oil and both screens.
-
Enjoy XS650.com? Consider making a donation to help support the site.
XS650.com receives a small share of sales from some links on this page, but direct donations have a much greater impact on keeping this site going.
Mailman’s XS2 a full on restoration
- Thread starter Mailman
- Start date
Not to disagree at all with Gary, but I might be tempted after the PB has had time to soak into the rings and grooves in the pistor to give it a couple squirts of ATF trans fluid in each cylinder a couple days before firing it up. ATF is a high detergent oil, or at least the last I knew it was, and it would help give some initial lubrication to the cylinders.
I am slowly working on the 1978 that I have and last time it was registered was 1997 or there abouts and I kind of doubt it has run any on the mean time so I will be having to think about this myself someday.
I did drain the oil and bike sat for a few weeks with both filters (screens) out. Bottom filter was repaired with JB Weld the side one was not bad
I am slowly working on the 1978 that I have and last time it was registered was 1997 or there abouts and I kind of doubt it has run any on the mean time so I will be having to think about this myself someday.
I did drain the oil and bike sat for a few weeks with both filters (screens) out. Bottom filter was repaired with JB Weld the side one was not bad
You'll probably want to do a couple quick oil changes (100 to 200 miles) once you get it fired up too. Get a 5 qt. jug of 20-50 over at Walmart. That will give you 2 changes. Truth be told, that's the oil I use all the time, lol.
Yeah I have that low miles 78 not so special, I just got. Got it from a guy who got it from a guy..... It had a bottle brush stuck where the tach drive should be, both resistor caps AND resistor plugs, one cap is open circuit, no oil on the dip stick, carbs and air filters were in place, carbs are free and moving. Leg claims compression is good. Pulled plugs, hit cylinders with PB, been kicking it over when I go by it. Pulled a valve cover, head looked good inside. "LIke new" tires are 2006 so that's probably the last attempted resurrection. Can hear the cam chain slapping.
Stuck rings are usually caused by excessive carbon buildup in the grooves and/or rust. Based on your low miles and dry climate storage, I'd bet your rings are just fine. Like Gary said.... keep squirtin' with PB and give it a few kicks every time you walk by it.
I’ve been in a cleaning mood ever since I got my ultrasonic cleaner. I spent a couple days running all my hardware and small frame mount brackets through there, I even found I got pretty nice results throwing various rubber mounts in there. I ran them through a couple of cycles with heat and then rinsed them off and threw them in a zip lock bag and sprayed them liberally with silicone spray and sealed them up and let them soak. I’m getting pretty good results with that.
I also stripped the battery box down to bare metal and re sprayed that, along with some cad plated frame brackets that were ruined by battery acid.
I changed my mind about not putting my carburetors in my ultrasonic cleaner. I really wanted to try it out and I’m convinced any worries about harming them are more related to how acidic the product is and exposure time.
I poured clean solution into my tank. 25% original formula Simple Green to 75% water. I ran all the parts twice through an eight minute heated cycle , then rinsed with hot water and blew everything off with compressed air.
I will still shoot carb cleaner through all orifices and blow compressed air through them.
Started with this.
This is after coming out of the cleaner and rinse and just lightly running a small brass wheel in a Dremel over it.
The top was rinsed and just wiped down with Blue Magic. The float bowl was hit with the brass wheel then Blue Magic.
No buffing at all. Just the Mr. Clean treatment!
I also stripped the battery box down to bare metal and re sprayed that, along with some cad plated frame brackets that were ruined by battery acid.
I changed my mind about not putting my carburetors in my ultrasonic cleaner. I really wanted to try it out and I’m convinced any worries about harming them are more related to how acidic the product is and exposure time.
I poured clean solution into my tank. 25% original formula Simple Green to 75% water. I ran all the parts twice through an eight minute heated cycle , then rinsed with hot water and blew everything off with compressed air.
I will still shoot carb cleaner through all orifices and blow compressed air through them.
Started with this.
This is after coming out of the cleaner and rinse and just lightly running a small brass wheel in a Dremel over it.
The top was rinsed and just wiped down with Blue Magic. The float bowl was hit with the brass wheel then Blue Magic.
No buffing at all. Just the Mr. Clean treatment!
OK... ya sold me. Lets see the ultra-sonic tank. 
OK... ya sold me. Lets see the ultra-sonic tank.
This is it , right here!
I should add that when I said I hit it lightly with a small brass wheel, it was actually three different shape and sizes , all very small and soft.
Absolutely! Your carbs are just greasy, not corroded.
I do not recommend long soaks. Some guys throw them in a bucket of solution and leave them there overnight or longer. That’s when it seems that problems start occurring.
I'll bet you found the pen brush your favorite on the carb body Bob?
Wow - Bob - that little cleaner does an awesome job! I'm going to head over to MI soon and get one of those puppies.
Pete
Pete
Absolutely! Here are the ones I used.
I should mention that when they come out of the solution and have been rinsed off and dried. They look clean but not shiny.....until you hit them with the brass wheels.
Also, I read a ton of articles about people’s results with ultrasonic cleaners. Be sure to rinse off whatever you clean immediately after and dry thoroughly. I’ve seen some real sad stories about guys using aggressive solutions and failing to wash it off after, only to have their carbs corrode.
Whats the actual Basket size, or area that can be submerged.
Looking good Bob. Got me motivated to get one. Now that Amazon is here and the prices have dropped they may be affordable.
Looking good Bob. Got me motivated to get one. Now that Amazon is here and the prices have dropped they may be affordable.
How long? what temperature?
Thanks,
I had to go measure the tank. It’s not all that big. It’ll hold small hardware items just fine, but the carburetor body itself cannot be entirely submerged. I simply rotated it , four minutes into an eight minute cycle, and I ran it through two cycles.
The actual measurements of the inside of the tank are.
9.5 inches long x 5.5 inches wide x 2.5 inches solution depth
There are certainly larger units available elsewhere.
The unit has a built in timer that sets for 90 , 180, 280, 380, or 480 seconds. The heat has no temp settings, it’s either on or off. You can not run the heat for more than a few cycles because it automatically shuts off to prevent overheating. I ran the carb bodies through two heated cycles of 480 seconds. The water stays hot for a good twenty minutes or so for cleaning hardware.
I was cleaning hardware with a 50 / 50 ratio of Simple Green and water.
For the carb bodies I wanted to start conservatively with a weaker solution 25% Simple Green. 75% water. That’s all.
When I first got the ultrasonic cleaner I was going to try Pine Sol, after reading about it. However the more I read convinced me that it doesn’t always turn out well. pine Sol is more acidic. I decided on Simple Green because it is less caustic. I would still avoid prolonged exposure. It uses citric acid and detergents to clean and degrease.
I was cleaning hardware with a 50 / 50 ratio of Simple Green and water.
For the carb bodies I wanted to start conservatively with a weaker solution 25% Simple Green. 75% water. That’s all.
When I first got the ultrasonic cleaner I was going to try Pine Sol, after reading about it. However the more I read convinced me that it doesn’t always turn out well. pine Sol is more acidic. I decided on Simple Green because it is less caustic. I would still avoid prolonged exposure. It uses citric acid and detergents to clean and degrease.
Well, your results are darned impressive Mailman - very cool!
Pete
Pete
Thanks Pete!
