Mailmans XS2 , the rebuild.......again

[Mailman]

Ok, I’ll try to respond to everyone’s comments here.

This leaking battery has a manufacturing defect, it’s leaking around the seal for the negative terminal, the first one I bought was leaking before I ever got it out of the box, as Jim said. The second one leaked in exactly the same spot.

I will be looking at a better quality battery for a replacement. Our extreme desert heat kills batteries so quickly I have been reluctant to spend much money on them, instead I have treated them as disposable. I just plan to replace them every two years. That’s about all they last in our cars too.

My charging system has been modernized with solid state VR-115 voltage regulator and solid state rectifier.

I do have a voltage meter mounted on my handlebars and my charging numbers have been good.

And @GLJ , Greg those tires. My XS2 still had the factory original tires on it when I got it. Those ribbed front tires may be correct, but I would be reluctant to run one. If you never ride on any highway with rain grooves they might be alright, but if you do those ribbed tires are evil handling!

 

[Jim]

Fwiw... I just went down to Advance Auto and grabbed a sealed lead acid battery for mine that cost about 50-60 bucks. I let the guy behind the counter pick it out. I couldn't tell you what brand it is if my life depended on it. Did the same for Sue's Subaru about a month ago and the same for my F150 this spring.
The bike's battery is on it's third year. Last fall I parked the bike for the winter and did absolutely nothing to it. It sat for 4 months and started the bike this spring no problem. What I'm getting at is if it were me, I'd just drive down to the parts store, grab a mid range sealed lead acid and call it a day.

 

[Mailman]

Fwiw... I just went down to Advance Auto and grabbed a sealed lead acid battery for mine that cost about 50-60 bucks. I let the guy behind the counter pick it out. I couldn't tell you what brand it is if my life depended on it. Did the same for Sue's Subaru about a month ago and the same for my F150 this spring.
The bike's battery is on it's third year. Last fall I parked the bike for the winter and did absolutely nothing to it. It sat for 4 months and started the bike this spring no problem. What I'm getting at is if it were me, I'd just drive down to the parts store, grab a mid range sealed lead acid and call it a day.

Yeah, I’m thinking along the same lines, just buy something local. On a side note we took my wife’s Toyota to the dealership today to have the battery replaced under warranty. It died less than two years after we got it. This is the third consecutive Toyota battery that has been replaced at no charge because it failed so soon. The car is eight years old and we have never paid for a battery for it.

 

[GLJ]

And @GLJ , Greg those tires. My XS2 still had the factory original tires on it when I got it. Those ribbed front tires may be correct, but I would be reluctant to run one. If you never ride on any highway with rain grooves they might be alright, but if you do those ribbed tires are evil handling!

When I bought my XS2 in 76 it still had the original ribbed tire on it. We don't have rain grooves in IL. We did have some steel grated bridges. Those would cause a pucker factor of 6 to 8 depending on speed. When wet a solid walnut cracking 10. I replaced the front with a Goodyear Eagle. Also put one one the back at that time. Come to think of it I still have them. Actually those are probably the 2nd or 3rd set.

 

[Mailman]

I’ll be back when I have my new ignition!
-Bob

Hopefully this thread is wrapped up now, I installed a new Boyer ignition here,

http://www.xs650.com/threads/boyer-bransden-ignition-installation-on-my-xs2.60740/#post-715061

So far the results look good. Starts quick and easy, hot or cold! Stick a fork in me, I’m done!

 

[MaxPete]

Stick a fork in me, I’m done!

OK Bob - so what's next?

Pete

 

[Mailman]

OK Bob - so what's next?

Pete

Ha! Rather mundane maintenance, chasing a small oil leak on my XS2 right now.


I am also contemplating rebuilding my starter on my ‘77. It is just chronically sluggish, a reluctant starter when it’s cold. I’ve already tried removing the cable and cleaning the posts, and a new battery. I might look for a new cable and then rebuild the starter. If that doesn’t cure it I don’t know what will!

 

[gggGary]

rebuilding my starter on my ‘77. It is just chronically sluggish,

While rare, oil inside the starter happens, found it on survivor, a 79 with 10K miles.
Starter sounded kinda liquidy, more like a wash machine than the usual rock crusher concert.
With a bent up cheap 12mm wrench, removal wasn't Bad....

 

[Mailman]

While rare, oil inside the starter happens, found it on survivor, a 79 with 10K miles.
Starter sounded kinda liquidy, more like a wash machine than the usual rock crusher concert.

I’ve heard of that happening. Mine doesn’t make any especially weird noises, it just turns slow. Kind of a Ruh Ruh Ruh Ruh. It usually takes a bit of this before it fires when it’s cold. Once its hot, it fires right off.

 

[gggGary]

Connection probs on the hot stud more likely than the oil inside scenario. A complete starter issues how to seems like the perfect mailman exhaustively complete maintenance thread / new tech entry.

 

[Mailman]

A complete starter issues how to seems like the perfect mailman exhaustively complete maintenance thread / new tech entry.

Yeah, I could do that.

 

[Jim]

A complete starter issues how to seems like the perfect mailman exhaustively complete maintenance thread / new tech entry.

Yeah, I could do that.

You could.... but it's already been done.
And pretty damn well I might add.

https://www.xs650.com/threads/xs650-electric-start-system.948/

 

[Jan_P]

The small leak can be the 3 big Phillips / JIS screws inside needing a re tightening

no 25 if there are 3 on XS2 also

 

[Raymond]

I'm with Jan on the source of the oil. Slight leakage from behind the points/advance covers was a chronic problem with the original engine in Miss November.

 

[Mailman]

You could.... but it's already been done.
And pretty damn well I might add.

https://www.xs650.com/threads/xs650-electric-start-system.948/

Yeah, I was just reading through that. It’s a wealth of information, thanks!

 

[gggGary]

But with your touch and doing a hidden thread til it's a cohesive whole, stealing liberally from the existing thread when needed....

 

[Mailman]

mundane maintenance, chasing a small oil leak on my XS2 right now.

And a minor victory! The oil leak turned out to be an easy fix. It was coming from the exhaust valve cover, I’ve got a set of @gggGary super duper ( no longer available ) red silicone o-rings on my valve covers and I apparently tightened it down too tight and I squished it out of shape. I trimmed it a little with a razor blade and flipped it over so I had a nice smooth side and reinstalled it. And Viola! Leaks no more!

 

[Mikey]

View attachment 205240

And a minor victory! The oil leak turned out to be an easy fix. It was coming from the exhaust valve cover, I’ve got a set of @gggGary super duper ( no longer available ) red silicone o-rings on my valve covers and I apparently tightened it down too tight and I squished it out of shape. I trimmed it a little with a razor blade and flipped it over so I had a nice smooth side and reinstalled it. And Viola! Leaks no more!
View attachment 205242

How does one torque those 2 bolts underneath where the spark plugs are at
A wobbly socket ?

 

[Jim]

How does one torque those 2 bolts underneath where the spark plugs are at
A wobbly socket ?

A short socket and wobbly extension.

 

[cra-z1]

I thought something was wrong in the universe and seeing that small leak proves it