Good for you Bob - and well done Steve!
Wow, very cool.
Pete
Wow, very cool.
Pete
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Mailman’s XS2 a full on restoration
- Thread starter Mailman
- Start date
Actually, Bob, yours is idling smoother/better than mine.
I've got more work to do then...
I've got more work to do then...
That's a happy soundin' motor. 
Thanks Pete! Almost there!
Haha! Do you need some jets? I’ve got a couple you can have!
.That's a happy soundin' motor.
Thanks Coach! I just followed your tutorial!
Shoulda' said her builder sounds pretty happy too.
Yeah, I saw a level 10 grin in that vid...
There's 482 threads in here with the term "break-in".
This one's controversial.
http://www.xs650.com/threads/engine-break-in.46086/
This one's controversial.
http://www.xs650.com/threads/engine-break-in.46086/
Sounds great. You deserve something to go right. Next the riding video. Can’t wait.THE THIRD TIME’s A CHARM.
This morning I went out to my shop and went straight at my carburetors. Steve (2M) made an astute observation the other day. He was looking at photos of my carburetor parts and spotted a problem. He observed that my pilot jets were the wrong style.
So I went through my old parts and found my original jets, and sure enough, they looked like the ones that 2M showed me.
View attachment 140096
So I ordered some new, correct style jets, and in the meantime, I cleaned these up and installed them.
Before I re installed my carburetors and air boxes, I had a few loose ends to take care of first. One was to get a clutch cable back on my bike. I decided to give my new silver cable from Mikes another try. I absolutely greased the snot out of it and put it on. And well.......hell. I still don’t like it. So off it came and the Motion Pro cable went back on. Ahhh.....there it is......my butter smooth clutch is back.
Then I had to put the shifter lever and foot peg back on, And Then....another job that needed doing. Remember that metric thread repair kit I bought? I took a go at repairing the stripped out side cover mounting holes in my frame. The new repair kit is a real value item, and it worked great.
View attachment 140097 View attachment 140098 View attachment 140099 View attachment 140100 View attachment 140101
The repaired threads are nice and solid, I used red locktite on the thread inserts.
True confession time , I tried to cheap out on this repair first. I stirred up a little JB Weld and smeared into the worn out threads and then re tapped them after it set up. Yeah......FAIL.
So now my carburetors and air boxes can go back on!
Still using the white gas tank off of my other bike. I need to get some gas for my red tank, and I wanted to give the petcocks some time to seal.
Hooked up the gas lines, turned on the petcocks , hit the starter button, and well......see for yourself.
Right outa the box, as soon as I started it, I knew it was right. I have to tell you I was really beginning to doubt myself. I thought that maybe I had done something fundamentally wrong during my rebuild. I was beginning to think it may never run right.
A special shout out to 2M for getting me back on track! You rock brother!
View attachment 140103
Tomorrow, I have just a few details to get done. Get some gas in the tank, side covers on , license plates and mirrors and seat on. Then..........
MY BIKE WILL BACK ON THE ROAD FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1985!!!
Arizona has these cool, solid copper historic plates.
View attachment 140102
So...will tomorrow be the happy culmination of over a years hard work, or will I be pushing a very pretty boat anchor back home?
Tune in tomorrow , same bat time, same bat channel!
View attachment 140104
Fingers crossed!!
Bob
Controversial maybe... but a "hard breakin" is how I've always done it. I've broke in hundreds of Lycoming's that way. It's what the factory calls for. On the first flight, you pull the power back right after take-off and do an easy climb to 6-8000 ft. Level off and let the oil and CHT temps drop as low as they'll go, then you push it up to full throttle and let her cook. Lazy ovals around the field for about an hour. Land, look it over... usually burnt about a quart of oil. Gas and oil and do it again. If it was a good rebuild, oil consumption was about zero after the second run. Pull the filters and cut 'em open. If they're clean, new filters... top it off and do it again. Done. Building Lycoming's was fun. Breaking 'em in was even funner...
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- - - MY BIKE WILL BACK ON THE ROAD FOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE 1985!!!
