GBGRIDER
XS650 Enthusiast
instead of putting in blade fuses i would recommend put in circuit breakers that automatically reset themselves nothing beats that.
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Top 3 Mods for reliability
- Thread starter Rustychopper
- Start date
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- maintenance
Maddog Marty
Alotta Patina
Great thread...this will help me a lot when I can finally take posession of the '75B I bought recently (out of state, waiting on transport to get it to me). I think it is pretty well stock/standard. Will be fun to inspect and plan upgrades/improvements based on these lists.
That would depend on how good the owner is at doing preventive maintenance. For the guy who really stays on top of things points are fine but for the guy who's subject to let things go too long or doesn't seem to grasp the fine art of setting points then electronic ignition is the way to go.
An antidote: At a towing company where I once worked we had a home built wrecker on a Chevy 2 ton with a 366 gas V-8. The truck was a mix of parts from the 40s until the 70s. Most of our trucks were diesel but the old Chevy had unbelievable low gearing (top speed in overdrive was 40 MPH) and an Army surplus tank pulling winch that was more powerful than the winches on our heaviest tri-axle wreckers. So while the Chevy rarely got used, the 2-3 times a year we pulled it out earned its keep even if we had to haul it to the job and chain it to a bigger truck to keep it still.
After using it one day I returned and told our mechanic it needed new points. He looked at me like a deer caught in headlights and said, "You're S$$ing me, right?"
"No," I replied, "It needs new points."
The next time I needed to use it it wouldn't start so I popped the cap and the points were burned up. I went to the boss who called the mechanic out and said, "Why didn't you put new points in that truck like Billy told you?"
"What's points?" the young mechanic asked.
Marty, on your "new" 75 go through the wiring. Clean and tighten every connection. A dab of dialectric grease to keep them working. Same with all the switches. This will fix most of your reliability issues.
Once thats done, do all the tune up maintainance, cam chain tension, valves, points gap and timing. Oil change and filter cleaning.
I might even go through the carbs to be sure every thinmg is clean and write down all the numbers on the brass parts. Main jets, pilot jets, needles, needle jets.
Once every thing checks out fresh gas and fully charged battery and see if it runs. Once running check the battery voltage at idle and 3000 rpms. If every thing seems ok, turn on the lights and rechech voltage, still ok then ride it.
All these things I mention are talked about on other threads. These threads will tell you how to and what to watch out for. Good luck and happy cycling.
Leo
Once thats done, do all the tune up maintainance, cam chain tension, valves, points gap and timing. Oil change and filter cleaning.
I might even go through the carbs to be sure every thinmg is clean and write down all the numbers on the brass parts. Main jets, pilot jets, needles, needle jets.
Once every thing checks out fresh gas and fully charged battery and see if it runs. Once running check the battery voltage at idle and 3000 rpms. If every thing seems ok, turn on the lights and rechech voltage, still ok then ride it.
All these things I mention are talked about on other threads. These threads will tell you how to and what to watch out for. Good luck and happy cycling.
Leo
Maddog Marty
Alotta Patina
Wow, XSLeo, what a thoughtful response for me! I really appreciate this information. You went above and beyond the call of duty and I think your response is right on the money...what you say is exactly what I'll do! This thread is making me hungry to get my mitts on that bike! (To butcher the Seinfeld line: "These pretzels are making me thirsty!") One quick question though...I THINK dialectric grease is grease that does NOT conduct electricity...I am wondering how that helps in the uses you specify? Seems like it might insulate the two contact points (not meaning ignition points here) from each other if used where electrical connections are made. Not meaning to be argumentative, just trying to learn more...and, oh by the way, thanks again!
Gordon
XS650 Junkie
Dielectric grease will help with corrosion issue's. You are right, but no petroleum product's conduct electricity. Well, EVERYTHING doe's conduct electricity, but some thing's are alot better at resisting it than conducting it. The grease is light and when the circut's get used, they create heat, and the grease will flow into the fitting helping to prevent corrosion. That is why connector's turn green, a little heat and moisture. The grease will keep out most of the moisture.
On a side note, in the tech section, there is a sticky titled 'You bought a 650, what do I do now'. I think it was posted up by JAYEL, who has been working on these bike's since Christ was a corporal. And XS Leo certainly does know his shit on these as well as anyone.
