at now is the exhaust… I decided not to run the two into one that came with the bike, since this isn’t my style of exhaust… However, since I really don’t know what I’ve got with this motor, I was a little hesitant to spend the big bucks involved with an early replica, or performance exhaust. So, I settled on MikesXS/650direct generic exhaust headers (07-0757) with some re-purposed Triumph Thruxton mufflers, to hopefully get the bike to the point where I can test fire it.
MikeXs lists the header fitment as being compatible from 70-84, and I was pleasantly surprised that it fit as well as it did. It’s tight in and around the brake lever area, and requires that the brake be kept well adjusted so that the brake lever doesn’t hit at full droop. Since it’s a generic exhaust header, it didn’t come with any mounting tabs, which I will have to deal with by using suitably modified muffler clamps to tie into the frame.
As mentioned, the mufflers are re-purposed Thruxton mufflers that were destined for the recycle bin. They required a new inlet connection to be welded on, as the OEM connection was angled and wouldn’t work as it was.
I’m not sure if this will be the final mufflers that I end up using, but it will hopefully get me to the point where I can test fire the bike.
MikeXs lists the header fitment as being compatible from 70-84, and I was pleasantly surprised that it fit as well as it did. It’s tight in and around the brake lever area, and requires that the brake be kept well adjusted so that the brake lever doesn’t hit at full droop. Since it’s a generic exhaust header, it didn’t come with any mounting tabs, which I will have to deal with by using suitably modified muffler clamps to tie into the frame.
As mentioned, the mufflers are re-purposed Thruxton mufflers that were destined for the recycle bin. They required a new inlet connection to be welded on, as the OEM connection was angled and wouldn’t work as it was.
I’m not sure if this will be the final mufflers that I end up using, but it will hopefully get me to the point where I can test fire the bike.
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Oddjob,
Great to see you getting interested again in getting your TX going. I just read through your article. I can’t believe somebody chromed the original case covers. You’ve got them looking really nice now.
Some of your photos didn’t show up, I’m interested in seeing the exhaust you created.
I feel your pain with your gas tank. I spent a lot of time messing with mine and eventually sent it out.
Looking foward to seeing your future updates!
Great to see you getting interested again in getting your TX going. I just read through your article. I can’t believe somebody chromed the original case covers. You’ve got them looking really nice now.
Some of your photos didn’t show up, I’m interested in seeing the exhaust you created.
I feel your pain with your gas tank. I spent a lot of time messing with mine and eventually sent it out.
Looking foward to seeing your future updates!
The Tin Man
XS650 Addict
odd job can you elucidate on the electrolysis process please.
Oddjob
adsgads
Hi Mailman... I tried to fix the links, hopefully its good now... I felt a little cheesy coating the tank with POR15 after going through all that trouble to get rid of the rust, but it seemed that every time I blinked it flash rusted... I really don't know what I've got with the exhaust mufflers, only time will tell... unlike your typical EMGO there is a lot of mass/material/baffling with these Triumph mufflers...
Hi Tin Man... I basically used a setup similar to post #4 of this link....
http://www.xs650.com/threads/rust-removal-from-inside-gas-tank.30/
Instead of a battery charger I used an enormous marine deep cycle battery... instead of washing soda, I used PH+, chemically the same as washing soda (sodium carbonate), but used to maintain swimming pool PH levels, and more easily available in our neck of the woods...
Hi Tin Man... I basically used a setup similar to post #4 of this link....
http://www.xs650.com/threads/rust-removal-from-inside-gas-tank.30/
Instead of a battery charger I used an enormous marine deep cycle battery... instead of washing soda, I used PH+, chemically the same as washing soda (sodium carbonate), but used to maintain swimming pool PH levels, and more easily available in our neck of the woods...
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The Tin Man
XS650 Addict
cool oddjob, sounds fairly simple and you had good results? TM
Oddjob
adsgads
Yes, good results but I had to replenish the electrolyte solution multiple times once it got contaminated (dark brown) and I had to clean the anode with a grinder to expose fresh metal to promote the chemical reaction... It was also very easy to set up and use, and relatively cheap as compared to using something like EvapoRust. The down side is that it is somewhat line-of-sight, so it might not reach every crevice in the tank, EvapoRust in comparison would work in all crevices of the tank...
As I mentioned I used both EvapoRust and electrolysis... In retrospect I used EvapoRust first and then electrolysis... If I had to do it again, or if I knew I would end up using both, then I would do electrolysis first and then EvapoRust to get the left over rust...
As I mentioned I used both EvapoRust and electrolysis... In retrospect I used EvapoRust first and then electrolysis... If I had to do it again, or if I knew I would end up using both, then I would do electrolysis first and then EvapoRust to get the left over rust...
