What have you done to your XS today?

Be sure to bring a wadful of $1 bills. :D
What are your plans for draining and flushing remnant chemicals from semi-enclosed places, like inside frame tubing?

Owner of establishment told me without my asking that they make sure all liquid is out of areas like that as their large commercial customers require same.
i plan to listen for something sloshing around. But seriously, a good point and one which I had considered.
 
I'd sure give it a good flushing out with a pressure washer once you get the frame back.

PS our $1 bills went the way of the dodo many many years ago. Now we have the $1 "loony" coin (so named for the bird - a common loon - on the backside).

Our $2 bill s also gone. It has been replaced by an interesting two piece coin which is usually called a "tooney". There was a movement to call it a "mooney" because the coin has an image of the Queen on one side and of a polar bear on the other - "the Queen with a bare behind"....:D...get it?

Apparently, the average life of a low denomination paper bill was about 6-9 months whereas a coin can last for 20-40 years and so the total life cycle cost of the coin version of the currency is much much lower than of the equivalent number of bills.
 
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1979 Special. I bought this two years ago and finally got a chance to take a look at it. It's a runner.

1. Clean rust from tank and replace cap seal
2. Replace petcocks
3. Clean carbs - not bad actually
4. Replace fuel lines
5. Install airboxes and filters
6. Replace chain and sprockets
7. Install chain guard
8. Replace rear turn signals
9. Replace huge and heavy seat with used stock Special seat
10. Install screws in headlight bucket
11. Replace pos and neg battery cables

The wiring has been hacked! Can't wait to see what the taped 'mystery module' turns out to be. Cool paint.

79 wiring.jpg 79 mystery module.jpg 79 paint.jpg
 
I think I will probably stick with the stock system. I have seen so many threads dealing with Pamco issues that i think I will have better luck putting it back stock. I know, I am sure that some, if not the majority of Pamco issues are self induced but still I think I'll just avoid the whole thing and put her back together the way she came. Like I said this bike will not have to go very far very often.
 
The wiring has been hacked! Can't wait to see what the taped 'mystery module' turns out to be.

View attachment 104199

A small silver colored box with two screw terminals. One labeled BAT the other AUX. Printed faintly on the side is 12V30A. I assume this is a circuit breaker / fuse of some sort? This was in place of the main 20A fuse. Wrapped in 5 feet of black electrical tape!

This bike was charging before I put the airboxes on. All I did was (famous words!) was push some wires around so they would fit. Doesn't bode well. Runs really well, tho.
 
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Found out I didn't set valve lash or tighten down my adjusters last summer. Good thing I've not started the bike yet. Also found out that the Kedo adjusters aren't long enough to run with a Shell #1 cam. Time for VW units.
20170812_170508.jpg
 

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Well, I was having a good day: I got the PAMCO ignition system wired up on Lucille (but not tested or timed at all) and then I decided to do a valve adjustment since I had the tank off and then....I stupidly decided to fix my instrument lights (every single bulb in the tachometer and speedometer is burned out). I guess that's been caused by a combo of XS650 vibration, my 5000+rpm blasts up the superslab, cheapo Chinese bulbs and what ever evil spirits are still haunting my beloved, Lucille.

Anyhow, upon reassembling the bike - nothing works and the fuse blew as soon as I turned on the key.

Sh!t.

This technological cluster-f@ck has been caused by - ME - breaking my own ironclad engineering rule about working on stuff:
  • do one thing;
  • test it;
  • do the next thing;
  • test it;
  • etc.
  • :banghead::wtf:
Soooo....I don't know if the electrical issue has been caused by something I did on the Pamco install or something I did inside the headlight bucket getting at the ding-danged instrument lights. I am nearly certain the problem is not related to the valve adjustment job.....although....you never know....with Lucille....:yikes:

Anyhow, I've worked on it for about 2.5 hours and now I have the front running lights working and the engine turns over - but doesn't run (I didn't actually try to start it - I'm not ready yet). I have blown through my supply of 20 Amp fuses and so I had to stop.

At this point, I have no horn, no headlights, no turn signals and no rear lights at all. It looks like everything on the LH handlebar switch is dead. I checked and the bars ARE grounded (the starter works, so they must be).

Dammit. I hate taking a nicely running and pretty danged reliable motorcycle and improving it to the point where where it doesn't run anymore.

Oh well, it all worked before - and it will again CHoHW.

Any suggestions?

(a sweaty, tired, slightly bummed-out and BAC level now rising steadily...).

Pete
 
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My suggestion. Walk away, as hard as that is to do. Have a chilled one (or two), and go back at it fresh with a clear, calmer head tomorrow.

I'll even have a chilled one for you if it helps!
 
Yup - having a cool glass of wine (whine???) now...in fact, I think this may be my second glass.....approximately.
 
Well dang Pete! I have been where you are now and Robin is right. Just go have a glass of wine and watch some old Baywatch reruns for a while. Give yourself 24 hours to cool off. Just slow down and be methodical, you will figure it out.
It's a pain in the ass, but you get her back.
I'm almost embarassed how many times I've gotten all pissed off and said that's it! I'm done!
 
There ya go Pete ! Wine always makes it better !
yes I do have a suggestion for you
* do one thing
* test it
* do another thing,
* etc, etc.
lol ! Sorry I couldn't resist ! HAHAHAHAH !
sounds like a headlight bucket scenario where you wish you never took the thing apart ! been there and done that one!
sounds like you got some wires crossed... put ur' glasses on and get a better light ! i bet you'll find it !
if not have another glass of wine ! ....so you can whine more !or would that be Wine more ? i'm getting cornfuzed now !
LOL....
Bob...........
Hang in there Pete !
 
Mailman : no need to be embarrised about that .... Us humans screw up from time to time... because we are what we are... Humans!
making mistakes is part of learning..... we don't have a Learn the right stuff only switch, so we gott'a learn the screw-ups too along with the right stuff.... and actually it is reinforcement of what is good to know !........ now if there was a button to push so we wouldn't ever forget that we'ed be in good shape , but unfortunately i think mine is hiding somewhere ! LOL
....
Bob......
 
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