I’m definitely gonna remember this! I can use them in conjunction with any style handlebar I decide to go with right?
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I Bought an XS! (76 XS650 by the new guy..)
- Thread starter G_YamTech_314
- Start date
There was a lot that we didn’t get time to learn. In nine months, they can only teach you so much. They made us comfortable with the big jobs, such as Harley Davidson transmission rebuilds, splitting the cases of a horizontally mated bottom end, rebuilding v twin top ends, voltage dropping charging systems, ignition systems, etc. we did a whole unit on carburetor and I’d like to think that I’m pretty good at cleaning them, although if I were flat rate I’d lose my ass. The grease was a suggestion my dad made, I told him no, now I may have to eat my words and throw some in there to be certain the top of that diaphragm seals. Might make it easier to remove as well.
We did a lot of work on fuel injected bikes too, they were trying to set us up to work in a dealership. I have plans on running my own shop one day, so that didn’t fit my bill. We did dirt bike motor work, such as overhead cam removal and replacement, cam timing, for H-D, Honda, Suzuki, etc... learned a whole bucket load. But I’m here, working on my XS to continue learning, and to reward myself with knowledge and a bike that only has limits that I set myself. To be honest, I prefer SOME of the old school ways to be better. Such as using plasti-gauge, or greasing electrical fittings with dielectric grease (which they never stressed in school for some odd reason) and even just simple things like laying parts out meticulously so you don’t get confused or miss any parts. The feeler gauge in the cyl. For piston/cyl. Clearance just makes me cringe though. Bad idea.
Although not the preferred way of checking skirt clearance, using a feeler gauge is a tried and proven method that anyone can do. Not everyone has a bore gauge or mics and T gauges... everyone has feeler gauges. why do you think it's a bad idea?
The feeler gauge trick is a long time practice, in fact they even sell piston feeler gauges. I doubt they would be doing that if there wasn't a market for them .....
https://www.snaponindustrialbrands....nt/PDF/Snap-on Industrial Brands CAT4 608.pdf
Granted, it's a crude way of measuring this stuff, but it's a quick and easy way to get a general idea of the clearance you've got. I use it on a freshly torn down motor to initially judge whether or not I can just re-ring or need to re-bore. If it obviously needs an over-bore, I won't bother cleaning up the old pistons completely for re-use.
You're going to get the chance to practice all this stuff on your 650. Unfortunately, pretty much every one of these requires some topend "fixing". Due to their age, the front cam chain guides are falling apart on most of these now. Failing valve guide seals are also becoming common. It's not that the original parts were inherently bad, they're just 30+ year old rubber parts and they've reached the end of their service life. Freshen up your topend and you should be good for another 20 to 30 years.
https://www.snaponindustrialbrands....nt/PDF/Snap-on Industrial Brands CAT4 608.pdf
Granted, it's a crude way of measuring this stuff, but it's a quick and easy way to get a general idea of the clearance you've got. I use it on a freshly torn down motor to initially judge whether or not I can just re-ring or need to re-bore. If it obviously needs an over-bore, I won't bother cleaning up the old pistons completely for re-use.
You're going to get the chance to practice all this stuff on your 650. Unfortunately, pretty much every one of these requires some topend "fixing". Due to their age, the front cam chain guides are falling apart on most of these now. Failing valve guide seals are also becoming common. It's not that the original parts were inherently bad, they're just 30+ year old rubber parts and they've reached the end of their service life. Freshen up your topend and you should be good for another 20 to 30 years.
Yeah, the GS-4 blades are skinny and give a better indication. I've always used tapered feelers. Does the same thing....
That is... 'till my last set grew legs.
That is... 'till my last set grew legs.
I just see how scuffed up the gauges get, and it makes me feel lik it’s gonna score the cyl. SUPER over sensitive about it, I’ll admit. And I agree that the tools are expensive to invest in for a DIY guy, cause you’re not gonna use them a lot. However I don’t see someone getting an accurate reading with a feeler, as they’re flat, and the cyl is curved. Adds more resistance to the pull or feel of the gauge. Never did it that way, so perhaps I’d eat my words, just seems like it wouldn’t be good. Perhaps I shouldn’t knock it before I try it. I admit to being inexperienced. I see now that school wanted to teach me more of how to use the tools, not how to work on my own stuff. They tried to set me up for success as a dealership tech, and I’m sure they wouldve. But I’ll back it down a notch and let this forum teach me more than I’m probably ready for. Lol
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A .002" or .003" thick feeler gauge easily flexes to follow the curve of the cylinder wall and piston diameter. You're not really going by how the drag on the feeler gauge feels when doing this, it's more about what sizes fit and which ones don't. The stock "as new" cylinder to piston clearance on these is about .002", so you start with that size feeler gauge. Then you step up .001" at a time until the gauge won't fit in there any more. Crude yes, but effective for a "ball park" measurement. I do now have the proper tools for good measuring (bore gauge, large mic for piston skirt), which I do eventually use for better, more precise measurements, but I just grab the feeler gauges for that initial quick check.
Sounds like a well rounded curriculum, covers many bases. I'm surprised that they cover carburetors. Same with points ignitions? Kickstarters? Carbide lamps?
Yeah, you're gonna have fun in here. Lotsa experienced and creative talent has passed thru here, and left gold nuggets scattered about. Learn how the forum software works, its search engine, the ability to find threads and posts of significant contributors. Knowing certain buzzwords to use with the search engine is probably the most daunting. A good example is for those folks experiencing intermittent TCI ignition problems to use the phrase "rare earth magnet". Amazing how that works...
Yeah, you're gonna have fun in here. Lotsa experienced and creative talent has passed thru here, and left gold nuggets scattered about. Learn how the forum software works, its search engine, the ability to find threads and posts of significant contributors. Knowing certain buzzwords to use with the search engine is probably the most daunting. A good example is for those folks experiencing intermittent TCI ignition problems to use the phrase "rare earth magnet". Amazing how that works...
I sincerely laughed out loud at this. I’m 22 years old, grew up surrounded by digital tech. Now I’m being schooled by super smart dudes twice ,y age, and I’m happy about it. That really is meant to be a compliment. I don’t know what the hell a rare earth magnet is though... guess I’ll learn(?) I feel right at home here. I’m not going anywhere. I’ll learn on my rare moments of free time. Between my XS, work, and my full time job, I’ll be pretty busy.
I don't know how many of the guys here have formal technical training, I was an automotive tech school grad who worked dealership service for nine years before getting a job working on classics. My advice to you is to take everything the tech school taught you with a grain of salt. Production techniques and technology have changed so much over even just the last decade that it's impossible for a tech school to teach you all you need to know. Absorb every bit of information you can from every source you can think of, and understand being a mechanic on anything isn't a 40 hour job as it takes years of searching and learning outside of school to become what would be rightfully considered competent.
If you love what you do though, it's true that it's rarely "work" so have fun with things.
If you love what you do though, it's true that it's rarely "work" so have fun with things.
That’s why I separated “work” from my “full time job” in the comment above. I do side work, and it’s tough. It requires me driving to whoever needs work done to their bike. It’s gas, and time, that I don’t charge the customer for. Then there’s my bank job, which is just a full time day job, and this time of year, it’s dark when I’m outta the bank so work is work, my job is my job. But it’s not always this hard... just the time of year. I chose this. Im cool with it. But it ain’t always the most fun. That’s why for now, it’s work. Lol
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Yes I do. Just looking through to try and find your comments on muriatic acid. Gonna try and do that today to clear the tank up. But yes... I do.
I sent them to you in a PM. Look in your Inbox.
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