Arizona has these cool, solid copper historic plates.
View attachment 140102
So...will tomorrow be the happy culmination of over a years hard work, or will I be pushing a very pretty boat anchor back home? - - -
Bob
Hi Bob,
happy culmination day and be sure to rubber mount your historic plate, eh?
Bolting it on solid just about guarantees that all you'll be left with is two small solid copper corners.
Good Deal, Bob! Sounds perfect!
That sound is like music to my ears! Great troubleshooting to all! Great to have a bunch of eyes all over that beauty along the way. 
Way to go Bob!!! 
Remember: a carburetor is like a woman. Without constant, minute adjustments...
...she'll choke you to death!
Remember: a carburetor is like a woman. Without constant, minute adjustments......she'll choke you to death!
I recall years ago when I started in the shop and the boss at that time was a stickler for having any rebuilt engine taken to the local dealer for that engine and have it run in on the dyno.
After hearing so many people say how you have to baby an engine after a rebuild to see what they did to a rebuilt diesel about scared me. Basically start up and check oil pressure while watching for leaks. Next put a light load on it for several minutes while increasing the RPMS to get it up to full operating pressure then put the hammer to it and let it go.
After an hour or so checking horse power and keeping watch on pressures and leaks shut down and check valve and injector setting and put it back to work after another short warm up.
This morning, in addition to the glow of the sunrise on the eastern horizon, there was a glow on the southwestern horizon - caused by Bob's gigantic grin at getting his old gal perking so nicely.
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/244038873529534602/
Well done Bob - now git 'er done and ride!
Pete
https://www.pinterest.ca/pin/244038873529534602/
Well done Bob - now git 'er done and ride!
Pete
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Did ya hear those beautiful pipe noises !
Pop Pop, pop pop, idling ?
I bet Bob is hole sawing ear holes in his helmet right now so he can hear those pipes better test riding
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Rasputin, Fred, Downeaster, Superjet, Tebo, Ken, Pete and Randy, thank you all for the nice comments and well wishes, you guys are all appreciated.
Working on a report as we speak..........
Working on a report as we speak..........
Mailman’s first ride 
426 DAYS AGO, I BEGAN THIS PROJECT.
I honestly thought I was looking at about four months worth of fix up and ride. The bike was running when I bought it, it’s all downhill from there right?
This morning I went out and poured about 2.5 gallons in the gas tank. Petcocks didn’t leak ( thank God) ,
Put the seat and side covers on , installed my new license plate and rolled it out on the driveway. This first time it is ready to ride since 1985.
Last week we hit our first 100 degree day, we were well on our way to our usual summer heat, but last night a thunderstorm rolled in unexpectedly, it absolutely poured for an hour. Woke up this morning and our temperature had dropped by 25 degrees, the air is fresh with blue skies and white fluffy clouds.
I turned the gas on and pulled the starter lever. VROOOMMM!! It fired right off, I immediately turned off the choke and held the throttle slightly open to a fast idle for about 20 seconds, when I let go , the idle dropped to about 1100 rpm and held there absolutely steady. Backing out onto the street, I pulled the clutch lever in and pushed the shift lever down into first gear and promptly killed the motor. My new clutch plates had a little too much drag, so I dialed up my clutch adjuster at the lever and restarted the bike and tried it again. This time PERFECT, it never did that again.
So the bike is running great, but now remember, this bike has not moved outside of my garage, so everything is an unknown. The first few blocks I’m taking it easy, testing my brakes, transmission and clutch. Everything is working perfectly and my confidence is quickly growing. Do you remember how much I struggled with my front brake? That went on for weeks. Now, even with that two piece rubber hose affair, I can stop all day with just one finger on the lever, color me surprised. The back brake also has an excellent feel.
The engine, transmission and fueling are all working just unbelievably well. The transmission worried me some, because I never opened it up, but the shifts are crisp and easy and neutral is easy to find.
