TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
True Paul, been procrastinating on this one , but I seem crazy about chrome 
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What have you done to your XS today?
- Thread starter I am Carbon
- Start date
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- maintenance
Chrome is just so cool!! Unfortunately my front fender is getting very thin and the underneath layer (Nickel??) is starting to show through. I am procrastinating that one and wondering whether to re-chrome or to go stainless steel????
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
Headlight is back on Shining ! Tho that was a fun project, there is actually some importance to disconnecting it all and cleaning bullet connectors . I found several suspicious connections. A little WD and a small wire brush helped my confidence some. The last few choices on the brown double female plugs were a little tough. Properly routing all wires us also very important as you do the last "push" on the headlight, hoping nothing came disconnected.. The rubber gromets can be positioned and worked to keep the turnsignals straight inline. The chrome bucket matches my chrome gauge buckets now. That I Like ! Have harness maintenence tomorrow.. -RT
Spent most of the afternoon reassembling "The SG" Those bolts the hold the top of the air filters are a bear to line up! I started her up and the tach didn't register. I suspect the speedo won't either. I've jacked the front up and spun the wheel and not even an attempt of a register. I've shimmed the magnet out a bit more and no effect.. I'm waiting for the new dash with the manual before I do any more. I may ride her and "go with the flow of traffic" .I was before this endeavor started so nothing has changed. Maybe I just need to ride a bit and get back to it later.
Well, today I finished off the carb reassembly and install on Lucille and got the tiny little fuel filters installed and .....
Lucille still won’t start. Not even a pop or a backfire.
I checked for spark and it looks fine. Dammit - my auto shop teacher taught us all you need is “spin, spark and spirit” - and as long as the engine is mechanically sound, it ought to start.
Hmmmmmm.
Lucille still won’t start. Not even a pop or a backfire.
I checked for spark and it looks fine. Dammit - my auto shop teacher taught us all you need is “spin, spark and spirit” - and as long as the engine is mechanically sound, it ought to start.
Hmmmmmm.
Thanks Grizld1 - good thought.
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
Spray Starting Fluid ? IDK what is not quite right MaxPete but if you can get it to light up even a minute, you will have "data" to go on good luck !
Today while off on a short causal ride an HD rider acknowledged my existence as we passed going in opposite directions. There are some nice ones out there. As I type this he has just gone past my house so must be local.
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Hyde
XS650 Addict
Re-Chrome is my vote man. Can never really have enough
Hyde
XS650 Addict
Fixed front brake-line this morning. Was riding backroads last weekend, tapped front brake at a stop sign - bolt which holds the caliper retainer bar to the springer managed to vibrate free...SNAP goes the line as the caliper grabs the rotor. That was torqued, red locktite and a lockwasher.....God damn choppers.... Buddy that runs and HD shop reminded me that’s exactly how he went down on his Pan, cotter pinning is a requirement.
I used go riding with a recently deceased friend of mine. He had a cbr1000 and I was on my (now my brothers) 79' xs1100. Here in Tennessee everyone pretty cordial on bikes. Everyone does this biker wave, two fingers under the left handle bar. Well ol rob was usually riding in front and these guys would ride by and all do the wave and rob would just give them all a big fat middle finger
boy the look on their faces. It never got old.
tick tick tick..................
LUCILLE LIVES!! 
OK - here’s a weird one for all you troubleshooters out there. I tried every trick I knew to get this rough ‘n ready old gal running and I couldn’t get so much as a weak f@rt out of her.
As you may recall, I had installed a PAMCO with e-advancer in August and then had 3-400 happy miles of instant starts, steady idle and good power and then in early Sept., she started missing badly. She would still start and idle fine - but really was quite unrideable because above idle, she missed like crazy. So, I parked her due to other commitments and she sat for nearly a month. Late last week, I checked for a spark (using an old plug externally) and both sides looked good. I installed fuel filters and cleaned the carbs again - finding a bit of crap along the way - but at this point, the bike would not even start at all.
