Oil leaks and a little clank...

[j_igs]

Hey all!

Relatively new to the site, but I've read enough to know that there's some serious knowledge floating around these parts. I'm hoping to pick your collective brains...

I'm currently getting acquainted with my first XS, I've had it for about 6 months. It's a '79 SF, with 35,000 miles on it. It's been my daily ride for a while now, and it's in pretty good shape save a few things.

Lately it's been leaking oil like crazy from somewhere in the head... I've read up (kudos, all of you) on how to deal with this, and I'm going to try re-torquing the head, see how that goes.

The real concern I have started this morning, when I started hearing a small, lightweight sounding clank, emanating from somewhere right around the right-front valve access cover. Loose valve? Something like that? I haven't done a valve check at all yet... any wisdom for me?

 

[5twins]

When you get one of these (or any new-to-you old bike for that matter), you should go through all the tune-up items, along with changing oil, filters, etc. You don't start 6 months later, lol. You're lucky it made it this far. Yes, a loose valve is a possibility, so is a loose cam chain.

Start keeping a maintenance log. Write down the mileage, the date, and what you did for whatever you do to the bike. That's the only way you'll know when it's time to do it again.

 

[gggGary]

Hey all!

35,000 miles small, lightweight sounding clank, emanating from somewhere right around the right-front valve access cover. Loose valve? Something like that? I haven't done a valve check at all yet... any wisdom for me?

Setting the cam chain tension and valves seems wise weedhopper. Read several how to threads on doing it and dive in.

 

[j_igs]

Much appreciated y'all! Is there a good thread on maintenance intervals I can check out?

 

[Red Beard]

Cam chain then valve adjust vids by littlebill31, he did an excellent job and the vids are super easy to follow.

Chain http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13058

Valve. http://www.xs650.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13083

Maint intervals page 4 and 5, these are decent but I would get a hanes or clymers manual anyway. http://www.knucklebusterinc.com/tech/XS650.pdf

 

[j_igs]

Thanks Red Beard! I adjusted the cam chain last night, per Littlebill's instruction (excellent video). I found out that '79's don't have a locknut (after a brief oh-hell moment).

I also found out that my tension plunger doesn't like to sit flush, not at any point in the travel of the adjuster bolt. I've read that in certain cases, this can be true, but I never got a sense of how common this truly is. Does that mean that the spring in the assembly isn't what it used to be? Anyone else see this in their rigs?

I adjusted it to the 1mm-ish of travel beyond the bolt, and it cleaned up my aforementioned clanks, which is nice.