How do I adjust my clutch to fix this

[socxs]

My bike won't take off unless I give it the perfect amount of throttle. I give to little it dies, i give over minimum needed it dies. This is frustrating to say the least. It is a 1980 XS650 Special II single carb cable. Other info is that my plugs keep getting fouled by carbon deposits and just turn all black. Finally my kickstart keeps kicking back at me, is that common and is there a fix for it. I am running a Pamco ignition still with a battery and no PMA.

Thank ahead,

 

[XSLeo]

The kick back could be the ignition timing is set a bit too advanced. With your take off problems and the sooty black plugs I would say the carbs are running way to rich.
Adjusting the clutch won't fix your problem.
Are the carbs set up as stock, in jetting and idle mix settings? Are you running the stock air boxes or pods? Running strock exhaust?
All these things matter. On carb work read the carb guide. www.amckayltd.com/carbguide.pdf It tells you how to tune your carbs.
Leo

 

[Downeaster]

My first suspicion is massive carburetor issues.

What have you got on it for air cleaners?

Stock exhaust?

Rejetted?

Adjust cam chain, set valves, set timing, put in a fresh set of plugs of the proper heat range.

Read the carb tech sheet, read it again, then clean the carbs. Set the float levels. Synch them.

The clutch is the last thing I'd suspect.

 

[Downeaster]

XSLeo types faster than I do...

 

[socxs]

Yes I am running pods and stock exhaust. I was planning on changing my exhaust when I got my income tax. I have not rejetted the carbs as I have no idea exactly what that entails. Please more info.

 

[XSLeo]

www.amckayltd.com/carbguide.pdf has a section on Tuning For Mods. explains how to test your jetting and what to do to make it right. A good cleaning and checking of the float height as well as idle mixture screws is a good start.
With just the pods, depending on the pods you might need one up on both the mains and pilots. Some pods perform well some not so well.
With the pods and exhaust you may need to go two or three up on the mains. I can't give you a majic recipe, there is none. You need to start with whsat you have, test, adjust one thing at a time test, adjust, test adjust. It takes time to get it right but only you can do that.
Leo

 

[peanut]

Y Please more info.

you've already got the best advice you can get on this or any XS650 forum from XSLeo and Downeaster.

1. The kick back could be the ignition timing set a bit too advanced.

sooty black plugs
I would say the carbs are running way to rich.

Adjusting the clutch won't fix your problem.

' read the carb guide. www.amckayltd.com/carbguide.pdf It tells you how to tune your carbs. '

 

[angus67]

what pods are you running? if they block the oval hole in the throat of the carb, the slides wont lift, causing richness. how does it run without the pods? are the plugs still covering the idle mix screws? if not, someone may have turned them out too far.
Change your plugs to AP63's. they are cheap, and you will need multiple pairs doing your tuning.
Since you are running a pamco, I assume you have the mechanical advance mechanism on the other side of the cam. Pull back slightly on the weights, and see if they snap back. if they dont, or seem soft, there is the advance problem. your at full advance at all times if the little springs are weak. you can cut a coil off them, a little at atime untill the weights snap back like they should.

 

[socxs]

OK so i am thinking of going open exhaust with just a straight pipe installed by a muffler shop. Should I wait till I get the mufflers installed before I go ahead and try to adjust the carbs. And if you think it would be wiser to go with a different exhaust set up feel free to give me any of your input. Also has anyone had this type of set up before had a good basis on where to start tuning.