I wondered if I had a major engine mechanical problem such as broken rings, a dropped valve or worse - but just to be sure, I pulled both plugs this morning and they were wet with fuel and quite blackened. I screwed in my old set of plugs, hit the button and WAH-LA - instant start!! Good news - but.....
was wrong with those plugs? The ones that appear to have failed were only about 1000 miles old....
Anyhow, I rode her out and got the tank filled and she’s as good as ever, if not better as a result of the carb cleaning.
I haven’t got time to investigate - I have to pull the wheels on the ST1300 and get them ready for a new set of skins.
Cheers, and many thanks for all the suggestions and encouragement.
Pete
OK - here’s a weird one for all you troubleshooters out there. I tried every trick I knew to get this rough ‘n ready old gal running and I couldn’t get so much as a weak f@rt out of her.
As you may recall, I had installed a PAMCO with e-advancer in August and then had 3-400 happy miles of instant starts, steady idle and good power and then in early Sept., she started missing badly. She would still start and idle fine - but really was quite unrideable because above idle, she missed like crazy. So, I parked her due to other commitments and she sat for nearly a month. Late last week, I checked for a spark (using an old plug externally) and both sides looked good. I installed fuel filters and cleaned the carbs again - finding a bit of crap along the way - but at this point, the bike would not even start at all.
I wondered if I had a major engine mechanical problem such as broken rings, a dropped valve or worse - but just to be sure, I pulled both plugs this morning and they were wet with fuel and quite blackened. I screwed in my old set of plugs, hit the button and WAH-LA - instant start!! Good news - but.....
was wrong with those plugs? The ones that appear to have failed were only about 1000 miles old....Anyhow, I rode her out and got the tank filled and she’s as good as ever, if not better as a result of the carb cleaning.
I haven’t got time to investigate - I have to pull the wheels on the ST1300 and get them ready for a new set of skins.
Cheers, and many thanks for all the suggestions and encouragement.
Pete
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MaxPete, life is like that sometimes. I recently bought new NGK plug caps with internal 5K resistors. When I tested them they showed an open circuit. That was £5 down the drain, just like your plugs.
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
Spark question here myself. Yesterday while yes actually working on my stock78e , I was looking for electrical faults. So I unscrewed the plug leads from the caps and coils and decided to just snip the very end off for a fresh connection. Didn't really even need to so here is where my regrets started. First one snipped so nice and clean. Second one also .. until I pulled away my snipper which actually pulled out one strand of my lead wire core , dang it what a disappointment ! Is that lead going to be fine with one core wire pulled out ? Idk about this but hope to not have to chase down another.. input appreciated thx -RT
TimeMachine
SeventyEighte
XS650e Sunday update. So I went ahead and put the spark plug leads back together. Changed the oil, put in a gallon of premium.. 3rd kick and its vibrating the garage just as it should ! The good is, all lights and switches including turnsignals are working better than ever ! The carbs I've just been so happy with ever since I cleaned them. Totally stock settings! I actually call this thing "time machine" just because it is so original and stock. The bad is, tho my turnsignals are flashing better than ever even with a low battery, the fuse which blew before didn't today, But this thing is still not charging
Dang !! I only rode the river front park road today. But Im saying it was Great to have it finally running again and rolling to use the brakes again.. It purrs, idles slow, Sounds like a dream and pulls hard ! I really like this Stock bike ! Next on the list is to find one of those rectifiers you all use hopefully in town.. Cheers -RT
Dang !! I only rode the river front park road today. But Im saying it was Great to have it finally running again and rolling to use the brakes again.. It purrs, idles slow, Sounds like a dream and pulls hard ! I really like this Stock bike ! Next on the list is to find one of those rectifiers you all use hopefully in town.. Cheers -RT
Nice -good for you TM!
Looking good TM! You'll get the charging system going again. Just takes a little creative engineering!
