Gonna get down and dirty with my bike!

[Bstryker]

Hey guys!
New to the forum and I just got my 1980 XS650 a couple of days ago and she's a beaut. (pictures soon)
It's my first bike and I was trying to kick-start it and dropped the dang thing... I know... Newbie mistake...
Well, the clutch perch broke off and I'm gonna order a new perch and from mikesxs.

The previous owner said that there is a head gasket leak, so I'm wondering which gasket set do I buy? (I figured since I'm buying a perch, might as well buy some stuff I need to fix up the bike.)
I'm gonna take the engine apart and replace some gaskets, so since I'm already gonna be in there, is there anything I should look out for and/or replace/upgrade while I'm in there?
I'm new to working on bikes so any beginner tips are appreciated and I'm super excited to get my hands dirty for the first time
Also if there is anything I should be wary of while working on the engine, it'd be nice to know that too
Thanks for everything guys!

 

[figure8]

Before you go tearing the engine apart, a simple head retorque may be all that’s needed. There’s a how to in the tech section. Drain the oil and check the filters, they’ll tell you a lot without having to pull the engine apart. A compression test is a good move as well, also covered in the tech section.
As for the clutch perch, theres many that fit universally so you don’t have to get one targeted for the xs. Though your welcome to. Some of Mikes products are sub par, there’s a thread covering some of them as well.

 

[TwoManyXS1Bs]

Here's an example, clutch perch adjuster ferrule.

http://www.xs650.com/threads/couple-questions-help-please-dellas.26406/page-2#post-265937

 

[fredintoon]

Hi Bstryker and welcome,
coulda been worse, if the bike had dropped to the right and broke the front brake perch you'd be researching the joys of brake bleeding.
How bad is the oil leak and are you simply taking the PO's word on it being the head gasket that's leaking?
There's all manner of other sources for top end oil leaks, not just the head gasket and ONLY the head gasket needs the engine to be pulled to replace it.
Replacing a clutch perch is a hour or so's work while pulling the motor takes all day and a friend or a garage crane.
And that's before you even start on removing the head.
I'd say you'd best first try removing all the head fasteners, replacing the four composite sealing washers with copper washers and re-torqueing the head fasteners to factory specifications.
All of which can be done without pulling the motor.
The head fastener torqueing values and sequence are available on this site.
Take extreme care with the smaller fasteners, over-tighten the little bastards and they'll snap off like carrots.
&IMHO you'll need two torque wrenches because they only click accurately in the middle 60% of their torque ranges
and the difference between the M6 & M10 torques won't let a single torque wrench do both.

 

[azman857]

Welcome Bstryker Happy Wrenching on your '80!

 

[Jim]

Welcome to the site Bstryker! I'm a newbie here myself. My opinion (emphasis opinion) is that before you tear any motor apart, you get it running first. Never trust a PO on what's really going on. He might or might not have a clue. As was previously mentioned, a head re-torque might be all that's needed. Beyond that? Well... get it running and find out. Right now there's too many gaps to say beyond that. How many miles are on it? When was the last time it was ridden? Is the oil black and goopy or clean. Garage or driveway bike... well you get the picture. The more info you can give us, the more informed our opinions will be. Speaking of pictures, get some up here! That will help us a lot.
Again, welcome. I only joined a month ago but it's my opinion that there's a very nice, knowledgeable bunch of lads here. I think you picked the right place.

 

[Bstryker]

Hi Bstryker and welcome,
coulda been worse, if the bike had dropped to the right and broke the front brake perch you'd be researching the joys of brake bleeding.
How bad is the oil leak and are you simply taking the PO's word on it being the head gasket that's leaking?
There's all manner of other sources for top end oil leaks, not just the head gasket and ONLY the head gasket needs the engine to be pulled to replace it.
Replacing a clutch perch is a hour or so's work while pulling the motor takes all day and a friend or a garage crane.
And that's before you even start on removing the head.
I'd say you'd best first try removing all the head fasteners, replacing the four composite sealing washers with copper washers and re-torqueing the head fasteners to factory specifications.
All of which can be done without pulling the motor.
The head fastener torqueing values and sequence are available on this site.
Take extreme care with the smaller fasteners, over-tighten the little bastards and they'll snap off like carrots.
&IMHO you'll need two torque wrenches because they only click accurately in the middle 60% of their torque ranges
and the difference between the M6 & M10 torques won't let a single torque wrench do both.

So I have attached a picture of what the PO had checked out when he took it to the shop a couple months ago. The oil leak isn't substantial, just a small weep and a couple drips throughout the night. Man, being new to working on bikes, I know no terminology hahaha. Guess I'm in for some learnin'

 

[Bstryker]

Welcome to the site Bstryker! I'm a newbie here myself. My opinion (emphasis opinion) is that before you tear any motor apart, you get it running first. Never trust a PO on what's really going on. He might or might not have a clue. As was previously mentioned, a head re-torque might be all that's needed. Beyond that? Well... get it running and find out. Right now there's too many gaps to say beyond that. How many miles are on it? When was the last time it was ridden? Is the oil black and goopy or clean. Garage or driveway bike... well you get the picture. The more info you can give us, the more informed our opinions will be. Speaking of pictures, get some up here! That will help us a lot.
Again, welcome. I only joined a month ago but it's my opinion that there's a very nice, knowledgeable bunch of lads here. I think you picked the right place.

So the bike runs great and I can get it to start pretty quickly. It's got 8k miles on it and from what I know, it's been stored in a garage for most of its life and relatively recently been used. I test rode it and rode it back to my house before I dropped it. I'm about to drain the oil today and see what it looks like so I can tell you what the oil looks like after I do that. Also the headlight and turn signals don't work. The bike is in great condition otherwise! While i'm draining the oil i'll get some snaps of my baby!

