'80 Special Refit

I still don't have my XS650 ready for the new year, but today I got closer. See, last week I finally got around to changing the oil. When I originally changed the oil in this bike, I pulled the sump filter for inspection, and of course it was damaged. So I set out to fix it with JB Weld and denim, of all things, as documented in this very thread back on page 7:

http://www.xs650.com/threads/80-special-refit.52662/page-7#post-563146

I was told at the time that this was a bad idea, that the denim would shed fibers into the oil and destroy everything. But all seemed to be well, and a couple thousand miles later I did an oil change but didn't drop the sump plate that time. So last week I drained the oil and dropped the plate for inspection, and this is what I found:

XS650-20210613_132659.jpg


As you can see, it looks almost exactly like it did when I put it in. The denim is undamaged, the coating of JB Weld is more brown than it was but undamaged.

So I set out to reinstall the sump plate, and I almost immediately broke off one of the screws. They all felt wrong, to be honest, and I should have known not to tighten them down when I felt them, well, not getting tight. I removed the screws I could get at, and they were all visibly compromised. I had torqued them to 7 ft.-lbs. as specified in the shop manual, and I don't think there's a problem with my torque wrench, but who knows?

Took some looking to determine that they are supposed to be M6-1 x 25mm, property type 8.8. I hit the hardware store today and got a bag full of them, and after lying down in the garage for a while managed to work the broken bit out of the hole. Fortunately there was just enough metal sticking out to get a grip with pliers and twist it free.

XS650-20210618-doing-repairs.jpg


This time I torqued them by "feel" using a small quarter-inch ratchet. To be honest, I'm not sure I didn't compromise the replacements, but I tried to be careful. The ones I took out had held the plate oil-tight for 4000 miles, so I'm going to give these a try as is. I've been warned in the past not to use stronger machine screws than called for by the manufacturer, but I have to wonder if I should have tried 10.9 screws instead.

Still have to adjust the cam chain tension and swap out the front tire before she's ready to ride.
 
Tonight I installed the new Michelin front tire I won in a giveaway almost exactly a year ago; I forget what exact model of tire it is, but I'll post it when I get a chance to look. It went on wonderfully, which was a relief because it's my first tubeless tire replacement. I also got that darn cam chain tensioner adjusted, and then I took it for a ride.

There was rain coming in from the north, but just the tip of a larger system that was heading southeast, so I went south and then west and picked up the end of the Bee Ridge Road and ran that to Edina, Missouri. Got some gas at the Casey's and rolled back out for home. I had threaded the needle between two rainstorms on the ridge road, and I saw that I would have to do thread another to get home dry; the clouds were glorious ahead of me, but threatening on either side as I took Highway 6 back to my home in La Belle, Missouri. The streets were wet but the air was dry, and I got in with no unpleasant dampness.

HOWEVER... on the highway heading home I considered passing a slower vehicle, and I rolled the throttle on. Around 5,500 to 6,000 RPM the clutch started slipping. I'm using Valvoline conventional 20W-50, MA1, so I'm assuming it's not the oil, but an actual worn-out clutch pack. Doesn't look too hard to replace. I don't ride on the Interstate much at all, so I may leave it for a couple thousand miles so I don't waste all that oil I just put in. I also noticed the front brake pads are ready to be replaced, so I suppose I'll order all the parts for both jobs and get them done, eh, maybe next year, no faster than I'm going. I have two other daily riders so if I find I have to park it again I suppose I can. Annoying to get the unfinished work done, only to discover more, but with a vintage vehicle what do I expect?
 
You could try just replacing the springs. Many times the originals go soft and that's why the clutch slips. Aftermarket heavy duty springs are cheap, about $10 to $15 a set. If that doesn't work then yes, you may need plates. CruzinImage has the cheapest I've run across.

https://www.cruzinimage.net/2017/12/27/80-83-yamaha-xs650-clutch-plate-set/

They've got cheap brake pads too.
 
Dennis Kirk has these springs pretty cheap: https://www.denniskirk.com/ebc/csk-clutch-spring-set-csk14.p382009.prd/382009.sku

Says they fit. And as I understand it, if I lean the bike over 45 degrees or so, I don't have to drain the oil... is that true?

