If dealer can't help, Niche Cycle will get you jets at $4.65 and a very modest shipping cost.
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Van Islander's TX650A - Quest for a Daily Rider
- Thread starter TX650A Van Islander
- Start date
Thanks! Leg is getting better thanks. Riding a bike again yesterday for the first time since the ride home after the crash in October was a good feeling, just a good dose of caution.
Found some 127.5 and 130 main jets in stock in my growing parts bin! Will install the 127.5 and see how that works out.
Yes the bike is a ‘76 and I believe carbs are early BS38’s, but they weren’t the original carbs that came with the bike.
I played with main jets on my tracker several times with only modest improvement. Then I reread comments in my "New to me..." thread . The pilot jets have a much greater effect on the bike for your every day riding stoplight to stoplight and 30-50mph cruising.
Great news update! A week or so ago I installed the 130 main jets and kept the 125 pilots and that was ok but still burped a bit on engine braking. Yesterday I picked up the new 127.5 and 132.5 main jets and the 27.5 pilot jets I had ordered and this morning I installed the 127.5 mains and 27.5 pilots. Just got back from a road test and I don't think the bike has ever been more smooth up to highway speed and easily putts around at 35 to 40 mph in town. Tomorrow the local BMW dealer is hosting a bike show for all sorts of bikes about an hour out of town. Hopefully it's not raining and warmer than 50 degrees F so I can go. Spring has teased us a bit here in Victoria but this weekend is COLD!
Isn't it fun to get a great result after rejetting carbs. Your bike transitions into a rewarding piece of machinery. Congrats and good luck at the show. Hint, order Jeagermiester shots for the Judges and strap a bottle to the passenger seat..
That’s great news! Just in time for riding season! Congrats.
Thanks guys! Rode about 90 trouble-free miles today but no pictures 
Should have taken a few but was riding with 3 other guys so didn't stop. Really happy with the old machine for sure.
Should have taken a few but was riding with 3 other guys so didn't stop. Really happy with the old machine for sure.
Sorry to tell you this but without pictures, it didn’t happen.Thanks guys! Rode about 90 trouble-free miles today but no pictures
Should have taken a few but was riding with 3 other guys so didn't stop. Really happy with the old machine for sure.
Glad the bike’s running well.
Making up for lack of photos on the weekend ride. Pulled the plugs this evening prior to a ride after work as it was perfect weather for a ride about town. The bike got 49.3 mpg (US gallons) over 84 miles on Sunday and the plugs looked like this. Seems pretty good. The other photos this evening are of some First Nations totems at the Royal BC Museum here in Victoria and looking over to northern WA state across the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Love the PNW Nation's totem poles. 
Your bike ain't bad either...
Your bike ain't bad either...
Nice photos! Looking at your plugs it seems like you have it dialed in fairly well… congrats! Your 49.3 mpg is impressive too!
Pntyrmvr
XS650 New Member
Now that the FJ is waiting for insurance I've finally spent some time with the old girl again, which is nice. Oil change and general cleanup of the underside of the bike, rear wheel removal, chain cleanup, and brake condition inspections were on the list. I've got a small oil leak somewhere underneath. It could be the oil drain bolt washers allowing some weeping of oil out. I have annealed them before for reuse and hoped that would fix it but no difference. I hadn't cleaned it up in about 1300 miles so it was dirty in general too. I also hadn't inspected/cleaned the sump filter in about 2200 miles so that seal could have been weepy. It could be those long nuts in the picture as I never did split the cases and replace seals etc, having just rebuilt the top end. It is looking much better now. The rear brake had been a bit grabby last season and I confirmed the shoes are only about 2.5 mm thick so will order some new ones from Fortnine. Front brake pad inspection still on the to do list.
Attachments
I’ve found these drain plugs are a bit tricky to get sealed too. The gaskets I use have some fibre filler in them so I have never tried to anneal them. I was successful at one time to buy some solid copper washers from an industrial supplier and will research that again. In the meantime I’ll use my existing inventory up and smear a bit of Hylomar on the sealing surfaces for added insurance against leaks.
I will look for solid copper washers as well. These copper ones are sort of hollow, or rolled copper, and heating them up only succeeded in stinking up the kitchen. (Last time I heat up stuff on the gas range - wife didn't like that too much!)
This time I did use a very light smear of Permatex aviation form-a-gasket on each side of the gasket for the sump filter "housing". (The one which is bolted on with 6 10 mm bolts) I believe Jim had recommended that product in his top end rebuild thread.
This time I did use a very light smear of Permatex aviation form-a-gasket on each side of the gasket for the sump filter "housing". (The one which is bolted on with 6 10 mm bolts) I believe Jim had recommended that product in his top end rebuild thread.
Okay. What would be the adverse affect of using the washers - oil leak?
I don't think so? I think all the sump plate bolt holes are blind? That means no oil could leak out of them unless the section of gasket surrounding them was bad. Added washers are just more parts to fool with, lol.
When you replace the brake shoes, service the cam pivot in the brake plate. That drying out is the major cause of drum brake squeal and screeching. Details are here starting with post #3 .....
https://www.xs650.com/threads/how-difficult-is-it-to-replace-the-rear-drum-brakes.25632/
When you replace the brake shoes, service the cam pivot in the brake plate. That drying out is the major cause of drum brake squeal and screeching. Details are here starting with post #3 .....
https://www.xs650.com/threads/how-difficult-is-it-to-replace-the-rear-drum-brakes.25632/
