Mailman’s XS2 a full on restoration

You can glue the ends but you can also "stitch" them together with fishing line. Maybe do a combination of both? Mailman, the "dust" in your area is actually very fine grains of sand. That's small particles of glass really. I think I'd be looking for the best oil possible to use. That may mean UNI's actual foam filter oil. You won't be using much, or using it very often. You'll probably only need to clean the filters every several years.
 
Just a heads up. Make sure you check those air filter housings for loose sand that may have gotten into the seams during blasting. I discovered grit was loosening while riding the first few miles which I found in the carb body. Caused some running problems until I fiqured out what was going on. I ended up sealing all the seams with black RTV after tapping most of the sand from the seams of those housings.
 
cra-z1 said:
Just a heads up. Make sure you check those air filter housings for loose sand that may have gotten into the seams during blasting. I discovered grit was loosening while riding the first few miles which I found in the carb body. Caused some running problems until I fiqured out what was going on. I ended up sealing all the seams with black RTV after tapping most of the sand from the seams of those housings.
Click to expand...

Ha! I can just imagine how much abrasive could get trapped in there! Mine were never stripped, just rattlecan Rustoleum by me. ;)
 
Well hell.....not making much progress here in soggy Arizona, but I wanted to talk about something that just recently came up. These Uni air filters,
BAE92A8A-1272-43A6-A497-3E4DB3B6E02C.jpeg

They really don’t fit my air boxes very well, I had to really cram it in there.
2D73F042-837F-4533-971B-4772B065F166.jpeg


The fit was so tight that it cut one edge trying to force it into the box. And it wouldn’t let the box close tight.
D3F5CC91-668A-4D6C-848B-C38B58EF2610.jpeg


And that open , all the way through, center? Bad idea! Look at this view straight through my air box to daylight on the other side.
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At least the foam comes off for cleaning, so I think I will use it to wrap my stock filter cages.
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Oh well, I tried.
 
I don't think that filter housing was made to close up super tight. After all, the original element has the back end capped. Maybe you could cut a plate to slip in there behind the filter? Sheet metal or maybe thin plastic, like from a milk jug.
 
Jim said:
Bob, your cage needs an end plate..... These are from an XS-1. Yours if you want 'em. ;)

View attachment 135553
View attachment 135554
Click to expand...

Thanks Jim! That’s a very generous offer.
However I still have my original filters and I intend to rebuild these with foam. I was just trying those Uni foams because I thought they looked like a good product at half the cost of paper filters.
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Thanks for the offer!
 
INTAKE MANIFOLDS, CARBURETORS, FUEL LINE, AND AIRBOXES

Well today I was spinning my tires, this job took me three times longer than I predicted. I had the carbs on and off about three times, same for the airboxes, made up two complete sets of fuel lines ( and I’m still not sure I’m happy with them) Had to run to the hardware store for hose clamps.

Anyways, let’s get started. The first thing I did today was get my NOS carburetor mounts and OEM gaskets installed.
D3A1AE10-912E-41C4-BA61-E0E3DEC24CA3.jpeg


I got these NOS mounts from an eBay seller and they felt so soft and flexible, that I thought for a minute somebody was pulling a fast one on me. But they have the exact same markings as my original mounts.
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I put a thin smear of di-electric grease in the mounts just to lubricate the rubber to make it easier to get the carbs on and off.
8CACBCA3-0968-4EE7-B8A2-C0443F803DFE.jpeg


Now, about my fuel lines. I had originally bought some thin walled 6mm black rubber fuel line, from an eBay seller. This was advertised as the type of fuel line that was used on Japanese motorcycles from the seventies. I also bought a pair of inline fuel filters. I made up a complete set of fuel lines with the filters installed, but the line kinked and twisted and pinched flat, WAY TOO EASY ! So I made up a second set of fuel lines out of some Emgo 1/4” clear fuel line that I have a large roll of. However the filters are bulky and interfered with the air boxes. SO I PULLED EVERYTHING back off again and made up the third set of lines for today. The clear line is VERY stiff but the hardest thing to work around are these boxy filters. They take up a lot of real estate. I have cone shaped filters on my other bike and I think they are easier to fit in.
57F2246D-16F9-45A5-877D-087A5BC13F79.jpeg
87A5C362-E276-452A-ACDD-D9BE97B223A5.jpeg
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I had hoped to have my new air filters installed, but as I said earlier today, I’m not happy with them, and I intend to re work my factory paper filters with a new foam wrap.

ONE MORE EMPTY CONTAINER !!!
58BBDA6C-B3B1-4391-A7BB-FCAB640ADB1B.jpeg


Life is like a box of carburetors.....you never know what you’re gonna get.
578C90A6-4779-42E5-A409-342404D3E8B2.jpeg
Later,
Gump out!
 
I have to say - I have found the whole matter of XS650 fuel lines and how to fit a decent filter on them to be surprisingly difficult. There is just so much “stuff” in the vicinity of the underside of the fuel tank, the front of the airboxes and the carb fuel nipples, that sorting out those hoses without kinks just ain’t easy.

One trick I found was to feed the RH carb from the LH petcock and vice-versa. That way the hoses are just a bit longer and you can incorporate a little filter without kinks.
 
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Progressing well there, Bob.

With respect to the yellow UNI NU-2206 filter, thanx for taking one for the team. I just clicked 'unwatch' on that item.

Coupla trivia items.

Don't recall where I heard about this, too long ago. And, would like a confirmation from the members. The recommended tightness of the band clamps on the intake spigots is to run the screw completely down, so that the clamp ends seat against each other.
SpigotClamp.jpg


Second, found this interesting.
According to the factory, you may own an XS1E.

Post #190, Freddie3's paperwork.
http://www.xs650.com/threads/should-the-regulator-be-too-hot-to-touch.9494/page-10#post-107638
 
Last edited:
That's the way I run them, but it took switching to Allen bolts in the clamps to easily do it. The original J.I.S. Phillips had taken a beating from the wrong type of screwdriver (of course).
 

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