If the carburetors are 1982, then it will have drain screws on the bottom left side of the bowls. Those drain screws are JIS. A #2 Phillips will bugger them.
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82 Xs650 Special Float height? Info :)
- Thread starter Felix Das Brat
- Start date
notmoving
XS650 Enthusiast
Way cool. Thanks!
Cut an oil bottle like this. Use a light colored bottle if you have one.
Remove float drain bolt, then turn petcock to prime, let gas run for a bit, petcock back to on, this will (should) stop flow, replace drain bolt and washer.
Look at the fuel you've collected, any dirt, rust, debris? Anything that looks like a bubble at the low point? that'd be water.....
notmoving
XS650 Enthusiast
Got it! I should get to this tomorrow.
notmoving
XS650 Enthusiast
So you've still got a "no start" issue, but the starter motor is turning the motor over.....
I first check for for fuel in the combustion chamber removing one of the sparkplugs observing/smelling for fuel on the plug;
then check for spark by placing the plug back in its cap, then ground it to the head. Then watch for spark between the electrodes while briefly cranking...
If I'm getting spark, but fuel is inconclusive, I sometimes will dribble a half ounce of fuel in the plug hole, reassemble and see if it'll vroom for a second (combustion)..........if so the carbs need cleaned, etc.
I first check for for fuel in the combustion chamber removing one of the sparkplugs observing/smelling for fuel on the plug;
then check for spark by placing the plug back in its cap, then ground it to the head. Then watch for spark between the electrodes while briefly cranking...
If I'm getting spark, but fuel is inconclusive, I sometimes will dribble a half ounce of fuel in the plug hole, reassemble and see if it'll vroom for a second (combustion)..........if so the carbs need cleaned, etc.
notmoving
XS650 Enthusiast
I've been trying the fuel in the plug hole! It worked last year but no go this time around. And I cleaned and rebuilt the carbs last year before I garage-stored it for the winter. It worked fine when I put it away. The reason I did the carb work was a sudden drop in power. I had not taken the bike out to test its power before I put it away - I had way too many other things going on at home - but I can tell you it fired up just fine.
If you're getting spark and dribbling fuel doesn't get it to fire a couple times, the next step would be to verify ignition timing.....
Then other weirder stuff.......
Then other weirder stuff.......
notmoving
XS650 Enthusiast
I bought a timing light last September but haven't used it yet. I've never used one.
And I should correct myself; I didn't dribble fuel in the plug holes. I sprayed WD 40 in there because a mechanic friend recommended it to me. It worked every time I used it last year.
And I should correct myself; I didn't dribble fuel in the plug holes. I sprayed WD 40 in there because a mechanic friend recommended it to me. It worked every time I used it last year.
I've never tried WD40 like that (it's mostly kerosene I think). Don't know if it will go boom??Timing lights are wonderful things, but mostly only on a running motor
notmoving
XS650 Enthusiast
Hee, no boom. It's one third petroleum. So... No timing light, then? Pardon my ignorance, but how do I verify ignition timing?
If you have a multimeter or test light, you can ballpark it statically.You can roll the motor over with the rotor nut counterclockwise. First let's verify the Right point gap at max opening is ~.014". Then same for the L. points. Once that's done we're gonna check continuity to ground between each points' wire lead with meter/light when points are closed. Then look for the points to just begin to open - break continuity - as the rotor timing mark passes the "F" mark on the case .
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Just to recap: you have verified that you're getting spark at the grounded plug, but no combustion with 1/2 oz of gasoline dribbled in the plug hole?
notmoving
XS650 Enthusiast
It runs! And I took it for a spin.
Thank you all for all your help!!
Now the issue is constant backfiring - which it was doing when I first bought it last summer. I addressed that with additives and fresh gas. Right now the gas is half fresh and half old. Also, the guy who sold it to me used nothing but ethanol gas. Which was easy for him since he worked near to the only ethanl station in 50 miles. I use premium plus additives.
Could this be a timing issue?
Thank you all for all your help!!
Now the issue is constant backfiring - which it was doing when I first bought it last summer. I addressed that with additives and fresh gas. Right now the gas is half fresh and half old. Also, the guy who sold it to me used nothing but ethanol gas. Which was easy for him since he worked near to the only ethanl station in 50 miles. I use premium plus additives.
Could this be a timing issue?
Backfiring or just popping and banging on the over-run?
Whenever you set points up always verify the timing - it's part of the job.
Other reasons for backfiring and popping include running overly lean.
notmoving
XS650 Enthusiast
And for all those who talked me through rebuilding my carbs last year: that worked too! This was the first high-speed ride I took since those repairs, and I am pleased to report that all is very well.
Tomorrow I'm going to look into getting two new tires.
Yahoooo! Thanks, everyone!!
Tomorrow I'm going to look into getting two new tires.
Yahoooo! Thanks, everyone!!
notmoving
XS650 Enthusiast
Grimly, I don't know what an over - run is, or what popping and banging are. I haven't worked on the points or timing yet. This is all on-the-job training for me. 
