'79 XS650 Special Low-Effort Resto

This is going to become a very expensive project if you keep frying $100+ Rick's Electric reg-recs, lol. Honestly, I don't know why people buy those things, guess they don't know any better. You can put together your own better reg-rec set-up for around $40 or less using an automotive regulator and a rectifier from the electronics world.
 
Comment #3 here is copied from the Tech section thread with a couple videos and tidbits added.

Grazie. I was using the troubleshooting guide you based yours on already, but yours is way more readable. Anyway, I did the slap test (positive, good magnet), the "ground the green wire to bypass the regulator" test (negative, no charge at the battery), then I got to the brush test. My battery is currently 12.1v (I started at 12.3, but it's drained a bit with all the on/off/idle/kill action). I have 11.3v at the switch and 00.2v at the brush. Hmmmmm... So, it looks like I have at least one issue between the switch and the battery. I'll trace that back tout suite. I have a Mike's repop stock-style fusebox wired into my loom through an eight-pin connector, and I wonder if that's causing some of the issues. I also checked the reg/rec using your video, and all the diodes checked out just fine, so whew.

I threw the battery on the charger, and I'll report back if/when I find the issue in that red wire.

This is going to become a very expensive project if you keep frying $100+ Rick's Electric reg-recs, lol. Honestly, I don't know why people buy those things, guess they don't know any better. You can put together your own better reg-rec set-up for around $40 or less using an automotive regulator and a rectifier from the electronics world.

I mean, I'm right here, you can ask me why I bought this thing. I bought it for a few reasons. I've been using Rick's Electrics for a few years now and their products and service are fantastic. I know what I'm getting with them and I know they'll last. Also, I'm not keeping this bike, and I'm not going to bodge together some homemade reg/rec then try to sell a bike to a prospective buyer like that. I'm not an electrician and I don't design my own components, the people at Rick's are and do. A buyer can look in there, see the part, and I can give them the receipts and info about how and where to get support for it. Would you buy a bike from some guy who built his own electrical components and swore up and down that they were totally fine? I sure wouldn't.
 
and I'm not going to bodge together some homemade reg/rec then try to sell a bike to a prospective buyer like that. I'm not an electrician and I don't design my own components, the people at Rick's are and do. A buyer can look in there, see the part, and I can give them the receipts and info about how and where to get support for it. Would you buy a bike from some guy who built his own electrical components and swore up and down that they were totally fine? I sure wouldn't.
Actually, for 20 to 40 bucks you can build a "professional" looking reg/rec that's a direct swap for the OEM's that works just as good or better. Here's mine. Seeing that on a prospective bike wouldn't faze me in the least.


6.jpg
 
There is an eight pin connector that I suspect (it is on my '83) is under the left side cover, behind the airbox. It has three white wires that carry AC to the regulator/rectifier from the stator. Red wire is DC to the charging rotor. Scrutinize that connector. I've seen it burn up on several Yamaha XS motorcycles. Two of them are mine. It certainly won't charge if there's a failure there.
 
There is an eight pin connector that I suspect (it is on my '83) is under the left side cover, behind the airbox. It has three white wires that carry AC to the regulator/rectifier from the stator. Red wire is DC to the charging rotor. Scrutinize that connector. I've seen it burn up on several Yamaha XS motorcycles. Two of them are mine. It certainly won't charge if there's a failure there.

That's actually split into two connectors on my bike - one for the regulator and one for the rectifier (mine's a '79). I've replaced both already. Good lookin' out, though.
 
You're actually not building the reg or the rec, just wiring them up so they'll plug into your harness.
 
Sigh...

I fixed it. Also, I'm an idiot. I screwed that Reg/Rec up one way or another. I had a suspicion after going through all the electrical stuff that Jim posted upthread, so I plugged the OEM regulator and rectifier back into their respective connectors, y voila. Charges like a champ now. Or, well, as well as a stock XS650 charges. 13.5v at around 2,000 RPM. I'm going to go through and check/clean as many electrical connections as I can get to tomorrow to see if I can maybe get those electrons flowing a little more freely through the loom. Gonna be real mad at myself for a while about this one.
 
A stock XS650 can charge just fine if the regulator is adjusted correctly. After all these years, many need their regulators adjusted.
 
This goddamned thing is determined to fight me every inch of the way back to the street. So, as part of the resto I bought a new set of clocks. I actually only needed the speedometer, but the set came together and was in such beautiful shape (and so cheap) that I slapped the whole assembly on. Turns out that the tach doesn't work. After reading the various tach/speedo resto threads around here, I took it out and got the bezel off. That's when the needle broke clean off as soon as I touched it because apparently, that was the problem. Or, well, one of them.

Anyway, I still have the old tach that came with the bike, but the face is heavily faded and there's a dead spider in there. What I'd like to do is get that bezel off, remove the spider, and switch out the old faded face for the nice, bright, clean one. I noticed that the needle looks glued to the post it's mounted to. What's the best way to get that needle off without destroying it? Heat gun and patience? Solvent? Fervent prayer?

Also, it's not lost on me that the "Low-Effort" part of this project has gone out the window.
 
The needle is just pressed on. I think the preferred removal method is to use two spoons placed upon and pivoted on the face plate mounting screws to pop the needle off. The needle is slightly spring-loaded so it returns. Before removal, gently lift the end of it over the stop peg and let the spring unwind fully. Note the position it ends up at so it can be installed back in that spot. And be sure to use a drop of Loctite on the face plate screws.
 
I had the same issue with a non-working tach that was really clean and a working tach that was faded. I sent both to Don Fulsang and he hooked me up. He is more known for his Triple clocks but he knows Yamahas too.
 
The needle is just pressed on. I think the preferred removal method is to use two spoons placed upon and pivoted on the face plate mounting screws to pop the needle off. The needle is slightly spring-loaded so it returns. Before removal, gently lift the end of it over the stop peg and let the spring unwind fully. Note the position it ends up at so it can be installed back in that spot. And be sure to use a drop of Loctite on the face plate screws.

Grazie. I'll get my spoons and report back.
 
Boy, I'll say, lol. I like to get the bike up and running so then I can "ride and wrench" on it. Usually takes a couple seasons after that to get it fully sorted.
 
This bike is 100% haunted.

That said, it's (mostly) finished! I got it totally reassembled and took it off the lift last night. I have to address a fuel leak (forgot a hose clamp and I'm currently out of them), adjust the clutch, and deal with an electrical gremlin in the turn signal circuit today. Other'n that, she's good to go. I took it for a short blast up and down my block last night and, despite the wonky clutch, it was exhilarating. The first time this thing has run (and stopped) under its own power since 1987. Feels good, man.

Oh, and while I'm at it, let me tell you about this turn signal gremlin. The OEM flasher was hashed, so I bought a new two-prong unit from Mikes (this guy right here). It certainly sounds like it's working, but when I flip the switch everything but the turn signals flashes. The relay clicks along happily and the headlight, taillight, and even all the clock and warning lights flash along with it. The turn signals don't even turn on, because of course they don't. I've been consulting Peanut's flasher flowchart, and I'll be chasing the gremlin down later this morning.

Pics and a new video coming soon. Hopefully. Probably.
 
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