Doesn't really matter. I installed my harness first. It didn't interfere with engine install at all.
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Project Canuck- 84 XS650 Project Build
- Thread starter canuck1969
- Start date
Bored last night so figured what the hell. Might as well go ahead with the harness.
No matter how many pictures you take during disassembly you are always missing the one you need when you start putting it back together.
All seemed to go well. Thank god I took the time to label and number the wires. Only had to remove a couple of things to route it properly. This OCD thing comes in handy sometimes. Still have to put the remaining straps on but waiting to figure out what I am doing for the handlebars so I can add those wires and cables.
Let me know if you see anything funky in the routing.
Now for those damn bolts I am waiting for.
No matter how many pictures you take during disassembly you are always missing the one you need when you start putting it back together.
All seemed to go well. Thank god I took the time to label and number the wires. Only had to remove a couple of things to route it properly. This OCD thing comes in handy sometimes. Still have to put the remaining straps on but waiting to figure out what I am doing for the handlebars so I can add those wires and cables.
Let me know if you see anything funky in the routing.
Now for those damn bolts I am waiting for.
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You get a fair bit of droop in the harness where it goes from the frame up into the headlight bucket. I used an Adel clamp to fix that....
I like that.
One thing I did notice with those covers they use is they hold water. When I was taking the bike apart I got about 1/4 cup of water out of them from when I washed it. Ended up putting a drain hole at the bottom. Perhaps your fix takes care of that.
I have seen it also when people (including my self) use the plastic corrugated split loom to protect the wires (I am a fan of the stuff). The slit needs to go on the bottom or they make perfect pipes to hold water. I may just replace these tubes with the split loom since I can extend them into the headlight housing
One thing I did notice with those covers they use is they hold water. When I was taking the bike apart I got about 1/4 cup of water out of them from when I washed it. Ended up putting a drain hole at the bottom. Perhaps your fix takes care of that.
I have seen it also when people (including my self) use the plastic corrugated split loom to protect the wires (I am a fan of the stuff). The slit needs to go on the bottom or they make perfect pipes to hold water. I may just replace these tubes with the split loom since I can extend them into the headlight housing
Got some time today to do some more polishing. Worked on the handlebars and levers. The one on the bike was an aftermarket bar so might as well try to revive it. Came out nice along with the levers. Also stripped the handle bar mounts and gave them a polish.
Handlebar electrics seem to be in order from my testing when I first got it but will give the internals a once over and clean them up. The front brake MC has to be investigated so keeping my fingers crossed. Seems to push air nicely and build some pressure but won’t really now until I get some fluid in it. Stay tuned.
Handlebar electrics seem to be in order from my testing when I first got it but will give the internals a once over and clean them up. The front brake MC has to be investigated so keeping my fingers crossed. Seems to push air nicely and build some pressure but won’t really now until I get some fluid in it. Stay tuned.
Leaned a valuable lesson on rebuilding the front caliper today. When you pop the piston out with some compressed air, don't put your fingers in front of it thinking you are going stop it. You won't. It will come shooting out like a bullet and you will be swearing like a drunken sailor shaking your hand up and down as the caliper is basically pressed onto your fingers between the piston and the casing. Then you have to try to push it back in to get your finger out. Dumb move on my part. Finger survived less a chunk of skin and a nasty bruise.
But wait, had to move the piston out after re-assembly to properly fit the dust cover and knowing to avoid the pinch, I moved my hand and just slowly applied the air. Still came shooting out like a bullet and slammed the new rubber dust cover into the casing and ripped it.
Third time I did it...yes had to do it again.......I stuck a bunched up rag so it had something soft to hit....that was not my finger or the dust cover.
So now I have a chunk of skin missing, a bruise and out $30 for a new rebuild kit as you can't get the dust cover separately.
Time to go on vacation
But wait, had to move the piston out after re-assembly to properly fit the dust cover and knowing to avoid the pinch, I moved my hand and just slowly applied the air. Still came shooting out like a bullet and slammed the new rubber dust cover into the casing and ripped it.
Third time I did it...yes had to do it again.......I stuck a bunched up rag so it had something soft to hit....that was not my finger or the dust cover.
So now I have a chunk of skin missing, a bruise and out $30 for a new rebuild kit as you can't get the dust cover separately.
Time to go on vacation
Oh dear me....you poor soul.
Ahh well - what REAL man do you know who hasn’t made a mistake, and then repeated it just confirm....
....twice?
Ahh well - what REAL man do you know who hasn’t made a mistake, and then repeated it just confirm....
....twice?
Definition of insanity.… Doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.
So what do you call it when you do something different and get the same result?... (wait for it)... Marriage!