The engine never mis behaved or made any worrisome noises, it runs through the gears and through the RPM range fluidly without any stutters or hesitations anywhere. Every time I came to a stop, the engine drops down to a rock steady idle, without so much as a hiccup. And every time I go to start the bike, the electric starter is working beautifully and the bike fires right off. I have backed the cable off the decompression assembly , I am not using it and it is not missed. This bike starts better than my 77D.
As you can imagine, by now I’m grinning like an idiot. I have taken the advice of people I trust and I am not babying it during the break in. I’m not out there doing burn outs, but I’m running it briskly up through the gears and lots of decels also.
I rode it 25 miles today and got it good and hot before heading home. I plan to do this about three more times before changing the oil.
Turn the volume up for these next two clips. I absolutely love the sound of this exhaust.
Today was a great day, as I was riding , it was as if the years were blowing off of me. I felt like the 18 year old me again, that used to drool over this bike, I didn’t have a care in the world and The Rolling Stones we’re playing in my head, it was 1970’s again. I swear I think I even have more hair on my head now.
Stay groovy!
Duke. ( my nickname in the 70’s)
426 DAYS AGO, I BEGAN THIS PROJECT.
I honestly thought I was looking at about four months worth of fix up and ride. The bike was running when I bought it, it’s all downhill from there right?
This morning I went out and poured about 2.5 gallons in the gas tank. Petcocks didn’t leak ( thank God) ,
Put the seat and side covers on , installed my new license plate and rolled it out on the driveway. This first time it is ready to ride since 1985.
Last week we hit our first 100 degree day, we were well on our way to our usual summer heat, but last night a thunderstorm rolled in unexpectedly, it absolutely poured for an hour. Woke up this morning and our temperature had dropped by 25 degrees, the air is fresh with blue skies and white fluffy clouds.
I turned the gas on and pulled the starter lever. VROOOMMM!! It fired right off, I immediately turned off the choke and held the throttle slightly open to a fast idle for about 20 seconds, when I let go , the idle dropped to about 1100 rpm and held there absolutely steady. Backing out onto the street, I pulled the clutch lever in and pushed the shift lever down into first gear and promptly killed the motor. My new clutch plates had a little too much drag, so I dialed up my clutch adjuster at the lever and restarted the bike and tried it again. This time PERFECT, it never did that again.
So the bike is running great, but now remember, this bike has not moved outside of my garage, so everything is an unknown. The first few blocks I’m taking it easy, testing my brakes, transmission and clutch. Everything is working perfectly and my confidence is quickly growing. Do you remember how much I struggled with my front brake? That went on for weeks. Now, even with that two piece rubber hose affair, I can stop all day with just one finger on the lever, color me surprised. The back brake also has an excellent feel.
The engine, transmission and fueling are all working just unbelievably well. The transmission worried me some, because I never opened it up, but the shifts are crisp and easy and neutral is easy to find.
The engine never mis behaved or made any worrisome noises, it runs through the gears and through the RPM range fluidly without any stutters or hesitations anywhere. Every time I came to a stop, the engine drops down to a rock steady idle, without so much as a hiccup. And every time I go to start the bike, the electric starter is working beautifully and the bike fires right off. I have backed the cable off the decompression assembly , I am not using it and it is not missed. This bike starts better than my 77D.
As you can imagine, by now I’m grinning like an idiot. I have taken the advice of people I trust and I am not babying it during the break in. I’m not out there doing burn outs, but I’m running it briskly up through the gears and lots of decels also.
I rode it 25 miles today and got it good and hot before heading home. I plan to do this about three more times before changing the oil.
Turn the volume up for these next two clips. I absolutely love the sound of this exhaust.
Today was a great day, as I was riding , it was as if the years were blowing off of me. I felt like the 18 year old me again, that used to drool over this bike, I didn’t have a care in the world and The Rolling Stones we’re playing in my head, it was 1970’s again. I swear I think I even have more hair on my head now.
Stay groovy!
Duke. ( my nickname in the 70’s)
Very cool Mailman! A perfect end to a cool journey of an XS rebuild. Was that a police suv going after you?!? Lol
congrats man work well done! JC
congrats man work well done! JC
Wait for it.......
