So, today was a good day.

[Skip]

Tee Cat
Great to read that you are gaining confidence in the old girl.
Like Angus said, sure you have gained alot of help and info from the guys on this site,but you are the one who applied it to your bike and are now seeing the end result.
Stop selling yourself short,we are all learning things everyday of our lives from someone else,we ourselves don't know it all.
But do try to get a enjoyment run in there rather than a diagnostic run once in a while!
Enjoy TeeCat!!

 

[tonyc]

The condensate that gathers in the crankcase needs the oil to be about 160 degrees to flash off the water. This is one reason short trips do not help because the oil temps do not reach this level. My father, who was a mechanic, gave me this information and I have always followed it. I am fortunate to live where I ride year-round and do not have this problem. I also ride daily. You may look into this for your own piece of mind. Tony C

 

[TeeCat]

Skip, good to see you. And thanks.

Tony... I'm just curious as to why the gauges don't go that high, though, and I always thought that we all are always trying to cool our motors down, as opposed to getting them to run hotter. There would not seem to be much I can do about elevating the oil temp, correct?

TC

 

[tonyc]

Those who run oil coolers often block off a portion of the cooler during winter to heat up the oil. TC I would question your gauge if it is reading that low on a ride of 45-60 minut ride. Tony C

 

[TeeCat]

Tony, I'm such a dumbass. It just occurred to me that the instrument is European, and the gradation is Celcius! DUH!! So, I'm actually running a lot hotter than that. Sorry for the confusion! And thanks... glad you're paying attention!

TC

 

[XSLeo]

Also if the oil gets much over 200 degrees F, then the additives start to burn off. From some of the research I've done the ideal temp is 180 degrees F.
Thats why I think the Cooler I have is a bit to much for cooler days. On a 75 degree day the oil runs about 150 degrees F. I may try to find a smaller cooler or build a cover for the cooler.
Maybe one of those thermostatic valves they sell. They work like the thermostat in a car radiator. Bypasses the cooler until the oil reaches about 160, then starts to open so oil flows through the cooler. Gets fully open at 180.
Leo

 

[TeeCat]

Leo, thanks for this. I had the bike at the company picnic yesterday. It was a really pretty day, and it was exciting for me to see my bike in her current state of trim, sitting proudly in a parking space, at an actual destination! When I left, I took the "long"-ish way home - might have been out for about an hour - and other than some indecisive shifting on my part and some dribbles of oil from my annoying little left-side case weep when I got home, the bike ran very well. She did do that little thing before I left the house, though, where she took a few more kicks than I'd like to start from cold. (Warm/hot was fine.) I still think she might not have been primed quite enough after sitting for a few days, like you suggested.

The oil temp seemed to get up to around 230-40, but never any higher that that. It was sunny and about 90 degrees. It drops slightly at speed, naturally.

I noticed that my carb bowl is weeping a little, seemingly from one of the screws or around it. The carb and gasket are less than a year old and the gasket was in ace shape when I put the bowl on last time (only been off about three times), so I hope it just needs tightening. I'm going to allens, though. I might have brought her to work today if not for that.

TC

 

[scabber]

Hello T Cat we met last summer with XS Leo . Glad to see your out and about on your bike and starting to enjoy.Don't let a small weep stop you from rideing. I would stay away from the hex screws on the carb. Overtighting and pulling threads can be achived with a screw driver, Get Rid of that oil Temp gauge watch the road enjoy the ride. If your worried about thermal brake down. I run mobile 1 never had a problem. I have been in some hellatious traffic jams 90 degree days no problems. Watching the road and what's around you far more important than watching a gauge. Ride safe ENJOY !

 

[TeeCat]

Hi, John! Yes, I remember... hope you're well!

Rest assured, the only time I ever even peek at the gauge is at an occasional light, etc... not while in motion.

Gotta figure out why that carb bowl is weeping (seemingly) at the gasket surface, though. The bike is running so beautifully that I hate to even contemplate messing with the float level. This seems to have just started recently, spontaneously, though I'm wondering if it might have something to do with the single carb's "posture" off the custom manifold, with the rearmost part slightly lower than the front.

TC

 

[scabber]

T Cat I'm doing great got the bike in the driveway ready to roll. Not sure what type gasket the vm carbs have paper or neopreme. Sometimes they split around the screw hole. Don't mess with float level if your running good. Last time out the vacuum cap came off the right side intake boot. I was Lost somewhere around Chesapeake city Bike started to run like crap. I spent yesterday sycronizing carbs after messing them up before I discovered the real problem. If the weep turns to a leak try a new gasket give it a couple of days it might fix its self.

 

[TeeCat]

Hi, John...

Man, that must have been unsettling for you, being lost and the bike acting up! Glad you got it sorted!