Stick at it Oddjob - you’re making progress!
Pete
Pete
Tell me about "dechroming" the side covers? I have a few chromed covers that are flaking.
Pete; I'll see your and raise you a 
Oddjob; thanks for the progress report!
Pete; I'll see your
and raise you a Oddjob; thanks for the progress report!
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Oddjob
adsgads
Thanks for the tip 5T... I'm reading between the lines that the OEM shrouds (if I can find them) will be a close fit on the aftermarket holders? I would have thought they would need to be matched/designed for each other... I'm using the angled holders that the 78-79 carbs would have came with, would it matter if I used the straight, earlier ones? I ask, because I do have earlier shrouds kicking around (although the rubber is not salvageable)...
Tell me about "dechroming" the side covers? I have a few chromed covers that are flaking.
Pete; I'll see your
Oddjob; thanks for the progress report!
Hi Gary, de-chroming was quite easy... I took it to my chrome plating guy... He recognized me from my bobber build days... smiled and said, "sure we can do that for you", and as I was walking out the door he says "Would you like us to buff that for you too?"
Joking aside... parts are scarce and expensive in this neck of the woods... so it was probably a wash in terms of what I would have had to pay for decent covers vs de-chroming, if I could even find them...
The '78-'79 shrouds were unique in that they had slots cut in them to clear the vacuum nipple .....
Other than that, they are the same shape as the '74-'77 shrouds. They are angled and there is a specific left and right one. So, if your earlier shrouds are from a '74-'77 model, they should work, you'd just need to cut a slot in them to clear the vacuum nipple. The '70-'73 shrouds differ. They are straight and there is no left and right. The one part fits either side, but it's not going to fit the later angled intake manifolds.
When I replaced my intake manifolds on my '78, Mike's was out of the ones with the vacuum nipples like you got. I had to get the '74-'77 ones without the nipples. But, my '78 has the vacuum petcocks and needs those nipples. So, I installed them on the new manifolds. My '78 slotted shrouds fit them fine which tells me the '74-'77 unslotted shrouds should fit your vacuum barbed manifolds fine too.
None of these are available from Yamaha any more so your only option may be used or N.O.S. ones off eBay. Or maybe gggGary could help you out.
Other than that, they are the same shape as the '74-'77 shrouds. They are angled and there is a specific left and right one. So, if your earlier shrouds are from a '74-'77 model, they should work, you'd just need to cut a slot in them to clear the vacuum nipple. The '70-'73 shrouds differ. They are straight and there is no left and right. The one part fits either side, but it's not going to fit the later angled intake manifolds.
When I replaced my intake manifolds on my '78, Mike's was out of the ones with the vacuum nipples like you got. I had to get the '74-'77 ones without the nipples. But, my '78 has the vacuum petcocks and needs those nipples. So, I installed them on the new manifolds. My '78 slotted shrouds fit them fine which tells me the '74-'77 unslotted shrouds should fit your vacuum barbed manifolds fine too.
None of these are available from Yamaha any more so your only option may be used or N.O.S. ones off eBay. Or maybe gggGary could help you out.
I had a friend who worked at a chrome plating place when he was young. I remembered him saying they used acid to strip chrome from parts before replating.
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Bob, Gary.... thinkin' back to my days playin' with muriatic acid, I seem to recall an adverse reaction to aluminum... as in it turned it black as midnight. Lotsa' beers since then so I'm not certain. And of course if you were planning to re-chrome, it wouldn't matter. I'd suggest a test piece before you drop a good cover in there.... 
Oddjob
adsgads
I believe that chrome plating outfits use a reverse electroplating process to recoup the chrome safely and re-use... they should have been paying me for my used chromium...
Even if the above works... what would you do with the dissolved chrome solution?
Even if the above works... what would you do with the dissolved chrome solution?
I made a very foolish mistake a few years ago. I was stripping rusty steel parts and decided to dip my XS side cover in the bucket of muriatic acid. Very violent reaction a few seconds after it submerged. Smoked really bad! The fumes made any tool or bare steel sitting out in my garage surface rust. I was smart enough to have on PPE so I didn't get injured. Smoke was rolling out of my garage something awful. I had to convince my neighbor not to call the fire dept. In hind sight this probably explains the police driving by for weeks after. Been an issue with meth labs locally. If that aluminum and acid was in a sealed container.....it would have went off like a works bomb back in the day. (If ya know what I mean "wink" "wink")Bob, Gary.... thinkin' back to my days playin' with muriatic acid, I seem to recall an adverse reaction to aluminum... as in it turned it black as midnight. Lotsa' beers since then so I'm not certain. And of course if you were planning to re-chrome, it wouldn't matter. I'd suggest a test piece before you drop a good cover in there....