On a side note, in the tech section, there is a sticky titled 'You bought a 650, what do I do now'. I think it was posted up by JAYEL, who has been working on these bike's since Christ was a corporal. And XS Leo certainly does know his shit on these as well as anyone.
Maddog Marty
Alotta Patina
Cool...thanks, Gordon. I get it. And I will look up that thread you mention. I saw a mention the other day of a "lab" section (I think) on the forum but I cannot locate a link to that. Any ideas? Can you point me in the right direction?
The grease I got as dialectric grease is black, I think they added graphite. Graphite conducts electicity. The thin coat of grease, even vasoline will keep corrosion at bay and keep the electrons flowing.
And Gordon, thanks.
Leo
And Gordon, thanks.
Leo
Gordon
XS650 Junkie
MadDog, at the top of this page, there is the 'Tech" section, and the Google custom search. The Google is for this site only, will help find posts written about the subject your looking for. And the 'Tech' section has all the archive's of technical stuff that was posted. There is a 'sister site' actually this site came from there, is 650 Rider. Travis got it for the archive's only, and keeps it running for that. Then there is also the 650 garage. All have a wealth of knowledge, from checking out your first 650 all the way through a total rebuild. On the home page here, scroll down to the bottom, and Jayel has posted up what to do with your 650 now that you got it home.
If anybody is using conductive grease, they need to throw it far, far away. A dielectric is something that does not conduct.
I had the good fortune to work for awhile with the guy who invented a now common type of connector called a zebra strip when he was working for IBM. One of the products of conversing with him over those months was a fair understanding of connectors.
The thing to remember is no matter how much a connector is greased, if there is any friction there is a connection. And of course no grease eliminates all friction. I can see how conductive grease could cause big problems, depending on how conductive it was.
Incidentally later the same guy wanted me to work with him on detectors for an odorless, invisible gas that causes cancer 10 years after exposure. After a brief exposure. Considering him a little absent minded, like somebody who might leave a tank turned on, I politely said no thanks!
I had the good fortune to work for awhile with the guy who invented a now common type of connector called a zebra strip when he was working for IBM. One of the products of conversing with him over those months was a fair understanding of connectors.
The thing to remember is no matter how much a connector is greased, if there is any friction there is a connection. And of course no grease eliminates all friction. I can see how conductive grease could cause big problems, depending on how conductive it was.
Incidentally later the same guy wanted me to work with him on detectors for an odorless, invisible gas that causes cancer 10 years after exposure. After a brief exposure. Considering him a little absent minded, like somebody who might leave a tank turned on, I politely said no thanks!
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sgallaty
Antihero
1) Proper preventative maintenance
2) simplifying and modernizing the electrics
3) a good tool kit that is waterproof
2) simplifying and modernizing the electrics
3) a good tool kit that is waterproof
howry
XS650 Addict
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can ya give an example for the rectifier and regulator?
and simplified wiring?new wiring? do ya guys mean that its best to rewire the whole system? but with what wiring diagram?
cros36
thread killer
i dont want to start a debate, the circuit breakers can be great, but when they trip and untill they cool down your left not knowing what went wrong. a blade fuse you can see that it tripped. and you can fit 1000 of them in your pocket.
can ya give an example for the rectifier and regulator?
and simplified wiring?new wiring? do ya guys mean that its best to rewire the whole system? but with what wiring diagram?
Look at my signature at the bottom of my posts.
TeeCat
One-Mik Wonder
Voltage gauge.
By itself, it will not enhance reliability, but it will allow you to monitor the status of your bike's charging system, which is a notorious threat to reliability (in stock form). Do yourself a favor and do not roll out of the driveway without a voltage gauge. Compliments to RG for this one.
TC
By itself, it will not enhance reliability, but it will allow you to monitor the status of your bike's charging system, which is a notorious threat to reliability (in stock form). Do yourself a favor and do not roll out of the driveway without a voltage gauge. Compliments to RG for this one.
TC
Pure-Pork
Gas Up, Let's Ride!
1. Non-vacuum petcock on left side of tank, right side blocked off.
2. Hugh's inspired PMA setup & Sealed battery
3. Voltage gauge from Mikes XS handlebar mount, easy to see.
2. Hugh's inspired PMA setup & Sealed battery
3. Voltage gauge from Mikes XS handlebar mount, easy to see.