EDIT: I'm looking at under $40.00 for clutch plates and brake pads (both) from CruzinImage... how are they so cheap?

I assume I need a gasket for the right side cover too. Hmm... have to go look for that now.
 
When replacing the springs the 6 retaining bolts are easily damaged with a manual screwdriver due to their tightness. An impact driver firmly tapped with a hammer works extremely well to loosen them without damage. Those EBC CSK14 springs worked well on my 81 SH and solved the 5000 rpm slipping. They are slightly stronger but I didn't notice any difference in force required to pull the clutch in. When removing the right side engine casing take care to leave the kick start shaft in place i.e. push in on the shaft as you pull the casing off. The shaft also has a big washer that often sticks to the inside of the casing then drops out later and gets lost in the workshop.
 
I'd take off a couple of plates and just check their thickness. If still in specification then I'd just swap out the springs. Often that gasket is reuseable as long as you do not tear it taking if off. When fitting the new one make sure the surfaces are spotless and then grease the gasket before refitting. Do not forget about those copper washers on the bolts below the oil level.
 
Okay, so Mike's XS has the EBC springs (same manufacturer part number) and the gasket, both for a fair price. So I'm down to just one question... do I do the clutch plates too, or try the springs alone? Open to suggestions here.

https://www.mikesxs.net/ebc-clutch-springs-for-yamaha-xs650-1980-83.html
https://www.mikesxs.net/yamaha-xs650-gasket-rh-crankcase-cover-clutch-oem-256-15451-00.html

I just went through this myself. I had a slipping clutch. I replaced my springs, no help. My plates were all in spec. I rebuilt the engine and used STP as assembly lube. I may have made it worse. I changed the oil and swapped the plates from another engine I had on the floor. No help. So, I bought a seven plate Alto conversion from @gggGary. That was the fix. It works 4.0.

The springs I put in are Vesrah. They’re advertised as 14% stronger than stock. Use a JIS screwdriver to remove and install the spring retainers.
 
I'd wager the gasket is the original, installed when the bike was new, and I'm not counting on the old one surviving. And I'm not taking it apart again if I have a choice, so I've ordered the plates, springs, and a gasket, to do it all up right.
 
So... still waiting for clutch parts, but I took another ride to work today, about 40 miles each direction.

The bike has a "shimmy" now, at low speed; feels like when you're riding on grooved pavement. Strangely, it doesn't get worse at 55, but actually a bit better, and almost disappears in the corners. Did I do something wrong mounting the tire, or is it the tire itself? The previous tire was a Shinko, put on by the previous owner, and I don't know what number it was; the new tire is a Michelin Commander II that I won as a "door prize" about a year ago. It went on easy and balanced with just one weight I recycled (there were two weights on the wheel with the Shinko mounted, and I needed only one of them to balance the Michelin). And I did as described in the shop manual, tightening the axle nut first on the right side before doing the front and then the back of the clamp on the left.

Not sure what's going on. I don't think it's dangerous (I rode on wet pavement today without trouble) but it is annoying.
 
So... still waiting for clutch parts, but I took another ride to work today, about 40 miles each direction.

The bike has a "shimmy" now, at low speed; feels like when you're riding on grooved pavement. Strangely, it doesn't get worse at 55, but actually a bit better, and almost disappears in the corners. Did I do something wrong mounting the tire, or is it the tire itself? The previous tire was a Shinko, put on by the previous owner, and I don't know what number it was; the new tire is a Michelin Commander II that I won as a "door prize" about a year ago. It went on easy and balanced with just one weight I recycled (there were two weights on the wheel with the Shinko mounted, and I needed only one of them to balance the Michelin). And I did as described in the shop manual, tightening the axle nut first on the right side before doing the front and then the back of the clamp on the left.

Not sure what's going on. I don't think it's dangerous (I rode on wet pavement today without trouble) but it is annoying.
Start by putting the bike on the center stand and check for play in the front end. Check for loose steering head bearings.
 
Back
Top