Submariner
XS650 New Member
I bought my first 650. and I am going to need a lot of guidance on getting this to run. Basket case.....
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What have you done to your XS today?
- Thread starter I am Carbon
- Start date
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- Tags
- maintenance
We’ve seen worse - not to worry Submariner. You’ve got the makings of a very handsome 1976 XS650C in French blue my friend! When I got my bike (the attractive, but obstreperous Lucille), she didn’t look much better and functionally, she was dead as a doornail. Here’s a before & after....
Pete
Pete
G'day Mate,
I have just done a '76C resto so please let me know where I can help.
Please, please tell me you are not going to chop/bobber it!!!
GW
I have just done a '76C resto so please let me know where I can help.
Please, please tell me you are not going to chop/bobber it!!!
GW
That was an earlier photo GW - the rack is firmly attached now.
...and everyone who sees her with it says.....<get ready for it>.....<you know its coming>......
Nice rack Lucille!
Carpentry tools used on carb install? Yes.
It may not be orthodox, but for old guys with sore shoulders, I have found that setting the carbs in the manifolds and then gently using a flat pry bar to lever them on using the down tube as the fulcrum will pop them on in less than the time it takes to type about it. One could even tape the downtube to protect same, this bike not so much. Plus, the leverage is all "within" the bike, so you are not reefing on the carbs and chancing tipping it over.
I had to replace the fuel T and reverse the manifolds so now they are nice and level.
angus67
Welder's penetrate deeper!!
Rode a few miles. Test ride after clutch adjustment. Perfect. Pulled strong thru all gears.
Very nice work rsor!
Beautiful job rsor!
Can't wait to hear her fire up!
Can't wait to hear her fire up!
RSOR - did you use the two part paint?
It’s beautiful!
Pete
It’s beautiful!
Pete
And well you should. Nicely done!
The SG'S new rotor will be here tomorrow or Tues. I was out of town this past WE. I'm getting a fender mounted tail light from Coconut Pete soon too.
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I changed the oil yesterday. Since I’ve changed gauges twice, I am guestimating I was maybe a couple hundred over 1000 miles since I replaced both filters and changed the oil the first time. Checked my new sump filter; not blown out, so that’s great. There were small metal shavings on both the magnets on the filter. No big chunks of anything. The oil was pretty dark, and I hate to say it but it was pretty metallic. It reminded me of the silver iridescent slime I got with the terminator toys when I was a kid in the 90’s that was supposed to be T-1000. Is this “normal”? How worried should I be? One thing I feel is worth noting; I bought “THE XS650 ENGINE including the electrical system” book from amazon, and the author explains that the electric start was added to the engine later and causes considerable damage. He recommends using it as little as possible. I have followed this recommendation and have stopped using it to actually start the bike, except for the occasional starting in the street if it dies while idling in the first few minutes of warming up. (That’s always embarrssing. It’s only happened to me a few times) I have checked my cam chain tensioner several times after changing the oil back in april. The protruding “button” of the plunger is where it should be; just flush with the cap, and I can feel and see it pulsating with the engine running. Also, as I understand it, if my cam chain was loose my timing would be a little off, and I can usually get it to cold start the second or third kick, sometimes the first. She idles and runs fine; I’ve just been riding and wiping her down all may, june and july. I recieved my Pamco Saturday, so when I have a good 5 hour chunk of time I’ll replace those leaking cam seals and get the ignition installed, and use my new timing light to set the timing. Part of why I haven't Bothered checking timing or anything else is because she runs fine, and I’ve known I’m going to be tearing into it for this, so I figured I’d just wait. OH! Also, I’ve adjusted my rear wheel once already with that new chain, around June 11th, and I noticed this weekend it’s time to adjust it again. How often/how many times/how many miles do you normally have to adjust for chain stretch?
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Sounds good TZ. The XS650 engine seems to be pretty hard on oil with its fairly primitive filtration system. The other thing is that an oil guy once told me that the colour of engine oil that has been in service for more than a few hundred miles is nearly always going to be dark. That’s just how the chemistry works.