Those gaskets look to be cardboard, but seem to be pretty substantial. I can't see how it could be split already, though... the carb and gasket are new - less that a year old - and I think the bowl might have been off two or three times for jetting/dialing in. Maybe it's still expanding/contracting or something. Be nice if it'd fix itself.

I hate all leaks! Tell you what... she runs beautifully, though! Idles stably when hot... but a little choppy like a drag bike. And I love the immediate throttle response with this VM!

TC

 

[TeeCat]

Well, John (and whoever else may be following along), I think I found the weep source, but I don't think it's the carb bowl or anything else on the carb. One of the fuel lines between the fuel T I'm using for my application and the final line to the carb seems to have a weeping joint at the T, and it passes above the carb ledge, almost certainly letting fuel dribbles follow gravity and making the weep appear to be coming from the rearmost/lowest part of the carb. The final line to the carb is braided for aesthetics, and runs between a 5/15" brass T and the 5/16" carb inlet. I think I'm just going to either get rid of the braided line entirely - it's too hard to clamp reliably - or just redo the fuel lines entirely.

It's a little tricky: I have two stock 1/4" petcocks, and I use both. I run clear 1/4" line from each petcock to an in-line filter on each line, then a 1/4" black rubber line from each filter to a single brass 5/16" T, and the single braided line to the carb comes off the remaining (third) T barb, to the 5/16" carb barb. The braided line's fitting at the brass T is the suspect; it does not seem to be able to be clamped tight enough because of the steel braid. Hence, it weeps.

Back to the drawing board on fuel line this weekend. Looking for just the right weep-free combination of line and clamps. I might look for a 1/4" brass T. That would leave the carb barb as the only 5/16" one I'd have to deal with, simplifying things a little.

TC

 

[tonyc]

I would feel a lot better if you do fix the fuel leak before riding again. That is one area of importance. Remember seeing old Vws and PORCHES on the side of the road burning? That was due to a pressed in fuel fitting. The owners would hang heavy fuel filters that would vibrate and work the fitting loose, hot cylinders, fuel, air, and fire. Simple fix, use threaded fittings. T.C. you have come a long way to see your bike go up in smoke. I sure like the way you found the possible problem. Good luck Tony C

 

[TeeCat]

Tony, right... I'm going to re-do it before riding again. I never had this issue before trying to use braided line. I'm abandoning that.

There isn't enough physical space in my application to use all those complicated, expensive, bulky AN-type fittings, so I'm going back to the old standard clamp and snug-fitting lines. And my fuel filters are the little conical micro-filters that weigh nothing... not the glass and metal ones with a lot of bulk.

It's just a matter of working out how to get from 1/4" at the petcocks to 5/16" at the carb, in my case.

TC

 

[scabber]

Hi again just got back from 50 mile ride bike is running strong again. Glad you found your leak. and your bike is running great. I looked at your fuel line set up it scares me Get rid of that clear gas line it will harden over time and no clamps. The motion pro gray is the best I have used period. It will look good clamps even better no leaks. I've seen a few bike fires caused by clear plastic fuel lines. The 1/4'' gray will strech over the 5/16 fill tube nicely I tried a piece on one of my vm carbs you can run 1/4'' all the way to the carb. I bought mine at a yamaha dealer. You have the best bike get the best fuel line. Check it out

 

[TeeCat]

John, glad your bike is running well again.

Thanks for this tip... I'll stop by the local bike shop and see if they have any. If not, though, I'll have to use black rubber fuel line in the meantime, because I need to get this finished tomorrow!

TC

 

[scabber]

Ellicott city motor sport should have it they are on the motion pro dealer list and cycle world baltimore. Happy Motoring

 

[TeeCat]

I hope so, John... but you would be amazed at what they don't have! They disappoint me regularly!

 

[TeeCat]

AMAZING!!!! They had it!! Now all I have to do is go out there sometime this weekend and and re-do my fuel line config.

 

[Maddog Marty]

Hey, TeeCat...love this thread. I am pretty new to this forum and am amazed at how wonderful it is...terrific information, great bikes, friendly people. What more could one ask? I am waiting to get my XS just purchased from a member in Detroit, I hope to have it in transit soon. It looks pretty good but I am sure will need a lot of tinkering, and you are one of the folks I will come to for advice. (There are many others I've noticed already that are extremely knowledgeable about these things.) The best bike I ever owned was my XS650B back in the day and now I have another one (maybe the SAME ONE? ! ? !). I have not seen the single carb conversion...what was your motivation to do that? The bike I bought runs, but I don't know how well, or how reliably yet. By the way, beautiful bike, great work! I had a 73 RD350 with the same style striping (red and gold, though).