Ha! I just went thru some of the same shit! This is off a 1982 CB900C. I had to make the banjo contraption to get enough air pressure. YES the one piston blew out like a rocket! Put a dent in my steel man door. So now the other piston was stuck. You can see where I put a "C" clamp to hold the one piston. I ended up tack welding a 3/4 socket to the piston and turning the piston with a rachet while having air pressure on it. Sum bitch! Haha! Got it tho.
Well, been away on a vacation for bit so just getting back to the old girl. Nice thing about the internet is you can order stuff anywhere and it will be waiting at your door when you get back.
Had to re-order the dust seal so added a few more things to the order to get free shipping which included some new mirrors as the bike did not come with any.
Got the caliper back together finally and mounted without any issues. Got the handle bar controls in place and then ran the new SS brake cables I ordered. Got them bled out with no problems thanks to my vacuum bleeder but the quality was suspect from the time I took them out of the box. They are from the Mike's Canadian affiliate. They come with a swivel end and one of the ends leaked when the the lever was maxed out for a minute. Too bad since this is the first thing that I have not liked from all the stuff I ordered from them. I may have over tightened the swivel end so can't blame them for that but a little to sensitive to damage with a critical item like that. Used them to measure up for a custom set from a company I have ordered from before. Just waiting for those to arrive. Also I think my engine mounting bolts have finally arrived and will find out shortly as they are at the post office. Keeping fingers crossed.
Also got the licence plate light that @gggGary sent via @MaxPete at the rally. Looks great. Fished up all the wiring and put the battery in. Everything seems to be in the right place but will know more once I get the engine in to make sure that part of the electrics works.
Update again once I get the brakes finished up and start on the engine install.
Had to re-order the dust seal so added a few more things to the order to get free shipping which included some new mirrors as the bike did not come with any.
Got the caliper back together finally and mounted without any issues. Got the handle bar controls in place and then ran the new SS brake cables I ordered. Got them bled out with no problems thanks to my vacuum bleeder but the quality was suspect from the time I took them out of the box. They are from the Mike's Canadian affiliate. They come with a swivel end and one of the ends leaked when the the lever was maxed out for a minute. Too bad since this is the first thing that I have not liked from all the stuff I ordered from them. I may have over tightened the swivel end so can't blame them for that but a little to sensitive to damage with a critical item like that. Used them to measure up for a custom set from a company I have ordered from before. Just waiting for those to arrive. Also I think my engine mounting bolts have finally arrived and will find out shortly as they are at the post office. Keeping fingers crossed.
Also got the licence plate light that @gggGary sent via @MaxPete at the rally. Looks great. Fished up all the wiring and put the battery in. Everything seems to be in the right place but will know more once I get the engine in to make sure that part of the electrics works.
Update again once I get the brakes finished up and start on the engine install.
You didnt mess up the braided cable....it is junk! I got one and it leaked. I call Mike at 650 Central and he made me one back when I had my 77. On my current 83, I tried the Goodridge Sniper 2 brake system. It works real good for me since I was able to get the line and fittings in match my controls.
I was giving them the benefit of the doubt. Must be the Canadian in me.
I ordered a custom set of Apex hoses with the exact length I needed for the bars I have and the correct orientation and angle for the fittings. Only useful thing for the swivel fittings is using them to get the correct angle for the custom ones. The custom ones cost me about the same price as Mikes XS but they come with new banjo bolts and washers. Lesson learned on trying to take short cuts.
Woohoo…they finally arrived. Took shipping them twice but they finally made it. Now I can get the engine back in the beast and breathe some life into her.
Wow pretty fancy hardware there canuck!
My wife says I am a bling whore...not sure if that was a complement or she is trying to tell me something.
Anyone have a signal switch button lying in a junk drawer. Don't need the actual switch, just the plastic part that goes on the end of the switch. Will figure something out as it does not look any different than the one on my other bikes but thought I would ask in case someone has one in a junk drawer.
Took a crack at getting the engine back in solo. Wrapped up the frame and hoisted the engine by short slinging one side to tilt it in mid air. Slipped right in from the right side by clearing the starter on the frame and hoisted down onto my motorcycle jack. Was going to take some pictures but started and went in so smoothly that I didn’t want to stop.
Used the new mount bolt kit. Nice and shinny. Hope they stay like that.
Done for the night and going to celebrate with a beer. More later.
Used the new mount bolt kit. Nice and shinny. Hope they stay like that.
Done for the night and going to celebrate with a beer. More later.
Carbs almost done. Stripped, polished and rebuilt. Just waiting for the brackets to dry. Can’t wait to fire this thing up. My custom brake lines showed up today along with son Uni Filter sheet to repair the air filters. I hope it starts and runs like it did before I stripped it down.
Before
After
Before
After
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