 

[Jim]

If it's got only 8 thousand miles on it, I would do everything in my power to NOT remove the engine!! Hell, it's barely broke in...

 

[Jim]

I'm tearing my 80SG down right now, but that's only because it was almost leaking oil out faster that I could pour it in What I'm finding is that... at 20K miles, everything in the motor measures out within factory specs. At 8K it's still new inside. Speaking of specs... do a site search for manual. Gotta have a manual!

 

[Bstryker]

I'm tearing my 80SG down right now, but that's only because it was almost leaking oil out faster that I could pour it in What I'm finding is that... at 20K miles, everything in the motor measures out within factory specs. At 8K it's still new inside. Speaking of specs... do a site search for manual. Gotta have a manual!

Haha got it and good luck with your project! Didn't end up getting any pics today cause I was having such a blast diagnosing and treating some problems. (feeling like a bike doctor)

I ended up taking a real good look at it and checked it over pretty thoroughly. I started the engine and was just looking at where the leaks were coming from. I ended up checking the oil level and it was WAAAAAY too high. Way over the max fill line. I drained the oil and ran it for a bit and it seemed to not be leaking much if at all. Damn shop that checked it must've put way too much in there when they did the qrc.

None of the turn signals were working and so I took those apart and some were rusted real bad. I did some sanding and lubricating on the lights and messed around with the switches and voila! GOOD AS NEW! (well not quite) One thing isn't working and I can't seem to figure it out. The turn signals come on but they don't flash. Any idea what that could be? The lights sometimes don't come on and I hear a crackling noise like the circuit isn't connected or something.

 

[Jim]

The turn signals come on but they don't flash. Any idea what that could be?

You could start by cleaning the connector to the flasher unit. Believe it or not, I've fixed flasher relays just by giving em a few gentle taps against the workbench. Are all 4 bulbs bright?

 

[DanielBlack]

Crackling sounds like a bad connection. Find it before you let all the smoke out.

Then check every inch of wire and every connector and every crimp for anything suspect.

 

[Bstryker]

You could start by cleaning the connector to the flasher unit. Believe it or not, I've fixed flasher relays just by giving em a few gentle taps against the workbench. Are all 4 bulbs bright?

Guess I got some manual reading to do. I don't know where anything is All 4 bulbs look great! It's just that sometimes it crackles a bit then turns on. Just no flashing.

 

[Bstryker]

Crackling sounds like a bad connection. Find it before you let all the smoke out.

Then check every inch of wire and every connector and every crimp for anything suspect.

Cheers Daniel Black! I'll get on it! Here we GOOOOOOOO

 

[fredintoon]

Haha got it and good luck with your project! Didn't end up getting any pics today cause I was having such a blast diagnosing and treating some problems. (feeling like a bike doctor)

I ended up taking a real good look at it and checked it over pretty thoroughly. I started the engine and was just looking at where the leaks were coming from. I ended up checking the oil level and it was WAAAAAY too high. Way over the max fill line. I drained the oil and ran it for a bit and it seemed to not be leaking much if at all. Damn shop that checked it must've put way too much in there when they did the qrc.

None of the turn signals were working and so I took those apart and some were rusted real bad. I did some sanding and lubricating on the lights and messed around with the switches and voila! GOOD AS NEW! (well not quite) One thing isn't working and I can't seem to figure it out. The turn signals come on but they don't flash. Any idea what that could be? The lights sometimes don't come on and I hear a crackling noise like the circuit isn't connected or something.

Hi Bstryker,
the bike's electrics are configured so that the tail light turns on with the key but the headlight only turns itself on when when the alternator starts charging.
Note that if the engine stops (say it stalled in traffic) there's a latching relay that keeps the headlight on until the key is turned off.
The occasional lights not turning on and a crackling noise is as you say, a poor contact. There's a contact cleaner spraycan to fix that.
One cause of the signals coming on but not flashing is a lack of load. The stock flasher unit needs two 27Watt flasher bulbs to work.
The more usual 22Watt flasher bulbs that the PO might have used don't draw enough power to work the stock flasher.
Or the flasher may be faulty. Here's a $10 test. Buy an electronic flasher from Pep Boys or whoever because an electronic flasher will work with just about any wattage bulbs.
It has to be a 2-prong flasher because automotive 3-prongers are wired up wrong for bikes.
The 2-prong flasher plugs into the bike's 3-slot flasher receptacle two ways.
One way it'll work, t'other way it won't.
You'll lose the bike's flasher self cancelling function but if the stock flasher was causing the
problem you'll at least have working signals.

 

[ThatXS650Guy]

Before you go to Mike's for a clutch perch check out the YZ style clutch at 650 Central.

 

[5twins]

Just a quick note on motor oil. That work order lists 10W-40. That's not correct for this bike. Most of us run 20W-50, or 15W-40 diesel oil at the very least. Personally, I like the 50wt. better. I tried the 15-40 but didn't care for the added topend clatter it produced. Apparently it works fine, just produces more engine noise.

 

[peanut]

welcome to the forum . Sounds like you've already made an enthusiastic start
you might find this helpful
http://www.xs650.com/threads/flasher-fault-troubleshoot-flowchart.42200/

 

[5twins]

Just because it's only got 8K miles on it, that doesn't mean all of the seals and gaskets are still good. It's 37 years old after all. When I got my '78, I bought a complete engine gasket set and a seal kit. I used most everything in them. I've had the bike about a dozen years now so I've even had to replace some of the replacements, lol.