For the last eight months, my XS2 has ran for exactly one day.
First it was the failed tank liner.
Which ruined both my gas tank and my motor and clogged up my carburetors.
Which led to sourcing a new tank and having
@Jim give it a dazzling new paint job.
And rebuilding my engine…..again
And de gunking my carburetors,
I thought I had my troubles on the run, I had my bike out for a 100 mile run and it ran great, with one small exception, the rpm’s were slow to drop when I let off the throttle and I was getting some popping on decel.
It seemed I had a small air leak in my carbs , so off they came again. I addressed the problems and they were ready to go back on again.
Before I put them back on, I was looking into my intake tracts and that’s when I noticed oil dripping from the valve guides. The melted tank liner had ruined my valve stem seals and I failed to replace them when I rebuilt the motor.
So I ordered new Viton valve stem seals and replaced them , as outlined in an article I wrote,
http://www.xs650.com/threads/valve-stem-seals-replacement-without-pulling-the-motor.59722/
So that brings us to May 1st, carbs are back on, new valve guide seals. I’m ready to go! Beautiful morning , I start my bike up, and it seems like my old sweet bike is back. I left for a test ride.
As soon as my bike got hot, things started getting weird. I had stopped to take a photo and when I tried to start my bike, it cranked and cranked and cranked…..nothing. I tried again, crank crank crank….it finally fires and seemed to be running fine. But soon it started popping out the exhaust. I pulled over in a parking lot and shut it off, I made a small adjustment on the carbs and tried to start the bike…..crank crank crank crank….nothing. I tried again cranking and cranking and finally
BOOM! A huge backfire and then it started. I rode straight home.
When I got home I didn’t shut it off, I grabbed my timing light to see what’s up. Timing was spot on. I shut it off.
Tried to restart it again…..crank crank crank
BOOM! Another huge backfire. So loud a neighbor came running over to see what exploded. When I tried again to start the bike ……nothing. It was dead. At that point I parked it and walked away. I really needed to walk away.
After thinking about it for a couple days, I began to think this might be my Emgo coil that came with my Pamco kit.
A lot of guys have had trouble with them, and since my trouble started when the bike got hot, it moved to the top of the suspect list.
Which led me to buy some used Honda MP08 coils off eBay.
I shined them up and tested them,
And got it mounted up. I like the way it fits, way better than that goofy Emgo coil with the spark plug wires exiting the side of the coils, and it’s smaller too.
Looking down from the top, you can’t even see it, it’s completely covered by the top frame rail.
Just a couple days ago, I put the carbs and air boxes back on, and the gas tank, and set the valve clearances again.
This morning I took it back out for another test ride, I am hopeful that I’ve finally exorcised the gremlins. The bike started easy and settled right down to a nice steady idle, no more popping at idle or on deceleration. It pulls strongly and the Rpms don’t hang up anymore. I shut it off several times and it fires right back up like it should, no more backfires! So wish me luck boys, maybe I finally get my bike back.